Vegans/Vegetarians: Do you see meat-eaters who are aware of the farming industry
By joseph_v
@joseph_v (212)
India
December 20, 2006 9:05am CST
Answer this honestly. I'm not trying to ellicit flames from non-vegetarians here. I just find it hard to tolerate meat-eaters who, once they're aware of how animals suffer on farms, chose to ignore it - and I want to know if there are others who feel the same way. Am I an elitist extremist? Perhaps I am - but I vehemently disagree with the consumption of factory farmed animals, and I really don't care if that offends anyone. Don't get the impression that I'd act on my disdain for meat-eaters ... I just want to know if anyone else gets angry at people who ignore the suffering of animals...
Additional Details
1 week ago
Does anyone else see the irony of the first answer? :)
1 week ago
The irony of ... all the answers?!?! :)
1 week ago
Why is being 'bitter and judgemental' a 'bad' thing? Bah! Your 'bitterness' is my healthy cynicism ... Why is it 'bad' to acknowledge that people who eat meat are supporting the meat industry? And why is it 'bad' to disdain the fact that people support the meat industry? Does anyone else see the furthered( and tragic) irony of people who utterly ignore the suffering of farmed animals complain about hurt feelings? I'm not necessarily making value judgements about the entirety of these people's characters - I'm simply stating that the fact that people know animals suffer and the fact that people refuse to care angers me. Deeply. Indignant rage is neither 'bad' nor 'immature' ... I want others who feel the way I do to know this.
1 week ago
Hey - Texan McCoy. Thanks for the respectful answer! My boyfriend's parents own a chicken farm. That's my source on chicken farming, at least. And I've seen laying hen farms - so I certainly understand why you go for 'free range' eggs (though you can't be sure how much 'range' those hens get - or how 'free' their access to it is). I'd say a lot of the information on both sides of the vegetarian argument are biased...
4 days ago
Advice to people: Instead of getting pissed off at the question, do a little research on the farming industry and see what you're supporting. That's where my indignation and cynicism comes from.
Honest answers expected
2 people like this
30 responses
@shireishou (896)
• Indonesia
21 Dec 06
Hm...... every poeple have their own opinion about this
in my presfective, I like to eat meat than vegetables.
For me... they was born to earth have special meaning for us. If God not say we can;t eat it (Like I'm forbiden to eat pork), I will eat it
But I'm animals lover. I don;t want to have pet because I think it's better for animals to live in free place.
Sorry
2 people like this
@onlyjenny (4)
• United States
21 Dec 06
I worked in a pig processing plant for 4 years to put my husband through college. And to tell you the truth, it was not the worst job I've ever had. This processing plant did everything possible to make the process better for the pig.
How if you want to start a discussion, try working at a nursing home and a animal processing plant and tell me why the animals get treated better than the patients in the nursing home.
@Pigglies (9329)
• United States
21 Dec 06
Sometimes the processing isn't really the worst part anyway. I'm not as bothered by the processing as how the animals are kept before.
I think the worst food to eat as far as cruelty goes though, would be eggs. At least meat animals are killed and don't have to suffer so long. I don't think any animals are kept in worse conditions than chickens.
The slaughter practices at many places aren't perfect, but in my opinion, more likely are better than the care the animals received previously since there are more laws regulating the slaughter.
1 person likes this
@blackpool1 (95)
• India
21 Dec 06
meat is gr8.....GOD made animals 4 a purpose.....chickens are made 4 clay ovens!!
1 person likes this
@hassei_takano (1411)
• Indonesia
21 Dec 06
Umh.. I eat meat and I like it very much
But I respect animals. If I want to eat meat, I just ask my father kill them fast.
1 person likes this
@jal1948 (1359)
• India
21 Dec 06
I am of the catholic faith,where in it is said that God cteated man to have dominion over the birds,plants,animals fishes,and these are all,provided for his existance,at his descretion. so although i do feel sorry, at times,it is survival of the fittest.That is man.
@prettygolucky (28)
• United States
21 Dec 06
Having been a vegetarian for over a decade, and a vegan for four years out of that decade (no longer a vegan), I definitely can say I don't get those people. But, it's their choice. I refuse to be unkind to those who have made different decisions than the ones I have made.
1 person likes this
@Pigglies (9329)
• United States
21 Dec 06
I think initially I was more bothered by this than I am now, after being vegan for about 6 or 7 years. I think the thing is, they don't understand as fully about factory farming. The other thing is, they might not believe it. Well, for all that in our animal science courses they say that those PETA videos aren't true, when they show us videos created by the industry in our courses, they are very similar, with different wording! At PETA, debeaking is a cruel practice. In a farming video, debeaking is economic. The footage of what is done is identical because that is truly what's done.
I know some people that understand the issues and so they buy from small local farms. Others just can't seem to give these things up entirely.
My own girlfriend isn't vegan and I'm not bothered by it. I just couldn't eat meat or anything like that again because I hate the taste of it, love animals too much, can see how it harms the environment, and I don't want to take those kinds of risks with my health myself.
