Veganism and you: would you ever want make that choice?

[Gavmando]

Yeah i'm a dirty hippy vego.

For me it's by choice. I dont like that something had to die for me to eat.
But I really cant stand the militant vego's/vegans. They give people like me a bad name. I choose to not eat meat. It's my choice. I have no right to try to force it upon you. And the people who do need a swift kick in the nads.

 

[SilentVirus]

Like everyone else said...Meat is too good and too filling to give up. In fact, when I am hungry and I want to get a snack, The first thing I search for is meat.

 

[Kiju]

Veganism...it's a very controversial topic, really.

In my opinion, people are free to choose what they eat, and whether or not their diet includes meat. On the one hand, you have the fact that people are omnivorous for a reason: so they can eat both meats and plants and get the vitamins they need from them to survive. Vegans can survive on just plants, and meat substitutes...as you all probably already know.

I've even tried some of those vegan burger patties, and I have to say they actually taste very good; however, I myself could never give up on real meats, not to mention I'd have to give up my two favorites: Fish and Chicken.

Vegans who choose to be that way because it's due to health reasons (some people are just naturally unable to digest meat), then I find it understandable. There are some who do it to follow a healthier lifestyle, and...while admittedly understandable to a degree, depriving a body that can eat meat, of meat for the sake of health...is actually bordering on idiocy. Then there are those who choose veganism for the simple fact of not eating animals and a clear conscious; these people are the worst, and need to be hit upside the head by a pimp with lots of big rings.

Yes, animals die for our consumption...but so do plants, as they are living, breathing things. And no matter how you look at it, both vegans and non vegans are killing a living thing for them to consume as food. Simply put...if you're pursuing becoming a vegan for health reasons, fine. If it's because your PETA's little flunky, then go to a vegetable farm and see the mass murder you people are causing farmers to commit daily.

 

[Bigeyez]

No. I love to eat Pig and Cow. That is all.

 

[ottenni]

Nah i like eating what my teeth tell me too. I am curious however, if there are any vegans here, why don't you drink milk? And would you allow a baby to be breast fed (that to me sounds like a stupid question but i am curious whether it is simply a matter of no milk whatsoever or just no non-human milk)?

 

[Wutaiflea]

About a million years ago, I used to date a vegetarian. He was the most useless pain in the arse veggie there is, in that he didn't like fruit at all and didn't like many types of vegetables, so he literally lived on bread, cheese and pastry and ended up the size of a house.

But, living with him made me change my views somewhat. I think when you do eat meat, you find you never look at the vegetarian options on a menu because you always think "I'd miss the meat", but cooking for a vegetarian made me realise that a lot of meat-free meals are delicious and well worth trying.

As for vegans, the rest of this family (aside from the father) were organic-only, gluten-free vegans. They were some of the most unhealthy eaters I had ever known- his niece and nephew seemed to exist entirely on chips (fries).

 

[Numb1lp]

As a wrestler, it is very important that I have meat in my diet... Besides those days when I don't eat anything.

 

[Prized Cup]

i tried being a vegetarian once. you learn to make all sorts of stuff to substitute meat (i dont believe in this quorn business) so in my mind eating everything is like normal difficulty, vegetarianism is hard and vegan is nightmare

 

[Deleted]

My room mate last year was a strict vegetarian, and he dated a vegan girl. They both thought I was disgusting because I ate a kielbasa sausage when I went with them to dinner. Furthermore, she refused to wear leather, and dislike that I wore a leather jacket.

I don't have anything against them for their lifestyle choice, but I personally could never even delve into the vegetarian or vegan lifestyle. I like meat too much to willingly be a vegetarian, but I could handle it better than being a vegan under doctor's orders. Veganism, with its lack of anything in the way of eggs, butter, or dairy alongside meat would just not make life possible for me. Worse yet, there are vegans who are also on gluten-free diets by choice.

What are your thoughts? Would you ever do it?

