# Why aren't you vegetarian? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 2, 2010, 12:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-you-vegetarian/559198 "2010-11-02T12:48:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 8
**Author:** ![overlyverbose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/9dc877/32.png) [@overlyverbose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/overlyverbose)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2010, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-you-vegetarian/559198/141 "2010-11-05T15:29:10Z")
I consider myself an equal-opportunity eater. When I was younger I went vegetarian for a time and made a big deal about it because it was so new to me. Looking back, I just cringe. Since I started eating meat, to me, Western vegetarianism looks a lot like a religion - no one is more annoying than the recently converted. One good thing about having gone vegetarian for a while was that it really expanded my cooking repertoire and the way I look at a meal. I was raised in the Midwest by a mother who can’t conceive of a meatless meal - she’s admitted explicitly that she really can’t wrap her head around making a dish without meat and allowing that to be the entree. However, I missed meat when I was vegetarian and felt somewhat limited when I no longer ate it. So I started eating it again. And it was good. ---
**Author:** ![palindromemordnilap](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/db5fbb/32.png) [@palindromemordnilap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/palindromemordnilap)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2010, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-you-vegetarian/559198/142 "2010-11-05T16:39:58Z")
> [@HazelNutCoffee](#): > > I don’t object to eating meat. I do have some qualms about how cows and chickens are treated before they get to the table, but not enough to stop eating them. this ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2010, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-you-vegetarian/559198/143 "2010-11-06T02:17:13Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > I think that’s fair too. Besides, they likely taste better. Grain-fed. 😃 I don’t know I’ve ever seen a poll choice in here garner 334 votes before. In your face, veggies! ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2010, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-you-vegetarian/559198/144 "2010-11-06T03:03:44Z")
Huh–it strikes me that there is more profoundly mystical, self-righteous thought in this thread than I’ve seen in a PETA magazine. Evolution isn’t a god to be worshipped: it’s a series of mistakes, some of them happy. What we evolved to do carries zero moral or practical weight. While it’s anthropomorphic to suggest that animals feel emotions about their existence in some ontological sense, it’s irrational to suggest that animals don’t feel emotions. They’ve got much of the same neurological circuitry as humans, they exhibit behaviors similar to those humans exhibit when feeling emotions, and feeling certain emotions has adaptive benefit. On what basis would anyone reasonably deny that a cow feels fear as it approaches violent slaughter? Indeed, Temple Grandin has made quite a good living reducing these emotions among animals. And a respect for the life of an adult healthy mammal in no way requires a person to similarly respect the life of a potato. An adult healthy mammal is much more similar to us in its cognitive makeup than a potato, and if you respect critters based on certain capacities present among humans, it makes sense to include certain nonhumans, but not all nonhumans. That said, I eat meat for three reasons: 1. It’s delicious; 2. I’m a bad person; 3. I see no evidence that a cow, presented a choice between a decent life followed by predation or no life at all, would choose the latter. It _is_ anthropomorphizing to project our strong values of life onto other animals. ---
**Author:** ![foolsguinea](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foolsguinea/32/14751_2.png) [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2010, 7:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-you-vegetarian/559198/145 "2010-11-06T07:08:44Z")
None of the above. I seem to do better with meat in my diet. ---
**Author:** ![Ostrya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/35a633/32.png) [@Ostrya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ostrya)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2010, 7:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-you-vegetarian/559198/146 "2010-11-06T07:44:22Z")
I think some meat, esp if it’s low in fat, can be a healthy part of one’s diet - a great way to get complete protein source. That and it is mighty tasty. Andy Rooney once said "Vegetarian is an old Native American word that means “lousy hunter”. (Also, am having a difficult time understanding the attack of the funny poll answers, never thought that they were anything but a joke…and to see argument about this going on is a bit boggling. :dubious: ) ---
**Author:** ![SciFiSam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/47e85d/32.png) [@SciFiSam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SciFiSam)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2010, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-you-vegetarian/559198/147 "2010-11-06T21:52:04Z")
> [@Mijin](#): > > I think you’re being obtuse. If this thread is so obviously just a joke, why have three long-time posters questioned the humour and motives of this thread? Why have others asked “Why isn’t \ on the list?”. > > As for the OP “attacking himself”, that is often the way. The most cruel descriptions of the obese, for example, are often made by people who are overweight or obese themselves. > > I disagree. At least another 4 imply that the respondent is a freak. > > So implying that I’m “stupid” and “brain-dead” is not name calling? > > * * * > > On TV and other media I’ve seen a number of debates where meat-eating is put up against vegetarianism. > The vegetarian position is often based on morals, and is given by an activist, philosopher or writer familiar with the arguments behind vegetarianism. The meat-eating defender is invariably just “some guy” whose argument ignores the moral issue and is just “I like meat and was raised eating meat”. > > There _are_ reasonable arguments for meat-eating, but they rarely get made. I still find it incredibly hard to believe that you _really_ think the poll was meant to be serious. If you want to claim to be that stupid, that’s OK, but ISTM that you have the ability to type and attempt to make an argument, so maybe you’re just spoiling for a fight. This seems likely, since you also claim that four of the poll options imply that you are a freak. It’s like you actively want to be the target of name-calling. Name-calling is not permitted in this forum, so feel free to report my posts. ---
