What are you thoughts about Vegetarianism and why do you feel that way?

[The SettingSun]

I have a vegetarian friend who wears leather shoes, drinks milk etc. and sometimes i feel like pointing out his hypocrisy but I don't have the heart. He doesn't force his beliefs on me, so I won't do the same to him. If any vegetarian does try to force their beliefs onto me, i will do likewise.

 

[The-Epicly-Named-Man]

I am a vegetarian. I could argue how eating meat is unsustainable...

I have to stop you there, that's simply not true. The opposite is true in fact, most of the world's population would die and the international economy would destroyed were we to stop eating meat.

OT: I have no problem with vegetarianism, the issue is vegetarians. They tend to act like moral supremacists and are generally disrespectful of different views on the matter.

 

[Ickorus]

I don't mind vegetarians in general, they're cool enough to me, it's the smug, self-important douchebags that think they're better than me that piss me off, especially considering they use other products created from animals all the time.

Fun fact: We share a symbiotic relationship with livestock, do you honestly think cows (and other livestock) would be nearly as common if it wasn't for the fact that we eat them?

Spoiler: Oh yeah, and this.

Source [http://thebestpageintheuniverse.net/c.cgi?u=grill]

We are the most significant apex predator in history, it is each and everybody's job to eat as many animals as they can get their grubby paws on, we are goddamn sharks.

You make it sound like we should go out, into a field, and take a bite out of a cow right now.

Actually, be right back.

EDIT: The hide is a bit tough and it fought back too much for me to get more than a couple bites.

 

[DAAANtheMAAAN]

I've never had a problem with vegetarians. Half of my best friends are vegetarian, and I could give any less of a shit. They're nice people, they still make nice food, and unlike some people, they don't throw mud in my face when I decide to eat a steak over their processed soy-patties.

I'm very much a realist when it comes to the issue of how animals in slaughterhouses are killed. In most cases the animals die in more preferable way than being chased down, grabbed by the throat and torn to pieces or thrown down and asphyxiating from fangs crushing your windpipe.

That being said, slaughterhouses are not pretty, and we've all seen the PETA videos of senseless fucktards in those places beating the daylights out of a calf. It's a deplorable trade, but a necessary one. Humans are designed to eat meat in addition to vegetation. Morality is fine, but at then end of the day, the animals are still going to be killed for their meat, and I'm not one to let their sacrifice be in vain.

 

[KingGolem]

Vegetarianism is ridiculous. It is a position that springs from one of two things: firstly, some distorted and extreme view of health-consciousness. Meat tends to have plenty of fat in it, and certainly vegetables are full of important vitamins and minerals, as well as being capable of providing all the necessary proteins. Ergo, some people get the idea in their head that the secret to good health is to give up meat. Nonsense. You can be perfectly healthy with meat in your diet, just as well as you get fat off a vegetarian diet. Problem is, human beings love simple solutions so much that they pick an "easy way out," and set a mental block, reassuring themselves that they're doing the right thing when it's really misguided and unnecessary.

The other cause of vegetarianism is far more contemptible: vegetarians often abstain from meat to cultivate a smug sense of moral superiority. They see animals suffering in slaughterhouses and farms, and think that if they refuse to support it, that makes them somehow better than everyone else. It's absurd, and it's disrespectful. Their is great benefit to farming animals, and the fact is, the suffering of animals is of no economic consequence. Thus, we farm animals. Anyone who condemns this farming (either directly or through vegetarianism) is self-righteously condemning a cornerstone of our economy and society to make themselves feel morally superior. That is, of course, unless their position is born entirely out of the former: a distorted health-consciousness.

 

[ryo02]

how long did we spend selectively breeding live stock again? they arent part of the natural order anymore than we are its not wild animals were eating.

cloned meat that was never part of an animal is the next step and Ill gladly eat that instead.

 

[BiscuitTrouser]

or even morality...

Evidently:

and probably wouldn't even call an ambulance .

Awesome vegetarian: cares about animals enough to not eat them, happily lets someone die because they have a different view than him. Id get down of your high horse, im not sure someone who admitted they could watch another human being die just because of difference in opinion deserves a horse. Or the title of human. Anyway enough of that.

I personally think being someone who eats exclusively free range is better for the animals than being a vegetarian. Lemme tell you how.

