# Yet another reason to go vegetarian. **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [May 2, 2003, 12:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yet-another-reason-to-go-vegetarian/172598 "2003-05-02T12:13:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Meatros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Meatros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meatros)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2003, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yet-another-reason-to-go-vegetarian/172598/41 "2003-05-02T15:10:54Z")
> [@](#): > > To Meatros: Didn’t you used to beat your wife? I’m not married yet 😃 > [@](#): > > My bad on the rolleyes. Probably should have kept the emotion a bit more in check. No worries. Alright to further elaborate; **the\_great\_dalmuti** is pretty much a one trick pony. Do a search under the username. Check out some of his/her other threads: [The Great Dalmuti’s post history](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/search.php?action=showresults&searchid=591253) ---
**Author:** ![Michael\_Ellis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/977dab/32.png) [@Michael\_Ellis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Michael_Ellis)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2003, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yet-another-reason-to-go-vegetarian/172598/42 "2003-05-02T15:11:44Z")
Isn’t this about the fifth thread dalmuti has started about how meat eaters are wrong? ---
**Author:** ![Meatros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Meatros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meatros)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2003, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yet-another-reason-to-go-vegetarian/172598/43 "2003-05-02T15:13:20Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Michael Ellis \* > \*\*Isn’t this about the fifth thread dalmuti has started about how meat eaters are wrong? \*\* Something to that effect. ---
**Author:** ![Michael\_Ellis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/977dab/32.png) [@Michael\_Ellis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Michael_Ellis)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2003, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yet-another-reason-to-go-vegetarian/172598/44 "2003-05-02T15:14:28Z")
Well, I see **Meatros** answered my question before I asked it. The only question remaining is how he can join the One Trick Pony Chowder and Marching Society when he is against chowder. ---
**Author:** ![Spiff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiff/32/9852_2.png) [@Spiff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiff)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2003, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yet-another-reason-to-go-vegetarian/172598/45 "2003-05-02T15:14:49Z")
As I was reading this thread, I though of how Saddam’s minions had allegedly disposed of several humans in this way. So here I was, trying to think of some clever, funny way to work that sick fact into this thread … and I just couldn’t. \ I think I’m losing my touch … 😃 As for the OP and wood-chipping diseased chickens into that great big hen house in the sky, I’m OK with that. I draw the line at humans, though. ---
**Author:** ![Michael\_Ellis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/977dab/32.png) [@Michael\_Ellis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Michael_Ellis)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2003, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yet-another-reason-to-go-vegetarian/172598/46 "2003-05-02T15:17:14Z")
This thread reminds me of the chicken strips I put in my salad yesterday. Mmm…chicken. ---
**Author:** ![carrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9de0a6/32.png) [@carrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carrot)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2003, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yet-another-reason-to-go-vegetarian/172598/47 "2003-05-02T15:18:21Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Meatros \* > \*\*I’m not married yet 😃 \*\*Lucky for her, then. 😃 > [@](#): > > **Alright to further elaborate; the\_great\_dalmuti is pretty much a one trick pony. \** Fanatics tend to be. What’s the quote? “A fanatic is someone who can’t change his mind and won’t change the subject.” ---
**Author:** ![overlyverbose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/9dc877/32.png) [@overlyverbose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/overlyverbose)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2003, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yet-another-reason-to-go-vegetarian/172598/48 "2003-05-02T15:35:11Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by yojimbo \* > \*\ ***overlyverbose** you’re just not using the right format. > > C&P this [**url=http://www.whatever.com]Link[/url**] and fill in what you want 🙂 \*\* Thanks! And **carrot** , I realize that the url I so inadequately cited was an extreme example. I actually have no problem with veganism or vegetarianism. I don’t really understand giving up animal products altogether for moral reasons, but I respect that others do. It also amazes me that people have enough discipline to do so, particularly if they weren’t brought up vegan. Although I guess after you get used to it going without animal products is normal. I’m nearly vegetarian myself - I rarely eat any meat - but that stems mostly from the fact that I don’t really like handling raw meat. It’s pretty gross. And when I cook