Calling All Carnivores Tell Us Why It’s Ethical to Eat Meat: A Contest, A Summary, A Winner

reply to post by Ericthenewbie

I think the biggest reason it's ethical to eat meat is because it's good for us. If you're not feeding your children meat then you're depriving them of important nutrients they need to strive. Would you intentionally harm your child? If you're not feeding them meat then that's what you're doing.

Look outside, animals and plants and insects are eating each other. Why should humans be any different? If you don't have kids and choose not to eat meat, fine. But it's your health you're losing. You're turning on evolution and saying, "I reject thee!" Does this not have the look of insanity? Would you jump off a cliff without any means to fly? See: rejecting evolution is suicidal. Eat meat.

You reject meat and get depressed because you're not getting the correct amounts of amino acids and long chain fatty acids. In your depressed mood, your work performance suffers. As a result of your sluggishness in the office, your employer finds an excuse to lay you off. Without a job and increasingly depressed, your wife leaves you and takes the kids. Now hopeless and unable to pay the bills and not having anymore unemployment checks, you're found one day in a ditch, dead. Don't be dead in a ditch. Get rid of your attitude. Eat meat. (yes, i got this idea from a commercial on tv)

Eating doesn't have anything to do with ethics, we eat because we need it to survive, meat is a better way, thats all.

The real reason is because Humans saved the animals durring the great flood.

The only reason the word ETHICS is brought up in this imaginary battle between good and evil (vegetarians and meat-eaters) is because vegetarians bring it up. We meat-eaters don't think about ethics. We simply want a burger or a hotdog and we are hungry....so we eat. We don't analyze or read too much into it because then we may go hungry. Unfortunately we still live in a world of "the strongest survives", despite all of the well polished media lies and bravado surrounding intelligence and politics.

The intelligent eat the stupid, the rich eat the poor, the politicians and bankers eat us all. We meat-eaters eat whatever it is that is weaker and tastier than us and god forbid anyone ever tells me "you know what? Vegetarians actually don't taste all that bad"......this argument of right and wrong won't last much longer.

So, there wouldn't be any calling out, or good vs. bad, or ethics or anything else if it wasn't for those 'holier than thou' vegetarians. Besides, I once asked a hamburger, in effect a cow, "does it bother you when I eat you?". It didn't say a word, so I guess he's fine with it.

Man would not be man if we didn't eat meat, so we eat meat because we are man...

If we go back 7 million years ago Homo and Chimpanzees branched off from each other from what was our common ancestor. Homo became hunter gatherers and so the high protein diet provided the brain food needed for our brains to evolved to what it is today. Chimps were/are only gatherers and they are what they are today because of that.

The fact that human brains have actually shrunk a little since we became farmers as our diet changed to grains show just how important meat is to us, so for humans to eat meat is as ethical as a lion eating meat.....

If we stopped eating meat then in about 2 million years we would be back to playing with our poop like the chimps do.

Originally posted by QQXXw

Originally posted by Havick007
reply to post by Ericthenewbie

 

It's not about Ethics...

It's about evolution and survival. We wouldn't be the people we are today without the vitamins we gained from eating meat.

We are animals just like all the others on the planet... well most are

There is a food cycle and we eat meat coz we like it and it contains vitamins and minerals that are good for bodies. Get over it!


hehe now I feel like a porterhouse steak cooked medium!! YUM!!



Have you ever seen a vegan, pale and skinny :S

edit on 5-5-2012 by Havick007 because: (no reason given)

It is no longer about evolution or survival

Maybe you are right, and if that's the case, that means it's about 'choice'. And I don't like the idea of someone poking around with something that is my right.

To say that you get your required vitamins from meat is asinine, first of all eating red meat frequently can lead to early death caused by heart problems or cancer. I'm not saying all types of red meat is bad for you but if you wanted a "healther" red meat - i'd suggest buying red meat that is grass fed - which has very different effects on health such as it's naturally leaner than grain-fed, higher amounts os omega 3's in beef. grass-fed beef is loaded with natural vitamins and minerals.