1 person likes this
@mkirby624 (1598)
• United States
20 Dec 06
I was raised in a family that hunts and eats what they kill. I was also raised on a farm where we grow chickens in chicken houses. I assure you, these chickens are not treated poorly. They are treated better than humans. They have a constant supply of food, the temperature of the houses is kept at the different perfect temperatures depending on their age. The only way they are treated poorly is that they must be killed in order to be eaten. I don't have a problem with vegetarians, but it is my opinion that animals were put here to be eaten, so I eat them.
@classy56 (2880)
• United States
20 Dec 06
i am a meat eater ,an i have nothing agasint vegetarians, i am afarid to eat lettuce so i dont eat salads because of all the ecoli.as long as i dont get the mad cow desease ill be fine,as long as i dont see how they are treated im ok,so look out steak here i come!
@JashleyB (1441)
• United States
20 Dec 06
I don't eat it much, but I do eat meat...
In all honesty I adore animals, I really do. You may not believe me because I'm not a Vegan but it's true.
The Bible tells us to eat meat. God made some animals for that reason. I hate the cruelity that they go through but really, me not eating meat anymore won't do much good.
@Pigglies (9329)
• United States
21 Dec 06
In response to the comment (because I don't believe in the Bible, I'm not going to argue it because that's useless to argue with someone's beliefs)...
You can change things as just one person. There were figures somewhere based on how much meat the average person eats per year with how many animals you've saved by being vegan and how many acres you've saved as well, etc. The more people that are vegan, the less meat being produced eventually, because if people don't buy it, it's not in demand and the supply will be reduced and the land used for another industry. Not that that will happen anytime slowly, but it could.
I suppose you also don't vote because one vote doesn't count?
@Cat0805 (71)
• United States
21 Dec 06
I havent eaten meat in 5 years because of some slaughter house video I saw. Broke my heart!!! I cant physically tolerate eating meat anymore. I dont agree or disagree with anyones lifestlye of eating. Theres still that percentage of people who know exactly what they do to the animals, and it doesnt bother them. Props to you for being able to tolerate it, but I cant
1 person likes this
@greyone42 (20)
• United States
21 Dec 06
My only thought for this discussion is, would the world be a better place if all the people who are concerned about what they eat and why would concern themselves with human suffering around the world and taking care of the people who do not have even vegetables to eat much less meat, maybe this discussion would be relevant.
@moneymind (10510)
• Philippines
21 Dec 06
what are you trying to suggest now or are there anything or any way you are thinking to make this things more acceptable according to you. i for one does not like animal cruelty and i think thats why there are farms to culture animals for human consumption as there are gardens, farms, fields to culture vegetables, fruits, etc. also for huiman consumption. greetings. : )
@desertdarlene (8910)
• United States
22 Dec 06
I am an animal lover and a meat eater. In this world, animals eat plants and some animals eat other animals. There are amino acids in animal meat that humans need to keep their body healthy. They are difficult to get in any other way.
I have always thought that animals should be treated humanely since they are sacrificing themselves to feed us. I try to buy "organic" meat whenever possible. And, I don't eat very much.
@thatcrazyqbanita (3312)
• United States
21 Dec 06
It's not really just the animal sufferring people are consuming carcinogens. Animals are injected with countless hormones which cause cancer and other illnesses in the animal, and then are pumped with preservatives once in the market, and people eat it up. I saw my mother cutting open a chicken and slicing a tumor, its dishusting. Sometimes you are eating the animal's cancer, and you aren;t even aware of it. People need to inform themselves on what they eat. The farming industry does not care if people are getting cancer from the animals they eat, they onyl care about the big bucks they are making so they will not discontinue their use of hormones and preservatives or addtivives. My advice is eat organic foods, if you care to help prevent cancer.
@nobodyspecial (1011)
• United States
20 Dec 06
For the most part farming is not what most people think it is. We (Yep I been a farmer too) aren't Little House on the Pararie nor are we impersonal corporations.
We do attend classes intended to help us improve our stock, and the conditions they live under.
You forget the livestock we attend has value to us as well as to those who consume it.
Cattle receive shots when they are ill, they have vitamins added to their foods. We purchase their feed and make sure they get it in weather conditions that most would not go out in. Not all the things recommended by the universities to increase production or keep our animals healthy are things that do what we were given to believe, or had results farther down the 'chain' that have been negative.
Most of our animals are healthier than ever before. Some species live much longer than they would otherwise.
You ever see what a predator can do to a flock 'free range' chickens? I have. Do you have any idea of the fear they suffer before they are killed by such a predator? I do. Do you know what I and any other farmer has to do when a predator locates and begins predation upon the farmer's stock? The hours spent awake protecting the stock. The dangers to the farmer in doing so?
What of the farmer who's herds are infected with a disease? The financial loss and the loss of a dream.
You may be a vegetarian, yet the farmer feeds a world.
@MrNiceGuy (4141)
• United States
20 Dec 06
I'm aware and I still LOVE meat.
I believe animals to be a resource that are dominated by man. Like many other resources. Of course it'd be cool if the animals were better treated, but it lowers costs and makes it more efficient this way. Not to mention, the animals are going to die anyways, why breed and feed them specifically to eat them but treat them like people anyways?