it, I tend to cook it until it has been killed again and has the consistency of rubber. Also, I didn’t originally read the part where the baby’s vegan mom brought an ice pick to her baby’s hospital room. She sounds like a lovely woman and an icon of benign motherhood. And, yes, I’m being sarcastic. ---
**Author:** ![Zenham](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a5b964/32.png) [@Zenham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zenham)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2003, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yet-another-reason-to-go-vegetarian/172598/49 "2003-05-02T15:44:58Z")
The more things I read posted by avid vegetarians, the more I believe most people go vegetarian so that they can act superior to the others in the world who are omnivores. Here’s your salad, with the extra self-rightgeousness on the side. ---
**Author:** ![Meatros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Meatros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meatros)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2003, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yet-another-reason-to-go-vegetarian/172598/50 "2003-05-02T16:02:54Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Ferret Herder \* > \*\ ***vegan** (no eggs or non-human dairy products, which is distinct from vegetarian) but failed to provide breast milk (which is perfectly fine even if you wanted your baby to be vegan) or a properly nutritious alternative. These have been argued in the Pit, you might want to search for cites here. The general consensus was that these were neglectful, ignorant mothers. \*\* I see, interesting. Also, as a point of clarification for me; Is the difference between a vegan and a vegetarian the consuming of eggs/dairy products? > [@](#): > > _Originally posted by carrot_ > \*\*Fanatics tend to be. What’s the quote? “A fanatic is someone who can’t change his mind and won’t change the subject.” \*\* ---
**Author:** ![Meatros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Meatros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meatros)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2003, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yet-another-reason-to-go-vegetarian/172598/51 "2003-05-02T16:05:00Z")
> [@](#): > > _Originally posted by carrot_ > \*\*Fanatics tend to be. What’s the quote? “A fanatic is someone who can’t change his mind and won’t change the subject.” \*\* That’s not the definition of a fanatic…and you’ll never change my mind…😃 ---
**Author:** ![booka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e0b2c6/32.png) [@booka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/booka)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2003, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yet-another-reason-to-go-vegetarian/172598/52 "2003-05-02T16:07:19Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Zenham \* > \*\*The more things I read posted by avid vegetarians, the more I believe most people go vegetarian so that they can act superior to the others in the world who are omnivores. > > Here’s your salad, with the extra self-rightgeousness on the side. \*\* Could be. It could also be just another example of people aligning themselves with a belief system because it helps them get through the day. It’s like religion - it’s not worth arguing because those that believe simply “believe” - their faith overrides their rational side. They choose NOT to engage in reality, and instead, they engage in fantasy, because it feels better. They benefit more from believing in it than from not believing in it. It helps them create some semblance of order and calm and security in a chaotic and scary world, so they buy into the dogma, and thus, sleep better. Which I figure is OK. Whatever helps someone get through the day, and be generally happier, is good, as long as it’s not at my expense, or in my face. Just don’t come along and try to rationalize your belief system to me - whether religion, or vegetarianism (or a hundred other beliefs), by definition, it defies rational explanation, because it is a departure from reality intended to satisfy a confused mind. ---
**Author:** ![carrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9de0a6/32.png) [@carrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carrot)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2003, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yet-another-reason-to-go-vegetarian/172598/53 "2003-05-02T16:16:57Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Meatros \* > \*\*I see, interesting. Also, as a point of clarification for me; Is the difference between a vegan and a vegetarian the consuming of eggs/dairy products? \*\* Well, technically, it’s any animal-derived product. For some, this category includes things like honey and stuff like that. (I was going to use another example, but I can’t think of one.) > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Zenham \* > **The more things I read posted by avid vegetarians, the more I believe most people go vegetarian so that they can act superior to the others in the world who are omnivores.** Yes, you’re absolutely right. Everyone cares so much about you, that they have to feel superior to you. You’ve discovered the Secret of the Vegetarians[sup]TM[/sup]. Way to go. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2003, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yet-another-reason-to-go-vegetarian/172598/54 "2003-05-02T16:30:22Z")
EVERYBODY: I feel like Chicken Tonight! Like Chicken Tonight! Chicken TONIGHT!!! 😃 **the\_great\_dalmuti** , you suck. Poopyhead. ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2003, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yet-another-reason-to-go-vegetarian/172598/55 "2003-05-02T17:04:28Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by carrot \* > Well, technically, it’s any animal-derived product. For some, this category includes things like honey and stuff like that. (I was going to use another example, but I can’t think of one.) Vegans most often extend their no-animal-products preferences to other things as well - no silk/wool/leather/fur worn, no animal extracts in cosmetics/medication (when possible), and so forth. Vegetarians may only follow this when eating (most common among the veg-for-health people) or may take on some or all of these other restrictions as well (most common among the veg-because-of-animal-cruelty people). And IMO, I think **t\_g\_d** is pretty close to a one-trick pony, and certainly (at least based on some previous threads) an example of the type of vegetarian I don’t like - the strident, shock value, preachy type who rarely gets converts but lots of attention, and gives us moderate, reasonable vegetarians a bad name. ---
**Author:** ![carrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9de0a6/32.png) [@carrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carrot)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2003, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yet-another-reason-to-go-vegetarian/172598/56 "2003-05-02T17:26:21Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Ferret Herder \* > **Vegans most often extend their no-animal-products preferences to other things as well - no silk/wool/leather/fur worn,\** Thank you, **Ferret Herder** , that stuff completely slipped my mind. Stupid work that I’m supposed to be doing. > [@](#): > > \*\*the strident, shock value, preachy type who rarely gets converts but lots of attention, and gives us moderate, reasonable vegetarians a bad name. \*\* Damn skippy. ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2003, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yet-another-reason-to-go-vegetarian/172598/57 "2003-05-02T17:37:43Z")
I realized, however, that it doesn’t really cover dietary distinctions if we’re discussing feeding a kid a vegan diet vs. vegetarian. Still trying to think of some dietary examples other than honey. One that fit into my medication example but isn’t as obvious is sources of calcium in calcium tablets (none from oyster shells, for instance), other contents of vitamins too. Gelatin is an animal product as well, so no Jello or other foods that include it. ---
**Author:** ![Stoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stoid/32/272_2.png) [@Stoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stoid)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2003, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yet-another-reason-to-go-vegetarian/172598/58 "2003-05-02T17:42:05Z")
It sounds messy, not cruel. ---
**Author:** ![Scylla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a5b964/32.png) [@Scylla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scylla)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2003, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yet-another-reason-to-go-vegetarian/172598/59 "2003-05-02T17:43:13Z")
I’ll share some more. I work with local business people, and I’ve taken a tour of a chicken rendering operation. Here’s how it works: The chickens come in on flat trucks in cages holding five or six per cage. The cages are brought into the plant. A person reaches into the cage, grabs a live chicken and hangs it on a hook that is moving by on an assembly line. When I first saw this I thought they were impaling the chickens but it turns out that the hook is actually cleverly shaped so that it fits under the chicken’s wings suspending the chicken without impaling it. The chickens don’t like this, and they fight and flap around while they are being hung. Once hung they seem quite content, and they watch with interest as they proceed down the line for about ten feet where another guy cuts their throat. Some seem to die instantly others well… ummm… not so instantly. They then get sprayed with some stuff, and then they go through the plucker which is like a stiff wire brush that tears the feathers off. I could not swear it as I did not conduct a medical exam, but it seemed to me that perhaps 1 out of every 50 chickens or so was still kicking around at this point, having temporarily survived both the throat cutting and the plucker. They didn’t look like they were having any fun, though. Next up they hit the eviscerator machine (which is a pretty evil looking device.) In a split second this machine cuts the chicken open and removes its entrails with a spinning blade amidst a small cloud and spatter of ex-chicken. I don’t think I saw any live chickens after the eviscerator. So the woodchipper is cruel in what fashion? ---
**Author:** ![Buck\_The\_Diver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ac8455/32.png) [@Buck\_The\_Diver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buck_The_Diver)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2003, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yet-another-reason-to-go-vegetarian/172598/60 "2003-05-02T17:59:24Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by deball \* > **30,000 chickens in a wood chipper!** Just the thing to holler next time I smash my thumb! 😃 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yet-another-reason-to-go-vegetarian/172598.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yet-another-reason-to-go-vegetarian/172598.md?page=4)