Why are you a Vegetarian?

[soilent]

Hey guys,

I didn't want to hijack the "Could you love a vegetarian" thread so i figured I'd start a new one.
So if you are a Vegetarian or vegan, why is it? Religious reasons? For a healthy diet? Cruelty to animals? Specific dietary needs? Saving the environment from cows farts?

Just curious

Oh and are you one of those vegetarians who eats fish? Or even one that eats chicken? I'd love to hear those explained too.

Thanks

I fell in love with a vegetarian, who later decided it was a waste of her time, and I am still in love with her. ^_^

OT: I love to eat meat, lots of it, today I had Lamb in a delicious Gyro, with lettuce, tomatos, banana peppers, and black olives, sooooo gooooood...

 

[DuctTapeJedi]

I was a vegetarian for four years, though I stopped now. I went veggie after seeing the movie "Babe." Yes, I was that impressionable as a child.

 

[thylasos]

I'm an ovo-lacto vegetarian. I have been since I was about 14, originally for religious reasons, then I kept finding more. Environmental, economic, and health reasons.

It works for me.

 

[Poketom]

As simple as I can put it...

I don't eat ANY animals because I don't like the thought of eating something that couldn't defend it's self physically or mentally.

 

[Geekosaurus]

Bacon is tasty.

 

[Lineoutt]

snip

Anyway yeah I sympathize with her in this story. The way you (PrimothePro) described it is she made a friendly suggested and he replied with a rude, dickish comment. She dealt with it by acting superior and then your dad decided to pass a tale of outsmarting a overly-sensitive vegetarian to his kid.

See, she wasn't making a friendly suggested comment, she was trying to make him a vegetarian. I didn't outline this in the story, but I did reply to someone else,

Sorry for offending you, old chap, I just thought it was funny, seeing as most vegetarians treat it like a religion, and tend to force it down anyone else's throats. It just irks me that they have this "High and Mighty" philosophy, this "Holier than thou" ideal. Not all the time, true, but for me, in my own life, many who are vegetarians have been smug about it. Again, sorry my story upset you, but I don't think my dad was being a dick, seeing as she tried to make him a vegetarian every damn day he worked at that office.

I boldened that last bit to show what my point is. Vegetarians tend to be snooty. Not all of them are, I know this to be true, but some think that they have revolutionized their world, and should bestow that upon everyone else. Including people who don't want it.

Mmm ok Ill let you have that. Some vegetarians can be snooty as are some people who eat meat. I am a vegetarian but I don't try to pull other people in. I just see it as a preference, I can't and shouldn't make people do anything they don't want to do. But there are people who do and from the way you described it sounded like your dad was being an ass. If she was a ***** in the first place I guess I can understand it though.

 

[AdmiralMemo]

I'm not a vegetarian, but I don't eat red meat (beef, etc.). Never liked the taste. Chicken, seafood, etc. I'll eat.

 

[AdmiralMemo]

I was a vegetarian for four years, though I stopped now. I went veggie after seeing the movie "Babe." Yes, I was that impressionable as a child.

I had a similar reaction, sort of. My dad had me watch Nightmare on Elm Street 3 (I think it was 3, at least). After seeing the screaming pizza, I couldn't eat pizza for a month.

 

[AdmiralMemo]

I don't eat ANY animals because I don't like the thought of eating something that couldn't defend itself physically or mentally.

Well, plants have no mental capacity, but they still can't defend themselves physically, except by toxins, thorns, or maybe by being a Venus FlyTrap.

Now, I just thought about that... A Venus FlyTrap is a plant that eats meat... What do you vegetarians think about that? If your beloved plants eat meat, why shouldn't you?

 

[Christopher Dudgeon]

mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Meat is good, Meat is tasty, Meat is AWESOME

Just to clarify I classify myself as a Carnivore!

No Veg in my diet and I am as healthy as a Carrot!

 

[PrimoThePro]

Mmm ok Ill let you have that. Some vegetarians can be snooty as are some people who eat meat. I am a vegetarian but I don't try to pull other people in. I just see it as a preference, I can't and shouldn't make people do anything they don't want to do. But there are people who do and from the way you described it sounded like your dad was being an ass. If she was a ***** in the first place I guess I can understand it though.

Yes, you are right, and my dad may have been a little arrogant too. He didn't act like the bigger person, he just gave into his emotions instead of letting it go. And ya, she was a bit of a *****, but that's no reason for my dad being like that I guess. You are clearly an example of an awesome vegetarian for not pushing that on everyone. Thank you good sir, I hope the leafy greens treat you well the rest of your days.

 

[Poketom]

I don't eat ANY animals because I don't like the thought of eating something that couldn't defend itself physically or mentally.

Well, plants have no mental capacity, but they still can't defend themselves physically, except by toxins, thorns, or maybe by being a Venus FlyTrap.

Now, I just thought about that... A Venus FlyTrap is a plant that eats meat... What do you vegetarians think about that? If your beloved plants eat meat, why shouldn't you?

