# Can you justify modern animal farming once we can grow stuff in jars? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [December 19, 2012, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-justify-modern-animal-farming-once-we-can-grow-stuff-in-jars/644531 "2012-12-19T15:44:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2012, 5:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-justify-modern-animal-farming-once-we-can-grow-stuff-in-jars/644531/61 "2012-12-22T05:26:02Z")
Hm, they purportedly carry it in the Whole Paycheck in Glastonbury CT, so I may give them a try. I tried quorn after patch testing it to see if I was allergic to it. I do like finding interesting foods to add to my diet. It looks like my nutritionist would approve, so if I like it I’ll wander the label past her to double check. ---
**Author:** ![eburacum45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eburacum45/32/8690_2.png) [@eburacum45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eburacum45)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2012, 10:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-justify-modern-animal-farming-once-we-can-grow-stuff-in-jars/644531/62 "2012-12-22T10:42:43Z")
If we attain the level of technology necessary to make vat-grown meat, I suspect we might be able to make foods even more appealing. I’m looking forward to the time when fabricated spoo becomes available. > **[Spoo](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spoo)** > > Spoo may refer to: ---
**Author:** ![BigAppleBucky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigapplebucky/32/178_2.png) [@BigAppleBucky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigAppleBucky)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2012, 11:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-justify-modern-animal-farming-once-we-can-grow-stuff-in-jars/644531/63 "2012-12-22T11:40:42Z")
> [@Pleonast](#): > > Who will not eat vat-meat? > > 1. Culinary purists, like those who eat Kobe beef or foie gras. > 2. Those with religious restrictions, like some Jews and Moslems. > 3. Those who demand “natural” foods, like those who eat organic and GMO-free food. > > Who is vegetarian or vegan? > > 1. Those who won’t eat meat for ethical reasons, like PETA. > 2. Those who won’t eat meat for moral reasons, like some Buddhists and Hindus. > 3. Those who won’t eat meat for health reasons, like those who avoid animals fats and cholesterols. > 4. Those who won’t eat meat for economic reasons, like those who can’t afford it or those opposed to large corporations. > > I’m not seeing much alignment between those will not eat cheap vat-meat in the future and those who are vegetarian/vegan in today’s world. I probably would die in a world devoid of meat. I cannot eat soy (or other legume) products without getting sick. That said, I suspect that the trend will be more and more towards veganism. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2012, 11:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-justify-modern-animal-farming-once-we-can-grow-stuff-in-jars/644531/64 "2012-12-22T11:45:17Z")
> [@drewtwo99](#): > > If we can just engineer brain-dead cows, chickens and pigs, then the ‘problem of suffering’ (I don’t believe in it personally) is over and done with. This will be much easier than synthesizing meat from scratch, I think. I have my doubts. And even if it’s true, meat-in-a-vat is going to creep people out less than a brainless chicken. And while that doesn’t matter from an ethical perspective, it does matter from a marketability perspective. ---
**Author:** ![drewtwo99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d07c76/32.png) [@drewtwo99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewtwo99)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2012, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-justify-modern-animal-farming-once-we-can-grow-stuff-in-jars/644531/65 "2012-12-22T13:06:14Z")
> [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > I have my doubts. And even if it’s true, meat-in-a-vat is going to creep people out less than a brainless chicken. And while that doesn’t matter from an ethical perspective, it does matter from a marketability perspective. Have doubts about what? That the ‘problem of suffering’ will be over? You are right of course, I was being hopelessly optimistic. But… _checks and notices we aren’t in the pit so I’m going to restrain myself_ …people will always find some reason to complain about killing animals even if they are brainless and physically _cannot_ suffer. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2012, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-justify-modern-animal-farming-once-we-can-grow-stuff-in-jars/644531/66 "2012-12-22T13:27:43Z")
> [@drewtwo99](#): > > Have doubts about what? That it will be easier to create and keep alive brainless\* animals than grow meat “from scratch”. \*Or more accurately, animals with only the bare minimum brain necessary to stay alive [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-justify-modern-animal-farming-once-we-can-grow-stuff-in-jars/644531.md?page=3)