How likely would you be to take up a Vegetarian Diet in 2019? (1 Viewer)

[massraider]

If we all go vegetarian at once, but then we have to have like Halloween Turkey Purge night or something...........I'm in. Totally in.

 

[Joe Bryant]

At the same time no one wants to be lectured when eating a steak or whatever unless it’s a topic all want to discuss.

I went to a semi fancy charcuterie festival event thing in Brooklyn a few years ago. Sort of like a beer festival where you bought tickets and there were tons of vendors with small samples and such. Some of it delicous.

But there were about 20 protesters out front with with Meat is Murder type signs trying to shame anyone going in. Didn't bother me but I could see how some might not like it.

 

[Joe Bryant]

If the reason you choose to go vegetarian is because you don't want to participate in killing the animals then, that is probably naïve thinking.

Doesn't seem naive at all to me. If someone said they wanted to be vegetarian because they didn't want to participate in killing animals, I wouldn't belittle them like that. I'd respect their decision. Clearly, that brings up other things if they want to stay 100% consistent with things like leather and other things. But I'd say that's their decision.

I also disagree that the welfare of the animal isn't really part of that calculus. I think for lots of people, the welfare of the animal is very much a part of the decision.

 

[The Gator]

If the reason you choose to go vegetarian is because you don't want to participate in killing the animals then, that is probably naïve thinking.

Doesn't seem naive at all to me. If someone said they wanted to be vegetarian because they didn't want to participate in killing animals, I wouldn't belittle them like that. I'd respect their decision.

I wonder if they factor in how many animals are killed in growing the greens. Rabbits, squirrels, gophers and wild hogs. The meat from their deaths goes to waste instead of being consumed.

 

[The General]

At the same time no one wants to be lectured when eating a steak or whatever unless it’s a topic all want to discuss.

I went to a semi fancy charcuterie festival event thing in Brooklyn a few years ago. Sort of like a beer festival where you bought tickets and there were tons of vendors with small samples and such. Some of it delicous.

But there were about 20 protesters out front with with Meat is Murder type signs trying to shame anyone going in. Didn't bother me but I could see how some might not like it.

I was thinking more of people who say go out of their way to announce their Veganism or Vegetarianism when out to dinner. I am now having to sit here and listen to this

 

[massraider]

I was thinking more of people who say go out of their way to announce their Veganism or Vegetarianism when out to dinner. I am now having to sit here and listen to this

New York joke:

If someone is a vegan CrossFit-er, which do they bring up first?

 

[The General]

I was thinking more of people who say go out of their way to announce their Veganism or Vegetarianism when out to dinner. I am now having to sit here and listen to this

New York joke:

If someone is a vegan CrossFit-er, which do they bring up first?

Pretty much. I do think this is less of a thing with veganism and certainly being vegetarian as they have both become more mainstream. I am sure there is something else that is beyond Veganism that has replaced it

I am all for people who look to improve themselves think that is great and all.

 

[Terminalxylem]

Many people on either end of that spectrum remind me of the people on either end of a lot of spectrums. They aren't accepting of other's viewpoints. I get tired of us as a society thinking everything has to be black/white and people can't hold differing viewpoints without being bad people. But I agree most think veganism is extreme due to how most of us were raised. I don't think there's contempt by nearly as many people so those are the ones I'm referring to above.

I have encountered some older people who get butthurt about changing my diet not because they aren't accepting but because they take it as some kind of criticism of the food they make, how they were raised, etc. My aunt at Thanksgiving barbed me with something like "do you want some turkey- oh no I guess this is how family traditions end." and MIL says "nobody when we were growing went vegan but I guess everyone is so smart now".

To be fair, if one changes their diet for ethical reasons, they are implying the old way is less good. Prioritizing animal welfare is inherently a value judgement, but even going to extremes, it’s nearly impossible to avoid harming other living things while eating. Sometimes people start questioning the mice killed tilling the fields, roadkill created transporting produce, animal-derived products you use, etc., trying to point out the hypocrisy in your choices, while defending the status quo. I do my best to change the subject in those situations, at most taking their criticism as a reminder all our backgrounds and circumstances are different, and not to allow perfect be the enemy of the good. But it’s tough to be forced to explain why you’ve chosen to forego Thanksgiving turkey, knowing some people might be offended.

That said, I believe the standard American diet on which most of us were raised is pretty indefensible. And I have a hard time understanding people who think animals exist purely for human exploitation.

 

[Chaka]

If the reason you choose to go vegetarian is because you don't want to participate in killing the animals then, that is probably naïve thinking.

Doesn't seem naive at all to me. If someone said they wanted to be vegetarian because they didn't want to participate in killing animals, I wouldn't belittle them like that. I'd respect their decision. Clearly, that brings up other things if they want to stay 100% consistent with things like leather and other things. But I'd say that's their decision.

I also disagree that the welfare of the animal isn't really part of that calculus. I think for lots of people, the welfare of the animal is very much a part of the decision.

I hope you don't view my post as belittling, it is a shame that you would view it that way. I absolutely support anyone who wants to go vegetarian. I have been moving in that direction myself for years.

I am simply pointing out the notion that any one person going vegetarian would save even one animal from harm is, in fact, naïve. No animals will be saved by you going vegetarian, or vegan, or breatharian. The system won't skip even the smallest decimal value of a beat if you stop eating meat. Sorry, that's simply being realistic. The vegetarian movement will not save any animals from being eaten.

If we all stop eating meat we will end a horrible system that is destroying our planet, and begin a healing going forward, but all the animals currently in the system will still be killed.

The reality is only something like lab grown meats becoming affordable (this is the most important factor, they need to have Costco, Target & WalMart price tags) and widely adopted (the first factor will determine this result) will truly reduce the meat for food industry around the world. The FrankenMeat industry (Impossible, Beyond etc) don't appear to be any healthier than most meat, and they certainly aren't cheaper so I don't see any path where they become the straw that breaks the meat industry.

Meat tastes good.

 

[Leroy Hoard]

am not 100% vegetarian, but maybe 80% of my diet is vegetables. The remaining 20% is divided among booze, starches, booze, fruits, booze, bad choices, booze and meat.

I easily see a future where the meat is not part of my diet.

Well yeah. More room for booze.

 

[Terminalxylem]

I was thinking more of people who say go out of their way to announce their Veganism or Vegetarianism when out to dinner. I am now having to sit here and listen to this

New York joke:

If someone is a vegan CrossFit-er, which do they bring up first?

How many vegans does it take to change a lightbulb?

Spoiler

None: vegans don’t change anything

 

[Terminalxylem]

I recognize the value.

But that's a pipe dream. It will never, ever happen. I eat very little meat anymore, been that way for awhile actually, but I have no illusion that my choice has spared the life of even one food animal.

Well yeah and I am not pushing it on people. I prefer to not even talk about it. I am just not participating in it which makes me feel better about it. I am not fighting some lofty revolution but it would be nice to see it become more common over the next half of my life.

Of course it makes a difference, in the same way any individual choice influences larger systems, even if the extent is nearly imperceptible.

For Chaka: Why do you think veal production has decreased in the last 20 years? Did it stop tasting good?

 

[Chaka]

I was thinking more of people who say go out of their way to announce their Veganism or Vegetarianism when out to dinner. I am now having to sit here and listen to this

New York joke:

If someone is a vegan CrossFit-er, which do they bring up first?

How many vegans does it take to change a lightbulb?

Spoiler

None: vegans don’t change anything

Zero, their Dutch windmill doesn't generate enough energy to power a bulb.