This is why I don't like the 'avid' vegans...

[silverthorne]

I tend to get knee-jerk reactions to articles like this before I even read most of it, because the whole tone just pisses me off.

Such as: "Once these other factors are figured in, you have to put three times more energy into producing one pound of beef than the beef itself provides.".

My first thought?

"Well, yeah. But then, when we were just good little monkeys with sticks and stones, we output five to eight times more energy (as do most predatory animals to this day) than we consumed just to try and catch a mammoth or wild ox for dinner. Nevermind actually getting to eat it after if it doesn't escape and/or screw up one of our tribe mates."

Yeah, there are some good points, but the self righteous tone still bumps it down to 'meat is bad, and if you eat it, so are you.'

Fine. Once you're done taking that source of nutrition away though, I'd like to see you puzzle out the problems that farming for massive commercial interests and needs create and does to the planet. How are you going to 'stop' that rape of the planet without killing all food sources? We have to eat something, sweetcheeks. Or are you planning to have us eat each other? (Soylent Green! YUM!)

Okay, done ranting. (And no, I don't equate all vegan and vegeterians as being preachy and crazy and all that. I see nothing wrong with wanting to have that diet. It's just not my own choice. ;) ). And now I'll go back and read the damned article with as open a mind as I can manage.

Comments

[pandamonious.livejournal.com]

Hardcore vegans and vegetarians annoy me quite a bit. But I'm a vegetarian myself, though I don't stick my nose in places where it doesn't belong and bitch about people eating meat. I'm fine with it, I just wish there was a better and cleaner way of going around "producing" it. I still respect the independent companies (Whole Foods is the best one) and private farmers who give out natural meat. And by natural meat I mean without all the growth hormones and whatnot that are added in big commercial meat...producers to make the cows get bigger so they can be 'processed' faster. Whereas natural meat is from cows who are let out to graze and live a healthy, natural life, but it still gets killed and it's meat goes to market. But it's more healthier meat! yay!

We brought the problems on ourselves, we should have thought about all the crap before we created it so all this global warming would've had a lesser chance of happening. But I'm sure in a few years or so we can solve the animal poo problem (like making poo energy!) and pollution and whatnot.

Unfortunately..., a good portion of the planet is polluted only with idiotic people. In that case -- I'm totally comfortable with eating each other.. we are animals after all! Kill and eat the stupid people (or just trap them and feed them to the polar bears and wolves, yay polar bears and wolves!) and that leaves all us smart people to correct everything and make good choices for the enviornment so cows, pigs, chickens, etcetera can be cleanly produced for meat! Yay for intelligence! :B

Btw your facepalm icon is fudging awesome.

[skywardprodigal.livejournal.com]

I view this sort of thing as posturing. Kinda like that of certain hunter-types really.

Check this out (http://steelgrrrlmai.livejournal.com/65935.html).