Thinking of going vegan

drmerc

I can't speak for that poster, but when most vegans bring up the idea of eating cats or dogs, it's more to question why it's so different. America went crazy when they sold horse meat, but don't balk at ground beef because that's been "normalized". The question is more "why love one and eat the other?" What really makes my dog, whom I love dearly, so much different from a goat or cow or pig?

Cattle do not show near as much affection as a dog and make for lousy house pets. lol. In the smart *kitten* remark.

But in seriousness, they're just things that have been eaten for years. Same as buffalo, fish, etc. Some where in time, some human took a bite, said it was good, found some kind of benefit and it was just accepted. The human didn't die from it, but back in time... your serving of meat wasn't the size of your head.

I see. So because it's tradition makes it okay?

Don't get me wrong here, I ate meat for the first fifteen years of my life and even went so far as to make fun of "those vegans". But just because something is "the way things have always been" is not enough to justify them.

if you weren't supposed to eat animals they wouldn't be made out of meat

AngryDiet

I have a fish tank with fish in it. Yet I also eat fish.

But I wouldn't eat my fish, because they're way too small and wouldn't make a decent meal.

I LOL @ ethical vegans who wear leather shoes, belts, coats, etc...

shev11

I have been vegan for over 10 years now. I have had 3 children since then (who are also vegan), nursed etc. through it all..

This makes me so angry. Why should you force a lifestyle on a child just because it's your personal choice. Gah.

sjohnny

Also, if you were to raise carnivorous animals in large enough quantities to feed people it would be very expensive and you'd have to raise herbivores to feed them - so you might as well cut out the middle dog and just eat the herbivores. Also also, those carnivorous animals would likely be less domesticated by being out in feed lots or whatever and when you went to kill and eat them they'd try to kill and eat you back. Cows don't do that as much.

daffodilsoup

I have been vegan for over 10 years now. I have had 3 children since then (who are also vegan), nursed etc. through it all..

This makes me so angry. Why should you force a lifestyle on a child just because it's your personal choice. Gah.

People do this all the time with beliefs, religion, morals, expectations, etc. - it's called parenting.

sjohnny

Also also also, you'd have to have a big fcking dog to provide as much meat as one normal sized cow. He'd have to be like that one in the first Harry Potter story. I don't think they make dogs that big in real life.

sjohnny

I have been vegan for over 10 years now. I have had 3 children since then (who are also vegan), nursed etc. through it all..

This makes me so angry. Why should you force a lifestyle on a child just because it's your personal choice. Gah.

People do this all the time with beliefs, religion, morals, expectations, etc. - it's called parenting.

True.

deb3129

I have been vegan for over 10 years now. I have had 3 children since then (who are also vegan), nursed etc. through it all..

This makes me so angry. Why should you force a lifestyle on a child just because it's your personal choice. Gah.

People do this all the time with beliefs, religion, morals, expectations, etc. - it's called parenting.

Yep. Meat eaters feed their children meat. Invalid argument

DoomCakes

I can't speak for that poster, but when most vegans bring up the idea of eating cats or dogs, it's more to question why it's so different. America went crazy when they sold horse meat, but don't balk at ground beef because that's been "normalized". The question is more "why love one and eat the other?" What really makes my dog, whom I love dearly, so much different from a goat or cow or pig?

Cattle do not show near as much affection as a dog and make for lousy house pets. lol. In the smart *kitten* remark.

But in seriousness, they're just things that have been eaten for years. Same as buffalo, fish, etc. Some where in time, some human took a bite, said it was good, found some kind of benefit and it was just accepted. The human didn't die from it, but back in time... your serving of meat wasn't the size of your head.

I see. So because it's tradition makes it okay?

Don't get me wrong here, I ate meat for the first fifteen years of my life and even went so far as to make fun of "those vegans". But just because something is "the way things have always been" is not enough to justify them.

Basically. And like someone posted. It's not my pet. It's an animal raised specifically for consuming. Just like veggies that people grow just for eating. I never make fun of vegans, it's their life choice. It's not bad, but again, it's not for everyone. Someone who "loves meat too much" should just stick with what they love and modify their diet and make sure they're not eating more than they should. That's all there is to it. If she went vegan, she might miss meat, she might not.

