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paulzolo
What's a life?
Joined: Thu Apr 23, 2009 6:27 pm
Posts: 12251
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A couple of forum items posted this on FB recently. It's bloody hilarious, and very true.  However, as my sister and my mother are high vegans (and my dad, but that's imposed on him, not a choice), and my sister is in FB, if I liked or reposted that, I'd get the phone calls and the funny looks (funny looks and sharp intakes of breath through teeth which have a delay, which make me think they are self-taught, not genuine). So I've been sharing this covertly.
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| Wed Aug 05, 2015 10:22 am |
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Blue_Nowhere
Spends far too much time on here
Joined: Thu Apr 23, 2009 8:57 pm
Posts: 2220
Location: Here for now...
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I'm a recently converted vegetarian (and 99% vegan, we're considering the switch at the moment), I deliberately make an effort not to tell people (unless I need to, like someone at work who thought I was being rude for turning down a sauage roll for free!) because of the stigma attached.
Weirdly enough though, since I've started posting my food on instagram (trendy I know), I find a lot more people comment on how things look 'gross' or 'disgusting' - because they are vegan - than they did when they didn't like something I'd posted before that had meat in.
Edit: I realise this is a somewhat ironic post.
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| Wed Aug 05, 2015 10:27 am |
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TheFrenchun
Officially Mrs saspro
Joined: Wed Jan 06, 2010 7:55 pm
Posts: 4955
Location: on the naughty step
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I think the issue is vegetarians who like to oppose themselves to "meat eaters". My pet peeve is pescetarians. Fish is over exploited, most species are too endangered to be fished but they pick to eat it over meat?
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| Wed Aug 05, 2015 10:50 am |
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cloaked_wolf
What's a life?
Joined: Thu Apr 23, 2009 8:46 pm
Posts: 10022
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The other half is vegetarian and has been for around 10 years. I barely miss meat but need my fish and eggs. These days vegetariand and vegan food can actually be appetising. I went to a vegan friendly restaurant in Birmingham and had a tasty three course meal. I didn't miss meat but I have friends who could fill up on veggie food and still wouldn't be happy unless they'd had some meat.
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| Wed Aug 05, 2015 10:52 am |
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ProfessorF
What's a life?
Joined: Thu Apr 23, 2009 7:56 pm
Posts: 12030
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I posted that, mainly because someone I know (well, a few people) seem to only use Facebook to post either anti-animal cruelty testing photos and so forth (a fine and noble cause) and smug posts about how wonderful life is being absurdly vegan. So I shared that. And then one of them 'liked' it. I've no idea if they saw the irony, didn't get it at all or what. Your diet is really your business. The only time I'll share a food pic is if it's something I'm really enjoying. It's special. Otherwise, why bother? Please - if you do embrace veganism just bear in mind that there's nothing worse than a convert. 
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| Wed Aug 05, 2015 11:06 am |
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davrosG5
I haven't seen my friends in so long
Joined: Fri Apr 24, 2009 6:37 am
Posts: 6954
Location: Peebo
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Have you seen Scott Pilgrim?
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When they put teeth in your mouth, they spoiled a perfectly good bum.
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| Wed Aug 05, 2015 11:41 am |
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Blue_Nowhere
Spends far too much time on here
Joined: Thu Apr 23, 2009 8:57 pm
Posts: 2220
Location: Here for now...
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Haha I shall! To be fair I posted food pictures on my instagram before I converted and continued to do so after, I just cook a lot more creative and 'made from scratch' meals now so post more of that. I never suggest they are better (tasting or otherwise) than meaty meals, I think people should be free to do as they please. On the other side of my earlier post, quite a few people mention how good my food looks and of course as a recent convert they ask me the reasons which I go into but try not to preach!
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| Wed Aug 05, 2015 11:58 am |
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oceanicitl
Official forum cat lady
Joined: Fri Apr 24, 2009 8:04 am
Posts: 11039
Location: London
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OK vegetarians... hypothetically we all give up meat. What happens to all the animals we farm for food?
_________________Still the official cheeky one
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| Wed Aug 05, 2015 12:07 pm |
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Blue_Nowhere
Spends far too much time on here
Joined: Thu Apr 23, 2009 8:57 pm
Posts: 2220
Location: Here for now...
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 Not my words just something I grabbed:  | | | | Quote: 1a. If we all went vegetarian, we’d be overrun with animals?
Farmed animals are not allowed to reproduce naturally and farmers only breed animals when they can make a profit out of doing so. As demand for meat goes down over time, so fewer and fewer animals will be bred. That means that we will not be overrun by millions of farmed animals, as some people seem to imagine. Eventually, the few that are left can be allowed to go free: pigs can root around in woodlands as it is natural for them to do, sheep will graze the hillsides like deer and so on. Their populations will find their own natural levels, just like every other animal.
1b. If we all went vegetarian – all the animals would die out.
The converse of the above question. It's true that the number of animals will fall as farmers breed fewer and fewer animals as the years go by. Farmed animals live a controlled, distorted life, often filled with pain and fear. The vast majority of farmed animals are kept in indoor units where they never see the light of day. Those that are kept outside are only kept alive for a fraction of their natural lifespans before being slaughtered for meat - often in the most barbaric manner imaginable. All farmed animals are born to die at our command - a disgusting idea. Also some breeds have been so changed from their natural ancestor that it would be kinder to let them die out. For example, broiler chickens and turkeys bred for meat are often so obese that they can barely walk and suffer from crippling leg disorders. However we could set up large nature reserves for the more traditional (now rare) breeds that haven't been so changed.