**Author:** ![Mijin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mijin/32/9369_2.png) [@Mijin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mijin)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2010, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-you-vegetarian/559198/148 "2010-11-06T23:30:46Z")
> [@scifisam2009](#): > > I still find it incredibly hard to believe that you _really_ think the poll was meant to be serious. If you want to claim to be that stupid, that’s OK, but ISTM that you have the ability to type and attempt to make an argument, so maybe you’re just spoiling for a fight. This seems likely, since you also claim that four of the poll options imply that you are a freak. It’s like you actively want to be the target of name-calling. > > Name-calling is not permitted in this forum, so feel free to report my posts. I don’t think we need to continue this “discussion” any further. I’ve made several points which you have not bothered to respond to. Instead we have the level of debate of “Only STUPID people believe X. You’re not _stupid_ are you?” :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![SciFiSam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/47e85d/32.png) [@SciFiSam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SciFiSam)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2010, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-you-vegetarian/559198/149 "2010-11-06T23:53:10Z")
I agree - let’s not bother responding to each other any more - I’m sure we both have better things to do. I _have_ responded to to your points, so we clearly have a problem communicating. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Duality](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr.duality/32/4098_2.png) [@Mr.Duality](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Duality)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2010, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-you-vegetarian/559198/150 "2010-11-07T02:21:06Z")
Because I’m at the top of the food chain. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2010, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-you-vegetarian/559198/151 "2010-11-07T02:24:27Z")
> [@Mr.Duality](#): > > Because I’m at the top of the food chain. Tell that to the rhinovirus. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Duality](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr.duality/32/4098_2.png) [@Mr.Duality](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Duality)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2010, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-you-vegetarian/559198/152 "2010-11-07T02:46:58Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > Tell that to the rhinovirus. Interesting thought. Are parasites really considered to be part of the food chain? I think I’ve actually _consumed_ most of the rhinoviri(?) which were produced in my body (disgusting but true). That fact would put me above viruses in the food chain, would it not? ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2010, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-you-vegetarian/559198/153 "2010-11-07T04:13:16Z")
> [@Mr.Duality](#): > > Interesting thought. Are parasites really considered to be part of the food chain? > > I think I’ve actually _consumed_ most of the rhinoviri(?) which were produced in my body (disgusting but true). That fact would put me above viruses in the food chain, would it not? The whole “food chain” thing went out of style in third grade–this was just my flippant if oblique reference to the idea that there’s really no such thing. Your example of your consumption of the rhinovirus shows why it’s silly to talk about anyone’s being on top of the food chain. But if you accept the food chain model, wouldn’t it be pretty arbitrary to exclude parasites? ---
**Author:** ![Ostrya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/35a633/32.png) [@Ostrya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ostrya)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2010, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-you-vegetarian/559198/154 "2010-11-07T04:45:34Z")
Top of the food chain, humans, and the [MontyPython](http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ybmrsSNl3PU/R80QsBgugSI/AAAAAAAAAGk/wARHIJMwpIo/s400/MontyPythonKillerRabbit1.jpg&imgrefurl=http://nfulton.blogspot.com/&usg=__ARen2O4lfxGH3l9KqWdQTpRT4u0=&h=214&w=350&sz=12&hl=en&start=0&sig2=TQmOZZRSxnFfLReXJpErEA&zoom=1&tbnid=0g-rvvmVjywOCM:&tbnh=100&tbnw=163&ei=BS7WTMm6As6s8AbpvICGCA&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dholy%2Bgrail%2Bkiller%2Brabbit%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Doff%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26sa%3DN%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-US:official%26biw%3D1350%26bih%3D559%26tbs%3Disch:1&um=1&itbs=1&iact=hc&vpx=110&vpy=238&dur=996&hovh=171&hovw=280&tx=167&ty=107&oei=BS7WTMm6As6s8AbpvICGCA&esq=1&page=1&ndsp=21&ved=1t:429,r:7,s:0) [KillerRabbit](http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_T5KC6JFmmz0/RZr2YCjXhbI/AAAAAAAAAAM/TYUXpwY2f3c/s320/HolyGrail176.jpg&imgrefurl=http://conservativepublisher.blogspot.com/2007/01/surprise-jimmy-carters-book-has-fact.html&usg=__7vZy2wqQyOfa6S5X2IsPgdIwoUk=&h=299&w=291&sz=15&hl=en&start=0&sig2=B2-cE_u_nK2LRDonea6z7w&zoom=1&tbnid=n6DSnZAk0nMOaM:&tbnh=134&tbnw=128&ei=BS7WTMm6As6s8AbpvICGCA&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dholy%2Bgrail%2Bkiller%2Brabbit%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Doff%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26sa%3DN%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-US:official%26biw%3D1350%26bih%3D559%26tbs%3Disch:1&um=1&itbs=1&iact=hc&vpx=123&vpy=224&dur=1608&hovh=228&hovw=221&tx=122&ty=189&oei=BS7WTMm6As6s8AbpvICGCA&esq=1&page=1&ndsp=21&ved=1t:429,r:14,s:0) ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Duality](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr.duality/32/4098_2.png) [@Mr.Duality](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Duality)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2010, 1:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-you-vegetarian/559198/155 "2010-11-07T13:00:18Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > The whole “food chain” thing went out of style in third grade–this was just my flippant if oblique reference to the idea that there’s really no such thing. Your example of your consumption of the rhinovirus shows why it’s silly to talk about anyone’s being on top of the food chain. > > But if you accept the food chain model, wouldn’t it be pretty arbitrary to exclude parasites? Well, my original comment was a flippant if oblique reference to the idea that I am just plain superior to chickens, cows and so on. Griffy from the “Zippy the Pinhead” comic strip said it first. So it’s safe to assume you are not a Zippy fan? ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2010, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-you-vegetarian/559198/156 "2010-11-07T14:55:33Z")
I can’t stand Zippy, frankly, but fair enough re: the superiority thing–I can’t really argue with that. I just get irritated when people try to use ecology or evolution to justify their belief in their own superiority. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-you-vegetarian/559198.md?page=7)