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Why shouldn't I become a vegetarian?

This is one I've been thinking about a lot recently, and it does just seem obviously unethical to be unnecessarily killing conscious, living creatures for food. But, of course, my brain then tells me that almost everyone eats meat - even otherwise intelligent and moral people - so there must be some justification for it... But I can't find it.

So, I'd like to have an open discussion with the other non-vegetarians of TSR about why they have rejected vegetarianism and perhaps even why they actively advocate meat eating. Vegetarians' input is also very welcome, of course.
(edited 9 years ago)

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Easy, I at the top of the food chain, I like meat.
Original post by Implication
This is one I've been thinking about a lot recently, and it does just seem obviously unethical to be unnecessarily killing conscious, living creatures for food. But, of course, my brain then tells me that almost everyone eats meat - even otherwise intelligent and moral people - so there must be some justification for it... But I can't find it.

So, I'd like to have an open discussion with the other non-vegetarians of TSR about why they have rejected vegetarian and perhaps even why they actively advocate meat eating. Vegetarians' input is also very welcome, of course.


I'm a vegetarian, but after speaking to meat eaters - which is basically everyone I know - they seem to like the taste too much to give it up. Some also think that it doesn't matter that animals die, and they would die anyway, so it's only natural that we kill them for food.
Because KFC tastes too good :tongue:
When I have been vegetarian for religious festivals I struggled to find food that tasted good and filled me up to where I was satisfied. I know there is a lot of vegetarian alternatives but none of them could beat real meat for me
(edited 9 years ago)
Reply 4
Avatar for SiminaM
SiminaM
15
Because Schnitzel
(edited 9 years ago)
It's not unethical. Plenty of environmental reasons to cut down on it, but we need to eat to survive and be healthy and that includes meat unfortunately.
Original post by Implication
This is one I've been thinking about a lot recently, and it does just seem obviously unethical to be unnecessarily killing conscious, living creatures for food. But, of course, my brain then tells me that almost everyone eats meat - even otherwise intelligent and moral people - so there must be some justification for it... But I can't find it.

So, I'd like to have an open discussion with the other non-vegetarians of TSR about why they have rejected vegetarian and perhaps even why they actively advocate meat eating. Vegetarians' input is also very welcome, of course.


I'm vegetarian, but have only been veggie since June. I completely rejected the idea of being vegetarian for a long time, and even had heated debates here on TSR arguing about it! So I think I can still answer.

I know a lot of people simply don't agree that it's morally wrong to kill animals for food. If you feel this way, then that's enough to not be veggie. Some people are slightly different and think that it's wrong to harm animals, but as long as they've had a good life they have no problem with them being killed for food after that.
But it seems that you do believe that harming and killing animals is wrong, so those arguments don't apply to you. If you feel that it is morally wrong, I don't think there is any reason for you not to be vegetarian.

Some people still like the taste too much, or believe that they can't lead a healthy lifestyle without eating meat. You can be healthy, and I've even met a male body builder who was vegan, so people who believe that they will end up a weak or unhealthy person if they stop eating meat are just wrong!

It is basically a very personal decision. Morals are subjective, and differ from person to person, so only you can decide what you think it is morally right and wrong. Have you seen many pictures/videos from the meat industry? Doing a bit of research, just so that you are making an informed decision could help.
It's completely up to you. Decide what you think is right, and go with it!
The human body is meant to consume the flesh of animals for sustenance, that's just the way it is.
While I agree that it's unethical for so many reasons, fact is I'm a bastard that simply doesn't care. Hell, I'd eat human if it was available, I imagine given our population it'd be valued cheaper than most meat.

As far as I'm aware/care, life on earth is just varying forms of carbon masses that eat each other for energy. Cheetahs eat gazelles and I eat chicken. Both of us are just transferring the energy from one creature to another.
Reply 9
Avatar for SiminaM
SiminaM
15
Original post by Skyy9432
While I agree that it's unethical for so many reasons, fact is I'm a bastard that simply doesn't care. Hell, I'd eat human if it was available, I imagine given our population it'd be valued cheaper than most meat.

As far as I'm aware/care, life on earth is just varying forms of carbon masses that eat each other for energy. Cheetahs eat gazelles and I eat chicken. Both of us are just transferring the energy from one creature to another.


I've heard that humans taste bad like very salty and stink awfully because of all the crap we eat. You'd only be able to eat bio human and that'd be incredibly expensive.
Original post by SiminaM
I've heard that humans taste bad like very salty and stink awfully because of all the crap we eat. You'd only be able to eat bio human and that'd be incredibly expensive.


Good to know, I'll cancel my tesco order :biggrin:
To eat a vegetarian diet at a level health akin to that of an omnivorous diet generally costs more money. The result is that by choosing to eat a vegetarian diet and spending more you indirectly kill humans through the opportunity cost of that diet. Instead, you should be eating omnivorous diet and with that extra money you save from not eating a veggie diet you should donate it to charity to save human lives.

