Poll: The Moral Question: Animals Vs. Plants

[firemark]

I have noticed that there is an ongoing debate amongst the human race as to the morality of what they eat. Some people take the stance that meat is fine to eat because humans are superior to the other animals. But what basis do they have to claim superiority? Others claim that it is inhumane to keep animals in small cages while pumping them full of vitamins and steroids, only to slaughter them. But why is it "inhumane" to treat something that isn't human that way? Certain religions forbid the consumption of some meats and others forbid the harm of any living creature. But surely both can't be true.

The question this forum asks is this: "What is the morality behind what you eat?"

I know this is very open to opinion and I ask that no flaming get started. However, if you can avoid insulting a person I think it is perfectly fine to challenge their beliefs. If it is your belief that is being challenged, please do not take it personally. Rather use it to strengthen your belief by learning how to defend it better.

I'll start by saying that I do eat meat and enjoy it. I have no real moral quandary with eating any animal really, but that is due to my religious beliefs that man has been set above all other living things. I see some dilemmas within the mass slaughter, as it wastes life, but it is more efficient. Also I recognize that being a vegetarian is also healthier for your heart, but to me that has nothing to do with morals and is therefore more of a lifestyle choice to me.

 

[Acidwell]

The morality behind what i eat is a twofold decision:

1. Does it taste nice?
2. Am i hungry?

If i answer yes to both then i'll eat it, although i admit that number 2 takes priority.

 

[BiscuitTrouser]

The morality behind what i eat is a twofold decision:

1. Does it taste nice?
2. Am i hungry?

If i answer yes to both then i'll eat it, although i admit that number 2 takes priority.

Actually if 2 is extreme enough I miss out 1 completely. I think that vegitarianism is a rather pointless view. All it does really is give yourself a moral pat on the back. The animals you would have eaten die anyway so your change makes no impact on the "slaughter" all it does is make you think "go me im not a murderer". I only eat free range foods anyway, i think its fine to eat something if it hasnt been cruelly tortured because its pretty hard to see that as right regardless of your beliefs.

 

[Daystar Clarion]

Our ancestors ate meat, this allowed our brains to grow. The fact that we are having this conversation is all thanks to the glorious steak. If a cow could eat you, it would...

Spoiler: See the face of evil!

 

[teisjm]

Humans are supperior to animals, otehrwise the animals would be eating us instead. It's not a matetr of belief, it's a fact, if we foudn a speices a thread we would destroy it. Though soem sorts of bacteria seems to fight us though, cause we can't seem to defeat them.

So based on that logic yes we can eat them.

gamers are superrior to non-gamers as well, so tehrefor it's okay for us to eat non-gamers, shoudl we ever get the option.

I think food-animals should be treated good though, a quick and painless death, and a life which wouldn't constitute tortour.

Also, when i die, i want my organs donated to science, and the rest of my body grinded, and used as cat-food, cause cats are superrior to everything, just look at how we treat them as small cute furry gods.

 

[Mozared]

It's always been a tough topic for me, but by now I think I can safely say that I think vegitarians are in the wrong. No matter how much you'd like it, life is NOT about everyone being able to live it to the max and being happy all their life. That goes for animals too. Even if the entire world were vegitarian, we'd only be gimping ourselves and in the meantime reach an overpopulation of animals.

 

[latenightapplepie]

No, not really. And I say that as a vegetarian. I just think everyone should be more respectful and considerate when it comes to the consumption of meat. I think that if people want to keep eating meat, then they should at least stop treating the animals like garbage and also try to minimize the effect of meat production on the environment.

Yes, that probably means eating less meat. Suck it up. You'll live.

 

[Acidwell]

The morality behind what i eat is a twofold decision:

1. Does it taste nice?
2. Am i hungry?

If i answer yes to both then i'll eat it, although i admit that number 2 takes priority.

Actually if 2 is extreme enough I miss out 1 completely. I think that vegitarianism is a rather pointless view. All it does really is give yourself a moral pat on the back. The animals you would have eaten die anyway so your change makes no impact on the "slaughter" all it does is make you think "go me im not a murderer". I only eat free range foods anyway, i think its fine to eat something if it hasnt been cruelly tortured because its pretty hard to see that as right regardless of your beliefs.

