Poll on meat-eating

[ComradeBadger]

Heh. I do guiltily have a kebab now and then on the way back from the pub

But I don't generally eat many overly sweet/salty things - I've never had a problem with my teeth in any way.

I've my upbringing to thank for that.

 

[jabberwock95]

Its pretty hard to defend the meat-eating argument (unless you're maddox of course).

Cruelty to animals is unavoidable in some cases. Animals get run over, they get diseases, they fall down mine shafts, the world is a cruel place. I try to eat 'free-range' produce whenever I can, because if an animal has had a good (albeit slightly short) life and a painless death, I dont see what else can be done to improve the system. Basically, if its as good or better than an animal would get in the wild, im happy.

 

[CptStern]

I personally don't eat fast food...ever. It's disgusting for a huge number of reasons. The meat I eat most often actually comes directly from people we know.

he's a cannibal!!!

For example, I have some uncles who hunt deer and supply us with an unbelieveable amount of natural, incredibly tasty venison.

hunting makes baby stern cry ;(

 

[jmjneary]

your leaving out the fruitarians

you know only eat stuff that falls from trees and doesnt have to be picked out of the ground

 

[qckbeam]

he's a cannibal!!!

I can't help myself

hunting makes baby stern cry ;(

Why? It's certainly better than the systemic breeding and killing of animals from a humanity viewpoint. It's just the way of the world.

 

[CptStern]

I can't help myself

dont let it all go to your thighs ...human meat is fatty

Why? It's certainly better than the systemic breeding and killing of animals from a humanity viewpoint. It's just the way of the world.

I agree it is more humane ...if it's used for what it's supposed used...... doesnt mean I have to like it

 

[Angry Lawyer]

And it seems pretty obvious to me that animals dont want to die

Its also pretty obvious that plants don't want to die. They're alive too.

-Angry Lawyer

 

[OvA]

http://maddox.xmission.com/bigpot6.jpg

 

[RakuraiTenjin]

i dont see how the chinse eat cats and dogs...ITS YOUR FUUKIN PET! WHY WOULD YOU EAT A HOUSE PET

Typical flawed logic. Hindus might wonder "OH MY GOD HOW CAN YOU EAT CATTLE OH DEAR OH NOOOOO"

You're subject to be close to cats and dogs because yoiu feel they're somehow 'above' and different than other animals, simply because they're domesticated. I see no problem with eating any animal. The only reason I wouldn't is because I would think it's gross myself or bad tasting, another person might think it's delicious and excellent and that's fine.

 

[Ikerous]

Its also pretty obvious that plants don't want to die.

Am i the only one at a loss for words at this comment?
(Well, nice ones at least )

 

[Glirk Dient]

dont let it all go to your thighs ...human meat is fatty

The brain is too good to pass up...mmm...brains!

 

[CptStern]

Typical flawed logic. Hindus might wonder "OH MY GOD HOW CAN YOU EAT CATTLE OH DEAR OH NOOOOO"

do you know why they wont eat cattle?

because of this:

Ahimsa

(Sankscrit) "non-violence" The practice of avoiding harm to any living creature, even an insect.


that said, most hindu sects are vegetarian, but not all hindus are vegetarian ...just like not all christians follow the commandments to the letter

 

[RakuraiTenjin]

do you know why they wont eat cattle?

because of this:

Ahimsa

(Sankscrit) "non-violence" The practice of avoiding harm to any living creature, even an insect.


that said, most hindu sects are vegetarian, but not all hindus are vegetarian ...just like not all christians follow the commandments to the letter

That's interesting. I was just using it as an example of a group being disgusted at us for eating a certain animal, to show how stupid it's probably perceived in Asia to be flipping out about dogs or cats for food.

 

[Edgar]

"You are what I eat, so much flesh, so much meat.. with my hands your skull I will beat.. leave your carcass on the street!"

Any animal that taste good to people are ok to eat. Humans are not ment to eat other humans, so thats why man-flesh doesn't taste well to other Humans. What purpose do chickens and cows serve besides giving us eggs, meat, milk?

