When they say: But plants suffer too!

[escapee]

There is a general perception that commercial farming method is brutal and inhumane. Some people choose to ignore it, some people go organic/range fed and some people go off meat completely or partially.

For me i fell sick on going off animal food completely, so it has to be the combination of the latter 2 options.

Meet Your Meat : the Suffering

[Margaret]

As a vegetarian/vegan I also have been annoyed by this question. I have learned to simply give the questioner a withering look and say "lets not go there". They usually get back to chewing on their bloody stump.

[Mark Lapierre]

[adg00]

Wow, so I registered here just now just to say that this is probably the most respectful thread on food choices I've ever read on the web. Seriously, where are all the posts hurling insults about being murders or wimpy pale vegans?

[Narz]

Originally Posted by adg00

Wow, so I registered here just now just to say that this is probably the most respectful thread on food choices I've ever read on the web. Seriously, where are all the posts hurling insults about being murders or wimpy pale vegans?

Yeah, I'm pretty impressed too.

[Frans]

The fact is: you cannot live without killing other creatures.

[Narz]

Originally Posted by Frans

The fact is: you cannot live without killing other creatures.

You can live without killing animals though.

[Frans]

Originally Posted by Narz

You can live without killing animals though.

Do you drive a car?

[Shirls2007]

It's the starfish story, really. One does what what can to save living creatures from pain and suffering. For that reason I am a vegetarian. But I know I do kill things. Walk across the lawn and how many ants and beetles get crushed? Bat away a mosquito and it will probably die.
But there's a difference between a cow and a cabbage. How many cabbages go screaming down the road when it's time for them to be slaughtered? (I read that somewhere - apologies to the originator for not knowing his/her name)

[Narz]

Originally Posted by Frans

Do you drive a car?

Not one made of animals.

If you're suggesting driving a car indirectly kills animals than perhaps you're right in some sense. However, driving a car also kills humans in that same indirect sense. Perhaps so does forgetting to bring my canvas bag to the store and using yet another plastic one.

However, what is your point? Just because I end up making an environmental impact due to car driving does that mean I should say "screw it" and eat meat too?

By the way, I mostly bike ride.

[Frans]

Originally Posted by Narz

However, what is your point? Just because I end up making an environmental impact due to car driving does that mean I should say "screw it" and eat meat too?

My point is: if you are vegan because you don't want to harm other creatures, you need to find another reason/motivation, because it is impossible to live without harming other creatures.

[Erki]

But it's possible to make less harm, isn't it?

[Narz]

Originally Posted by Frans

My point is: if you are vegan because you don't want to harm other creatures, you need to find another reason/motivation, because it is impossible to live without harming other creatures.

What Erki said.

It's stupid to make it an all or nothing game. That's like saying it's impossible to not get in arguments with my girlfriend so we might as well beat the crap out of each other.

[Frans]

Originally Posted by Erki

But it's possible to make less harm, isn't it?

Only if you consider that the life of a particular living creature has more value than the life of another living creature.

[Narz]

Originally Posted by Frans

Only if you consider that the life of a particular living creature has more value than the life of another living creature.

I do consider the life of one living creature has more value than that of another. So do you, otherwise you'd feed yourself to the chickens rather than vice-versa.

[Frans]

Originally Posted by Narz

I do consider the life of one living creature has more value than that of another. So do you, otherwise you'd feed yourself to the chickens rather than vice-versa.

I can't beat that logic.