Basically being a vegetarian does nothing. The meat you would have eaten is dead anyway, im not a carnivore by any means at ALL. Im a scavenger. And if a scavenger doesnt eat something, well its just as dead as if you did. You havnt changed animals welfair at all. I however have given money to those that treat animals better, so rather than having no impact im paying people to treat animals better and actually funding their better treatment.

I support being nice to animals, i mean hell its giving its life to feed me, i might as well make it happier as a consolation. I feel better, the animal is happier over the course of its life. I despise factory farmed meat. Its disgusting. Id rather eat a real animal that had lived a happy life than a chemically fed lump of fat. It makes better food anyway.

You know what I love the idea of? Test tube meat. Its AWESOME. I get to eat meat, ONE cow is needed, a cow that NEVER has to be slaughtered, and it can just do whatever all day and donate some cells at the end from the inside of its cheecks. When this becomes commercial ill buy nothing but this.

However what to do with current cows. We cant release em, they will die and lay waste to country side, as well as breed freely to produce a massive over population. I guess sterilise them and let em go?

My best friends vegan, i eat with him a lot, we get food thats different and its all fine. He makes his life choices and i make mine, and seeing as i might get a career in developing test tube meat he doesnt get douchy about it at all.

I dont like people who take the moral highground though.

PROTIP: anyone douchy enough to rub the moral highground in your face doesnt have a moral highground.

 

[EeveeElectro]

I'm absolutely fine with it, each to their own.
I don't appreciate it when they start ramming their views down your throat and giving you filthy looks if you dare to eat meat in their company.
I once had a customer come into my shop and demand we change our menu to all vegetarian but I think she was a little bit crazy.

 

[DarthFennec]

Vegetarianism, especially Veganism, is rather silly, if you ask me. I have no problems with vegetarians themselves, unless they're the sort who push it in my face all the time and try to make me feel guilty (which sadly describes over half of the ones I know personally). Here are a few of the reasons I don't agree with the vegetarian argument:

- We breed these animals for this purpose, they're domesticated to become food for us. Just like how cats and dogs are bred to be our entertainment, cows and pigs are bred to be our dinner. But nobody thinks keeping pets as slaves is wrong, even though we've genetically brainwashed them into thinking they love us ... you see how stupid that sounds? No, animals don't have the same rights as people because they're not people. They can't think like us, they can't feel like us, we use them for our benefit and they are happy to be used, and that's how it's always been. And what do you think would happen if we released all those cattle into the wild? They wouldn't last five days. Doing something like that is no less terrible than leaving a Pomeranian out to fend for itself in the wild.

- However terribly we treat them in prepping and slaughtering them, it's nothing to what animals in the wild go through. All animals get killed and eaten by other animals, it's called life. But personally I'd rather go through the slaughtering process, as opposed to getting taken down by a lion and getting my guts ripped out while I'm still alive and kicking. We aren't that terrible to them.

- Why animals? Plants are alive too, what's the big difference between them and animals? Neither can really think or feel, so how do you differentiate them? How they look? Yeah little baby veals and piglets are adorable, okay. But that can't be a deciding factor, it's kind of horrible to think that one would judge what deserves to live and die based on cuteness ... yet a lot of people do. Most of you will squish spiders and earwigs and centipedes without a second thought, yet in the next moment talk about how terrible our treatment of animals is ... if someone gets around to telling me what the big difference between animals and plants are they might be able to persuade me of at least something ... the thing is, you have to eat something that's alive. Humans have sentience, that's why they're generally considered off-limits. But nobody has ever given me a good reason to not eat anything else.

I was reading one of the Eragon books, the third one I think, when I first started forming opinions about this whole thing. There's a point where Eragon goes vegan, because he can feel the life force of all the animals around him and he was absolutely horrified at the idea of eating any of them. And that made sense to me. But then Saphira comes in and talks some sense into him, and that made even more sense to me. I understand how vegetarians feel, but it's just kind of dumb to be honest. It's just life, life has always been that way, and it always will be. If you don't like it, find another universe. Even so, I do think we should treat animals with dignity. It's marginally important to me that we try to minimize the amount of unnecessary violence toward the animals that goes on in those slaughterhouses, and the amount of violence toward pets, I am against that sort of thing. I'm also against hunting for sport, even though that's just a personal preference and I'd never try to shame a hunter out of doing what they enjoy. But the steaks in the meat aisle were bred, killed, cut, and packaged for me to eat and enjoy. And I appreciate that.

 

[Rule Britannia]

I don't care if a person is a vegetarian, just don't shove it in my face and tell me that eating meat is wrong.

