Would you eat meat if animals could talk?

If other animals could talk and were seen as being on our level you'd see a lot more vegans I think. People don't want to kill or eat the family pet because it's seen as part of the family. It's easy for human beings to not care at all about an animal that's not a part of the family or even a person that's not a part of the family. It's possible that if animals could talk we'd make it illegal to kill and eat other animals. It's hard to say though...I don't know if I could eat a talking animal or not.

Originally posted by Badgered1
Here's a deal: I promise I won't eat anything with opposable thumbs, or dogs (because they are carnivores, and eating carnivore meat isn't quite as "good for you.").
Do they communicate? Possibly. They say, "Good grass over here." and "There's a predator nearby...watch out!"
They don't exactly discuss Plato. Yes, it's arrogance to think that "our" communication is superior, but the hunting's been pretty damned good for at least 30,000 years.

Oh, sorry if I offended any bible thumpers with inferring that the chronology of the Bible is in any way inaccurate.

Oh man. I`m a meat eater and that would be real bad. I often think when eating a dozen chicken legs. Oh that`s just not right that was 6 chickens that made that up.
Then if the chickens could talk. I`d be like wow that`s just not right that was like 6 talking chickens that made that up..

Dish of the Day The quadruped Dish of the Day is an Ameglian Major Cow, a ruminant specifically bred to not only have the desire to be eaten, but to be capable of saying so quite clearly and distinctly. When asked if he would like to see the Dish of the Day, Zaphod replies, "We'll meet the meat." The Major Cow's quite vocal and emphatic desire to be consumed by Milliways' patrons is the most revolting thing that Arthur Dent has ever heard, and the Dish is nonplussed by a queasy Arthur's subsequent order of a green salad, since it knows "many vegetables that are very clear" on the point of not wanting to be eaten — which was part of the reason for the creation of the Ameglian Major Cow in the first place. After Zaphod orders four rare steaks, the Dish announces that it is nipping off to the kitchen to shoot itself. Though it states, "I'll be very humane," this does not comfort Arthur at all.
Several years later, the group encounters a herd of Ameglian Major Cows on the planet Nano, a colony planet established for exceedingly rich refugees from the destroyed Earth. Ford and Arthur (who is now far more open-minded after years spent traversing the galaxy) seriously consider the Cows' offering themselves as a meal, only to be interrupted by the arrival of the Norse thunder god Thor and his subsequent duel with Bowerick Wowbagger. However, the lightning display accompanying Thor's arrival kills and chars several Major Cows (while their still-living herdmates curse their fellows' luck), and Ford and Arthur take the opportunity to sample the cooked meat.

Hitchhiker's Characters

reply to post by loner007


I communicate with my dog all the time. She understands certain words. I usually know what she wants by how she acts.

I surely would.

I understand that they taste like people yumm!

I don't think I could actually, unless purely driven by a need to survive. What if vegetables, fruit, and animals could talk? Then what the heck would I do? Goodness, makes me think.

Originally posted by SLAYER69
reply to post by Misoir

 

Yes....

With Gravy, tators and some salad.

Wait that's what I had tonight. Perfectly grilled steak medium rare.

Its ok it was already dead. I couldnt eat it, not if it pleaded for its life

Would you walk if you had testicles on your feet?

Yeah that became a sport......they call it Football!

Would you eat meat if animals could talk?

Certainly not! I try to limit meat intake as it is, sometimes for weeks at a time due to following an Eastern spiritual practice. But even I'm a sucker for a good roast or a steak....well done, with all the sides of course.

Originally posted by Misoir
The question is rather simple: Would you eat meat if animals could talk? This question is targeted at all the Omnivores and Carnivores on ATS.

If a cow being taken to slaughter house could scream in agony and plead for its life do you think the slaughter house workers could murder the cow? What if a chicken could cry and beg you to spare its life when they know they are going to be murdered would a farmer kill them? Would you still eat meat fully knowing that these animals can beg and plead for mercy and their life?

In my opinion I could not eat that meat knowing that animal was screaming and pleading before its death. I’m sorry but I just couldn’t morally do that.

I have only read your post, so dunno if anyone touched this;

Many birds can speak, and that hasn't put a didnt in my consumption of poultry.

Recently I have begun pondering the morality and disadvantages of eating meat. I am starting to lean towards vegetarianism.

My question is simple; why CHOOSE to eat meat if there are alternative choices? Captivating, slaughtering, and butchering an animal just because it tastes good doesn't seem like a very good reason at all. I know people like to ignore this fact, but we're animals also. Maybe we're more "intelligent" or "civilized", but just because we CAN kill and devour creatures that we deem lower than us, doesn't mean it's right or even truly beneficial to society. We are pouring our resources into farming these animals and in the end it's going to catch up to us. Are we truly willing to completely destroy the natural balance of things for a cheeseburger?

Sadly, one person doesn't make even the slightest difference. Just because I choose not to eat meat doesn't mean that the production will lower. Things won't change until the demand for change arises within the general public and miraculously we will watch as the corporations change with them.

I don't need an animal to speak English to know it's wrong.

reply to post by Nurv47


there are not many plants, even those that have fruit, that WANT to be eaten.

So your litte crusade is meaningfull only on the inside of your own pitifull ignorance.

My reply is I hate eating intelligent beings.

Unfortunately, humans are designed to eat meat.

If I had to kill what I ate, I would not eat meat.

And pigs have a really bad deal. They are intelligent, they hear their friends screaming as they are killed, and this makes me so upset - but I like pork. Also, I would like to say - I don't think pigs are treated in a humane way - could someone investigate this, please? I would really like someone to make pigs happy.

So - what do you do?

reply to post by Wertdagf


*rubs eyes* But ... but ... *cries* ...

Seriously? And your little tirade is anymore meaningful?

Last time I checked most trees, plants, fruits, and vegetables don't have brains or a nervous system that allows them to feel pain or fear as they are harvested. Not to mention taking fruit from a tree or vegetables from a plant doesn't kill the entire system.

I think you almost had an intelligent argument there though.

reply to post by Nurv47


If you are talking to me...

Yes, everything you mentioned does have a nervous system and does feel.

Lucky for you - you have no feeling and no heart.

reply to post by catwhoknows


Of course I wasn't talking to you.

Oh, so plants have central nervous systems including nerve endings? I never knew that ... most likely because it's false.

I have a heart ... but you broke it

reply to post by Nurv47


OK, go with the pigs whose hearts are broken.

And their bodies, with torture.

It's like deja vu... I am sure I posted an answer to this thread already.... Hrm...

At any rate. Would I eat animals if they could talk? Yes. I'd just approach them with the gun more hidden, and telling them that I was bringing them a treat when it was slaughtering time.

My argument against veganism and vegetarianism? Two words... Barbecue sauce.

~Heff

(Sweet Baby Rays represent!!!!)

...humans are animals... animals eat animals... thats the way it goes around here... language has nothing to do with it - since all animals have a language and their own perception of the world...

...there are some animals i prefer not to eat... squirrel, snake, rabbit, cat, dog, horse, roaches, rats, snails, spiders, oysters, possum, squid, skunk, octopus - those set off my gag reflex but i could eat em if i was starving (and had plenty of cajun hotsauce)...

reply to post by Misoir


Aww. You are really growing on me.

You are going to get people who say yes. They are heartless cretins who are conditioned that survival of the fittest should not have a compassionate human component. Because a lion will bring down a gazell they justify our killing live animals as if we are one of them. These are often the same group of people who argue man is a supreme being and did not evolve from animals. Go figure.