Or are you a vegan? Share your experiences on what made you make that choice.

I can't understand how someone could choose to be a vegan, to restrict yourself from a world of food because you think you're helping others by doing this. While nobody benefits and you suffer.

 

[Spacelord]

I am a vegan :-D so naturally therefore i do like it . the lazy appraoch to answer the why question is to link to peta so here it is: http://www.peta.org/

Basically veganism is my passion and i wouldn't give it up for anything, despite everyone i know thinking i'm nuts for being one and being bombarded with the same questions everyday. I love animals and don't think they are on this earth for our own personal use so we should treat them fairly. Btw there are fake dairy products which help.

What's the fake dairy actually made of though? I've been wondering about this for ages. A while ago I had to cook for one guest that was lactose and gluten intolerant, and I was forced to use this weird cheeselike substance that wasn't cheese after all. As I was preparing the meal I couldn't stop thinking about what goes into milk- and glutenfree 'cheese'. Please tell me so I can finally get some sleep :|

 

[Spacelord]

Vegetarians who eat fish are hypocrites, if you are vegie 'cos you are into the mistreatment of animals crap then fish are the most inhumanly treated creatures on the planet.

No no, the difference is that fish have no souls.

 

[WolfThomas]

You know vegans can't drink most wines right? They're made with fish scales.

I eat meat simply because I can and I like it. No moralizing. I've eaten what I've personally hunted and it was good.

Also I'm way more concerned for the conditions my fellow humans live in to be honest. If I had to kill a panda to save a little girl, I would do it without hesitation. Then I'd feed the panda to a starving family (while saving some for myself as I'd be a little curious at that point).

 

[ThrobbingEgo]

Dont kid yourself, Veganism ideology is comepletely unnatural.

As beautifull and magnificent as Nature is, it is profoundly cruel and harsh. You look at Nature from within a space controlled by us, a culturally shaped landscape, rarely venturing into Utgard.

If ever you become lost in the Forest a shadow will creep into your mind and fear as the suspicion grows that Nature does not care about us as individuals, whether we live or die, and the incredible amount of energy it takes us to survive from nature alone.

Appeal to nature. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Appeal_to_nature]

Just because something is natural doesn't mean it's good. Just because something does not occur in nature, that doesn't mean it's bad. There are many "natural" occurrences that we would, rightly, view as immoral. The state of nature is a moot point.

Besides, it's just as "unnatural", if not more so, for humans to eat as much meat as we do in the West. Naturally, we're omnivorous scavengers, not predators.

What a load of crap, Natural Law deems you are wrong. Natural Law is true justice. Natural Law is the ultimate unbiased logic, removed from human compassion and corruption.

Humans are not, nor were they ever Scavengers. They have always been HUNTER-GATHERERS, and Natural Law demands that they use their talents and superiority to advance as a species.

That "Appeal to Nature" is utter garbage, its some modern sociologcal tripe, only a fool would buy into it.

Hey, you know what else is natural? Violence, rape, and starving in a cave, dying at 40. Rational morality can't be derived from nature because nature is morality neutral. Nature doesn't care. All nature cares about is relative reproductive viability, and as beings capable of rational thought and empathy, we should care about more.

Eating meat doesn't "advance us as a species" in any way.

 

[escapistraptor]

Vegetarianism and Veganism are an evolutionary step backwards. Our ancestors didn't suddenly develop intelligence because they kept eating fruits and berries. They started eating termites, carrion, fish, small birds and the more meat htey consumed the more their brains developed.
Killing virtually every other species for food doesn't just prove your dominance on the planet, it makes you smarter.

As an evolutionary biologist and a strict non-vegetarian, you are now my hero, as you are absolutely right.

I could go on for days about why vegetarianism/veganism is the worst idea ever, however, I'll just post a link for instructions on what you can do if they push their views on you:

Sponsor a Vegetarian
http://www.thebestpageintheuniverse.net/c.cgi?u=sponsor

 

[VoidAndrogyne]

As a wrestler, it is very important that I have meat in my diet... Besides those days when I don't eat anything.

