Not sure if I’ve written about this before but I’m, philosophically, a vegetarian. I still eat meat because I just haven’t been able to modify my life to be a complete vegetarian, but for a variety of reasons, I think vegetarianism is a morally superior outlook on life. Here’s why.
1. It’s more environmentally responsible. The meat industry creates as much green house gases as the entire transportation segment. If everyone on the planet turned vegetarian many of our environmental problems would be alleviated.
2. It’s less cruel. The meat industry also puts animals in small cages and gives them a pretty rotten life. I saw an episode of This American Life where they showed the conditions that pigs are kept under. It seemed pretty cruel.
3. It’s killing animals. There is no getting around this one. To eat animals you have to kill them. And if you go back far enough in our evolutionary tree, the animals are all related to us. Sort of like eating your cousin.
4. It might be healthier. I’m not convinced that being a vegetarian is more healthy but it might be.
Of course, like I said, I’m philosophically a vegetarian but not practicing. I do have a goal to be vegetarian 75 days this year and am on pace for doing that. I figure a part time vegetarian is superior to a non-vegetarian. Even if you can’t become a complete vegetarian that doesn’t mean there isn’t a benefit to becoming one part time. And maybe that will help get me to full time.
Incidentally, I’m looking forward to this technology that may remove all of these problem. Animal free meat! If I ever get the chance, I’m going to work on this technology.
{ 1 comment… read it below or add one }
I used to be a practicing Lacto-Ovo vegetarian for 6 years, but gradually went back to meat. I am a partial philosophical vegetarian these days. I try to be a meat restricter, especially red meat. Sometimes I wish I could go back and be more vegetarian, because I like the meals especially beans, tofu, soy, and vegetable-based recipes.