No matter how you look at it, you will always need meat eaters in the world or you're going to have an over population problem. Deer are a great example. Very over populated. Some of them get very sick in the winter because of the fierce competition for food. Then they die a miserable, slow, painful death. Hunters help thin that number out. If I had a freezer I would hunt, deer meat is lean, delicious, and good for you. You're helping them, they're helping you. It's a circle. Humans are predators. Check the teeth. I could argue all day on why it's ok to eat meat. But all I'm saying is it's personal choice, and I'm not criticizing anyones decision for what's on their plate at the end of the day. I eat meat, I like meat, I'm going to probably always eat meat except for days I want some tempeh or something. You will always eat veggies etc. Either way, what you eat isn't causing a problem for me, and what I eat isn't causing a problem for you. No problems there.

lizziebeth1028

The choice to become a vegan should be based more in ethical reasons and a personal choice............not to be treated as a fad diet because you're trying to lose a few pounds.

I'm not a vegan. I'm not on here to bash vegans. I respect your life choice. Please respect mine.

sjohnny

Either way, what you eat isn't causing a problem for me, and what I eat isn't causing a problem for you. No problems there.

Wrong. What you eat is causing a problem for them. They are vegans because they believe that it is cruel to kill or otherwise exploit other animals. Them not eating meat doesn't affect us at all. You eating animals bothers them because there is an unnecessary loss of life being purposefully imposed on an unwilling subject. Just like people get in an uproar when a child is raped and murdered even though they didn't know that child.

DoomCakes

Either way, what you eat isn't causing a problem for me, and what I eat isn't causing a problem for you. No problems there.

Wrong. What you eat is causing a problem for them. They are vegans because they believe that it is cruel to kill or otherwise exploit other animals. Them not eating meat doesn't affect us at all. You eating animals bothers them because there is an unnecessary loss of life being purposefully imposed on an unwilling subject. Just like people get in an uproar when a child is raped and murdered even though they didn't know that child.

Well then... blah. I am going to go home and enjoy my steak that is thawing out and think how bad I am for killing a cow today so it could provide me with food compared to living a long life eating grass and pooping.

shev11

I have been vegan for over 10 years now. I have had 3 children since then (who are also vegan), nursed etc. through it all..

This makes me so angry. Why should you force a lifestyle on a child just because it's your personal choice. Gah.

People do this all the time with beliefs, religion, morals, expectations, etc. - it's called parenting.

Yep. Meat eaters feed their children meat. Invalid argument

and meat eating children get to eat a whole range of food and decide what they like, if a child is raised on a restrictive diet from birth they are missing out on so much. But then I also think it's unfair to raise a child in a certain religion just because it's what you believe. They should make their own choices when they are old enough!! But yeah, this isn't the point of the thread.

willwillywilson

Do you know how you can tell if someone is vegan? Don't worry. They'll f***in' tell you!

DoomCakes

Do you know how you can tell if someone is vegan? Don't worry. They'll f***in' tell you!

^ This... made my day. xD

UsedToBeHusky

I like tuna

Bentley2718

I was a vegan from 12 to 25, and I got pretty ill from it. I was sick all the time! Make sure you supplement your b vitamins and iron from the start because it's not a question of will you get a deficiency... it's a question of when. Tell your dr. about your diet and insist on getting blood work once a year. Also, be careful to get enough protein and fat or you will probably get low blood sugar problems. That being said, my Dr. loves my lipid panel, and my optometrist loves my blood vessles... and it's got to be from all those meat free years.

b12 is literally the only nutrient that cannot be obtained from a vegan diet. Other than that, there is no need to supplement a well balanced vegan diet. That said, not everyone eats a well balanced vegan diet, and some people choose supplements as an alternative. If you are interested in becoming vegan, I'd recommend the book "Vegan for Life" as it discusses vegan nutrition in detail.

RiverDancer68

I'm vegetarian (lacto/ovo), but only consume a small amount of eggs and dairy. It is purely ethical....I love the taste of meat, just not what has to be done in order to acquire it...my choice, and one I don't force on others. I wear leather and wool, but it is all recycled or repurposed...I don't buy new.

OP~Veganism isn't a diet, it is a lifestyle...and you have to be committed to abstaining from all animal products (shoes, clothes, lotion, etc...). Maybe aim to be a "pure" vegetarian, which is more of a dietary choice (same diet as a Vegan, though you might still eat honey and you will still wear or use other animal products). Go slowly, or not...I just jumped right in, and am just fine. I supplement with B-12 and D3 (but a lot of Vegan products have it added in anyway). Good luck, I grew up with a vegetarian mother, so it wasn't that big of a jump for me, but it sounds like you might have to do it in baby steps :drinker:

willwillywilson

I wear leather and wool, but it is all recycled or repurposed

Yes, an animal was using it and now you are.

RiverDancer68

**edited for bad humor