 

[Kamikazie]

ever since i was a child i hated veggies (more than other kids) if my parents tried to sneak it into my food i could smell it before it hit my mouth, and i am still the same today hate veggies, i tried to eat lettuce and tomatos the other day i practically puked up everything, so i have been eating meat (as long as its not dog, cat, parakeet, and all those other pets) ever since.

 

[<RJMC>]

I didnt read the whole thing but I agreed whit the guy that say that we are omnivors so we eat meat too to live and sure that hav helped the human race to survive

 

[JoeCLawrence]

Humans are meant to eat meat, so I'm completely okay with it. Besides, there's nothing like a good steak.

 

[OCybrManO]

Humans are meant to eat meat

No, actually from a biological/anatomical standpoint our bodies are obviously designed for us to be herbivores. Just because it doesn't kill us immediately it means we were designed to do it? Eating large amounts of meat as a long-term diet causes health problems... in the same way that eating nothing but candy, staying in the sun too long, or never excercising will cause health problems over time.

I'd rather not sit here and type a report on it or anything. I'll see if I can find someone else that has already done it for me.

EDIT: These are all from the first page of google results for [humans designed to eat meat].

http://www.all-creatures.org/mhvs/nl-2003-wi-meat.html
http://www.ul.ie/~sextonb/eatmeat.htm
http://www.celestialhealing.net/physicalveg3.htm
http://www.rense.com/general20/meant.htm

I don't think I saw any sites that claimed otherwise. It seems that it's pretty much agreed upon that humans are not designed to eat meat.

 

[RakuraiTenjin]

No, actually from a biological/anatomical standpoint our bodies are obviously designed for us to be herbivores. Just because it doesn't kill us immediately it means we were designed to do it? Eating large amounts of meat as a long-term diet causes health problems... in the same way that eating nothing but candy, staying in the sun too long, or never excercising will cause health problems over time.

I'd rather not sit here and type a report on it or anything. I'll see if I can find someone else that has already done it for me.

He didn't say we were meant to eat ONLY meat, and no, we weren't herbivores, what's the explanation for our canine teeth then? Omnivores, yes and we still are, but some study that claims we're herbivores doesn't change thousands of years of human history, from early man hunting mastadon and other big game to today.

 

[OCybrManO]

He said humans were meant to eat meat... meaning that our digestive tract and our bodily structure were designed to kill and eat meat. It's obvious that we were designed in quite the opposite manner. In fact, because of the way we are built, hunting was not really possible until we started making tools and weapons... and they most likely only resorted to killing for food because other sources of food became scarce (maybe an ice age or a drought). Who said anything about humans not being able to eat/digest meat? The most I said was that long-term diets that include a lot of meat cause lots of health problems... and they do. There's no getting around it.

I only posted that because his argument for eating meat is that we are supposed to eat meat. I don't care if you do something that harms yourself. I don't care if you get clogged arteries, arteriosclerosis, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, a heart attack, etc. I just thought everyone should know.

Also, I don't know about you, but my canines are neither sharp nor protruding... nothing like the teeth of a carnivore.

Anyway, the articles are there now, so read them... or not... whatever.

 

[Angry Lawyer]

Bloody moron -_- I mean.. don't read this!

Thanks for that.
But if a plant was given a choice, do you think it'd say yes to being eaten? Its made of organic matter, in the same way as a cow is. Therefore, I'm going to eat them both.

-Angry Lawyer

 

[OCybrManO]

Thanks for that.
But if a plant was given a choice, do you think it'd say yes to being eaten? Its made of organic matter, in the same way as a cow is. Therefore, I'm going to eat them both.

-Angry Lawyer

I'm sure Angry Lawyers are made of organic matter, too... right? They aren't cyborgs with frickin' LASERs on their foreheads and tranquilizing and/or poisonous gas that shoots out of their nipples... are they?!?

 

[Angry Lawyer]

I'm sure Angry Lawyers are made of organic matter, too... right? They aren't cyborgs with frickin' LASERs on their foreheads and tranquilizing and/or poisonous gas that shoots out of their nipples... are they?!?

Yup, which is why sharks and other predators don't think twice before eating people.

-Angry Lawyer

 

[ríomhaire]

Yup, which is why sharks and other predators don't think twice before eating people.

-Angry Lawyer

Sharks in general don't attack humans.

