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Post by katz on Sept 27, 2009 18:43:00 GMT -5
I've been a vegetarian for nearly seven years now, and I'm starting to feel like I just don't believe the philosophy behind it anymore.
I was only thirteen when I started, and so excited about the message PETA had about not killing cute things. Of course, my opinions on the world have changed since then, namely not being thirteen any more. At the time I feel like I wanted attention (I was a bit of an ugly duckling), and being vegetarian in my small town made me special.
Now I'm a bit more learned in biology and rhetoric. I don't think as highly as animals as I used to, and I've accepted that meat is kind of crucial to the majority of humans' survival. I also know that animal products are in everything and I can't just avoid eating everything for fear of injecting a bit of chick bone. And as I don't refrain in any way from milk or eggs, I can't say anything against the "enslavement" of animals.
I guess right now it just feels like the only reason I'm not eating meat right now is because I'm stubborn.
Now, I realize that a vegetarian diet is better on the environment, and if I do start eating meat again I'd probably still eat veggies most of the time and make an effort to get free range products. Still, even though I'd actually be excited to go on a hunting trip, thinking about eating a cheeseburger is still making me a little upset even though I don't care about the cow because I now know slaughterhouses are more humane than most forms of capital punishment.
Now, here's the religion and philosophy part of the question; is my guilt over wanting to have a steak for the first time in seven years merely dogma after shunning the stuff for so long? Any vegetarians want to talk me down? Honestly, I'm not sure what to do about it.
Also, I have never felt more like a pussy than now, when I'm being an emo over chickens. Over.
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Post by id82 on Sept 27, 2009 19:09:56 GMT -5
Now, here's the religion and philosophy part of the question; is my guilt over wanting to have a steak for the first time in seven years merely dogma after shunning the stuff for so long? Any vegetarians want to talk me down? Honestly, I'm not sure what to do about it. Yes most likely. Kind of like if you gave up being a hardcore Christian certain things would be so ingrained into like feeling guilty about masturbation or thinking about sex, that you would probably still feel guilty about it even after you've given up on Christian beliefs. I've never been a vegetarian so I can't really say anything on that matter. But if you were to eat meat again I personally wouldn't jump to steak right away I would start with poultry if you were going to start eating meat again. I've heard of some digestion problems from ex vegetarians who jump right into red meat.
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Post by Ian1732 on Sept 27, 2009 19:47:17 GMT -5
I'm only a vegetarian because I don't like the taste of meat. ... That's all.
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Post by katz on Sept 27, 2009 19:49:47 GMT -5
But if you were to eat meat again I personally wouldn't jump to steak right away I would start with poultry if you were going to start eating meat again. I've heard of some digestion problems from ex vegetarians who jump right into red meat. Yeah, I am aware of that aspect. As a wise man one put it "Fools rush in." As I put it "You start on Bacardi Breezers, not vodka on the rocks."
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Post by Armand Tanzarian on Sept 27, 2009 20:01:45 GMT -5
If you're still doubtful about the environmental impact of vegetarianism, you can always buy organic/chemical-free meat products. They're usually double the price but they have less impact on the land.
I got a few fish recipes if you're interested. Even more when you start cooking bacon.
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Post by Yaezakura on Sept 27, 2009 20:07:22 GMT -5
But if you were to eat meat again I personally wouldn't jump to steak right away I would start with poultry if you were going to start eating meat again. I've heard of some digestion problems from ex vegetarians who jump right into red meat. Yeah, I am aware of that aspect. As a wise man one put it "Fools rush in." As I put it "You start on Bacardi Breezers, not vodka on the rocks." I started with screwdrivers at a 50/50 mix. I did fine. But anyway. My view on vegetarianism has always been thus: It's unnatural. Humans are omnivores. Our diet is supposed to be a mix of plant and animal. You can argue that vegetarianism is environmentally friendly, but the impact of a handful of people amongst the entire population isn't going to affect things. And you'll never get the entire human population to take on a vegetarian diet. Even if you did, you'd be leaving billions and billions of cattle and fowl around without humans checking their numbers--unless, of course, you simply killed them, buried them, and let it all go to waste. I mean, don't get me wrong. I'm all for treating animals as best we can, and we could likely improve things a lot from where they are now. I just don't think "don't eat animals at all" is a very productive way of going about it.
