In regards to eating meat

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I think it would be possible to work with an individual carrot and start the process of individuation, especially if you let it flower and didn't harvest it. That would give you two years to work with it, which might be enough to start the process. The point is, plants can be individuated, just as animals can. However, most chickens and cows aren't individuated any more than most garden plants -- it's pets that get individuated, according to Ra. That's why more animals get individuated than plants. There's no reason that people couldn't start to name and talk to their house plants and individuate them, too.

Regarding the symbiotic nature of the relationship between livestock and humans, I would invite you to visit some farms or families that keep, love, and respect animals. We have a family milk cow as well as laying hens, and I feel confident that the relationships are mutually beneficial.

Regarding slaughtering humans as akin to slaughtering animals, you continue to equate animals with humans while relegating plants to a seemingly secondary status of "OK to eat." I just don't agree with you that that distinction holds water.

Regarding the culling of weaker animals -- actually, many hunters do resist the urge to take the biggest buck and instead take does, thereby reducing overpopulation, and smaller males. Similarly, farmers and ranchers manager their herds for health by culling weaker animals.

Regarding the importance of making the connection between what you buy at the store and where it came from and how it got there, I completely agree with you. That was my point about the blue-green algae.

Regarding compassion for plants and animals -- I don't see why we can't have both.