Reasons to be a vegetarian misguided
Michael Lauck
A lot of people on this planet do a lot of weird things. This was even further confirmed to me when I met a vegetarian. While vegetarians believe what they believe, it makes no sense to me to avoid eating meat at all. That's why I'm listing some popular reasons people become vegetarians and why I don't buy them.
1. Every time you eat a dead animal, you are directly responsible for its death.
The classic vegetarian argument is that whenever we eat a hamburger or fried chicken, we are killing a creature that has as much of a right to live as we do. I completely reject this philosophy. To say this means that animals and people have the same rights and are equal. I think this is misguided and completely insulting to humans. Ask a person whose family member has been murdered and see if they would equate it to a cow being slaughtered. Besides, I don't know of any human whom we would allow to urinate in open space.
2. Eating vegetarian is healthier for you.
This one is probably true overall, but not simply because eating meat is bad for you. It's just that most things that are unhealthy have meat in them. If you become a vegetarian, almost all of McDonald's menu items are off-limits for you. Vegetarians are probably more conscientious of what is in their food. I'm sure if someone who ate meat were also more aware of how many calories were in their food, they would be healthier too. Besides, there are plenty of unhealthy foods such as cookies, doughnuts and french fries that are completely accessible to vegetarians.
3. Eating vegetarian is better for the environment.
Another claim made by vegetarians is that eating a vegetarian diet is better for the environment because it reduces the amount of land used to feed the animals and the amount of pollution emitted by the trucks that ship the animals and the meat. However, what they ignore are the benefits of this process. While it may put more pollution in the air, we get nice things like baseball gloves, leather bags and leather jackets from cows, as well as a meat product that feeds many people in the country. A little pollution is not bad if it gives us economic prosperity and things we want.
4. It's my religion.
Some religions, including Hinduism and Christianity, have rules against eating meat some days of the year or not at all. This is completely excusable. I have no problem with people not eating meat because it's a part of the life that they have been raised in and have other, more spiritual reasons for not eating meat.
But I will never understand vegetarians. The reasons to become vegetarian, besides the last I listed, seem very hollow and self-righteous. You want to only eat vegetables? Go for it. However, you need to come up with something better if you're going to convince me too.
Michael Lauck is a sophomore broadcast journalism major from Houston.
Viewing Comments 1 - 9 of 11
Bob Collins
posted 9/17/09 @ 6:51 PM CST
I'll give you my reasons for going strict vegetarian (different from veg or vegan): two years ago my doctor told me I had developed a severe case of diabetes, as well as high cholesterol and high blood pressure. (Continued…)
Gina
posted 9/17/09 @ 7:59 PM CST
First of all, your premise is that vegetarians WANT to convince you to also be vegetarian. While that may be true for some, just as it is for some Christians, Republicans, etc. (Continued…)
Ivory
posted 9/17/09 @ 8:19 PM CST
A quick rebuttal:
1. Every time you eat a dead animal, you are directly responsible for its death.
If you are consuming meat, you create a demand for it. (Continued…)
Silence Dogood
posted 9/17/09 @ 11:04 PM CST
Very quick rebuttal Ivory. It only took all of half a page. Here's a real rebuttal.
You say "the "things we want" that you list all have cruelty-free equivalents that can be made by cheaper cleaner"
However, you ignore one "cold hard economic fact". (Continued…)
Gina
posted 9/19/09 @ 11:27 PM CST
It is an interesting pattern that those with nothing to say revert to personal attacks. Interesting but sad.
I have read other posts by this writer after having read this one, and found them to follow the same pattern of poorly constructed arguments based on personal belief rather than informed decision based on research and fact. (Continued…)
Silence Dogood
posted 9/20/09 @ 3:27 AM CST
I apologize for the "whiners" comment. I was merely trying to be funny yet it came off as offensive.
However, I do think that many of the readers comments were quite insulting. (Continued…)
Arno
posted 9/20/09 @ 1:54 PM CST
If you (personally) are able to kill all the animals you eat with your bare hands without hesitating, then it might be natural for you.
The next thing thing you should do, is eat the meat without boiling, baking or roasting. (Continued…)
Veronica
posted 9/20/09 @ 10:40 PM CST
Hi Everyone!
What an exciting topic. I'd like to thank the writer for inspiring such thoughtful conversation. And, also, thanks to everyone commenting. (Continued…)
John Lamberth '97
posted 9/23/09 @ 2:45 PM CST
***The classic vegetarian argument is that whenever we eat a hamburger or fried chicken, we are killing a creature that has as much of a right to live as we do. (Continued…)
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