Roman Gladiators were definitely vegetarian and probably vegan.
http://www.abc.net.au/science/news/ancient/AncientRepublish_1081439.htm

 

[ostro-whiskey]

Dont kid yourself, Veganism ideology is comepletely unnatural.

As beautifull and magnificent as Nature is, it is profoundly cruel and harsh. You look at Nature from within a space controlled by us, a culturally shaped landscape, rarely venturing into Utgard.

If ever you become lost in the Forest a shadow will creep into your mind and fear as the suspicion grows that Nature does not care about us as individuals, whether we live or die, and the incredible amount of energy it takes us to survive from nature alone.

Appeal to nature. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Appeal_to_nature]

Just because something is natural doesn't mean it's good. Just because something does not occur in nature, that doesn't mean it's bad. There are many "natural" occurrences that we would, rightly, view as immoral. The state of nature is a moot point.

Besides, it's just as "unnatural", if not more so, for humans to eat as much meat as we do in the West. Naturally, we're omnivorous scavengers, not predators.

What a load of crap, Natural Law deems you are wrong. Natural Law is true justice. Natural Law is the ultimate unbiased logic, removed from human compassion and corruption.

Humans are not, nor were they ever Scavengers. They have always been HUNTER-GATHERERS, and Natural Law demands that they use their talents and superiority to advance as a species.

That "Appeal to Nature" is utter garbage, its some modern sociologcal tripe, only a fool would buy into it.

Hey, you know what else is natural? Violence, rape, and starving in a cave, dying at 40. Rational morality can't be derived from nature because nature is morality neutral. Nature doesn't care. All nature cares about is relative reproductive viability, and as beings capable of rational thought and empathy, we should care about more.

Eating meat doesn't "advance us as a species" in any way.

Those things arent Natural among Humans because we have developed thought processes and tribal society, the oldest civilization building discoveries were that of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry. They allowed for people to settle and create a society, instead of expending all their energy on Hunting and Gathering. So no, once again you are incorrect, the use of animals for our benefit is one of the major factors in Humanities advancement.

 

[Cipher22]

If people weren't meant to eat meat we wouldn't be omnivores. I understand that people worry about the animal's 'feelings' and 'suffering' but it is not as bad as most make it out to be. I don't have a problem with most vegetarians, but the ones that criticize you for eating meat are the kind of judgmental imbeciles that support overzealous organizations like peta. I'm against dog fighting and other stupid things that pro football players use to make money on the side, but there is no way I would ever even consider giving up meat just because I have to kill an animal to get it. After all, animals kill each other all the time. Chimpanzee clans (herds?) even have WARS with other chimpanzee clans (herds?).

Meat is murder.
Tasty, tasty murder.

Those things arent Natural among Humans because we have developed thought processes and tribal society, the oldest civilization building discoveries were that of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry. They allowed for people to settle and create a society, instead of expending all their energy on Hunting and Gathering. So no, once again you are incorrect, the use of animals for our benefit is one of the major factors in Humanities advancement.

^Also, this.

Even though I don't believe in natural law.

 

[ThrobbingEgo]

Those things arent Natural among Humans because we have developed thought processes and tribal society, the oldest civilization building discoveries were that of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry. They allowed for people to settle and create a society, instead of expending all their energy on Hunting and Gathering. So no, once again you are incorrect, the use of animals for our benefit is one of the major factors in Humanities advancement.

Can you say anything that isn't a logical fallacy?

History, animal behavior, and status quo do not negate the needless pain and suffering that factory farms perpetuate. Just because you claim it was a necessity thousands of years ago doesn't mean it's a necessity here and now. That's nonsense, plain and simple.

 

[Nigh Invulnerable]

I will never give up meat. You know why?

Spoiler