Humane Meat: A Contradiction in Terms
Posted by Anonymous on Aug 07, 2007 · Member since Dec 1969 · 11789 posts
Here's an article from the Huffington Post regarding the new trend in labeling some meat as "humane" and the debate as to what defines such a term. Nice to see that most of the comments are from veggies/vegans and not just those blasting the article (which I expected to see more of)....
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bruce-friedrich/humane-meat-a-contradict_b_58547.html
Good question he asks: "Would you be willing to cut an animal's throat?" For most of us, taking an animal's life is anathema; we just wouldn't do it.
I think if most people had to hunt or kill for their meat they would not being eating much of it, if any at all. Packaged dead rotting flesh available in every supermarket has just made it too easy.
It's an interesting article. I know there is a farm in upstate NY that sells "honored life" beef. Their premise is that their cows are treated with dignity and respect while they are alive. Basically, they're allowed to be cows, eat grass, frolick on the fields all day, etc. But, obviously, in the end they are killed. Albeit, not in a way that tortures the life out of them.
My own S/O eats organic meat from a local farm. He visits the farm to pick up his meat, and is able to see the animals up close, how they live, etc. It's much the same set up as the "honored life" beef in upstate NY.
Would he kill an animal? He has assisted on the farm himself. He believes in taking responsibility for what he eats, and since he can't have a cow in his condo or chickens on his roof - instead, he's helped out on that farm in various capacities - including killing.
I'm probably not the person to comment on this. I chose the vegan diet for health reasons.
Personally, I don't think a 100% vegan world is possible. 6 billion people aren't going to willingly choose to be vegans, and I don't think forcing them via laws is appropriate. It bothers me when people eat meat from factory farms due to the cruelty aspect of it, and the environmental aspect. I'm not really bothered by people choosing to eat meat from small farms that don't torture their animals.
I think, in the end, all of that will be phased out anyway and we'll grow meat in labs - not the animal, just the meat. Humane all around. We'll have to do that as we simply won't have enough room to sustain the growing population of humans otherwise. Either way, economics will take care of the inhumaneness of this. Eventually, it will be more cost effective to simply grow a steak in a lab. At which point, cows, pigs, chickens, etc. will simply be phased out. They can't live in what's left of the wild, so they'll simply go extinct.
"And how ethical is it to pay someone to do things that are wholly unnecessary and too atrocious to watch?"
Great article.
Ecstatic: A vegan world is *possible*. No, most people probably will not choose to be vegan, or even vegetarian. But that does not mean that vegetarianism, for those people, is impossible.
You're right, of course. Anything is possible. The word I should have used is "realistic." I don't think a 100% vegan world is realistic.
I inadvertently started a maelstrom on an e-mail group I'm on by letting a new member know (after she went off on a tirade about PETA) that I'm a vegetarian. Apparently Mormons aren't supposed to be vegetarians. ??? Anyway, it got this huge discussion with the general consensus being that if they had to slaughter their own meat or see it slaughtered, they would be vegetarians; but since they can get their meat in nice, sterile packages, they're fine with it.
I'm not vegan yet--I'm still adjusting to vegetarian (2 months). But I swear, every time I see a package of meat, I see that animal's eyes looking at me. I see my dog looking at me. I just can't do it. If you know how the meat got into that nice sterile package, how can you stand to eat it?
Apparently Mormons aren't supposed to be vegetarians. ???
Not true. Mormons are supposed to follow the Word of Wisdom. The WoW emphasizes fruits, veggies, and grains, specifically states that meat is to "not be used, only in times of winter, or of cold, or famine."
So, I think that Mormonism would "allow" vegetarianism, seeing as how there really is no shortage of veggies.
But, don't take my word for it. I've not been to church in at least 8 years, so...
Apparently Mormons aren't supposed to be vegetarians. ???
Not true. Mormons are supposed to follow the Word of Wisdom. The WoW emphasizes fruits, veggies, and grains, specifically states that meat is to "not be used, only in times of winter, or of cold, or famine."
So, I think that Mormonism would "allow" vegetarianism, seeing as how there really is no shortage of veggies.
No, I know. I was being sarcastic. I told one of my non-LDS friends last night that since there is no shortage of veggies, grains, etc., there's really no need for me to be eating meat. I mean, even in the winter, I can hie myself to the grocery store and find plenty to eat.
But I haven't been to church much lately myself.
Exactly!
PS: Hie! I <3 u for using that word!
I need a cup of tea; I misread this thread as "Human Meat" instead of Humane...
Well, folks, it's only a matter of time, what with GMOs.... :P
Apparently Mormons aren't supposed to be vegetarians. ???
Not true. Mormons are supposed to follow the Word of Wisdom. The WoW emphasizes fruits, veggies, and grains, specifically states that meat is to "not be used, only in times of winter, or of cold, or famine."
That's very interesting.... that's my answer for the silly omni argument about why we have two sets of intestines... I honestly believe that we evolved so that we can digest meat "in emergency situations" (winter, cold, famine) not as a regular every day thing!
We no longer need to eat meat in winter, cold and I haven't seen any local famines lately.
And that goes back to something I've noticed since I quit eating meat. I digest my food in record time. There's not any meat in there anymore, rotting and clogging things up. I'm really working on moving to vegan, but I'm getting so much resistance from my husband that it's infuriating. He's finally starting to accept the whole vegetarian thing, and I'm not ready to spring vegan on him just yet.
Which--while I'm on the subject--why does it matter to anyone else what I put in my mouth? I don't get it.