Why aren't there more vegetarians/vegans in the world?

[Anonymous]

Why aren't there more vegetarians/vegans in the world? Why do you choose to eat meat or to not eat meat?

[kethel]

I enjoy hunting and fishing. It saves me a lot of money, and the meat's nothing like the grain-fed stuff you get at stores, it's much fresher and tastier (ever hear about grass-fed steaks? same idea)

The myth about the meat being gamy goes hand-in-hand with the myth about hunters being savage killers who do it for sport, ignoring the meat and taking home only the prized antlers... the truth is, the people who do that are generally you city folk who come out here for the weekend with something to prove to other city folk. Any outdoorsman worth his salt knows that animals older than 3-5 (depending on area) will taste off, and that antlers don't do anything except give you one more thing to dust. Besides, the eldest animals got to where they are by having the strongest genes, and the gene pool does best if you let those proven veterans breed rather than kill them.

I personally also think it's a lot more dignified for all involved if an animal lives a natural life before being humanely dispatched and used as fully as possible, rather than being penned up in a corporate farm and slaughtered by a machine.

[kethel]

Forgot to mention, most of the fish you get at the store is farmed and fed grain as well, so the difference in flavor is immense with fish as well, not only meat.

[Anonymous]

Because it's great. I've never understood why certain people think it's so wrong to eat meat. I understand if you don't like the way the animals are treated by the larger farms, but meat in general? Because you can go to local farms that treat the animals a lot better. I completely agree that they shouldn't be living in the horrible conditions that some of them do live in. I also agree that we eat more meat than we should. However, I will never understand the people that think humans shouldn't eat meat. It makes little sense to be honest.

[djvtech]

I don't say we shouldnt, but I don't eat it for the first reason, but also because I can't stand that fact that I'm eating a corpse of something made of the same biology and emotion as me. Hence why I can easier eat seafood, but not land meat.

[Asker]

Because lives are lost.

[Opinion Owner]

Those lives will be lost no matter what.

[Asker]

It is wrong to think that those lives will be lost no matter what. We can choose to not make those lives lost. However, I'm not trying to force anyone to be vegetarian though.

[Opinion Owner]

What are you talking about? Everything dies. All lives will be lost. It's inevitable. I would love how you plan on changing that or how not eating meat changes that.

I know this will be cheesy saying this but everything is food for something else. Always has been and always will be.

I don't know. I just find the kind of answers like sceneofthecrime's to be quite pretentious and it seems that's how most of them feel. You said agreed too.

[Asker]

I know everything dies. But it is kind of strange to think "everything dies, so let's make them die faster". I'm just debating over the fine points now. Everything is food for something else? Pretty much true. So why do humans kill animals if an animal kills a human being when it is just in the animal's nature?

[kheserthorpe]

It would be more accurate to say that animals raised for food would never have been born if it weren't for the food industry.

[Asker]

Yeah.

[vishna]

Culturally, socially... a lot of people would get harassed for choosing not to eat meat.

Sad but true.

Also, the vast majority of people who do eat meat have no intention of stopping ever. It's as second nature as using toilet paper.

I'm a vegetarian and do it because of the cruelty involved, but I know people who also have cut out certain animals or meat from their diet because of health reasons.

[Asker]

I don't know if people get harassed for choosing not to eat meat. Although I do know one of my teachers who said that back in the 60s or 70s, it was much harder to be vegetarian because of the ridicule.

[vishna]

I live in the south...people harass you over anything.

:) see 60's-70's and the south (kinda the same thing)

lol...

[vishna]

Thank you

[sceneofthecrime]

I guess it is mostly the way that people are raised. Sadly it's normal to eat meat in our society and that habit is going to be very hard to get rid of. If we teach our children that it is okay to use and abuse animals that is what they are going to do, sadly. But I have faith, the number of vegans in the world is growing and one day a mostly vegan living world might happen.

[Asker]

I hope so too.

[Anonymous]

-Cause meat tastes awesome.

-Most types of meat are loaded with calories and high protein. Try feeding a 6'2 205lb male on a pure veg or vegan diet every day.

-Meat contains specific vitamins and minerals that's hard to get from an exclusive diet without it. Most people who don't eat meat are deficient and often have to supplement for vitamin b12, iron, zinc, omega 3 fatty acids, vitamin d, calcium ect.

-A vegan diet seems stupid... no animal bi-products like eggs and milk, wtf?

-Humans are natural omnivores.

-If it weren't for meat most of the people reading this would not be here as their ancestors would have died out long ago.

[Asker]

What are you talking about? Plenty of people are vegetarians/vegans and are still alive. Since when does a vegetarian diet make people die?

[Opinion Owner]

Where in the world did I say that?

[Asker]

I read it wrong. You are right that back then our ancestors would have died off if they couldn't hunt. But now we have a choice. You choose to eat meat, and nobody will force you to be vegetarian or anything. I choose to be vegetarian, but nobody is going to force me to eat something that once had life.

