Blog 10-Competition in Society

In the second chapter of Animals and Why They Matter, Midgley discusses the lifeboat model and competition in our society. She mentions how the lifeboat model is really only used in extreme situations as in the movie Titanic as Kohak points out. Therefore, it is a model that can be at times misinterpreted. She presents figures that show how we may go about choosing who is more important to us when it comes to the lifeboat model. For example, it is first me, and then my family, friends and so on. She applies this model as well when we as humans display importance to animals, that it is first us, then the animals.

Midgley also discusses the presence of competition in society. Due to competition, we have developed a sort of monetary value towards animals. That they are only good to make a profit from or else why should they matter. This is why our society has and will continue to use them for animal experimentation, factory farming, and even entertainment. Other than that, it would appear that animals are nothing else to us as humans on the whole. That our competitive attitudes have caused us to think in this manner. Such as in the case of the elephant and the hunter. Was the elephants life less important than the hunters pleasure?

So far, Midgley has presented good arguments regarding humans and their views towards animals and like Kohak, it is difficult to dispute against them. However, it good to discuss her arguments in class because it can be difficult to understand her arguments at times. So I agree with Midgley in that if we didn't have such a competitive society, perhaps the environment would be treated with more respect.