My "Problem" With Vegetarianism

[Orange]

The "problem" is in quotations because it doesn't bother me, but it is something I have wondered about vegetarianism.

Now vegetarians are vegetarians for differing reasons, but a couple of family members I know are vegetarians because they don't like the way animals are treated in the food making process. While I completely understand that, doesn't it seem hypocritical to have fake meat that tastes like the real thing? I mean, to me it just seems like you want to sacrifice the meat of the animal that dies, but you don't want to give up the taste of it. I understand vegans can't just eat vegetables and stuff like that all the time, but am I the only one who finds it a bit hypocritical?

BTW I mean no offense to any vegetarians that read this, it is something I have seriously wondered.

[mrwednesdaynight]

I have no problems with what anyone wants to eat, so long as no one wants wants to cast judgement on my eating habits. The people who are militant vegans who aren't happy mearly being vegans but need you to be too are people I have contempt for. Keep out of my kitchen and I'll keep out of yours.

[Jay Peas 42]

Yeah, undertaking a Vegetarian diet is in large part a moral and ethical issue, and it's mostly an indivdual choice, rather than a spirutal discipline. It's not Kosher by any means, and I could see an argument for fake meat going either way. However, it's not so much vegetarians you are talking about, rather the self absorbed and the self righteous, who are a human universal.

[KAMALARAMBO: BOOMSHAKALAKA!!!]

Vegetarianism is pointless. Any excuse to deprive yourself from the joy of eating meat is ridiculous. To quote Dennis Leary, "egg plant taste like egg plant, but meat taste like death and death tastes good!"

[Orange]

Jun 16, 2010 18:12:15 GMT -5 Jay Peas 42 said:

Yeah, undertaking a Vegetarian diet is in large part a moral and ethical issue, and it's mostly an indivdual choice, rather than a spirutal discipline. It's not Kosher by any means, and I could see an argument for fake meat going either way. However, it's not so much vegetarians you are talking about, rather the self absorbed and the self righteous, who are a human universal.

Yeah I just see it as, if you have such a problem with animals getting killed (and I stick up for animal rights, but killing animals for meat isn't exactly a new thing) it's hypocritical to still want the taste of that animal. For me you either go all in or bust, there is no in between.

[rapidfire187]

I don't see how it's hypocritical. It's not like they're eating a soyburger or whatever because it tastes like the real thing, to them it just tastes good. Now if somebody wanted to say that it's hypocritical because they're valuing an animal's life over a plant's life, then I guess that'd make a little more sense.

[Orange]

Well speaking for my family members, they DO eat it because it tastes like the real thing. Whether that's common among other vegans I don't know, but that's what I have heard. They say that "you can't taste the difference", which to me means that they don't want to give up the taste.

[FrankGotch]

Its no more hypocritical than diet pop, or low fat food. Finding a "non guilt" substitute for a personal "vice" is a long standing human tradition.

[TripleMerc]

What's the problem with achieving the same result with less "murder" as it were? I'm not a vegetarian, but if someone said to me: "This tastes like what you're trying to save, and what's better, it doesn't hurt what you're trying to save," then I'd be over that like crap on velcro. Meat is delicious, but some people just don't like the idea of death for sustenance.

[Phosphor Glow]

Jun 16, 2010 19:43:38 GMT -5 TripleMerc said:

What's the problem with achieving the same result with less "murder" as it were? I'm not a vegetarian, but if someone said to me: "This tastes like what you're trying to save, and what's better, it doesn't hurt what you're trying to save," then I'd be over that like crap on velcro. Meat is delicious, but some people just don't like the idea of death for sustenance.

This pretty much explains it, dead on.

[Throwback]

The only problem with vegetarianism I have. Is the people who give me lectures every time I eat meat. Stop trying to make me feel guilty. It's not going to happen.

[Magician under the moonlight]

I am trying to become one right now. I could tell all my reasons for it, but my main one is that you don't need meat to get all the nutrients you need. Everything that the meet has can be found elsewhere.

[Hassan bin Sober]

I eat food that looks and taste like human flesh. I don't eat real human flesh though that's terrible.

