The human connection to animals

[nieh]

How does it make sense to feel or understanding the feeling of having an emotional connection to a pet, but thinking it's okay to choose to eat animals for food?

Just a thought from a vegetarian...

Because sometimes I love animals so much that I want them inside of me.

Killing things in order to survive is something that pretty much everything (except for things that get all their energy from the sun) does in nature. Also, plants don't like being eaten either so only sticking to them doesn't really make you any better. Countless plant species have been observed showing defense mechanisms and reacting to being eaten. Some will respond to being eaten by an insect by releasing a chemical into the air that attracts larger, carnivorous insects in order to save it. But because their reactions aren't immediately obvious to humans (they can't run, they don't make loud squealing sounds and they don't have cute little faces) no one gives a shit about eating them.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/22/science/22angi.html

[Omni]

I don't particularly want pets. Dilemma solved for me.

[_Lost_]

By being a vegetarian, you are committing to a lifestyle that, if embraced by all of society, would result in the eventual end of all preventable animal cruelty. Once everyone accepts the principal that all animals have the right to life, society will move towards eliminating preventable animal cruelty altogether.

This, right here, is what I HATE about so many vegetarians. Dairy farms and egg farms are disgustingly cruel. Cows are milked and milked and milked and milked, until they can't be milked anymore, and then they are killed and eaten. Egg farms are disgusting, overcrowded cages stacked one on top of the other. They cram as many chickens, who have been bred to produce way more eggs than is natural, as possible into one building. Space is so cramped that they can't properly move and get bed sores. And don't let "free range" fool you, either.

[MOTO13]

I think people should butcher what they want to eat. By that we'd get rid of MacDonalds and similar franchises that take a lot of resources like water, food, energy and space and who are the main reason for minimum wage and a lot of other exploitation. People would know what they eat, what the animals get to eat and so on. Probably a lot less meds, steroids and chemicals would be involved. People would acutually care of the animals they eat, at least I guess so. Like in the good ol' days WITHOUT MacDonalds. I've eaten a burger once this month at McDs still.

Wow, you're a real thinker. This sentence is so full of stupid I have no idea where to begin....but let me give it a shot.

First off...where would "everyone" keep these animals? You know some people live in the city. Cows just don't live good on 10 story balconies for some odd reason.
Second...you really think everyone would be nice to their food while its living and give it better conditions that what curently exists? Fucking people can't take care of a friggin cats or dogs.
Third...you think people know how to properly butcher an animal? You've never seen animal cruelty until you see and idot try to kill a living animal for dinner.
Fourth...what would "everyone do with their animal waste? You know, all the feathers, skin, legs and shit? Basically what they don't eat.
Fifth...you think people know how to feed and animal and properly look at it medically.
Sixth...where do they store this meat or do the kill an entire animal everyday..which would take the average person hours.

These are just off the top of my head...please feel free to tell me where I am going wrong. Are you one of those dipshit vegan/vegetarian assholes or just a lover of animals and unsound thinking?

[XYlophonetreeZ]

This, right here, is what I HATE about so many vegetarians. Dairy farms and egg farms are disgustingly cruel. Cows are milked and milked and milked and milked, until they can't be milked anymore, and then they are killed and eaten. Egg farms are disgusting, overcrowded cages stacked one on top of the other. They cram as many chickens, who have been bred to produce way more eggs than is natural, as possible into one building. Space is so cramped that they can't properly move and get bed sores. And don't let "free range" fool you, either.

This might all be true, but it's still not a reason to be any angrier at vegetarians than your average dairy-consuming person.

[WebDudette]

First of all, I don't have any problem admitting that I lack the conviction to go full vegan.

I think you can answer a lot of your own questions by looking at this and maybe you'll realize that you to are also a hypocrite.

As for the thread, I don't think I'd have any problem eating cat, dog, or even human under the right circumstances*. I do think it's a little silly that people will eat beef, but not canine or something, but it's understandable.

*If someone signed a waiver saying they would like to be eaten when they die and everything was going to be done safely, I would eat a person for sure.

[bighead384]

I feel as though I offered up a pretty clear distinction that has apparently been ignored.

Living a life in which you do not support industries that directly kill animals is very clear distinction. This is not an abstract concept. I feel as though there's an attempt here to equate vegetarians to a person who does good when it's convenient, but has no conviction when the slightest temptation is present. That's a false equivocation. Vegetarians may not be following their beliefs about animal cruelty to it's absolute logical conclusion, but it's rather disingenuous to act as though this is comparable to some schmuck who decides he'll only do good when it's convenient for him. This is because vegetarians have committed to a distinct cause that is not flexible or abstract: not supporting industries that intentionally kill animals.

Why do you think so many people are vegetarian but not vegan? It's because of thoughts like the ones I've expressed. To not understand this, you'd basically have to believe that all vegetarians are incapable of understanding moral philosophy.

[WebDudette]

Are you... are you saying it's not all black and white!?

I'm saying if you know it's better for animals if you are a vegan, and the only thing preventing you is your own conviction, then why can't you understand why other people do seemingly contradictory things or sometimes lack conviction? Can't you see the connection between you complaining about the habits and convictions of others while simultaneously admitting you just don't care enough about your beliefs and animals?

I like animals, I don't kill bugs if I can help it, and I would never eat a pet. Still, there is nothing stopping me from eating animals. I have no moral qualms with eating animals, but apparently you do, but continue to contribute to the torture of animals.

Do you not feel that some people only claim to be a vegetarian to appear like a more moral person to others and/or to feel better about themselves? For the record, I don't give a shit about people being vegetarians, I just find it an interesting parallel in this situation.

Honestly though Tom, surely you can understand the difference between a pet and not a pet? It's not like we treat all humans the same, I can show the utmost compassion and love for a good friend, but I don't give a fuck about most people.

[WebDudette]

This is because vegetarians have committed to a distinct cause that is not flexible or abstract: not supporting industries that intentionally kill animals.

That's a pretty weak argument, dairy cattle are tortured and die as a direct result of their terrible conditions.

It should be noted that I totally get why people would be opposed to eating veal and foie gras, among other things.

[Harleyquiiinn]

That's a pretty weak argument, dairy cattle are tortured and die as a direct result of their terrible conditions.

It should be noted that I totally get why people would be opposed to eating veal and foie gras, among other things.

See, that's where I am a hypocrite myself... I don't like animal cruelty, and I know that feeding ducks untill they basically get sick might be considered as animal cruelty...

And I could live without eating foie gras...

But I really don't want to. It's my favorite food. Ever.

Also, if I had a cow as a pet, we would watch trains together.