 

[RatRace123]

I've taken to adopting a vegetarian diet.
Not out of any ethical problems but because my doctor recommends it (Actually a few of my doctors do). I'll still enjoy delicious, delicious flesh on special occasions, but truth be told, I don't really miss it.

There are some meat substitutes that come close, and others that totally miss the mark entirely, but it's counterbalanced by the fact that a lot of fruits and veggies are pretty yummy, at least in my opinion, but I loved broccoli as a kid so maybe I'm just weird like that.

As for how I feel about the ones who do practice vegetarianism out of animal appreciation or something; meh, so long as they don't get up in my face about it or get all condescending I've no problems with them.

 

[Diddy_Mao]

At the end of the day I try to keep my meat intake to a minimum and I do my best to purchase my meat products from non-factory farms or from businesses that don't promote their usage. And with two exceptions (Jacket and Boots) I don't wear leather or any animal hide product.

As for my views on Vegetarianism or Veganism I suppose it really depends on your reasoning for it.

If it's a moral choice because you don't think another living thing should die just so you can eat, or have a pair of boots or a jacket or whatever.

Then fine, that's not a moral code I subscribe to but I can see your point.

If you're a vegetarian/vegan because of heath issues...whatever those may be.
fine once again they're usually not arguments I agree with but to each their own.

If you're a vegetarian/vegan because you believe "It's not natural for humans to eat meat and we were never intended to have it as part of our diet."

Well, I'm not going to argue the point with you because you're suffering under a delusion so strong that logic can't and won't penetrate it.

 

[Jinx_Dragon]

And to all the brainiacs saying that there are animal casualties in crop harvesting: You do realise that male chickens are thrown into a rotary blade after they are born because they don't lay eggs or grow to full size quickly enough (that is, within two months) in order to be slaughtered. So spare me your nonsensical "the animals killed in vegetable farming are sucked into a harvester and aren't even used for anything" argument. Compare that to approximately 50% of chickens ever hatched. (Clue: we breed a fuckload of chickens)

Ah, but we are not the ones trying to claim our way of life is 'death free' and demand others 'think of the animals.' To highlight the number of unseen deaths in vegetarian diets was just to show how hollow the mentality of a 'death free' diet really is. This doesn't even touch on the death of plants, because they seem to consider plants not alive when they make this argument.

One can not really make the counter-counter-argument of: Oh well, your diet kills many creatures needlessly as well so we the numbers in our diet can be discarded completely.

It fails the logic test. Which, when you look at it... is my only gripe with vegetarians. So many of the people, the ones who ram it down our throats at that, use arguments that do not stand up to logical debate. If you try and point out how flawed their arguments are they take it as a personal attack and will respond in not-so-pleasant ways. It isn't just Vegetarians whom have this problem though, it seems any group that identifies themselves in some way will take it as a personal attack if you don't immediately agree with this identification.

 

[davidmc1158_v1legacy]

I was born to eat plants, not meat. I did not have a choice, it just happened.

And may you live a long, fulfilling , and predominantly happy life. This is not the sarcastic response of a meat eater, it is the honest response of a meat eater who is capable of understanding not everyone is like himself and has no ax to grind either way.

Life is too full of irritations, pain and the like to waste time on bashing other people just because they walk a different path than you.

So to step on my own moral high horse (for just a quick moment) I want to wish every vegan, every vegetarian, every omnivore and every carnivore out there a Happy Holiday Season this year and best wishes for the year coming!

*Is promptly shot in the face and falls off said horse by the religious argument going on next door*

 

[peruvianskys]

schhnneeep

You are factually wrong when you say that animals do not feel like humans do. The pain felt by pigs and cows is biologically exactly the same as the pain you feel. You can't argue that.

 

[Count Igor]

I have a vegetarian friend who wears leather shoes, drinks milk etc. and sometimes i feel like pointing out his hypocrisy but I don't have the heart. He doesn't force his beliefs on me, so I won't do the same to him. If any vegetarian does try to force their beliefs onto me, i will do likewise.

Isn't that fine of him? I mean, isn't it just the meat that vegitarians don't eat - Vegans are the ones who don't have anything to do with animals, I think.

 

[Neiloken]

I have a pretty standing answer to this:
Its fine, but dont get in my face about it. I like meat, hamburgers, steaks, chickens etc if u dont thats your choice and thats cool, but if you give me hell for enjoying my omnivorous diet, i will personally drag you to a slaughter house and tell the farmer that you are keen to see how the above-mentioned slaughter take place...