This is a better alternative as the lives of 10 cows is not superior to the lives of 1 human.

HOWEVER.

You should not really be eating cow meat or most domesticated mammal meat in general. It's terribly terribly inefficient as far as raw cost, water usage and environmental impact goes. Instead I would recommend eating invertebrates. However they taste like ****. Still the most "ethical diet" though. Best for the environment, cheapest and thus best for human lives and invertebrates don't feel pain anyway so kill them is not a big deal (much like an underdeveloped foetus; we permit killing them for exactly the same reason and they exhibit less signs of life), also tends to be healthier as they have better protein to fat ratios and are just as rich, if not richer in nutrients.
(edited 9 years ago)
Original post by Dr Pesto
The human body is meant to consume the flesh of animals for sustenance, that's just the way it is.


The human body was limited to food sources within a couple of dozen miles, that's not the case in todays world of imports.

............

OP, i'm a non-vegetarian who wants to go vegetarian at some point primarily because i think it's a a healthier way of living (yes, i know meat is healthy too) and also because i simply don't think we really need to eat anymore. The main thing holding me back is mental, i find meat (especially after a few days without) to be much more satisfying than fruit or vegetables.
Original post by Emaemmaemily
You can be healthy, and I've even met a male body builder who was vegan, so people who believe that they will end up a weak or unhealthy person if they stop eating meat are just wrong!


Just cos you met a male bodybuilder who is vegan doesn't mean he was any good at it or that he wouldn't have been a better bodybuilder had he been a meat eater. Poor argument.
Original post by Wilfred Little
Just cos you met a male bodybuilder who is vegan doesn't mean he was any good at it or that he wouldn't have been a better bodybuilder had he been a meat eater. Poor argument.


The point is he had a lot of muscle, and did so on a vegan diet without supplements. My only point was that I hear people (men generally) saying that they can't get good results from going to the gym if they didn't eat meat and eggs (and protein shakes); these people think that being vegetarian or vegan always makes you weak. This isn't the case, clearly. There are plenty of other sources of protein.
Original post by Emaemmaemily
The point is he had a lot of muscle, and did so on a vegan diet without supplements. My only point was that I hear people (men generally) saying that they can't get good results from going to the gym if they didn't eat meat and eggs (and protein shakes); these people think that being vegetarian or vegan always makes you weak. This isn't the case, clearly. There are plenty of other sources of protein.


Not weak, but unhealthy. A vegan diet without supplements is the worst informed diet for your health by far.
Reply 16
Avatar for Idorego
Idorego
You're not going to find many solid philosophical arguments against vegetarianism. The belief that we shouldn't kill living creatures for our pleasure is, I think, obviously quite good. So the main reasons for you not to become a vegetarian would have to be practical. Maybe you will struggle to never eat something you find very tasty ever again (I sometimes find it hard to resist an offer of a burger when out drunk, though I suppose this wouldn't be a problem if I hadn't had any while growing up). Maybe you will struggle to get the right balanced healthy diet with no help from meat. Maybe you will worry your eating habits are difficult for people providing you food to work around. Maybe you will somehow find yourself in a situation where you have to eat an animal in order to survive or stay in good health. If none of those issues are going to cause you major difficulty, then I see no reason for you not to go for it.

I think a lot more people would be vegetarians if we actually saw the conditions some of these animals are raised and killed in. But I also think a lot of us would simply rather not know and go on with the things we enjoy, ethically shaky as that is.

Personally, I try to avoid meat, but I'm not currently confident I could commit to never touching the stuff ever again. I don't think it's a black and white issue - generally refraining from buying meat is still an improvement over eating it all the time.
Original post by TorpidPhil
Not weak, but unhealthy. A vegan diet without supplements is the worst informed diet for your health by far.


A vegan diet is not unhealthy. But seeing as I'm not a vegan, I'm not going to enter into a debate about that right now.
I've answered the question that was being asked, so I think that's it!
Original post by Emaemmaemily
The point is he had a lot of muscle, and did so on a vegan diet without supplements. My only point was that I hear people (men generally) saying that they can't get good results from going to the gym if they didn't eat meat and eggs (and protein shakes); these people think that being vegetarian or vegan always makes you weak. This isn't the case, clearly. There are plenty of other sources of protein.


How do you know he wouldn't have been bigger and had better results if he'd have been a meat eater though?
Original post by Wilfred Little
How do you know he wouldn't have been bigger and had better results if he'd have been a meat eater though?


Of course he could have, I don't know that and haven't claimed that. I was only saying that it's perfectly possible to be both healthy and fit (including being "muscly" as a man) on a vegetarian (or even a vegan) diet.

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