Philosophical Vegan Forum

What do you all think about this nutjob?

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4395362/Vegan-designer-makes-750-SPORRANS-dead-foxes.html

I think it's pretty weird but I don't have any ethical objection to it.

miniboes wrote: ↑Tue Apr 11, 2017 5:07 amI don't have any ethical objection to it.

You don't think normalising the wearing of animals would be good for the fur industry? There is also the risk of others "getting in the game" who may not always use roadkill as their source.

You don't think normalising the wearing of animals would be good for the fur industry?

This is the main problem, I guess. I am inclined to say that yes, it would normalize the wearing of animals. It is also hardly sustainable and it could even encourage people to kill foxes and claim them to be roadkills. As Miniboes said, it is not ethically wrong, but I don't think I would support it.

Jebus wrote: ↑Tue Apr 11, 2017 5:15 am

miniboes wrote: ↑Tue Apr 11, 2017 5:07 amI don't have any ethical objection to it.

You don't think normalising the wearing of animals would be good for the fur industry? There is also the risk of others "getting in the game" who may not always use roadkill as their source.

On this scale it won't normalize anything. If other people start doing this, then that's an ethical alternative to the fur industry that people may embrace more readily than fake fur. I suspect that the positive effect from fur substitution would be larger than the negative effect from any normalization that may occur.

DarlBundren wrote: ↑Tue Apr 11, 2017 5:40 am
it would normalize the wearing of animals.
It is also hardly sustainable and it could even encourage people to kill foxes and claim them to be roadkills.
it is not ethically wrong,

Wat??? I think that's a non sequitur

miniboes wrote: ↑Tue Apr 11, 2017 5:50 amthat's an ethical alternative to the fur industry that people may embrace more readily than fake fur.

So you think someone who sees someone wear this on the street and thinks it looks good will assume it came from roadkill? Unlikely!

I meant that I don't think that freeganism (or whatever that is) is ethically wrong per se, but, pragmatically, I would not support it in that particular situation. Most people are not well-versed in philosophy, talking about freeganism is a good way of making yourself look crazy. But, again, if it were as effective as miniboes claims it would be, then, yes, why not.

Jebus wrote: ↑Tue Apr 11, 2017 6:04 am

miniboes wrote: ↑Tue Apr 11, 2017 5:50 amthat's an ethical alternative to the fur industry that people may embrace more readily than fake fur.

So you think someone who sees someone wear this on the street and thinks it looks good will assume it came from roadkill? Unlikely!

I don't think people look at a bag on the street and think 'I should get a fur bag too'. They may think 'I want a bag like that' and google it/ask where the person got it.

If you're so concerned about this effect, do you oppose fake fur that looks a lot like real fur too?

DarlBundren wrote:But, again, if it were as effective as miniboes claims it would be, then, yes, why not.

I don't claim it would be effective; whether it's good or bad, I think it accomplishes very little either way. To the degree that this has an effect at all I think it'd be a neutral effect or better, because the reduction in non-roadkill fur would be greater than the increase in fur that might result from normalization. I think market substitution is a far better established and predictable effect than normalization.

miniboes wrote: ↑Tue Apr 11, 2017 7:39 amI don't think people look at a bag on the street and think 'I should get a fur bag too'

They might if it's a fur bag.

miniboes wrote: ↑Tue Apr 11, 2017 7:39 amThey may think 'I want a bag like that' and google it/ask where the person got it.

Come on now!!! Try googling "blue, medium sized bag" and see what comes up. Asking the person where they got it would be better, but few people actually do that.

miniboes wrote: ↑Tue Apr 11, 2017 7:39 amIf you're so concerned about this effect, do you oppose fake fur that looks a lot like real fur too?

Absolutely.