Vegetarianism

[elltrell]

Just wondering what everyone's views were on being vegetarian? I can imagine its quite a bizarre topic but i am interested as i am in fact a vegetarian myself, however i absolutely adore fur!

[furrycocoon]

you a vegetarian or vegan?

[elltrell]

Vegetarian. Being vegan would totally undermine my obsession of furs. Absolutely not an option

[Alyssa]

I can't imagine better food than doe stew made by my girlfriend. Heavenly.

[GreyHand]

An acquitance of mine was vegetarian by choice (not vegan), yet she didn't have any qualms about wearing furs, and wore quite a lot nice ones.

[chloelovesfur]

Hello Elltrell x

[furlondon]

I have a fur friend and he may even be here. I loves furs, wear fur coats, fur hats but is vegetarien.

[elltrell]

Hello Elltrell x

Hi Chloe x

[chloelovesfur]

Hiya Elltell x

[Billybob]

Vegetarian as well

[Worker 11811]

"Vegetarian" is an old Indian word for "Lousy Hunter."

 

Seriously... Vegetarianism makes no sense, biologically.

If humans evolved to eat a strictly plant-based diet our digestive systems would have to be so much more complex that the energy needed to support digestion would have prevented our brains from developing.

 

It would have taken such a large portion of our daily caloric intake just to digest plant matter that we could never eat enough food to support the high caloric expenditures that our brains demand.

Humans, essentially, would have evolved like ruminants. (Cattle, sheep, deer, etc.)

 

Furthermore, humans can't manufacture certain amino acids or proteins without eating a certain amount of animal protein.

The exact amount is difficult to quantify because different people have different nutritional needs. (e.g.: Athletic lifestyle vs. sedentary.) The fact remains, however, that humans need to eat, at least, some meat or animal products in order to be healthy.

 

If you want to be vegetarian based on moral grounds, I'll give you a little more leeway but not much.

I think it's okay to say, "I choose to be vegetarian because I believe it is moral to do so," but, I also think that most people who choose vegetarianism are really just oral masochists.

 

Many people believe that, today, we have too much food, that we waste so much food or that there are other people in the world who don't have enough to eat so they believe that they must, somehow, punish themselves in order to atone for society's perceived inequalities. They deny themselves certain foods because they want to pay for some imagined excesses in our lives.

 

There are many other ways to "pay back" to society that I think make more sense.

You could, for instance, get a job in a food manufacturing plant. It's hard, monotonous work with long hours and low pay. Trust me. I know because I have worked in places like that. It's drudge work!

 

If you want to pay back your "moral debt," why don't you get a job making food so that others can eat?

I worked in a food processing plant that made about half of its revenue by producing meals for the Federal School Lunch Program. As you may know, a large percentage (up to 20%) of the children in the school lunch program don't get any nutritious food to eat except for what they eat at school. Why don't you work in a food processing plant making food so that school children don't have to go hungry? That would put a few points on your "moral score card!"

 

Personally, I choose to pay my moral debt by fasting one day out of each month.

 

Let me make it clear that I believe most people in developed countries eat too much processed food, too much fat, too much sugar and too much junk food. I think that people would do themselves a favor by cutting out the crap-food and eating more veggies and whole grains.

 

I just think that, on biological grounds and moral grounds, vegetarianism falls flat.

[Aaashue1]

I've dabbled with being vegetarian a few times now, but I've never followed through with it. I think I may try again when I start university.

[furgirl]

I'm French so for me foie gras is like heaven on earth

[DuFc85]

I'm an ardent carnivore I absolutely love cooking and roasting big slabs of meat or whole birds.

 

But to the topic. There are many reasons for being vegetarian. I know quite a few people who are vegetarian for health reasons or environmental reasons rather than animal welfare. I also know an American who eats meat in Europe but not in the states as animal welfare regulations are stricter in Europe than the US. U myself prefer not to eat pork from Denmark as they stretch the EU-regulations to the limit, and I don1t think that's in the animals' best interest.

 

I am concerned about the lives of animals on both fur farms and dairy/meat farms. It's both my moral conviction, but just is important is the quality of the product. If the animal has a happy life, it yields better meat, milk pelts.

[MistressAdalia]

I suppose it does sound like a bit of an oxymoron but it depends Why you choose not to eat meat

I didn’t eat meat for ten years then I moved to America in the early 90s and it was ‘eat meat or starve’.

 

I didn’t like the feel of meat in my mouth

But I’m totally over it now

[TSCO]

I dont see how you can be vegetarian and use furs at the same time. But that’s just me. I wonder is it a health choice or about animals sufferings? Because if it is the latter, well then fur farms aren’t that much better.

[furgirl]

I agree, or maybe it's just a matter of culinary taste. I don't see how ethical reasons can play a role here.

[FullLengthFox]

The principle that fur is not needed for warmth does not mean that it is not needed at all. Fur lovers need fur for other purposes and faux fur is still far from being a real substitute (IMO). Other than that, I support your point of view in that there is infinitely more animal suffering in meat production than for fur. 

[LeComte]

As long as people want meat and fur, there is a "need," although I'd agree that it is not a question of life and dead.

I also support that there is more animal suffering for meat than for fur. As I heard enough first hand stories of slaughterhouses, I try to eat "better" meat (more locally from butchers and farmers I trust or hunters).

Yet I am still totally ok with killing animals for my consumption and I'm also ok if animals suffer for my pleasure.

And a mink you wear for 40 years "lives" longer than the chicken you eat on one evening. That's also why I can tolerate animal suffering much more for fur.