Eating meat 'as bad as smoking'
Options
Replies
-
I would venture to guess the lifestyle which benefits the most from modern technology and modern agriculture is the vegan lifestyle. Simply put, it would have been much more difficult if not impossible to be a vegan back when you had to worry about the seasonality of crops or being able to preserve them for longer periods of time.
Think about it like this; as humans don't have wings it is not "biologically appropriate" for humans to fly yet technology allows for that to happen to our great benefit. Science/technology/knowledge/understanding allows us to reach beyond our biological limitations and take advantage of life in a way that wasn't possible for our ancestors. Perhaps the vegan lifestyle fits into that category. Just because something is new doesn't mean that it is bad.
Eh, it kind of is when one of the biggest reasons people go vegan is ethical and environmental. This is particularly the case when they eat foods that have to be flown in (in addition to the already-mentioned fact that the act of farming, in general, kills untold amounts of soil organisms and small animals, or that even eating plants requires that one kill and/or maim and/or deprive potential life of an organism). If you don't live near the ocean, you can't get sea vegetables locally, and therefore require the burning of fossil fuels and the killing of animals (the death of birds caught in jet engines, or hit by trucks) to get your food. Same goes for avocados and chia if you don't live in Central America or near the Mexican border (if you're American), coconuts if you don't live in Thailand or the coastal areas in which they grow, or pineapples if you don't live in South America (among a host of other foods). Then, there's the fact that any soy- or corn-based product that you buy (from America, at least) that's not organic is genetically modified monoculture (the organic might be monoculture, too, I'm not sure), which does a number on the local environment and depletes the soil to the point that fertilizers are required (which introduces a number of other issues).0 -
I would've rather beat a veggie, but couldn't find a pic LOL!0 -
I would venture to guess the lifestyle which benefits the most from modern technology and modern agriculture is the vegan lifestyle. Simply put, it would have been much more difficult if not impossible to be a vegan back when you had to worry about the seasonality of crops or being able to preserve them for longer periods of time.
Think about it like this; as humans don't have wings it is not "biologically appropriate" for humans to fly yet technology allows for that to happen to our great benefit. Science/technology/knowledge/understanding allows us to reach beyond our biological limitations and take advantage of life in a way that wasn't possible for our ancestors. Perhaps the vegan lifestyle fits into that category. Just because something is new doesn't mean that it is bad.
Eh, it kind of is when one of the biggest reasons people go vegan is ethical and environmental. This is particularly the case when they eat foods that have to be flown in (in addition to the already-mentioned fact that the act of farming, in general, kills untold amounts of soil organisms and small animals, or that even eating plants requires that one kill and/or maim and/or deprive potential life of an organism). If you don't live near the ocean, you can't get sea vegetables locally, and therefore require the burning of fossil fuels and the killing of animals (the death of birds caught in jet engines, or hit by trucks) to get your food. Same goes for avocados and chia if you don't live in Central America or near the Mexican border (if you're American), coconuts if you don't live in Thailand or the coastal areas in which they grow, or pineapples if you don't live in South America (among a host of other foods). Then, there's the fact that any soy- or corn-based product that you buy (from America, at least) that's not organic is genetically modified monoculture (the organic might be monoculture, too, I'm not sure), which does a number on the local environment and depletes the soil to the point that fertilizers are required (which introduces a number of other issues).
None of this has anything to do with whether or not the vegan lifestyle is healthy or if it is a "dangerous" way of eating which is the point I am trying to argue against.
BTW, all of these things you mention can just as easily apply to the effects of the paleo diet as well. (I think you may be trying to make that point and if so I apologize for being redundant.)
But whatever, I am sure there are some vegans which are huge ****s and incredible hypocrites. You can find that anywhere (including the paleo community) so it doesn't serve anyone to get all high and mighty about what this person does or what that person does or whether being vegan is awesome or stupid. Who cares? As far as your average Wal-Mart/McDonald's customer is concerned all vegans/vegetarians/paleos/primals are stupidly missing the boat on $1 cheeseburgers and tacos.0 -
"But whatever, I am sure there are some vegans which are huge ****s and incredible hypocrites. You can find that anywhere (including the paleo community) so it doesn't serve anyone to get all high and mighty about what this person does or what that person does or whether being vegan is awesome or stupid. Who cares? As far as your average Wal-Mart/McDonald's customer is concerned all vegans/vegetarians/paleos/primals are stupidly missing the boat on $1 cheeseburgers and tacos."
Thank you. ^^^^^^ This.0
