h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

The biggest thing I hate about being vegetarian is when people explain to me (condescendingly, of course) that 'you need your meat for this, that and the other'. Pants. You can get all the good stuff you need without killing anything. Alright, I may have to eat more of one thing to get the same amount of protein as I would out of a steak, for example, but it's really not a problem.

I also hate people who say that white meat isn't proper meat and is okay for veggies. No, it isn't. Does it grow out the ground? Didn't think so!

Finally, for those who insist that beef, chicken and ham stock cubes are suitable for vegetarians. NO, THEY ARE NOT. How can something with meat extract in it be vegetarian?

To sum up vegetarianism for the idiots, if it has a face we don't eat it

I know exactly what you mean. One I get a lot is "do you eat fish then?" Ummm....

I usually say "We don't eat anything with eyes!!" (except potatoes..!) *lol*




"To enquire into the nature of the ending of time requires a silent mind, a mind that is free to observe, not frightened, free to observe the movement of time in yourself, how you depend on it...."

J Krishnamurti
Colombo
9th November 1980

Do vegetarians refrain from eating "faces" as a matter of principle, or is it just a fashion statement? For example, I don't know any vegetarians who are prepared to give up wearing leather.

Some veggies see leather as okay, others like me say that you still have to kill the animal to get the leather so it defeats the purpose *shrug*

I hate it when people make comments like "aaah, you're wearing leather shoes, you can't be a real veggie!!!". The point of being a veggie (as far as I'm concerned) isn't to make some kind of social statement to my friends or to join a certain group, it's to avoid giving my money to companies that mistreat animals. Even if you skip one meaty meal per week (if that's all you can bring yourself to do) you're still reducing the profits of Meatyco inc. Companies only listen to cash-flow - so if you want to make a point that maltreatment of animals is wrong, hit the company where it hurts and cut down the amount of money you give them as much as you personally can manage.

Militantmoose

PS. That wasn't an attack on vonpivka, just a general rant.

Diplomaticmoose

I'm not just vegetarian because of factory farming, etc, but I've always eaten more veggies than meat *shrug*. I know it's up to each individual, but you still have to kill the animal to get the hide...

i think MMs got a good point, do what you can, it makes a difference. i personally don't eat any of that *chooses words carefully* type of food!!! but if i had too i probably would, if it were a matter of survival. i also will wear leather, hoping that the animal would be killed to get the hide indians hunted and used all the parts they could, but they did it with respect to the animal. and i got no problem with depriving certain unnaMcd corps. a few bucks!!!
ps i avoid buying leather when i can (non leather work boots are hard to find)

http://www.vegetarianshoes.co.uk

Scrap that - http://www.vegetarian-shoes.co.uk

So if it has a face, and/or eyes, you don't eat it. What about earthworms? They also come out of the ground?

mmmmmmmmmm ...... worrrrmmms ......




"To enquire into the nature of the ending of time requires a silent mind, a mind that is free to observe, not frightened, free to observe the movement of time in yourself, how you depend on it...."

J Krishnamurti
Colombo
9th November 1980

Actually it doesn't make a dent in profits that much.

The supermarkets buy the food from the 'X' for around the same price give or take inflation.
There's still a steady supply going to shops its just that the shops aren't shifting the meat and thus gets thrown out.
Unless it happens en masse it'll not affect the suppliers.

Plus, if nobody bought any meat, all the animals would be killed pretty damn quick so Meatycorp could convert all that grazing pasture into farmland.

I'm vegie and used to eat lots of pretend meat products. During my teens when the kitchen was the place where you put your dirty plates. I found out with interest that most of the top fake meat brands are owned by the large meat producers. So your vegie burger profit goes into the same pocket.

Also, its worth pointing out that major chunk of profit goes to supermarkets. the profit to meat farmers (in the UK at least) is small.

The argument about killing the animals anyway if nobody eat meat is rubbish. Each cow is artificially inseminated (add correct spelling here). It costs a lot of money so the farmer would not do this if the demand was there. In the same way a field would not be seeded if there was no demand for a crop. All this would take a season or so to filter the channel from consumer to supplier.

v.

so can you tell people not to eat worms? Do worms feel pain? do what you can, try to do it for a reason, try to make sure its a good reason.

it the short term no it wont hurt meatycorp, it may hurt farmers, and yes those cows would probably be run up the ramp at an astounding rate.

where's a vegan who's got the good links when you need one!!!

thanx for the tip on veganshoes- i have only found one pair in a normal store, and they were a bit small, but i LOVE'M.

johndeer or something,

but for now i've got on my 5050's, can't wear the same boots forever!!!

Oh no, vegans are just freaky

Vegans are not freaky, they are just towards the extreme end of the cullinary spectrum (not quote as mad as those who only eat cereals, or fruit, but anyway...)

Vegetarians are not all hippy-types with long hair and sandals. Personally (ok, so I do actually have long hair), I was brought up as vegetarian by my parents who, rightly or wrongly, thought it was healthier. I was first given the choice when I was about ten and I decided to stay vegetarian for the simple reason that I didn't like the look of the stuff.

These days I'm perfectly happy to cook it (as long as someone tells me how, don't want to poison anyone!) and I quite like looking at the various bits in butcher's windows, I'd just rather not eat it. Nothing philosophical, I just like vegetables!

If you take vegetarianism to its logical conclusion, you shouldn't even breathe, as millions of living things (eg bacteria) perish under the onslught of your immune system. It's just a case of where you draw the line.