Yeah i agree completely but if i have a choice i'll of course go for the tasty stuff, and moral superiority is great but it really doesn't beat a good steak in my opinion

 

[Vet2501]

I enjoy eating meat and nothing anyone says is going to convert me. It's natural, everything kills something else in order to survive, that's life. I don't see veggies campaining to stop lions killing and eating meat (although it may just be a matter of time), so why are we 'not allowed' to eat meat?

It's just their way of giving themselves a pat on the back, but it opens up a whole host of other problems, they need to take supplements for a start because you can't get all your essential vitamins and minerals from plants.

 

[Sepiida]

For me it basically comes down to suffering. I accept that suffering is a bad thing and that we should do all we can do reduce unnecessary suffering in the world (that's the moral position I start from.) If I accept that suffering is bad then I really have no reason to restrict this view to humans as it's an animals capability to suffer that is important not their species. As such I find myself in a position where eating meat cannot be a moral act as it inevitably causes suffering regardless of how the animal was treated.


To respond to some of the more common arguments I've seen in favor of meat eating:

Saying that eating meat is fine because it's natural is making a naturalism fallacy. It's very poor logic.

Saying that factory farms are bad while organic farms are fine is poor logic as both cause the animals to suffer (you know, by killing them.)

Saying it's okay to eat meat because it's tasty is...well I can't really even respond to that.

 

[crimson5pheonix]

I've said this before, but...

God SAVE you if you get between me and a steak, and there is no way to get between me and steak with a bread roll.

 

[Daystar Clarion]

No, not really. And I say that as a vegetarian. I just think everyone should be more respectful and considerate when it comes to the consumption of meat. I think that if people want to keep eating meat, then they should at least stop treating the animals like garbage and also try to minimize the effect of meat production on the environment.

Yes, that probably means eating less meat. Suck it up. You'll live.

I agree with you. I love meat, but I also think we should respect the animals that die to give us that food. That means letting them live comfortable lives and killing them in the most humane way possible.

 

[IckleMissMayhem]

It's my belief that Vegetarianism/Veganism is wrong. We've evolved as Omnivores. We shouldn't feel bad about the fact that we've gotten organised about providing food for ourselves as a species.

 

[Cpu46]

This is all i have to say on the matter

Spoiler

Generaly i would be more respectfull to people who do stuff differently. However i recently was approached by a vegan who was appalled at my decision to eat a burger at a McDonalds. I tried to tell her to leave me alone but she just kept on preaching the evils of meat. Eventualy she grabed the box my burger came in and threw it out. Normaly i would be mad but unknown to her the box was empty so realy she did me a favor.

 

[gigastrike]

We eat out of nessecity, not because we want to.

(and don't say that eating just vegetables is any different. Plants and animals are both living things.)

 

[Ironic Pirate]

If all meat tasted like chicken I might have given it up, if only to score chicks. But baconburgers... I could never abandon them...

 

[Soulgaunt]

It tastes good, and I'm hungry, so what exactly is the problem?

 

[Sepiida]

We eat out of nessecity, not because we want to.

(and don't say that eating just vegetables is any different. Plants and animals are both living things.)

Plants can't feel pain. Bit of a difference.

 

[antidonkey]

We eat out of nessecity, not because we want to.

(and don't say that eating just vegetables is any different. Plants and animals are both living things.)

Plants can't feel pain. Bit of a difference.

Are you sure? Just because you've never heard a plant scream doesn't mean it doesn't hurt. Plus, there are people that can't feel pain...does that mean it's ok to eat them? Plant or animal, if it's tastey, I'll chow down on it. Life feeds on life. It's the way of the world.

 

[crimson5pheonix]

We eat out of nessecity, not because we want to.

(and don't say that eating just vegetables is any different. Plants and animals are both living things.)

Plants can't feel pain. Bit of a difference.

How can you know that..... unless you're one of them! Quick, steam him!