Recently I listened to several episodes of a podcast called "Vegetarian food for thought." I have been a vegetarian (of sorts) since the age of 18. I've never completely eliminated animal products, such as eggs and dairy, and I've almost always included fish in my diet as well, which really means I'm not a vegetarian at all. However, chickens, pigs and cows have been out since I was 18. (I won't say how long ago that was!)
I like to think I'm pretty freethinking, and not extremely impressionable, but this podcast is very persuasive. It certainly reinforced my decision to never eat chickens, pigs and cows. In fact, It made me want to eliminate all animal products. I truly don't need them. The idea that vegetarians can't get enough protein from plant sources is a myth, and I know I don't want to be a part of a system that regularly abuses, tortures, mutilates and kills animals. But can I go all the way?
Is it selfish and greedy to not want to give up sushi? I do love it, even though I don't need it to live. Can cucumber rolls cut it for me? Is it hypocritical to say it's ok to kill fish but not ok to kill chickens? I can probably do without eggs... but cheese? I love cheese! I also own leather shoes and belts, though I don't think I could handle owning a leather jacket. Again, not very consistent, I know.
I guess people subscribe to all sorts of ethical codes, and aren't necessarily perfect adherents to those codes. (Just look at religions!) So for now I guess I'm doing what I can, eating what I'm comfortable eating, wearing what I'm comfortable wearing, and denying what I'm comfortable denying! For the moment I'm not changing anything, but it's in the back of my mind. I'll keep you posted.
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5 comments:
You made some pretty good points there and this is coming from a meat eater.
Way before I was 18 I thought about giving up meat even my mother thought I would also and at times in my life I still think about it, but still can’t make that commitment. I do have weeks where I can go with out meat and I see your point on how the animals we eat are treated it is horrible.
We all seem to have our own rules of conduct on how we conduct our lives, what is right for you maybe not be right for another. I do love my leather coat but I don’t think I could give it up, of course I’m a slave to fashion which is a topic I need to write about in my own blog. As a species we are not prefect and we have a very long way to go but I will not be around to see this prefect utopia but hopefully I get a glimpse at either looking up or down.
I took the plunge to give up fish almost 4 years ago. Avocado and cucumber rolls, miso soup and terriyaki tofu are the only way for a vegetarian to recreate the glory days of sushi. (It is all about the wasabi anyway, isn't it?)
Dietary choices are very personal decisions, and I think, can only be made based on what you can live with, and not the good reasons from another. I know a lot of people who have done the vegan route, and I don't know a single one of them who could stay very healthy on that diet for a sustainable amount of time.
It is wonderful that it is so much easier to be vegetarian than ever before, and that we are trying to be thoughtful about our choices, instead of blindly following habit or traditions of our American culture.
You be good...
Sweet boyfriend, I don't think soy cheese will cut it for you. Of course I'd support any decision you made, just as you've supported my bacon addiction since my vegetarian lapse so many years ago. Maybe you start replacing your leather with pleather when it wears out, see how that goes. But sushi without fishies? not enough wasabi in the world ;) your anazon
Can I comment on my own post? My iPod has stopped working for the time being, so now the podcast indoctrination has slowed... I had sushi the other night and tried oshinko maki (japanese pickle). It was not my favorite. The eel and avocado was MUCH better.
oh baby. i have pondered these same questions as well. i mean, fruits and veggies actually *want* you to eat them, so you can disperse their seeds. and while we don't *need* to eat animals to survive, sometimes they sure do taste good. for myself, i've decided that it's more important that the animal i'm eating, while living, was allowed to have a good life. That means game, and some conscientiously farmed critters, and stuff from local farmers. remember that vegans even eschew honey, because the bees don't make it for us. which is totally true, and if i ever get the Invertebrates' Rights Association off its feet, who knows....
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