Vegetarians/Vegans?

[BillyidolwannaB]

Ever eat burgers or sausages? Nasty shit!

 

[PrincessBuffy16]

I tried burgers, but they're not something special to me.

 

[Spikesangel11]

Really what is selfish and what is a good dietary choice? You say you don't think you're better than others, but yet again you say something that kinda disproves that to me. Do what you want, think what you want, but only because people eat meat and don't follow your world views doesn't make them selfish. Basically, you make it sound like you have all the answers and the rest of us are just a bunch of weak losers.

I never said my life is any more important than that of a chicken. But in what way I am above them? Well, my brain is bigger and more complex, for starters. And since you care so much for the animal's feelings, you know, plants feel pain as well...does that keep you from eating those?

99%? Where did you get that number? If it's 99% of the animals we eat, it does make sense. If only half the farms are mass producing, obviously more than 50% of the meat we eat would be mass produced, because well, they mass produce while organic farms don't. But even so, there's still the 1 percent of meat you could eat.

I can't help how you interpret my words, I can only say what I feel is right. Vegans are always being questioned for why we refuse to contribute to the mass slaughter of animals, and whatever answer we give, it never seems to be good enough. I can't make you understand why I feel animal genocide is wrong, it's my personal view and if you don't agree then so be it. I don't think you're a "weak loser", I just think you're misguided.

Your brain is also bigger and more complex than a 1 year old child, but does that mean it's okay to intensively farm young children in their billions for meat? No, it doesn't. And it's never been proven that plants can feel pain, but if that day ever comes then I'm going to go fruitarian.

"Factory farming now accounts for more than 99 percent of all farmed animals raised and slaughtered in the United States.(Virtually all seafood comes to us by way of industrial fishing or factory fish farms.)"
- Factory Farming | Farm Forward

The reason I would never eat an animal is because murder is murder, however it's carried out. They don't want to be killed, and I have no right taking lives where I don't need to.

---------- Post added at 07:41 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:38 PM ----------

Can we please stay on topic.

Sorry, I didn't mean to start an argument. I'm just naturally a bit defensive when it comes to veganism.. I'll try harder not to be 🙂

 

[luckystar]

Im a new vegan it all started when I looked at meat one day and could'nt face the thought of eating it again, its all guilt I love animals so much I hate any form of cruelty and I can no longer eat food that animals have suffered for. Sadly though no one around me seems to support my decision I understand that just because I do not eat it the animal wont be saved obviously another person is going to come along and eat it but it makes me feel better knowing I have done nothing to support the slaughter. Also Im not reacting well to the lack of meat so its taking time to adjust to the new diet.

 

[anyatara]

I was a vegetarian for a while, but things really didn't work out for that. I don't eat meat all that often, but the problem is I'm a picky enough eater as it is. If I was a vegan, or vegetarian, I'd probably be eating so little, I may aswell eat nothing. I don't really believe in killing innocent creatures, but I don't refuse meat if my parents give it to me. When I'm older, have finished school and my Mum isn't trying to cater for the whole family, I'll probably end up as a vegetarian again. It's not that I don't want to be one, I just don't really have the oppurtunity right now. I know it sounds kind of mental, that I don't really like the thought of eating meat, but I do anyway; but most of the time, I try and forget about it.

 

[Tasha]

I hate burgers and stuff, I've never likedthem, yuck. plus poor cow.

The only meaty thing that i eat is Mince from my mums spaghetti,

Everyone use to call me a weirdo for being a veggie,i never took any offense though) my mum hated cooking separate meals every night too,
I agree with AJH, i don't really have the opportunity just now, probably when I'm older I'll consider going vegan.

I'd love it so much, and be proud, because i love animals , i don't know how anyone could hate animals,I had a pet mouse for nearly3 years(since i was 13) and it died tonight, and i was really upset, people will probs think i'm crazy, and probably laugh cos it's a mouse! lol, and i don't think that you think that you're better than everyone else spikes angel, you're just trying to get your point across.


sorry if none of that made sense it's 4am :|

 

[Summerlilly]

Well, I can't say I'm suprised that there ended up being a back and forth between Kristine and Spikesangel11. I'm actually more suprised that it took as long as it did.

Unfortunately, a lot of vegans do get stamped with that "holier than thou" attitude. But it's not about who's better then who. It's about taking a step back and really asking yourself what can I do that will benefit others? What choices can I make that will lessen our carbon foot print, that will help stop suffering, that will make us feel good about living on this earth?

I think a lot of new vegans become so informed and are so horrified by the reality of the situation.... that it's like you want to shout it from the roof tops! You want everyone to know what you know so that the suffering will stop.... Maybe the earth is still salvagable, maybe we can unify as humans and make a difference!

But the reality is that with just like any movement it starts like this:

THE THREE STAGES OF TRUTH

1.RIDICULE
2.VIOLENT OPPOSITION
3.ACCEPTANCE

People do not change over night. Most people have to hear something multiple times before they really start thinking about it seriously. I also think that many people become immediately deffensive when they are asked to think about the choices they make in life, especially about the food they eat. I think this happens because it starts to make you feel responsible for your actions which can lead to guilt, an emotion no one likes.

To me, the saddest thing is when people choose to be ignorant. They would rather not know then have to find out and actually make a change. Do know where your food comes from, do you know what happens to those animals before you eat them? No? Isn't it easier to just not know and go about your life like you have no affect on the planet? This is an even larger topic then veganism but it does ask the same question.

