Are you a vegetarian? If so, what in your opinion are the pros and cons of being a vegetarian? If you are not, have you ever considered becomming a vegetarian?
I haven't eaten any meat so far today - just a Snickers and a cup of coffee! I'm on a diet (the chocolate was just a treat), so I'm not eating as much meat as I used to, but I could never stop eating it altogether.
J.
Reply to this I have been a vegetarian since I was 11.
I became a vegetarian because eating meat causes unnecessary cruelty to animals.
Since my initial reason for becomming a vegetarian, I have discovered that there are also other good reasons to be a vegetarian. Amongst the most important ones in my opinion, is that not eating meat helps solve the world hunger problem.
Mel
Reply to this I didn't realise it was World Vegetarian Day today, but my friend and I (also vegetarian) went to dinner this evening and had a veggie meal so I feel we celebrated it unknowingly!
I have been a vegetarian for just over two years now. I became veggie because of moral reasons - I eat neither meat nor fish, or any products that contain animal products, e.g. some sweets contain gelatine etc.
Well, the major pro is that I feel morally just! I would never expect others to become vegetarian though, it is all about personal choice.
Cons, well... I would be the first person to put my hands up and admit I miss the taste! But I would never give in!! A HUGE con is having to constantly justify myself to non-veggies, "why are you a vegetarian?", "don't you want to eat meat?", "Look, I'm eating a sausage (shoves in face), want to eat it??!" I don't understand why it upsets so many people not to eat meat, I guess it's that cave man instinct as it is usually men that have the problem (in my experience). Another con is I feel I am left out a lot when visiting new places, as a lot of the local delicacies are meat or fish, e.g. my trip to Japan was quite difficult with my pal trying the various sushi dishes, meat and fish meals etc. It feels like I am missing out a little, but hey ho, I made my bed and I will lie in it!
I have not noticed any health issues related to the change of diet, except perhaps feeling a little lethargic initially it soon passed. Most people ask if I do, questioning the lack of protein and iron in my diet, but you can gain those vitals from many other foods other than meat and fish!
But in conclusion, I do like being veggie, I feel so much better :-) And can look at those cute little piggies and sheeps with no trace of guilt hehe.
Reply to this P.S. That Phuket festival looks wonderful, I'm putting it on the travel list!
Reply to this But I would never give in!! A HUGE con is having to constantly justify myself to non-veggies, "why are you a vegetarian?", "don't you want to eat meat?", "Look, I'm eating a sausage (shoves in face), want to eat it??!"
I generally skip the justifications and explanations. The same information is available to others as is available to me, for those who are genuinely interested. I have now been up against the vegetarian harassment for almost 30 years. Whatever people want to argue against it, the fact remains that there are more good reasons to be a vegetarian than not. This fact is not up for argument, because it is a fact.
I also have the feeling of being left out, and missing out too. But, I suppose that applies to many things. For example, travellers often comment here on TravelBlog about feeling excluded and unaccepted by friends at home, because of their travelling.
Reply to this P.S. That Phuket festival looks wonderful, I'm putting it on the travel list!
HaHa! Be careful of that. I think, vegetarianism is not the same in Thailand as the way we see it. As far as I read, they think of it as a type of self deprivation. They dont just deprive themselves of meat, but do things like subjecting themselves to abuse such as mutilating their skin with sharp objects, during the vegetarian festival
I think of vegetarianism as a form of gentleness and kindness to the earth, rather than deprivation and self abuse.
But, hopefully tourists have had a toning down effect on the vegetarian thing in places like Phukett. Otherwise, I personally would stay far away from it.
Reply to this Do you guys eat dairy?
I only mention it because there is a huge amount of unnesessary cruelty involved with SOME dairy practices in SOME countries (UK included).
Eggs are the obvious culprits, with battery farming, easy to circumnavigate by buying Free range eggs, but veal is a byproduct of the milk industry which is exported from the UK as there's not much demand for it. This travel causes great stress on the animals. this is just a couple of examples, I'm sure there are many many more...
My wife and I eat meat and try to source all our food ethically... all is local, all is treated well (I can see it in the fields) and all is slaughtered humanely. I feel this is enough to justify my carnivorous ways, but of course this all falls apart when we travel or even if we just eat out as you just have no idea where any of the ingredients came from.