[Orange]

Jun 16, 2010 19:43:38 GMT -5 TripleMerc said:

What's the problem with achieving the same result with less "murder" as it were? I'm not a vegetarian, but if someone said to me: "This tastes like what you're trying to save, and what's better, it doesn't hurt what you're trying to save," then I'd be over that like crap on velcro. Meat is delicious, but some people just don't like the idea of death for sustenance.

I see what you mean, but to me it seems hypocritical to not want to give up the taste of that animal. If it bothers you so much that the animal is being killed for it's meat, then why do you still want the taste of it? Maybe it's just me, but that's how I see it

[Koda, Master Crunchyroller]

Animals eat other animals. Been that way since animals have existed, and guess what? Humans are animals. We eat animals, it is a natural thing. Hell, other animals would love to eat us! Especially things like lions, tigers, pumas, and bears.

[slasher911]

It's mostly just funny to me, because whatever product they're advertising as meat-flavored, usually tastes nothing like the meat it's supposed to.

You know what it tastes like? Fake meat

[mcclanahan]

...ok I've said this on here many times before but I feel like saying it again...I hate vegetarians/vegans...I'll admit some are nice people but they're going against nature and thats just wrong...if it's not toxic to eat it was meant to be eaten...now if you don't mind I'm going to continue eating my veal steak



also anyone that says they're giving up meat because of the way the animals are treated best not have a problem with eating that dear I just spent 5+ hours skinning, gutting, and cooking...because that thing was wild and and wasn't mistreated until that arrow pierced it's throat...now eat your meat before I get angry

[Kris Kobain]

I guess I don't really follow why this is hypocritical either.
The taste of what you're eating has nothing to do with how the animals are treated.

It would be like telling someone who wants to save trees that if there was altnernate way to make paper that didn't involve cutting down trees they still shouldn't use paper.

I'd like to post this gem though

"If a carrot could scream would you eat it?"

[default]

Jun 17, 2010 4:26:44 GMT -5 @mcclanahan said:

also anyone that says they're giving up meat because of the way the animals are treated best not have a problem with eating that dear I just spent 5+ hours skinning, gutting, and cooking...because that thing was wild and and wasn't mistreated until that arrow pierced it's throat...now eat your meat before I get angry

Yeah, I really never understood the people against hunting as cruel. Granted, it's calmed down a great deal after the way animals are treated commercially. I'm not big into hunting, in fact, two seasons I went out I did nothing but shoot crow. Which ended up getting me chewed out by some vegans. However, they're overpopulated and ruin farmer's crops namely corn in the area.

Most people I talk to just don't seem to do research and understand the rules in hunting. Every year the number of deer and bear tags change depending on estimated populations. Are there people who abuse those rules? Yeah, but I'd guess no more than your average other law.

Besides, here in PA if you hit a deer with your car... if it dies it's your deer. If not, it doesn't matter you or your insurance is still covering the damage. It's hardly a rare occurance either. Practically everyone I know who's been driving for some time has hit one and not a year goes by that I can't remember someone hitting one. My dad's lost around half a dozen or so cars from hitting them and he's in his 50's and that's not counting the ones he hit and killed or seriously wounded that didn't total the vehicles.

Not many people are going deep, deep into the woods to kill them either. There are just so many that they're spreading out and living around highways.

Oh, and as for the commercially handled animals and the cruelty that relates to them... the only big one I hear about are chickens. All I can say is go to a farm or a chicken plant and hang around those animals for a while. They're far more filthy and disgusting than pigs (which have a bad rap, but that's another thing). Chickens eat their own poop, peck to death baby kittens, etc. Most people I know who have worked at the local chicken plant gave up on eating chicken for months or years after starting there and some permanently. That place is a Kosher factory, btw, so they have a lot more strict guidelines. In fact, the overwhelming complaint is the smell of feces. Over half their new employees don't make a month before they go somewhere for less pay.

[mcclanahan]

Jun 17, 2010 5:18:03 GMT -5 Kris Kobain said:

I guess I don't really follow why this is hypocritical either.
The taste of what you're eating has nothing to do with how the animals are treated.

It would be like telling someone who wants to save trees that if there was altnernate way to make paper that didn't involve cutting down trees they still shouldn't use paper.

I'd like to post this gem though

"If a carrot could scream would you eat it?"

if carrots could scream I'd probably eat more of them personally