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Plants scream when you cut them,

Plants release chemicals that have effects. A lot of media and news sites took that and ran with it to get clicks.

The thing we're really asking here is if something can experience something, such as pain.

Plants have no qualia. They do not experience things, there is no central nervous system that compiles information and then takes actions.

Mussels and clams and many bivalves also have no brains or central nervous system and thus cannot experience things.

Most other higher creatures with brains can experience things, just like you or me. They don't have language or words but they are experiencing the world. That's what we're talking about, so let's not use hyperbole about this topic because it's already choked enough with morons trying to make it political when we should be taking our role far more seriously as wardens for our planet and the lives around us.

Nature is cruel, humans are no different.

Yes, but unlike the bivalves and bears and bootlace worms, you can decide if you're going to be cruel or not. The rest of that statement is just what people say when the idea of actually empathizing with animals and reducing your meat intake seems like a huge bother and annoyance and you simply don't fucking care.

If you don't care, just say it. Let's also stop trying to turn this into some kind of rational argument. If this is how you feel, be honest about it.

I'm not a vegan but I understand nature and unfortunately, human nature as well.