| SkinnyPupp | 04-20-2012 02:53 AM |
Quote:
Originally Posted by MindBomber
(Post 7892816)
It's certainly not a matter of opinion that humans are omnivores, our teeth are evidence of that and I would not argue that we are not. I would also say however, that humans like all primates are capable of adapting to differing environmental conditions (diet included) very well. Certain primates are vegetarian, while others eat meat rarely, and others pursue meat as an active part of their diet, all with very nearly identical biological structure.I don't think being vegetarian is by nature destroying ones body, some consider it healthier, some consider it unhealthy, I think it's fairly neutral.
Even if I believed my diet was detrimental to my health, lets say being vegetarian took a few years off my life, I still would be. The little fish I eat, I catch, I kill and it is not the emotionless factory farmed, saran wrapped on a piece of styrofoam experience that many people depend on maintaining to avoid acknowledging the life of the animal the flesh came from. I can't separate life from flesh, I need to acknowledge and pay respects to that life personally. If I know the animal suffered in it's life to feed me, like a chicken in a broiler barn does, I can't avoid a sense of guilt for contributing to that suffering. That's a bit strange perhaps, but I've been that way since I was very young. I probably sound the same way a Christian babbling about creation does right now... :P
I'll try to check out that book during the summer.
I have a movie that might interest you. It's called "Animals". A Canadian Indy film maker moves to a farm in Nova Scotia and buys a few animals, against the advise of his farmer neighbors, he treats them as living creatures and not simple faceless commodities. The film maker raises and bonds with them emotionally, at maturity he slaughters and butchers the animals, then eats them. It brings up topics that people are very afraid to face and offers some interesting insights.
You're a smart dude too Skinny, thanks for the compliment.
| The 'teeth' argument is silly, and I'll just leave it at that. But as you said, if there's one thing we can do, it's adapt to different things. That's why I usually just take the 'to each their own' sentiment with so many things. However, to say that this is the 'proper' way to eat, is where I take issue with it. But we can leave that alone since I don't think you are going to try to argue that
I think it comes down to two things: 1) Putting humans on a pedestal. This is where vegetarianism is basically like religion - our egos are so huge, we can't accept the fact that we are just animals. But that's all we are, and all we ever were. We are animals, designed and evolved over millions of years, but now there is this great importance placed upon us, and for some reason people are "above" eating animals. Like there is something wrong with it, and it's cruel. Well guess what - animals eat animals. And so do we. There's nothing inherently 'cruel' about it. Go look at how animals hunt in the wild.. Everything from ants, to lions, and everything in between are 'cruel' to each other. Because tehy are just doing what they're designed to do in order to survive. Hell, even plants aren't vegan, which is an interesting juxtaposition to bring up to vegans :)
And the second issue is the general anthropomorphism of animals, and how it affects us... I guess it might be the same issue overall, but it comes down to empathy. My wife is VERY empathetic to all living things. She's the type of person who will see a snail or slug in a path, and move it aside to make sure it doesn't get stepped on. But that doesn't stop her from being a normal meat eating person, because she respects the animals, and respects what they provide to us. I think if that self realization wasn't there, she would almost certainly become a vegetarian (like her sister, who eventually had to stop because she was getting sick, and also came to a similar realization that hey, humans eat animals and that's OK)
As far as cruelty to animals, you can be cruel to an animal, or you can't. It is up to you to decide. And the same goes for someone working at a chicken farm or a beef farm. There is nothing you can do to stop a cruel person from being cruel, including not eating their products. Because they are going to be cunts whether you eat beef or not. And if everyone stopped eating meat, they would all still be cunts (well, for the short time before the environment collapses, which is inevitable if such a thing were to happen) |