[Anonymous]

Hmm I think for most people it's simply what their used to. If your parents ate meat then it' likely they made it for you, so you eat it. It's hard to break something so ingrained into your daily life. Also I believe meat companies, factory farms and whatever don't allow the information to get around that much. You know that it increases fat, cost more to produce, genetic modification etc... I mean it's the same with a lot of things smoking, drinking, oil. People don't know the facts, info is manipulated with money thrown around or it's to built into daily life, and I think a lot of people just really don't care..

[Asker]

Oil?

[Opinion Owner]

Oh I said oil as an example of one of the things people don't understand, how it's in everyday life, manipulated and hurts us. I wasn't just talking about food itself.

[Anonymous]

because meat is awesome and has nutritional value that vegetables can't provide. my question is why are there so many vegans and vegetarians in the world? sure, the meat industry as a whole is in a bad place, but then just avoid buying heavily manufactured and processed meats.

it's not that big of a deal if you don't allow it to be. then you're getting good, balanced nutrition, along with all the other food groups.

[Anonymous]

Because we all have teeth designed for eating meat, our digestive system and instinct also are made to eat meat. You don't sit in a car with seats made of leather? You don't use a mitt for baseball? You don't take medicine? You don't use anything made of animals or was first tested on animals?

[Asker]

I have a choice. I won't force anyone else to do things like me, but I definitely avoid leather and medicine, and not all medicine has animal products.

[Opinion Owner]

More than the majority of medicine has been tested on animals. On a daily basis you use animal products yet do not know it or do not care. Your comments like "lives are lost" are condescending and ridiculous. People eat meat because we are designed to eat meat. Our teeth show that are diet should be at least 50% meat. Our digestive system shows that we are designed to eat at least 50% of meat. Just you asking this question shows you are judging others and attempting to make some sort of a change

[Asker]

Not really. You don't need to get angry about it. If I use animal products, then I don't know about it. I can't avoid everything, but that is no justification that I'm breaking my own rules. How can I change something over which I have no control? If you choose to think that we are designed to eat 50% meat, that's up to you. However, I won't eat meat with the thinking that that's the way its always been. Because I have control over my life.

[Opinion Owner]

I don't think humans are designed to eat meat. It is a fact. Hippie liberal weirdos are the ones that are saying it is wrong.

[Asker]

It isn't condescending to say that lives are lost, because lives are lost. If that's how you choose to percieve it, then that's up to you. Why would you be offended over a question like this, if you think that it is normal to eat meat?

[Asker]

It isn't just hippies that don't want to eat meat. It isn't just liberals that don't want to eat meat. Humans may have been designed to be able to eat meat and vegetables, but people have a choice to eat all meat or all vegetables if they want to. Things aren't always unchangeable.

[Opinion Owner]

Don't breathe in. You may kill a microbe

[Asker]

Intention also matters.

[Opinion Owner]

Live a good decent life and understand we (humans) are at the top of the food chain. Respect people and respect animals. What I do find disgraceful is hunting only for sport. I think if an animal is to be at a farm it should be cared for and given the best treatment and even love. When it's time comes it should be quick and painless. Any animal that is abused or it's body is not used 100% is disrespectful in my opinion.

[Asker]

I'm not trying to change the meat industry or anything. I do agree that animals should be treated humanely though.

[Cottoncandydreams]

I choose to eat meat because, I have all my life. I just can't give up chicken and beef it's too delicious. Plus sometimes being a vegetarian is way more expensive espicially with all the organic labels.

[Asker]

Actually, I read a new study in Vegetarian Times that if vegetarians don't buy processed foods, if they bought food like rice and beans in bulk, then it would pay off. Only if the food wasn't processed, vegetarians would save more.

[Cottoncandydreams]

alright

[evil-eye7]

Because wide need meat not to die, if there is anything we don't needs it is dairy(well a lot of it) and proceeded grain products( really anything processed).

[Prof_Don]

The culture of their families is passed on, and most of those cultures involved eating meat.

[JamielovesKU]

I guess because people like meat. I'm not a big meat eater but that doesn't mean I'm a vegetarian

either.

[Jbgurl20]

Meat is delicious, you only live once so enjoy your life. Nothing's wrong with meat its a good source of protein:)

[maiez]

meat has a lot of health benefits like protein and fat/etc. It's a totally different life style to switch to plant foods.

[Anonymous]

I eat meat because I like it, as well as it being vital to my diet.

[Anonymous]

Because people love their meat, haha!

[Asker]

Do you usually end with "haha!"?

[Opinion Owner]

I giggle a lot, yes.

[doctorwhofan23]

I eat meat, because I like the taste.

[Anonymous]

Culture, industries, society.

[Anonymous]

Because meat taste delicious