If you're at all aware of what goes in farming in Australia you know it's a massive horror show. From chicken macerators to pig gas chambers animals suffer massively to end up on your plate.
Every Australian I've ever spoken to describes themselves as loving animals, and is horrified at things such as whaling. Most of us even find activities like puppy milling or hunting upsetting.
In light of this; and the knowledge that a few decades ago whaling was a-ok, monkeys didn't matter, and elephants certainly didn't feel pain; what makes you confident that what you were raised to consider beneath consideration actually is?
Eating animals is neither necessary nor nice, so why do it?
Truth be told I don't find hunting upsetting. It's the way of nature. Hunted wild venison and pork is some of the most delicious meat I've eaten. Probably goes without saying but deer and pigs are introduced pests which damage the environment and threaten diversity in Australia and New Zealand, so I have no qualms about hunting them.
Factory farms yeah they can be a bit crap which is why I tend to look for free range meat and eggs.
I'm not opposed to eating plant based meals, I do it probably two dinners a week at present. However overdoing legumes which seem to be pretty popular in plant based meals tends to create a lot of greenhouse gas in the vicinity of my arse.
Also dairy. Sorry but cheese, I fucking love cheese. Plus I've tried every non dairy milk in existence, they just don't come close in a longmac topped up.