There would be much more land available for reserves because most of it is used to grow crops for fattening animals at present. Also, there would be more space for forests and woods and other wildlife reservations where genuinely wild British species of animal and plants could flourish. In other countries we could encourage the breeding of our farm animal's wild ancestors - the wild pig, turkeys and jungle fowl (the forerunner of the battery hen) by stopping the destruction of their homes.
Many people forget that all farmed animals have been bred from wild animals – and that their natural ancestors need preserving.
In a vegetarian world animals would not be kept for profit and greed but would be allowed to exist in their natural state and live their life in freedom.
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| Wed Aug 05, 2015 12:17 pm |
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AlunD
Site Admin
Joined: Fri Apr 24, 2009 6:12 am
Posts: 7011
Location: Wiltshire
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I have some friends who have been strict veggies for years. Had a hell of a shock last year when I went for lunch with them are they had steak.............  
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| Wed Aug 05, 2015 12:24 pm |
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hifidelity2
I haven't seen my friends in so long
Joined: Fri Apr 24, 2009 1:03 pm
Posts: 5041
Location: London
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I am in that Camp - I am a meat heavy Omnivore - nothing like a good BBQ with lots of different farmyard animals on a plate with a small bit of greenary on the side - Actually I like a lot of vegetarian food - it just tastes better with a rare steak next to it
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| Wed Aug 05, 2015 12:38 pm |
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jonlumb
Spends far too much time on here
Joined: Thu Apr 23, 2009 6:44 pm
Posts: 4141
Location: Exeter
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I've had to be careful at times on religious / ethical posts due to the mix of friends that I have, with a very strong church contingent being present. I must confess that I'm more and more simply not caring if a post offends religious sensibilities.
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| Wed Aug 05, 2015 12:42 pm |
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ProfessorF
What's a life?
Joined: Thu Apr 23, 2009 7:56 pm
Posts: 12030
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So, we'll have to euthanise a lot of animals. Domestic breeds will have a [LIFTED] time in the wild. So do wild animals. Especially if you're sick, or being predated. Again, a fairly rose tinted view of the natural order. We do need to protect genetic diversity. I would also like to know what the impact on the economy would be? Where do we get all the non-food animal products we rely on? I appreciate that plastics can replace leathers, etc, but leather degrades.
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| Wed Aug 05, 2015 12:46 pm |
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paulzolo
What's a life?
Joined: Thu Apr 23, 2009 6:27 pm
Posts: 12251
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| | | | Blue_Nowhere wrote: Not my words just something I grabbed: | | | | Quote: 1a. If we all went vegetarian, we’d be overrun with animals?
Farmed animals are not allowed to reproduce naturally and farmers only breed animals when they can make a profit out of doing so. As demand for meat goes down over time, so fewer and fewer animals will be bred. That means that we will not be overrun by millions of farmed animals, as some people seem to imagine. Eventually, the few that are left can be allowed to go free: pigs can root around in woodlands as it is natural for them to do, sheep will graze the hillsides like deer and so on. Their populations will find their own natural levels, just like every other animal.
1b. If we all went vegetarian – all the animals would die out.
The converse of the above question. It's true that the number of animals will fall as farmers breed fewer and fewer animals as the years go by. Farmed animals live a controlled, distorted life, often filled with pain and fear. The vast majority of farmed animals are kept in indoor units where they never see the light of day. Those that are kept outside are only kept alive for a fraction of their natural lifespans before being slaughtered for meat - often in the most barbaric manner imaginable. All farmed animals are born to die at our command - a disgusting idea. Also some breeds have been so changed from their natural ancestor that it would be kinder to let them die out. For example, broiler chickens and turkeys bred for meat are often so obese that they can barely walk and suffer from crippling leg disorders. However we could set up large nature reserves for the more traditional (now rare) breeds that haven't been so changed.
There would be much more land available for reserves because most of it is used to grow crops for fattening animals at present. Also, there would be more space for forests and woods and other wildlife reservations where genuinely wild British species of animal and plants could flourish. In other countries we could encourage the breeding of our farm animal's wild ancestors - the wild pig, turkeys and jungle fowl (the forerunner of the battery hen) by stopping the destruction of their homes.
Many people forget that all farmed animals have been bred from wild animals – and that their natural ancestors need preserving.
In a vegetarian world animals would not be kept for profit and greed but would be allowed to exist in their natural state and live their life in freedom.
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Point to make on both parts - this is certainly true of the UK. We do indeed have animals which are left to roam wild - if you consider the various species of deer, they are left to their own devices pretty much all of the time. However, they have to be culled or the herds will grow to a size where they unbalance everything else. Why? Because there are no natural predators to keep them in check. We’ve managed our wildlife to the point where all the inconvenient animals (ie the ones that can do humans real harm) are no longer around. Wolves, for example used to roam wild and free, and they were the top predators and kept populations level. So to assume that if we tip the remaining sheep, cows and pigs out to live the life of the wild and somehow they will reach a natural level and stay that way is a bit of an odd thing to hope for. Yes, they will reach a natural level, but that level may well mean that land will be over grazed and it could be an ecological disater. What people who think like this seem to miss is that at some point, some of those animals need to be killed to keep their numbers in check. Nature used to do that job, and unless we start re-introducing the predators that used to be native to this country, people with guns will have to do the job.
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| Wed Aug 05, 2015 12:53 pm |
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pcernie
Legend
Joined: Sun Apr 26, 2009 12:30 pm
Posts: 45931
Location: Belfast
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Just about everything is made with bits of animal in it as I understand it, so I don't really see the ethical argument. And as pointed out above, putting the fishies and so on on a different level... That I really don't get.
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| Wed Aug 05, 2015 1:00 pm |
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