Eating red-meat as part of their diet studies have shown that they were more likley to die from cardiovascular disease, 10 percent more likely to die from cancer and 15 percent more likely to die early.

adding to the fact that those people who eat processed meat every day were found to be more likely to die from cancer or have heart heart problems and 20 percent more likely to die early.

simply put higher intake of red meat was associated to higher risk of cardivascular and cancer death.

reply to post by jonnywhite


Eating meat will never be ethical as long as there are healthy/easily accessible alternatives out there. There are perfectly healthy children who grew up on vegetarian or vegan diets. If that has something to do with their genetic make-up, I do not know. And this is a very delicate issue- it may be some people's bodies need a certain type of diet. But to say that all babies who are given a vegan diet will have health problem is simply misinformation.
What you said about depression is slightly inaccurate as well. I do believe however that vegans should closely monitor their health and food-intake.
Saying that meat eating is a sign of evolution makes me laugh .Quite a few authorities in anthropology have stated that humans are naturally herbivorous.Was meat-eating a necessary element in human evolution? I don't think that is scientifically correct; in fact meat was introduced fairly recently historically speaking..
Finally, you asked "Why should humans be any different?" Different from what? You are very different from carnivores, I don't believe you eat raw meat, meat needs to be cooked in order to be digested properly. And I might be wrong, but aren't great apes primarily vegetarian, except for chimpanzees?

reply to post by Isayeva


Some people can become vegetarians and others can't. Being a vegetarian requires extensive research and trial and error to accomplish successfully. I can't be a vegetarian and know that without meat I will probably get mean. Many people are like me. It's better that we eat meat or the vegetarians would acquire a very bad name by association.

reply to post by NoJoker13


Do you mind citing at least two studies that prove your statement about brain 'shrinking'?
Provided you're not joking.

We are meant to eat meat because human beings are predators. I see that others have already eluded to the fact that because we have canines that are meant to eat meat.....we eat meat!

Also, as it is with a vast majority of predators, our eyes are set straight forward and not on the sides of our heads. When they are straight forward we are better able to focus and judge distance as opposed to deer or other prey animal that have them set at the sides so they can watch their backs.

So if evolution starts pulling our eyes to the outside of our heads then maybe I'll consider giving up meat

Is it ethical to eat meat?

The question is more fundamental than that.

Humans exists (and almost all life exists) by feeding off of other life forms; be it grass, fruit,
fungus, or rotting bio-mass.

Humans are designed to be carnivores, so it is natural for us to kill animals and plants to feed.

If it is natural it is ethical. My argument is this; we as a species must kill to survive.
The global population cannot wait for the apple to fall from the tree to feed, and if you
dig up a root, cut a plant, or pluck vegetables from the vine you are killing that organism
to survive.

The idea that life is sacred is a human fiction that we have created. It is a hypocrisy to
NOT kill and eat meat when we regularly kill with impunity life forms we deem as pests
or harmful. Nobody is trying to garner sympathy for cancer cells or mosquitos, for instance.

To be ethical, eat, but do not waste

reply to post by ArnoldNonymous


It's not like you chase deer around in order to eat them. Why hasn't evolution provided you with better canines if you're such a skilled predator? Besides, some herbivores have canine teeth too, so the whole point is hardly relevant.

I'm still undecided on this issue. Checking around, there seems to be a high amount of beautiful vegetarian celebrities relative to the % of vegetarians(and as expected, very few athletes).

What appears to me is that evolution(or God even) has pretty much divided this issue such that either side you choose, you'll get compensated.

Basically, if you want your kids(or increase their chances) to grow up tall, athletic, and strong, then feed them as much meat as possible. If you want your kids to grow up short, smart, and beautiful, then feed them vegetables.

Also, I highly doubt protein helped our brain evolved. The smartest species are the ones with the biggest brain-to-body size ratio. Basically, bigger bodies require more maintainence by the brain, which leaves less energy for thinking. This means that the shorter you are, the better your chances of being smart. We didn't become smarter than cavemen because our brain grew(they actually got smaller), we got smarter because we got smaller.

While we're at it, let me explain why being shorter helps you to be more beautiful(assuming equal living conditions). It has to do with the nose. Basically, the nose is an organ and it will grow proportionally(just like any organ) to your body size.

