Sometimes tradition and habit are just that, comfortable excuses to leave things be, even when they are unjust and unworthy. Sometimes--not often, but sometimes--the cranks and radicals turn out to be right. Sometimes Everyone is wrong.
In "Dominion: The Power of Man, the Suffering of Animals, and the Call to Mercy," Matthew Scully challenges the idea that tradition and habitual practices are always justifiable. He suggests that these conventions can serve as convenient excuses to maintain the status quo, even when such practices are unjust or deserving of change. Scully emphasizes the importance of questioning established norms and being open to the possibility that there are alternate...
