this post was submitted on 27 Nov 2024
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I’ll answer your question!
Pretty sure I’m on the wrong side of vegetarianism. I love animals, I think they’re worthy of love and consideration from us. I know becoming a vegetarian or vegan would reduce harm to animals, and I’m pretty sure it’s the morally correct thing to do. It’s also hard, it’s alienating, and I know every time I’ve attempted it in the past it’s triggered disordered eating.
My current stance is that society should embrace vegetarianism. If the government were to make a law granting animals status that protected them from being killed for food, I’d support that as a moral good. However, I’m not willing to be fully vegetarian in a carnivorous society, there are too many drawbacks. I know this is hypocritical and kinda intellectually pathetic of me but there it is :(
I'm in the same boat. My girlfriend is pescatarian, mostly because she thinks animals are too cute to eat. She loves pigs and thinks they are adorable.
I agree that vegetarianism is more sustainable and humane, but I also really like carnitas burritos. I eat way more seafood now and, though she says she doesn't care, I try to avoid "farm animal" meat when we go out.
I've definitely reduced my meat consumption and I will probably continue to do so, but I'm not ready to cut it out yet. I had prime rib for Thanksgiving and it was amazing. Apologies and thanks to the cow.
It really depends on where you live. Being in BC we have so many Vegan and Vegetarian places that finding food outside of the home is easy. Visiting Calgary AB though, good luck.
My mother does wildlife rescues, birds are mostly, then goes home and cooks a roast chicken.
She knows it's hypocritical. Cognitive dissonance is weird.
Also, it's not so alienating. I attend dinners with my family, and I'll eat roast vegies, and bring a side-dish for myself. Over time a few of my friends became vegan (I didn't convince them to) and it's exciting to share recipes.
If nothing else, reduce your meat intake over time.
As with most changes people make, the more drastic, the more unlikely it is to stick.
When I became vegan I was a slut for KFC burgers, and I "failed" a few times, but I just kept reminding myself it's not good for anyone, and mustered up the will power to drive past, and eat at home instead.
I’ve definitely reduced my intake, I just can’t apply the principle in a strict way. And the “alienating“ comment is just my own experience, I’m glad you didn’t have that issue! This isn’t intended to dissuade anyone from trying to be vegetarian, like I said I think I’m on the wrong side of this. It just personally has been difficult to fully align my moral principles and my actions on this matter.
You're not alone in not living up to your principles, virtually nobody can.
I once tried to vet all the products I was buying to make sure I wasn't contributing to slave labour, or deforestation, or animal exploitation, and it was exhausting.
It was good to identify brands which were absolute villains, and I still avoid them like the plague, but the amount of willpower it takes to travel to multiple stores and pick only the lesser of evils is something I'm not capable of right now.
I make gradual improvements, which is sustainable.
I am dead-set on repairing what I can, and hate spending money on new things.
I definitely commiserate with this. This is almost certainly the biggest moral quandary in my life. I think in my lifetime there will be a tipping point where vegetarianism will be a large enough minority to make it personally viable for me, but for the moment I reduce consumption where I can. Breakfast sausage will be the hardest thing to give up for me - but I continuously try meat alternatives in hopes of finding something I like.
Good example. I also feel like vegetarianism is probably correct, but I still haven't gone that way.
I'm all in on lab grown protein
Your position is about a thousand times better than the denial-ism of most meat-eaters. "Eating meat is morally dubious, but I am making this bad trade off" is better than the usual "Shut up meat is tasty and like they don't feel pain and if they did it's only for a moment and it's longer they deserve it for being lower on the food chain. And the environmental impacts are just made up but even if they were real they're not a big deal, and if they were then it's not like it'll affect me, and if it did well fuck you."
That is, some people who eat meat refuse to acknowledge that there's any drawbacks or moral pitfalls. I guess that's too hard on the self image. Cowards, really.
I try to minimize how much meat I eat. It's a baby step. It's hard when like work does an outing and there's no vegetarian options. I don't want to make a big stink about it every time. But I'm not going to pretend that eating meat is morally the high ground or good for the environment.
Sometimes people are like "Well I just enjoy a hamburger" as if that's any sort of justification. Maybe I just enjoy punching cowards in the throat, but we can't always do what we want, now can we.