Same story with the religious thing, pray all u want, tell me im the devil for not joining you in worship and i will ask you for a dam fine reason for why god planned my cousins murder...

 

[CarlMin]

The meat-oriented lifestyle is not exclusively western by most standards. Only India has a large, dedictated tradition for vegetarianism, and that's mostly due to religious influence over centuries. Other asian countries have traditions for simply eating whatever they can get their hands on, as well as using the entire animal for food.

Yeah I?m just gonna ahead and correct you right there. When I see the western meat-orientated lifestyle I don?t refer to the Indian meat-orientated lifestyle or the Asian meat-orientated lifestyle. I am referring plainly to the western meat-orientated lifestyle simply because it?s by far more meat-orientated. We are not the only ones to eat meat but we sure as hell are the biggest.

Just take a look. http://chartsbin.com/view/bhy

People in India, China and many other regions have started picking up a more western-like diet lately and the meat industry is these countries are growing substantially. However, feed the entire population with China with as much meat as most of us consume everyday would not be environmentally sound.

Sorry, but that is just complete nonsense. The word omnivore, in itself, prevents it from being excluding in any way. Omnivore means you can survive on a diet of either meat or vegetables. There's no "right" balance of vegetables and meat, though there are more or less healthy choices.

Sorry. You?re right that doesn?t make sense at all. I meant to write that we *are* exclusively omnivorous. We were never supposed to live like carnivores for it would be unhealthy for our bodies, but a lot of people still eat ridiculous amounts of meat which is basically like going against the way we were supposed to live. So the argument ?It?s natural to eat meat? is just inapt because it still doesn?t justify our diet.

Anyway, you are trying to correct me on technicalities but you?re avoiding my arguments.
The meat industry already stands for 18 percent of all greenhouse gasses. According to some measurement, the number is 51 percent. And we haven?t even mentioned water pollution and land degradation. Supporting this industry is unethical. No objective reasoning could possibly lead to any other conclusion.

You could argue that it would be enough simply eating less meat, but it doesn?t change the fact that every penny you spend on meat in stores goes straight to the meat industry, and as long as they are earning money they will never change. There is a value in going vegetarian for political reasons.

 

[n00beffect]

I envy vegeterians. I wish I had the will-power to not eat anything else. Life would've been much easier...

 

[CarlMin]

It's so tiresome to see people still repeating the same old anti-vegetarian arguments as if it was a lifestyle that needs to be justified. I don't even tell my friends about it anymore out of fear of being forced into a hour-long debate about it.

But there are a few things I'm so tired of hearing I can't help but react on it. The old "we are omnivores"-argument is an example. We are not exclusively omnivores. We, like our primate ancestors, were meant to survive on a diet including vegetables, fruits, berries, cereal and grasses as well as, occasionally, meat. Our modern diet which consists of almost exclusively meat is not healthy, it is destroying the earth and it's a waste of money and resources that could be used to feed the entire planet without problem and completely eliminate poverty. And we haven't even mentioned the moral issues.

The western, meat-orientated lifestyle is destroying the earth in every imaginable way and I still hear people claiming that eating meat is natural as if it was some sort of relevant argument.

I think the problem you're describing isn't necessarily the meat eating (as you said yourself, meat eating is natural). It's that we eat WAY too much meat. Typical breakfast = eggs, bacon, biscuits and gravy. Typical lunch = sandwich (usually with meat and cheese), crisps, maybe a fruit and salad. Typical dinner = some obscenely large amount of meat (usually beef here in the American midwest), potatoes or something and maybe salad.
Which is ridiculous.

I don't think the destruction of the earth is limited to meat farming- our plant farming practices are terrible as well (genetically modified foods, pesticides, etc). But then, so are our transportation model, landfills, factories, powerplants... so environmental damage is a moot point unless you're going to stop driving, using non-recyclable plastics, stop eating veggies which have had harmful pesticides used (I know, not all pesticides are bad for the environment), and stop using devices powered by electricity from coal or other polluting powerplants.

You are right about that. We are destroying the earth in a great many ways, but from a statistic perspective, the meat industry is definitively amongst the worst. It's probably a bigger contributor to the environmental degradation worldwide than all the cars on this planet.

So no, eating meat in itself is not wrong. But given the current premises, buying meat will do the earth a lot of harm. Then of course, there are people who claim that simply killing another animal for the luxury of meat is wrong. I don't think so, but our modern slaughter houses are definitively unethical.