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

Speaking as an omnivore, I have a few ideas on why this is:

1. Meat tastes good. It is a simple pleasure that makes life a bit more enjoyable. Why anyone gives up this pleasure is a mystery to the average omnivore
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2. Completely avoiding meat in your diet is a chore. Sometimes all that is immediatelyavailable is a hot dog or a hamburger or a pepperoni pizza. You have only 3 choices at most restaurants. You have to cook seperate dishes for yourself aside from what you make for the rest of the household. Eating meat is not only fun, it's easy.

These two reasons explain why you get those "what do you eat at Christmas" questions. As far as some of the meaner reactions, those are caused by:

3. The ones who ruin it for the rest. The preachy, holier-than-thou type vegetarians who judge everyone who eats meat as a cold blooded killer. Nobody likes to be preached to. For those of you out there, I'd like leave you a bit of song lyrics from "Vegetarian" by Reel Big Fish

"Save a plant, eat a cow
I want meat and I want it now
I'm gonna eat it 'cuz it's red
I'm gonna eat it 'cuz it's dead
Maybe I should eat it raw
Let the blood run down my jaw
I'd eat people if it was legal
I'd eat people if it was legal"

But have you ever considered that vegetarians get preached to too? I have known people (including some friends) who have gone out of their way to make fun of me or tell me that I'm (quoting) a "moron" for not eating meat. Yeah, some vegetarians are preachy (especially some of the more fervent vegans), and they even get on my nerves. But just think about it if you ever have the desire to make fun of someone for their vegetarianism -- they are doing what they believe is acting in a moral manner (assuming that's their motivation), making some significant sacrifices, and if they ain't preaching, be thankful and give them a little respect.

Oh, and in regards to the song lyrics, a lot of vegarians I know wouldn't mind eating human either. Especially meat eaters who write lyrics like that.

Huh!?! I have NEVER met a 'preachy' vegetarian in my life, although I've met plenty of narrow-minded, selfish, irritating carnivores, who seem to be incapable of independent thought, and can only manage two questions on the topic of vegetarianism: "why are you a vegetarian" and "what do you eat at Christmas".

As many smokers who have tried to quit have experienced, those still sadly addicted try to run down their efforts, in an attempt to cover their own guilt and lack of self-discipline. Meat-eaters often display the same attitude towards vegetarians.

Vegetarians often seem to be a better class of human being, and I for one am proud to be one, if only for that reason alone.

"Colonel Sellers? That's a rather tender subject...

Another slice anyone?"



~A~

There are plenty of preachy vegans, and most of their arguments are based on pure ignorance. They also think their lifestyle makes a difference in the world, which makes them insufferable egomaniacs, as if their overestimation of their personal diet choice and its effect on the world at large wasn't evidence enough. The arguments are:

1) Eating meat is unhealthy: Eating meat is very healthy. Eating none is unhealthy. Eating too much is unhealthy. Eating too much fat is unhealthy. But man was designed to get its proteins from animal flesh, and the alternatives are not only disgusting, but wreak havoc with the human digestive system.

2) Meat contributes to world hunger: Governments contribute to world hunger. Name a country where people are starving, and you'll have a country where oppression and/or incompetence is the modus operandi of the local politicians. Those nations with an overabundance of food ship them their excess, and it has to go through the local government. The local government seizes most of it, and the aid does not reach the people who need it. The government uses hunger as a way to keep the people in line. Vegans like to point out that if all the grain that went to feeding cattle were given to the hungry, world hunger would end, but the sad fact is that we'd all be eating corn, and the people would be just as hungry as before.