Kristine, you say you are aware of the detrimental affects eating meat has on the environment yet you also say you don't see the point in becoming a vegetarian. I'm not sure I follow. Yes, there is a food chain. While I can see this as a valid point it does not mean that we need to eat meat. We are the one animal that can actually make the conscious decision NOT too. We are also aware that killing something causes it pain. Plants, in fact do not feel pain as they have no central nervous system. The more important question is why do we support needless cruelty? Yes, 1% of animals may be humanely raised on family farms but that will soon be obsolete as giant corporate agricultural monsters continue to take over all so they can make a profit. Do you eat organic farm raised animals that led happy lives? Happy Cows of California. A ploy to keep the deep dark secrets of the agribusiness away from the public eye!

PrincessBuffy16 says we need animals to survive, when in reality do we? Our bodies obviously don't or I wouldn't still be alive. It's all about human perspective and how we view the planet. Is it ours to reign over? Do we have the right to reign supreme? Just because we can, does it mean we should?

What small choices can you make in your everyday life that make a HUGE impact for good on the rest of the planet and those who share it with us? Everyone has their own opinion but at the end of the day we must do whats right for the greater good and not just for ourselves.

So all I can do is try to do the best that I can and lead as an example. You cannot force someone to feel the same way as you do but you can hope that they do want to know the facts and that they will make choices that help the greater good. Just having this thread and opening a discussion about it is a step in the right direction because it opens a dialogue that is more effective than apathy.

 

[eponinethen]

I know what you're saying. One doesn't need to love animals to not want to have them murdered for products we don't even need. Similarly, for example, someone might not really like gay people for whatever reason, but they'd still fight for their rights because they know it's the fair and just thing to do.

Hehe, I wouldn't personally make that comparison, but I know what you're saying. And I definitely do not hate all animals, just like I don't hate men as a category "“ that doesn't mean I feel it's particularly necessary to have either in my life 😉

 

[TheCheese]

Well, I can't say I'm suprised that there ended up being a back and forth between Kristine and Spikesangel11. I'm actually more suprised that it took as long as it did.

Unfortunately, a lot of vegans do get stamped with that "holier than thou" attitude. But it's not about who's better then who. It's about taking a step back and really asking yourself what can I do that will benefit others? What choices can I make that will lessen our carbon foot print, that will help stop suffering, that will make us feel good about living on this earth?

I think a lot of new vegans become so informed and are so horrified by the reality of the situation.... that it's like you want to shout it from the roof tops! You want everyone to know what you know so that the suffering will stop.... Maybe the earth is still salvagable, maybe we can unify as humans and make a difference!

But the reality is that with just like any movement it starts like this:

THE THREE STAGES OF TRUTH

1.RIDICULE
2.VIOLENT OPPOSITION
3.ACCEPTANCE

People do not change over night. Most people have to hear something multiple times before they really start thinking about it seriously. I also think that many people become immediately deffensive when they are asked to think about the choices they make in life, especially about the food they eat. I think this happens because it starts to make you feel responsible for your actions which can lead to guilt, an emotion no one likes.

To me, the saddest thing is when people choose to be ignorant. They would rather not know then have to find out and actually make a change. Do know where your food comes from, do you know what happens to those animals before you eat them? No? Isn't it easier to just not know and go about your life like you have no affect on the planet? This is an even larger topic then veganism but it does ask the same question.

Kristine, you say you are aware of the detrimental affects eating meat has on the environment yet you also say you don't see the point in becoming a vegetarian. I'm not sure I follow. Yes, there is a food chain. While I can see this as a valid point it does not mean that we need to eat meat. We are the one animal that can actually make the conscious decision NOT too. We are also aware that killing something causes it pain. Plants, in fact do not feel pain as they have no central nervous system. The more important question is why do we support needless cruelty? Yes, 1% of animals may be humanely raised on family farms but that will soon be obsolete as giant corporate agricultural monsters continue to take over all so they can make a profit. Do you eat organic farm raised animals that led happy lives? Happy Cows of California. A ploy to keep the deep dark secrets of the agribusiness away from the public eye!

PrincessBuffy16 says we need animals to survive, when in reality do we? Our bodies obviously don't or I wouldn't still be alive. It's all about human perspective and how we view the planet. Is it ours to reign over? Do we have the right to reign supreme? Just because we can, does it mean we should?

What small choices can you make in your everyday life that make a HUGE impact for good on the rest of the planet and those who share it with us? Everyone has their own opinion but at the end of the day we must do whats right for the greater good and not just for ourselves.

So all I can do is try to do the best that I can and lead as an example. You cannot force someone to feel the same way as you do but you can hope that they do want to know the facts and that they will make choices that help the greater good. Just having this thread and opening a discussion about it is a step in the right direction because it opens a dialogue that is more effective than apathy.

The thing about these "three stages of truth" is that there is no real hard data saying acceptance of the other is preordained. This pattern works for some things in specific cricumstances, where a group HAS become more accepted. But I think it is dangerous to think that social progression is automatic, rather than something that has to be fought for and often fails. Remember that blacks in the American South had more rights from 1865-1877 than they would have for the next (almost) hundred years. There were more black members of Congress (in that there were ANY), and blacks were more likely to be able to vote than they would be in say, 1940, 50, or even 60.

Civil Rights took a huge step backward. And anti-black racism itself, in the modern form, is something that developed in the early 1600s to justify the practice of purchasing slaves and keeping them after they converted to Christianity.

Homosexuality in Celtic Ireland was considered to be normal. Certainly this is an example of these "three stages" working exactly backward, even over 1600 YEARS as gays are often ridiculed in Ireland now and were commonly persecuted violently from 700-1400.

 

[Summerlilly]

^Nothing is set in stone. Every movement has it's own way. This is just a general idea.

 

[Summerlilly]

HAPPY CRUELTY FREE THANKSGIVING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:cheering:

 

[Spikesangel11]

😀😀

See, the turkeys have something to give thanks for too 🙂
Everyone's happy, not JUST humans. 😀