People getting mad at the phrase "animal holocaust" is the archetypical brain glitch.
I avoid the phrase myself bc anytime you say this, there's a 100% chance of the conversation getting derailed. The phrase "animal holocaust" doesn't necessarily compare the needless slaughter of animals to the Holocaust bc 'holocaust' is just an improper noun referring to a mass-killing. Like, you can say "mosquito holocaust" or "trans holocaust" (in appropriate contexts) and everyone will understand that you're not literally morally equating the situation to the state-sanctioned killing of 11 million people based on their race.
But even in cases where the activists in question are making that case -- which does happen at times -- the argument they're making is as follows when boiled down to its core components:
1. Holocaust really bad
2. Animal agriculture resembles Holocaust
3. Animal agriculture really bad
When a carnist extremist hears this, they sorta reverse the logic and reinterpret it as such:
1. Animal agriculture not really bad
2. Animal agriculture resembles Holocaust
3. Holocaust not really bad
which is why they get offended at the results. I'm not so naive as to think that this is purely a misunderstanding or that it's actually something else which offends them that they're redirecting their outrage from to sound more empathetic. But I really, really don't advocate employing that phrase -- or that comparison -- because it's simply not effective. Any tactic which is so vulnerable to being misconstrued is better off discarded in favor of arguments which are harder to counter... which given the subject matter, are few and far between.
But even in cases where the activists in question are making that case -- which does happen at times -- the argument they're making is as follows when boiled down to its core components:
1. Holocaust really bad
2. Animal agriculture resembles Holocaust
3. Animal agriculture really bad
When a carnist extremist hears this, they sorta reverse the logic and reinterpret it as such:
1. Animal agriculture not really bad
2. Animal agriculture resembles Holocaust
3. Holocaust not really bad
which is why they get offended at the results. I'm not so naive as to think that this is purely a misunderstanding or that it's actually something else which offends them that they're redirecting their outrage from to sound more empathetic. But I really, really don't advocate employing that phrase -- or that comparison -- because it's simply not effective. Any tactic which is so vulnerable to being misconstrued is better off discarded in favor of arguments which are harder to counter... which given the subject matter, are few and far between.
