Some arguments for vegetarianism

[Valjean]

Purely subjective. To me the life of a human is more important than one of an animal.

I understand.
There's no "why" involved; no analysis or consistency. Just feeling.

 

[Panda]

I understand.
There's no "why" involved; no analysis or consistency. Just feeling.

Exactly, I mean I suppose I could try and justify it with instinct arguments and the like to try and give it some scientific basis but well what is the point when science will never change anything to do with vegetarianism (unless for health reasons).

 

[Mister Emu]

Mr E. Our feelings are culturally ingrained.

I never said they weren't, at least partially... I am pretty sure had I grown up in a setting where meat was frowned upon I would likely have a different view of the situation...

You'd have no objections to your mother being raised and killed in the manner of a wagyu cow, then?

Of course I would... that doesn't mean that the life of a Wagyu cow isn't comfortable though...

 

[MSizer]

Falvlun, yes, that's correct, I believe hunting is fine, but farming is morally icky. However, I'd like to add that as we employ more more technology in our hunting techniques, the gap between farming and hunting shrinks a bit. If our technology gets so effective that a huntee doesn't stand much chance, I start to have problems with that. I do accept that hunting has become a part of some ecologies, so I don't oppose it, but I don't like it though. IMO if it can hurt, I leave it alone. Of course, that's a hard position to defend, so I hold it, and accept that others don't. I don't accept animal farming though.

 

[Darkness]

I am morally against eating animals; however, I do so anyway, because I am not a good person.

 

[Madhuri]

I am morally against eating animals; however, I do so anyway, because I am not a good person.

That is quite a contradiction. Morally against means you don't like to do it, which means that the argument of being a bad person is invalid. Unless you mean to say that you understand that the industry is bad but you really don't care.

 

[Valjean]

The Devil makes him do it.

 

[nameless]

how many people here can happily consume unprocessed meat?

 

[Falvlun]

how many people here can happily consume unprocessed meat?

What do you actually mean by this?

Would you consider taking a deer to a butcher being "processed"?

 

[3.14]

i am moraly against hurting or killing animals for food,
but i don't stop eating if the animal is already dead, that would be wasting

and to be honest a juicy burger one's and a while is so delicious

 

[McBell]

how many people here can happily consume unprocessed meat?

One.
Me.

For some reason deer meat does not tear up my insides.
Nor does rabbit, turtle, squirrel, possum...

I have to wonder what the industry does to the beef before we the consumers get it.

 

[Guitar's Cry]

I am morally an omnivore. Plants are just as sacred as animals. I do have a big beef (mmmm) with how many animals are raised and killed though.

I'm with Zephyr on this one.

I'm perfectly happy with the decision to be vegetarian. My personal view is that it is impossible to go through life without bringing death and suffering to something. Just stepping outside your door will get something killed.

Considering this, I still don't like industrial slaughter. Its inevitable with our population, but our population is out of control anyway.

That said, I need to take up hunting again.

 

[Valjean]

What's meant by "processed meat?" Is that like preserved meat -- sausage, bacon, &c?

 

[Trey of Diamonds]

how many people here can happily consume unprocessed meat?

Last I checked I could. I grew up eating rabbit, squirrel and deer. Also, lots of game birds and fresh caught fish. I don't do it much anymore but only because I live in the big city now and don't do much hunting since my grandfather passed away.

 

[3.14]

 

[MSizer]

I'm with Zephyr on this one.

I'm perfectly happy with the decision to be vegetarian. My personal view is that it is impossible to go through life without bringing death and suffering to something. Just stepping outside your door will get something killed.

Considering this, I still don't like industrial slaughter. Its inevitable with our population, but our population is out of control anyway.

That said, I need to take up hunting again.

No, industrial slaughter is not inevitable. People have a choice. Just because we do something a certain way on a large scale, that doesn't mean we can't choose to stop doing it. I admit, it would not be easy, since so many people eat meat, and obtain it through conventional slaughter, but that still doesn't mean it's inevitable.

 

[Guitar's Cry]

No, industrial slaughter is not inevitable. People have a choice. Just because we do something a certain way on a large scale, that doesn't mean we can't choose to stop doing it. I admit, it would not be easy, since so many people eat meat, and obtain it through conventional slaughter, but that still doesn't mean it's inevitable.

Well, I don't know. Thing is, with a large population we need some way to provide large amounts of food so that folks don't bicker too much over resources and others don't starve. So industrial agriculture (which leads to industrial slaughter for both plant and animal life) is probably more likely. Maybe inevitable is too sure a word, but it seems more likely as social animals with large populations.

Still, solving the population problem will certainly make this issue a lot easier, especially since resource wars do seem inevitable.

 

[Darkness]

That is quite a contradiction. Morally against means you don't like to do it, which means that the argument of being a bad person is invalid. Unless you mean to say that you understand that the industry is bad but you really don't care.

Perhaps I am somewhere in between.

 

[Wannabe Yogi]

I heard a scientist on NPR say that its better to drive a Hummer and be a vegetarian then drive a Prius Hybrid and eat meat. When it comes to global Warming.

This is from Time magazine.

U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) concluded that worldwide livestock farming generates 18% of the planet's greenhouse gas emissions — by comparison, all the world's cars, trains, planes and boats account for a combined 13% of greenhouse gas emissions. Much of livestock's contribution to global warming come from deforestation, as the growing demand for meat results in trees being cut down to make space for pasture or farmland to grow animal feed. Livestock takes up a lot of space — nearly one-third of the earth's entire landmass. In Latin America, the FAO estimates that some 70% of former forest cover has been converted for grazing. Lost forest cover heats the planet, because trees absorb CO2 while they're alive — and when they're burned or cut down, the greenhouse gas is released back into the atmosphere.

Meat: Making Global Warming Worse - TIME

 

[Wannabe Yogi]

Last I checked I could. I grew up eating rabbit, squirrel and deer. Also, lots of game birds and fresh caught fish. I don't do it much anymore but only because I live in the big city now and don't do much hunting since my grandfather passed away.

For me not eating meat is best.The thought of not needing to kill others beings is a great blessing. But if I needed to eat it , I like you, would like to raise rabbits or hunt. Factory Farming is a problem no matter what your feelings are on this subject.

I don't believe people are bad who eat meat.