 

[Glirk Dient]

We are herbivores. We have sharp teeth, much like a T-rex. The T-rex has sharp teeth to shred plants, because he is an herbivore.

 

[OCybrManO]

Whether or not that's sarcasm...

Shark tooth: http://info.esc.net.au/~dasimpson/p77 RESIZED.jpg

T-Rex tooth: http://www.greatsouth.net/scstore/graphics/frp181b.jpg

Horse teeth: http://www.horsekeeping.com/images/teeth-maturehorse-opt.jpg

Human teeth: http://whyfiles.org/shorties/147tooth/images/teeth.jpg

We don't have sharp teeth. Our sharpest teeth are like butter knives compared to the teeth of carnivores. We have flat teeth and jaws that are designed to grind food.

I say this only because people often (even a couple of times in this thread) say "but what about our canines? they're sharp!"

 

[The Monkey]

Sharks and T-Rexes are/were carnivore, while the hourse is herbivore. Humans are omnivore, which means we got both carnivore teeth (front six teeth in upper and lower jaw) and herbivore teeth (inner teeth).

 

[OCybrManO]

Sharks and T-Rexes are/were carnivore, while the hourse is herbivore. Humans are omnivore, which means we got both carnivore teeth (front six teeth in upper and lower jaw) and herbivore teeth (inner teeth).

Incisors and canines are present in many herbivores... including horses. They aren't unique to carnivores and omnivores. There are hard non-meat foods that can't fit into our mouth (like apples, celery, carrots, etc) that need to be bitten off with the incisors and/or canines before being ground down with the molars.

 

[Glirk Dient]

Whether or not that's sarcasm...

Shark tooth: http://info.esc.net.au/~dasimpson/p77 RESIZED.jpg

T-Rex tooth: http://www.greatsouth.net/scstore/graphics/frp181b.jpg

Horse teeth: http://www.horsekeeping.com/images/teeth-maturehorse-opt.jpg

Human teeth: http://whyfiles.org/shorties/147tooth/images/teeth.jpg

We don't have sharp teeth. Our sharpest teeth are like butter knives compared to the teeth of carnivores. We have flat teeth and jaws that are designed to grind food.

I say this only because people often (even a couple of times in this thread) say "but what about our canines? they're sharp!"

What about dogs and wolfs?

 

[Angry Lawyer]

Sharks in general don't attack humans.

But when they do, they don't think about your opinion on being eaten.

If we were supposed to be vegetarians, why don't we have a second stomach with which to digest grass and other whatnot? And why does meat taste SO DAMN GOOOOOOOOD!!!!

-Angry Lawyer

 

[CptStern]

"...when we examine the way flesh is captured, killed, distributed, and eaten, it becomes readily apparent that chimp flesh-eating is merely a social pathology, just as it is in the human"

meat consists of 1.4 % of a chimpanze's diet


- Jane Goodall

 

[OCybrManO]

What about dogs and wolfs?

Dog teeth: http://www.vetmed.wsu.edu/ClientED/anatomy/images/dog_teeth.jpg
Wolf teeth: http://schreckenslairwww.schreckensart.homestead.com/files/wolf_mask_teeth.jpg

Even their molars are sharp/jagged to assist in tearing rather than grinding (which doesn't work as well on soft, stringy, chewy foods like raw meat).

Now, what some people keep using as evidence that humans are omnivores is that they can eat meat. No one is disputing that. The topic is whether or not we were designed to be meat-eaters. Carnivores can be fed plants and herbivores can be fed meat... it's not good for them in the long run because their body is not made to handle it... and problems arise... like when cholesterol and fat builds up in an herbivore or when the carnivore can't get certain fatty acids (just an example, I'm not an expert on what solely carnivorous animals can and cannot get from a vegetarian diet) that his body never needed to produce (because they're found in meat).

Also, before anyone asks... here's a picture of Poland. See? I didn't forget Poland.

 

[Glirk Dient]

http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a3_087.html

Like the hard-core carnivores, we have fairly simple digestive systems well suited to the consumption of animal protein, which breaks down quickly.

Herbivores also have a variety of specialized digestive organs capable of breaking down cellulose, the main component of plant tissue. Humans find cellulose totally indigestible...

