Testing Chat IV: A New Hope

[Stofsk]

But on a more serious note, how is encouraging veganism political change? I can see the philosophical part, but political? Unless they're advocating laws banning all meat and dairy consumption but I'm not aware of any serious movement to actually do that. Maybe against factory farms or something but an actual meat/dairy prohibition?

The meat industry isn't apolitical. Especially wrt trade between nations where serious cash is at stake. This has even been in the news in Australia recently and several years ago (live animal exports being particularly controversial here, where the animals are slaughtered rather inhumanely at their destination in comparison to how they would be slaughtered here). As such agitating towards change by way of increasing and promoting veganism would result in some industries being forced to change, if successful.

[RogueIce]

I would require everyone who wants to eat meat to get a license
to maintain it they'd have to go to an abattoir every two years and personally kill a cow & watch the life drain out of its eyes etc etc
selling meat to someone without a license would be punishable by a fine

Oh go buck some apples, you.

[Darksi4190]

I would require everyone who wants to eat meat to get a license
to maintain it they'd have to go to an abattoir every two years and personally kill a cow & watch the life drain out of its eyes etc etc
selling meat to someone without a license would be punishable by a fine

See, the dude on campus this morning, despite being kind of annoying, didn't really piss me off that much.

you, on the other hand, can go eat a dick.

[Flagg]

I'm not a vegan fan, but the world would arguably be much better off if we didn't raise and slaughter huge masses of animals. Just the environment alone would improve. You'd avoid pigshit lagoon overflows into rivers and all sorts of other nasty shit, not to mention climate change. There's also the health aspect. Pumping animals full of antibiotics so they can survive in horrid conditions creates resistant diseases. Also red meat isn't good for you like at all.

[evilsoup]

tsk tsk tsk darksider
don't you know that's a homophobic/misogynist insult

[Glass Fort MacLeod]

*points up at Stofsk's very relevant and cogent point, and surrounds it with glowing neon arrows*

[evilsoup]

I know, morally, that I should be a vegetarian at the very least - probably a vegan really, since egg and milk farming are both linked up with the dodgy big farming industry
but bacon is so tasty

[RogueIce]

But on a more serious note, how is encouraging veganism political change? I can see the philosophical part, but political? Unless they're advocating laws banning all meat and dairy consumption but I'm not aware of any serious movement to actually do that. Maybe against factory farms or something but an actual meat/dairy prohibition?

The meat industry isn't apolitical. Especially wrt trade between nations where serious cash is at stake. This has even been in the news in Australia recently and several years ago (live animal exports being particularly controversial here, where the animals are slaughtered rather inhumanely at their destination in comparison to how they would be slaughtered here). As such agitating towards change by way of increasing and promoting veganism would result in some industries being forced to change, if successful.

I guess. Don't really see it except in some vague abstract way though. I don't see why fewer people eating meat would in any way encourage more humane slaughter of animals for food, unless you convert enough people they just go out of business. Are the inhumane ways cheaper? If so one would think lesser profits (from fewer people eating meat) would only encourage those methods to cut costs.

But then I'm operating on the belief that "going vegan" is just a dietary thing, rather than automatically engaging in the political sphere and that all vegans must therefore be animal rights activists.

[Aaron]

Vegan food is fucking delicious.

That is all.

[Darksi4190]

I know, morally, that I should be a vegetarian at the very least - probably a vegan really, since egg and milk farming are both linked up with the dodgy big farming industry
but bacon is so tasty

Pork is the one meat i've ever had any guilt about consuming because of the similar mental capacities of pigs and dogs. I was raised around dogs, and couldn't fathom killing one and eating it. But like you said, bacon is so tasty.

Seriously. Pork is the only one. I'll scarf down Veal without a second thought, but every once and a while i'll wonder if I should be eating pigs.

[Zod]

All of the vegans I know identify that way because of the politics. The rest call themselves vegetarians.

[Darksi4190]

Vegan food is fucking delicious.

That is all.

Clearly you have eaten different Vegan food than I have.

[RogueIce]

I know, morally, that I should be a vegetarian at the very least - probably a vegan really, since egg and milk farming are both linked up with the dodgy big farming industry

Eh I don't follow that. You can certainly push for the more humane treatment and slaughter of food animals without having to give up meat as a whole.

I'm not as up on the latest WRT veganism but doesn't it still require vitamin supplements and stuff to account for the total lack of meat and dairy in the diet? That to me says that, on a biological level humans are supposed to eat meat and dairy, at least to some degree. And I don't feel that just because we could alter that thanks to modern medicine means that we therefore must do so as some kind of moral imperative.

[evilsoup]

I can see cutting down on meat for health reasons, but cutting out of your diet entirely? I can't imagine doing that for anything other than political/moral reasons.

Anyway, I've just had a vegan stir-fry, and I can confirm that it was delicious.

[RogueIce]

All of the vegans I know identify that way because of the politics. The rest call themselves vegetarians.

Labels. So annoying because they're so vague.

But anyway my general understanding was that vegetarians can have dairy but no meat, vegans means no meat and no dairy. I never had any distinct political views associated with the term, though of course there's certainly plenty of overlap.

[Darksi4190]

I can see cutting down on meat for health reasons, but cutting out of your diet entirely? I can't imagine doing that for anything other than political/moral reasons.

Anyway, I've just had a vegan stir-fry, and I can confirm that it was delicious.

I'm sure there's some stuff that doesn't use meat or dairy that tastes great, but the first thing that always comes to mind when I think "vegan food" is those god-awful meat substitutes. There were pictures of a bunch of them in the pamphlet and it they were just disgusting to look at.

[Aaron]

Vegan food is fucking delicious.

That is all.

Clearly you have eaten different Vegan food than I have.

My sister was one, now a vegitarian. But she made some fantastic stuff.

I had a SoL black bean patty yesterday on a gluten free hamburger bun, better then any fast food.

[evilsoup]

darksider, do you want some recipes?

[Darksi4190]

Seeing as my cooking skills are pretty much limited to "make ramen noodles" and "order pizza," I don't see how it would do much good.

[RogueIce]

Ha, at least I can make Easy Mac and Pop Tarts.

[Darksi4190]

I bow to your superior culinary skills.

[RogueIce]

As you should, young one.

[Darksi4190]

Young one?

Didn't you just see me bitching about turning 26 and getting all old and shit?

[RogueIce]

Old and young is relative, whippersnapper.

[RogueIce]

PS: I'm 28.