Well for a start plants don't feel pain and a Venus fly trap or any other plant with defence mechanisms can't think for it's self so can't consider the consequences. you even said that 'plants have no mental capacity' yourself.

 

[Ultress]

I'm not and could really care less if you aren't. Just don't be a dick to me about eating meat and I won't be dick to you about not eating meat.

 

[Julianking93]

I personally am vegetarian only because I despise the taste of meat.

I utterly hate it. I don't do it for health reasons, I don't do it because I want to feel like I'm better than anyone else. I do it for the same reasons anyone would avoid something they think doesn't taste good.

 

[BlueberryMUNCH]

Even from when I was a little baby, I never enjoyed meat.

I officially announced myself as a vegetarian when I was 4 years old, and I am currently 16.

Why?

Well, 2 reasons.

1) The prospect of eating the insides of an animal is disgusting for me, the thought of it makes me wretch. Not because it was once alive, but because it was an animal and its just...ew. All the blood and...*shudder*

2) The smell puts me off, and I'm guessing that when I was young, I didn't like the taste either. I also don't like the texture, so I can't eat Quorn.

I've had all sorts of health problems without it, but meh, I'm trying to have as balanced a diet as I can><.

And no, I also don't eat fish.

FUN FACT: I do eat Haribo, and therefore gelatine. The thought of what it is is vile for me, so I just don't think about it, and I can't see it so...yeah.

 

[Poseidon7Trident]

Honestly, humans have evolved first from eating plants, to eating meat, and now to omnivoirs. If your tend to overthink and overcomplicate all the issues into a black and white picture, then your as big a hypocrite as anyone else out there who preaches that one is healthier than the other. If youre a vegans just because you dont like the way our meat is being packaged, and killed, then why dont you go out to a farm and do it yourself. you dont see anyone here who eats meat complaining about how an animals killed. Vegans, you try to make excuses for things which shouldnt even raise conflicting issues in the first place. Peta is a joke. We have EVOLVED to eat both meat AND plants. Its in our nature to eat meat. The appendex was originally there when we ate alot of plants. When we stared to eat meat, the appendex became useless, and is going to be gone in the next 15-20 generations, BECAUSE WE STARTED TO EAT MORE MEAT. Meat is essential to our wellbeing, just as much as vegetables are.

 

[[.redacted]]

As simple as I can put it...

I don't eat ANY animals because I don't like the thought of eating something that couldn't defend it's self physically or mentally.

Which plants obviously can.
This statement basically tells us all you're a cannibal, but fair enough, if that's your gig =D

OT: I don't understand this at all, it's unhealthy to be a vegetarian, you miss out on so many delicious things, and you create a pain in the ass problem for those that have to cater to your new arbitrary needs.

Even so, I wouldn't hold it against individual people, try not to take offence from this, as I can be a bit dense when I think I have my facts straight. I guess I'll just write it off as another one of those things I don't understand the point of, like religion, for example.

Edit:

Honestly, humans have evolved first from eating plants, to eating meat, and now to omnivoirs

Omnivoirs see everything.

Sorry, couldn't help myself, it's not your fault, and I spell things worse than you do - don't worry. I merely pointed it out because it was a chance mistake that might make a few people laugh - it is in no way a dig at you or something I would say reflects badly on you.

[sub]Just taking care not to start some arguments =)[/sub]

 

[Kaptajn Emil Alfred Conan Swagga Benzon]

Personally I have never met a reasonable and socially active vegetarian. That is, I think, because vegetarianism doesn't really have anything to do with saving the world (or the cows). It has something to do with wanting attention, since "vegetarian" is nothing but a title. If you really have a good solid reason for not eating meat, then why would want a title? Because it makes you feel special.

Carnivore power.

EDIT:

Claiming that you are saving the animals by NOT doing something is retarded. If you really believe in your case, get out there and save the animals from their cages, instead of being a whiny little princess.

 

[Nimcha]

I find it hard to understand sometimes why people view being a vegetarian as a good thing. Don't get me wrong, you can choose to not eat meat for whatever reason and that's totally fine with me. I just don't really get why that is viewed as 'better'.

 

[Cheesus333]

Vegetarian, because if you have a choice between eating meat and not eating meat choosing not to is the more logical choice.

If you live your life logically, you will be Spock. And no-one wants to be Spock. They want to be James Kirk, space pimp extraordinaire. Or something like that, I've never watched Star Trek.

But yeah, when concerned with their own enjoyment and happiness, no-one thinks 'logically'. They go with what produces the better feeling, or the more of it. That's the logic of emotion, as oxymorincal (that's not a word, James, that's not a word!) as it seems.

I eat meat. I do so happily. I have a convenient detachment between the happy little farm animals and the delicious mass they later form on my plate.
By which I mean I don't consider them to be one and the same, but entirely separate substances. It's handy, really, I never look at a cooked chicken and think 'that used to have a head, full of thoughts and emotions! And now it is dead, all so that I can be full again.' I think 'mmmmmmm, chicken.'