I have been a vegetarian for 11 months, and have heard quite a lot of excuses why I should begin to eat meat again.
1. YOU'LL DIE IF YOU DON'T EAT MEAT
2. They're already dead, so why not eat them?
3. All those carrots and vegetables you're eating have been killed too.
4. Animals can't talk, therefore they don't feel.
5. It's unhealthy.
I've also noticed many myths about Vegetarians and Vegans alike.
" You're only doing it to be cool " ._.
Well, several of these myths can be debunked.
1. Protein and iron can be found in many alternative sources than animal products.
2. If more people become vegetarians, the rate at which they farm and kill animals will eventually decrease.
3. I have never had a carrot as a pet who I named Bessy, and talked to.
4. Animals are living organisms, Humans are animals too. Therefore animals can feel pain!
5. Vegetarianism and Veganism are actually very healthy.
Vegetarianism also benefits Environmentalism, because it cuts the amount of the energy that is used to process cows, and other animals in huge plants, which produce harmful chemicals, and hurt our atmoshpere.
Grains, fruits, and plants take much less energy to harvest and produce compared to cows.
What are you opinions on Vegetarianism?
Human beings are omnivores, and for a good reason. Protein and iron can be found in many alternative sources, but there are many kinds of proteins, and humans require very specific sets. Without getting too far into the details, you need to eat enough beans EVERY day to compensate for the lack of meat... ie. the meat portion of the food pyramid? Every single serving for the day needs to be taken in the form of beans to be healthy.
I eat meat, but in reduced quantities. The average American eats 142% of their needed daily calories (compare to 102% for Korea, 104% for China <---from Human Geography texts), much of it is in meat. American lifestyle is bad in regards to meat, but that isn't a reason for you to not eat meat =/
Animals are indeed living organisms, and they can feel pain. Your logic train is beyond belief awful on that one, but in some respects it is true; animals can feel pain, regardless of how bad that little logic trick went =P. Properly done, animals can be "put down" without feeling a thing. On my dad's side of the family it's all cow farmers... they have a stand, a man is up one floor above this conveyor. Cow is led up the conveyor, a shot is given which slows its nervous system (makes it feel woozy and dull, proven to not be painful to the animal) then the man standing on the platform above shoots a bullet into the base of the cows skull, about 1-2 feet away. They never missed once, and the cow doesn't feel anything.
I think vegetarianism can be healthy, but it is such a radical lifestyle change, and I know I wouldn't enjoy it. I have a hard enough time maintaining my body mass while eating meat, removing meat would mean horrible things. It's not for me, but if people want to go vegetarian, power to them. Just remember to eat your beans. And buy a bottle or two of Beano.