3) The raising of animals for food is immoral: Everyone has to make their own moral judgements, but vegans can't seem to understand this. My own moral judgement is that it is perfectly natural and necessary, and if the beast has to die for me to enjoy a burger, let him die. If this is against your own personal ethical code, fine, but don't force it on people. This is another area where vegans turn into intolerant, evangelical prigs. Besides, nobody ever asked the tomato if it wanted to be eaten. We have evidence that plants not only have life, but respond to different stimuli (such as music, conversation, etc), which suggests emotions and consciousness. Eating a plant is no more or less ethical than eating a clam. Ohh, indeed, the plant that is raised for food has a horrible life... sprayed constantly by chemicals, then torn from the ground, shoved in a refrigerator, injected with preservatives, displayed, then finally taken home to be cut into tiny pieces and cooked... all while it is still alive! Oh! The HUMANITY!!

Eating an omnivorous diet is not a sign of guilt nor lack of self-discipline, although vegetarianism seems to stem from guilt. Omnivores are comfortable about themselves and their place in the natural order of the universe. And they're more comfortable in social situations, because they're not constantly suppressing a fart.

I make the choice to limit my diet because I don't want to kill anything bigger than the slugs eating my cabbages- that's up to me -why do you care so much? Eating as a veggie is easy- just less choice- do you like all the things on offer at the restaraunt, do you like all restaurants, do you eat anything at all that comes your way? You choose what you eat as much as I do, we're relatively rich (I speak as a dry stone waller here- 'rich' isn't the usual word used for us) people we have a choice what to eat.

I'm obviously far more comfortable in society and with my body than you are- if I want to fart I do, surely it's dangerous not to- you could blow up which would be far more messy and socially unacceptable.

I have no worries at all on the flatulence level, because unlike a vegetarian, I can last more than 15 minutes without feeling the urge to rip one out.

I don't recall caring one way or another what people put in their mouths, nor do any of my statements pretend to. My original comments were in response to a question raised by this article, asking why omnivores sometimes don't understand vegetarians, and I offered a few suggestions, followed by a bit of fun at the preachy-type vegans. If you are not a preachy one, then my comments were not directed toward you, and you need not be offended.

So pretending all veggies are constantly farting isn't getting at us at all? What about the often heard riposte that meat eaters have worse BO?

I don't see why vegetarianist attitudes should be any more socially acceptable than racism or homophobia, and I would hope that you (Colonel Sellers) would not make so lightly about someone's colour or sexuality as you do of being vegetarian, though I am inclined to think that would be expecting too much from someone of your mentality.

As my previous postings on h2g2 will testify, I never go around attacking or making fun of people for their choice to consume dead animal flesh, but see no reason why I should remain silent given your comments in a public forum, for an article (all be it rather one-sided) on vegetarianism.

I find it interesting in the several survival programs that come to our screens, how many people become vegetarian when faced with the reality of killing, skinning, disemboweling and preparing an animal for consumption. In such circumstances, I imagine you would be one of the few, cutting off your nose to spite your face, who would do and consume anything just to try and prove a point.

Now if you'll excuse me, I think I'll leave this forum for a while, as someone has just let rip a rather meaty one.

~A~

Oh how I hate those idiots on those shows. They are not vegetarian, and they think they are well informed and intelligent. But when it comes down the the crunch, the little piggie gets its throat cut, gets skinned and gutted and eye-balled. Then these idiots start blubbing and being all emotional. Who's side are you on? Although I do not support killing, I find it to be a bamboozle when I am met by such bald faced hyopcricy. At least the big australian guy who kills the pig understands himself and is okay with his morals. The weeping idiot in the corner who then later tucks into the meat has a struggling mangle of puke where their brain should be.

The thing i like most about animals is their complete lack of self appreaciating smugness. I particularily like the 'Big Cat' family. The Tiger is my favourite. For such a big animal, the tiger has a style and prowess like no other. It is a stealthy, voracious hunter that will do whatever needs to be done to make certain of it's own survival and the survival of it's cubs. There are few sights in this world as beutiful or as graceful as a tiger bringing down large prey. As i watch a Tiger and four healthy cubs tearing hot, raw flesh from the carcass of a fresh kill, their snouts pink with blood, i think to myself, "Now there's a better class of Tiger"

Jagged Jack