Why I think eating Meat is A-ok

[Cridhe]

The fact that we have incisors in our mouths and the correct acids in our bellies to digest it makes it A-okay in my book.

 

[EradiusLore]

-Farming techniques are cruel
-Involves killing another living thing

Animals like dogs and cats DO show emotion. Why not cows and chickens?

i totaly agree with the 2 top reasons thats why my ex wouldnt eat meat, but i think i enjoy meat to mucch to stop eating it.

as for the emotion thing there is a big difference between emotion and morality, what the guy is saying is that animals of group A) dont give a crap about shreading a baby of group B), this is morality. they still have emotions which means they shouldnt be treated badly or tortured or worse sacraficed in some barbaric ritual (see halal)

 

[Smooth Operator]

Animals are dicks[/B]

Well that just made my day

OT: Well the thing is we know better, we have morals and most importantly we have the intelligence to find other food sources.
As a farm boy myself I know how the animals live under the best of conditions, we really take care of them, and I have no problem admitting that is no way to live.
Livestock just lives a short life of captivity and after they served their purpose they are disposed of, we wouldn't want a human or even our close pets to be treated like that but we make exceptions where they serve our needs.
That being said I couldn't do without meat and the actual mindset of not using animals for our purpose, to me it feels perfectly natural even if so very objectionable on an intellectual level.

That is why we need to start teaching kids for a better world, they will have no problem understanding new concepts that we old gits simply cannot accept anymore.

 

[Griffolion]

As far as I can see, we are the dominant reproducing species on the planet. If we have the means to kill and eat meat, then let's do it. Just don't be cruel or put the animals through unnecessary pain. Like I don't agree with slaughter methods where the animal is bled out while it's still conscious. A straight shot through the head where it feels nothing is much more appropriate.

As for the argument vegans make where they say, "Well you don't kill your meat, so why should you eat it?". That's why I pay money for my meat, as the service for killing the animal has been compensated for in the price. The same way I don't use a sickle to thresh my own vegetables and wheat. The service for doing that has been paid for.

That said, vegan, vegetarian, omnivore or full carnivore. I don't care, we're all people.

 

[Jonluw]

Yeah... I never liked some vegetarians' implications that we are somehow above other animals, and therefore must not eat meat.

Meat is food. End of story.
I'm not saying there's anything wrong about being a vegetarian of course. Eat whatever you like, see if I care.

 

[Andy of Comix Inc]

We're carnivores, we kill and eat animals. Animals are meat. Meat tastes good. We are not moral creatures, we are apes. so basically, I agree with Ted Nugent on this one. Even if he is a crazy ************.

Also:


"...if they could, cows would kill you and everybody you care about."

 

[PatrickXD]

I don't really eat meat. I do when I go out to a resteraunt or whatever, and I do eat fish fairly often (for whatever reason, I do not really see it as meat). But for the most part it's just pasta and salads and the like. I don't have anything strongly against or for the slaughtering of animals, and I'm apalled as any at the mistreatment of animals on some farms.

 

[Astoria]

Why I think eating meat is A-ok: nature.

Yeah this really. Animals kills each other to live. We kill animals to live. That's just how it works. Animal cruelty I am not ok with but that's a different issue and shouldn't be mixed in with the eating meat debate.

 

[Don Reba]

Not to take sides here, but those "evil" birds are really angels compared to what people do to each other and other animals. For some semblance of evil, look up foie gras or bile bears. The comparison with lions is incorrect, since, unlike us, they are carnivores.

 

[Gustavo S. Buschle]

You say "animals dont have morals, animals are not like us" and that is true. They don't have morals, so we can't really judge them for what they do. They don't know any better. But humans can contemplate the things we do and the pain we are causing to animals. That is why we hold humans to higher moral rules.

There are a couple of differences between a wolf mauling a calf and people breeding animals specifically to kill them, sometimes in quite inhumane circumstances. The wolf does not know any better, and the wolf has to do it to survive. Even when you look at animals who do it for fun (i.e. they might survive without doing that, although I'm sure it often has some kind of evolutionary purpose), the first argument still stands.

But humans don't need to eat animals. And we especially don't need to breed and kill them in horrible circumstances. And we know it. We know it and we still do it anyway.

At least, I think that's what vegetarians arguments are. I like my meat though.

Actually people who never eat meat have some health issues. Our bodies weren't made to survive only on veggies, humans are omnivorous, that means they should eat every living thing.

 

[varulfic]

Here's why I think eating meat is A-ok: it's their destiny.


Think about it. Cows, chickens, pigs. They don't exist in the wild. Never have. Farmyard animals have been kept and bred by humans for thousands of years specifically to make them tastier to eat. They might have started out like their wild cousins but guided by human hands, they have evolved into something new. Conclusion? Humans are their gods, and their purpose in life is to be eaten.

 

[PontiusTM]

Yeah, its a part of nature. We are carnivores, we are top of the food chain, it is to be expected we eat meat.

This is simply not true - in the best case we are omnivores, like rats and pigs. Ever had a look at a cat's od dog's teeth - they are carnivores. Those teeth are sharp as hell! The human body is not able to work uncooked meat, because of several biological reasons I'm not very into (something with our innards). I at least never saw a lioness cooking. So the "Dude - It's nature"-argument is 100% invalid.

Beside all the shiny biological stuff - here's some shiny philosophical stuff:

Is the only way to exalt over animals eating them? Would it not be of more value (morally and deontological) to refuse this behaviour and use our ratio do the job?

Besides: I'm vegetarian. I am not vegetarian, because I love animals.
I HATE PLANTS!!!