 

[Pesmerga]

We are herbivores. We have sharp teeth, much like a T-rex. The T-rex has sharp teeth to shred plants, because he is an herbivore.

Hahaha, I love Bible preaching

 

[OCybrManO]

http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a3_087.html

Cellulose requires a lot of work to digest. The human body has a different use for cellulose. It adds bulk to the diet in order to clean the digestive tract and maintain proper peristaltic actions of the intestines. It's a major part of what people refer to as fiber. Without fiber in your diet you are at a significantly increased risk of problems such as colon cancer. Also, there are plenty of more digestable sources of the carbohydrates the human body requires. It could just be that it was just not effective/practical while still maintaining the same benefits that come with being human... or it could be that an organ in the human body used to produce cellulose-digesting bacteria (hey, the appendix is just sitting there doing nothing)... or, yes, we could be omnivores... I'll give you that.

I still say meat is just there as an option, at best, because our teeth and jaw designs are lacking in that deparment and mostly meat diets are scientifically proven to be unhealthy, while vegetarians are usually in great shape and have less health problems. What we can and should eat are very different. Just because I can eat fat and protein without any carbs for quite a while without notincing bad effects... it doesn't mean I should. Though, being exact with what you need to eat would be complex and time consuming. Our body stores reserves for just that reason. If it doesn't get enough of something it dips into the reserves until your diet balances out again. If it gets too much of something it tries to store or dispose of the excess. Sure, there are some safeguards, but in the long run, not having a healthy diet can be deadly.

Also, you're comparing the difficulty of breaking down large, complex carbohydrates with relatively simple proteins (which are not unique to animal meat). It would be almost like saying we were meant to be candyvores because we digest sugars like glucose easily and not a specific type of molecule in another food... even though following that diet we get fat, have a greater risk of diabetes, and other health problems.

EDIT: BTW, I still eat meat. I haven't been able to stop myself, yet.

 

[Glirk Dient]

Vegetarians are only more healthy because most meat eating americans over do it and get no excersize. If this was back in the caveman days then eating meat would be a necessity since we wouldn't be able to easily find plants to find that nutrition. That is the reason we are omnivores.

Also note that our intestine length is inbetween that of herbivores and carnivores.

 

[el Chi]

Animals are cute but also too tasty to not eat.

Seconded.

There are certain animals it's not ok to eat - endangered species, for example - but if people want to eat dogs or hamsters or whatever, then let them, so long as the animal isn't put through a lot of suffering beforehand.
Example: Veal. In principle, it's a horrendous, cullinary slab of evil but in practise it tastes so bloody good. MMmmmmmmm. I can't really bring myself to eat it anymore (not that the opportunity arises very often, mind - my lazy butler always "forgets" the veal, tiger and small child when he goes to the butchers) it's just too wrong.

Here's something that pisses me off about certain "vegetarians": The ones who don't eat meat "on principle" but then eat fish. Their claim is that fish don't feel or some such nonsense. However, if an abbatoir killed, say, baby veal calves by DROWNING them, they'd be up in arms.
Silly, smug, self-righteous hypocrites.
If you're gonna do it, do it properly.

 

[Absinthe]

I just realized that I'm quoted in 3 people's sigs. :O

 

[Pesmerga]

I just realized that I'm quoted in 3 people's sigs. :O

I'm the highlight of 3 people's sigs as well.

 

[Angry Lawyer]

Here's something that pisses me off about certain "vegetarians": The ones who don't eat meat "on principle" but then eat fish.

That pisses me off, too. Vegetarians like these don't do it because they feel its wrong to eat meat, they just want to save what they consider "cute" animals. Fish aren't the most huggable things, while calves, bunnies, dolphins, and pigs are. Its the same sort that go "no, I don't eat meat" and then go "Eww! Big spider!" and proceed to stamp on it. Man, people like that piss me off so much that I have to run outside the house, pick up an annoyingly cute puppy, and swallow it whole.
Vegetarians that are willing to go the whole nine yards and cut suffering to animals completely out of their lives, instead of being selective, get my respect. But I still proceed to waft my great-tasting three-meat type sandwiches in front of their faces.

-Angry Lawyer