I've toyed with the idea of being vegetarian outside the home but then as mentioned previously I think you may miss something... Japan without eating fish... I just couldn't do it!
Reply to this Do you guys eat dairy?
I only mention it because there is a huge amount of unnesessary cruelty involved with SOME dairy practices in SOME countries (UK included).
Yeah, and it is something I am thinking about giving up. But, at this stage I am feeling it is about time that food producers, cosmetics producers...... pull their weight with eliminating animal cruelty and stop producing these items in such a cruel way, instead of my having to do yet more, to avoid being the cause of animal cruelty. And the veal eaters can certainly do a lot more to help....
I always buy free range eggs.
My wife and I eat meat and try to source all our food ethically... all is local, all is treated well
Yeah, that is the important aspect, as far as animal rights are concerned.
....SOME countries ...
All countries more like. Things are improving in some ways in the EU, but slowly. Everything that should be happening morally in the world seems to come about at snails pace and in dribs and drabs.
Reply to this Yes I do eat dairy, but as Mell, free range eggs. I'm sure I would lose the argument as to why eating dairy is ok, and some may call me a hypocrite, but I would not be able to go vegan.
This may sound silly but it more the idea of killing an animal just to feed my belly that I don't like. They had this big campaign in England on the t.v. to persuade people to only eat free range chickens. My main thought was, great! The chicken has a wonderful life and then wham it's on someone's plate. Poor chicken!
And Mell, thanks for the info on the Phuket festival, perhaps move it way down the list for now before more research has been undertaken!!
Reply to this I'm sure I would lose the argument as to why eating dairy is ok, and some may call me a hypocrite,...
I think anybody who is doing something is doing something, while many aren't. Not just including vegetarianism, it is incredibly difficult and maybe impossible to be completely moral consumers in the societies we live in. Very effective legislation would also be needed to practically force producers to make moral goods and services readily available to all consumers and to make these choices attractive.
Under the circumstances, I dont think a person can be considered a hypocrite, because they cant be completely moral in their consumerism. As well as being inconvenient, it would be a lot more expensive. The minority of people who are vegetarians, activists for human rights, fair trade advocates .... cant put the cart alone. It is simply an unrealistic expectation, but I do believe that everything we do morally does help, and it does give an example to others about what they could do to help.
This may sound silly but it more the idea of killing an animal just to feed my belly that I don't like.
Yeah, I have that one too. I dont feel it necessary, nor do I feel like the food I eat is less good then if it contained meat.
I also hate the idea of unnecessary items such as perfume and make up being tested on animals, so if anything is unnecessary I pay over the odds to ensure it is a cruelty free brand.
Reply to this I agree Mell, doing something is better than doing nothing and unless you become truly self-sufficient, there's no way to really live without harming something else.
I saw a documentary earlier in Borneo and seeing them drive past all the acres of Oil Palms just reminded me of this fact... Palm oil is everywhere and in everything and it's not even labelled as such (Vegetable oil). Acres and acres (and acres) of critical habitat for loads of endangered species is cleared all the time to make way for these plantations...
I seriously worry for my children (who I just found out have a 50% chance of living beyond 100 - BBC website), and their children on this small planet which we're hell bent on destroying!
Reply to this I seriously worry for my children ......
Yeah, I have the same feeling about my daughter. I could more easily ignore what is going on in the world, knowing that I will be here less than 60 more years because I dont have much control over what others do anyway, but because I have a child I dont feel like I will be dying when I die. As far as I am concerned, I am on this earth as long as my daughter and my future generations are here.
One thing that does give me hope is that I believe most of us are better off than those who lived 100 or 200 years ago. I even feel better off than my grandmother, who had no choice but to have the 13 children she had, and struggle to feed and educate them. She didnt have the standard of living I have, and world travel was not an option for her.
Despite the environment crisis, I think people are better off in so many ways these days, in many countries. The horror stories in the news seem bad, but I think people all over the world are becomming aware of the importance of human right, peace etc and that is why we hear so much about it. This certainly wasnt the case 1000 years ago when rampaging accross continents and countries pillaging, raping and murdering was normal practice.
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