 

[fangclaw]

vultures and patrick stewart look nothing alike!!!

 

[Jonluw]

I am tripping nostalgia balls right now.

Also: Why the hell does the captcha expect me to know where I can vote for photos to be in a Ron Howard production?
And to think I actually liked this new system for a while.

 

[Jordi]

-

Oops, I wrongly quoted you. Sorry varulfic.

You say "animals dont have morals, animals are not like us" and that is true. They don't have morals, so we can't really judge them for what they do. They don't know any better. But humans can contemplate the things we do and the pain we are causing to animals. That is why we hold humans to higher moral rules.

There are a couple of differences between a wolf mauling a calf and people breeding animals specifically to kill them, sometimes in quite inhumane circumstances. The wolf does not know any better, and the wolf has to do it to survive. Even when you look at animals who do it for fun (i.e. they might survive without doing that, although I'm sure it often has some kind of evolutionary purpose), the first argument still stands.

But humans don't need to eat animals. And we especially don't need to breed and kill them in horrible circumstances. And we know it. We know it and we still do it anyway.

At least, I think that's what vegetarians arguments are. I like my meat though.

Actually people who never eat meat have some health issues. Our bodies weren't made to survive only on veggies, humans are omnivorous, that means they should eat every living thing.

I think it means that we can eat both meat and vegetables, not that we necessarily have to. I've been told that you can do fine without meat, as there are plenty of replacements. I'm not sure if they are all natural, but surely nowadays you can just get a vitamin supplement.

 

[Fanta Grape]

also... releasing all the chickens in captivity for food would get in the way of everything... CHICKENS! ALL OVER THE ROAD!

BUT WHY? WHY WOULD THEY CROSS THE ROAD? Where could they possibly go from one side?

But seriously, I'm a vegan and I'm of the belief that there's nothing wrong with eating meat.

But:

a) Unbalancing the food chain and nature in general for EXCESS amounts should not happen.

b) Making them suffer in the process of slaughter should not happen.

My favourite food is Korean barbecue so if I knew that the cow had a peaceful, tranquil and natural life and it was killed painlessly, then I'd eat it.

 

[Vault101]

-

Oops, I wrongly quoted you. Sorry varulfic.

You say "animals dont have morals, animals are not like us" and that is true. They don't have morals, so we can't really judge them for what they do. They don't know any better. But humans can contemplate the things we do and the pain we are causing to animals. That is why we hold humans to higher moral rules.

There are a couple of differences between a wolf mauling a calf and people breeding animals specifically to kill them, sometimes in quite inhumane circumstances. The wolf does not know any better, and the wolf has to do it to survive. Even when you look at animals who do it for fun (i.e. they might survive without doing that, although I'm sure it often has some kind of evolutionary purpose), the first argument still stands.

But humans don't need to eat animals. And we especially don't need to breed and kill them in horrible circumstances. And we know it. We know it and we still do it anyway.

At least, I think that's what vegetarians arguments are. I like my meat though.

Actually people who never eat meat have some health issues. Our bodies weren't made to survive only on veggies, humans are omnivorous, that means they should eat every living thing.

I think it means that we can eat both meat and vegetables, not that we necessarily have to. I've been told that you can do fine without meat, as there are plenty of replacements. I'm not sure if they are all natural, but surely nowadays you can just get a vitamin supplement.

where do those suppliements come from anyway?

 

[TheScientificIssole]

My defense is usually "Animals eat each other all the time." or "That salad of yours shouldn't have been harvested, it makes it own food and our oxygen and never harmed anybody, jerk." I have escaped arguments many times with those.

 

[viranimus]

This is simply not true - in the best case we are omnivores, like rats and pigs. Ever had a look at a cat's od dog's teeth - they are carnivores. Those teeth are sharp as hell! The human body is not able to work uncooked meat, because of several biological reasons I'm not very into (something with our innards). I at least never saw a lioness cooking. So the "Dude - It's nature"-argument is 100% invalid.

Beside all the shiny biological stuff - here's some shiny philosophical stuff:

Is the only way to exalt over animals eating them? Would it not be of more value (morally and deontological) to refuse this behaviour and use our ratio do the job?

Besides: I'm vegetarian. I am not vegetarian, because I love animals.
I HATE PLANTS!!!

Yes I concede.. I used the wrong word.

However it does not diminish the species natural capacity to eat meat. Being an omnivore pegs us as natural meat eaters. So I am lost at claiming its not a part of our nature because it clearly is and has been for thousands upon thousands of years.

Look I love animals. Hell I like animals better than most people I know. I would not wish them pain or suffering. However in the scheme of life, Something is going to die and be consumed. If I must have something killed on my behalf I would much rather it appeal to the aesthetics of my palette.

 

[TheNarrator]

Yep, pretty much my exact view, maybe minus the "animals are dicks" part lol.

I'm genuinely interested to hear an argument against this though, as I have yet to hear a good one.

Predators in the wild have no alternative, they starve if they don't kill animals. We actually have perfect alternatives, it's possible to replace all essential nutrients in meat without eating meat. There is absolutely no need for us to slaughter animals.

Anyway, if you can't be bothered with the animals, there's still the argument that it's bad for humanity to consume meat on the scale we do. Producing meat is extremely energy-inefficient, the energy input is roughly ten times as high as the energy output. What this means is that the planet could easily produce enough food for the entire human population if we would at least limit our meat consumption. Not to mention the various environmental problems that it causes.

I'm not a vegetarian at the moment, but I'm thinking about becoming one. I like meat a lot though, so it'll be tough. Perhaps I'll start by limiting my meat consumption.