Looking at the general picture, it seems that God "prefers" people to go vegetarians. Vegetarians consume less resources or energy overall. And if more people become vegetarians, then humans will evolve in that direction, and will eventually require even less and less, perhaps even to the point where we won't need to eat at all(or very little, "energy-form?")

Anyway, I have a relative who has a kid who likes to eat vegetables, and it's been a few years now, and he doesn't grow at all(and remains cute)! I theorized that it's entirely possible that if that kid doesn't consume calcium(which is in almost everything that we eat, perhaps this is why the body uses it as the structure of the bones), that kid can remain a kid forever(which would be nothing wrong. There is a limit in how tall you can grow, but not short. In fact, the shorter you are, the more likely you'll live longer)!

So if you have a cute little boy or girl, and hope that he/she can stay that way forever, there is a way!

Pete Seeger is a communist. Also it is said Hitler pushed vegetarianism. That being said, just because one is vegetarian does not make that person an ethical person. People can become vegetarian because they do not want to hurt animals, or because the health benefits have been touted by health food enthusiasts. Some people feel it helps them be more deeply spiritual.
One does have to be careful to get the proper nutrients. I personally felt a bit anemic on a vegetarian diet. In colder climates it is harder to stay warm as the body requires extra fats. The macrobiotic diet is great because you can tailor it to your needs and still stay balanced.

What I would find unethical is being cannibal. And even people in severe survival situations have found themselves resorting to it. No dogs, cats, or dolphins for me either.
And no okra---ick too slimy.

Also, that being said, I love a trip to the health food store where I can find so many food choices. There are various nuts, dried fruits, grains, protein drinks and green drinks, a juice bar for fresh carrot juice, organic veggies, carob and so much more.

reply to post by jonnywhite


Vegetarians live slightly longer than meat-eaters, so whatever nutrients they're missing, they don't seem to be all that affected.

reply to post by rickymouse


Agreed. I do believe that it is encoded in our genetic make-up and may be close to impossible (but not entirely) to change it. Ultimately it is a personal choice and a risk one takes. I just don't see why we can't agree that it is a cruel (but sometimes necessary) choice.
Being ethical too often implies rising above circumstances and conditioning but different people will give it various meanings.

There're plenty of vitamins and nutrients that you can ONLY get from meat in amounts sufficient to meet the body's needs. This means that back before we had supplements and the ability to measure nutrients in food, we HAD to eat meat to be optimally healthy. This is still mostly true today unless you have an office room full of specialists to fill your pill bottles and maintain a strict hold on your diet. This is the single most damning factor against vegetarianism. Vegetarianism is akin to jumping off roofs and flapping your arms in an attempt to fly with birds. You will fail the vast majority of times you try. And even if you succeed, it will be 1 sextillion to 1 that you did it either through genetic engineering or by altering your body with computers and machinery to achieve it.

Again, these're the reasons eating meat is ethical:
1) You're setting a good example for children and other adults by being healthy
2) You're not rejecting evolution and therefore you're not being suicidal
3) If you don't feed your kids meat then you're harming them

And it's not cool to be vegetarian. Don't be dead in a ditch.

reply to post by Ericthenewbie


what is right to one person is wrong to another. what is wrong for one person is right to another. if someone's heart is telling them that eating meat is wrong, then they should take a look into their heart and decide is this wrong personally for me. if a person has a clear conscious eating meat then it is fine for them to eat meat. this kind of decision making should come from each individual personally not one group saying this is right, and THIS is wrong. just my two cents.

Originally posted by rival
Is it ethical to eat meat?

The question is more fundamental than that.

Humans exists (and almost all life exists) by feeding off of other life forms; be it grass, fruit,
fungus, or rotting bio-mass.

Humans are designed to be carnivores, so it is natural for us to kill animals and plants to feed.

If it is natural it is ethical. My argument is this; we as a species must kill to survive.
The global population cannot wait for the apple to fall from the tree to feed, and if you
dig up a root, cut a plant, or pluck vegetables from the vine you are killing that organism
to survive.

The idea that life is sacred is a human fiction that we have created. It is a hypocrisy to
NOT kill and eat meat when we regularly kill with impunity life forms we deem as pests
or harmful. Nobody is trying to garner sympathy for cancer cells or mosquitos, for instance.

To be ethical, eat, but do not waste

very well put. i appreciate your comment