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Post by Death on Sept 27, 2009 20:09:02 GMT -5
I was a vegetarian for a long time and then for about ten years an irregular meat eater. I even went through pregnancy and raised my daughter vegetarian. ( now grown up, she's shorter than both her parents but was always healthy:-/)
But I'm clinically anaemic and have to eat the red stuff . Not too thrilled about it but at least I try to get organic.
The thing is is that meat is a natural part of primate diet.
The best thing is to eat the minimum and try to buy ethically.
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Post by yojetak on Sept 27, 2009 20:20:02 GMT -5
obligatory But being serious, I don't think I could ever become a vegetarian simply because steak is too damn delicious. I know it's not ethical or moral, but CHOP ME UP SOME COWS.
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Post by lumberjackninja on Sept 27, 2009 20:20:52 GMT -5
It's probably a normal part of breaking out of something that has been a regular part of your life; the fact that you did it voluntarily also probably plays into it.
Start out slow- stirfry, with plenty of vegetables; some sort of meat stew, again with lots o' veggies. Of course, you'd have to do this anyways- if you don't, you'll find that your digestive system won't take too kindly to the sudden overload of fat and grease; at least, this has been my experience when switching from a diet comprised mostly of vegetables to one that more closely approximates the typical American diet.
If you think you'd into hunting, go with a friend. I've always found that I lose a little bit of respect for people who are normally omnivorous but get squeamish when you bring up the process of actually producing meat; if you can't stand the fact that an animal had to die and be cut into pieces for your food, you shouldn't eat animals. On the other hand, if you can be okay with it and even participate in the killing/cleaning/packaging, then you're entitled to your meal.
You wouldn't have to completely revamp your diet; you'd eat meat when you wanted to, and ingest greens the rest of the time. In fact, from a health perspective you're probably better off than the rest of us who are trying to reduce meat intake: since you're already used to eating only vegetables, you can selectively replace those meals from which you derive your protein and fat intake with an equivalent portion of meat, and create a very specific dietary plan that keeps you from having to worry too much about cholesterol and fat and whatnot, like the rest of us omnivores.
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Post by szaleniec on Sept 27, 2009 20:27:40 GMT -5
But if you were to eat meat again I personally wouldn't jump to steak right away I would start with poultry if you were going to start eating meat again. I've heard of some digestion problems from ex vegetarians who jump right into red meat. Yeah, I am aware of that aspect. As a wise man one put it "Fools rush in." As I put it "You start on Bacardi Breezers, not vodka on the rocks." For that matter, even most avid carnivores don't have beef every day and certainly not steak. When/if you do move onto red meat, I'd suggest sausages, burgers and roasts to get used to it before trying to tackle a steak.
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Post by RavynousHunter on Sept 27, 2009 21:06:49 GMT -5
I'm only a vegetarian because I don't like the taste of meat. ... That's all. What in the names of the Old Gods?! Meat is delicious! Who could say no to that?! (What the hell is up with my typing today?)
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Post by discoberry on Sept 27, 2009 21:30:08 GMT -5
I'm only a vegetarian because I don't like the taste of meat. ... That's all. What in the names of the Old Gods?! Meat is delicious! Who could say no to that?! (What the hell is up with my typing today?)
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Post by RavynousHunter on Sept 27, 2009 21:36:37 GMT -5
Disco, have a cookie. You earned it.
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Post by Rat Of Steel on Sept 27, 2009 21:44:44 GMT -5
I know I've shown the recipe for this bacon-based belly-buster here on this site once before, but in commemoration of katz' triumphant return to the meat-eating world, I'll post it again, just for her. Bacon Explosion* (*Lipitor prescription not included )
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Post by ironbite on Sept 28, 2009 0:31:00 GMT -5
Wait...where's that...thing I posted awhile ago.
Ironbite-damn can't find it.
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