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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think if you had to kill the animal yourself you wouldn’t eat meat

418 replies

Starchime22 · 29/03/2018 20:31

First off I’m not vegetarian, although I’m starting to lean that way, (as in, I eat fish, and occasionally meat if I’m in a restaurant, but never buy or cook meat myself) so it’s not my intention to criticise or goad omnivores.

But I’ve been thinking about how I’d have no problem killing a fish to eat, (and have) but definitely couldn’t kill a cow or a pig, and probably not a chicken. I’m not sure how many people could, really.

Is it right to eat something you couldn’t bear to kill yourself? Or watch being killed? I’m not saying it isn’t, just interested in what people think.

OP posts:
Raven88 · 29/03/2018 23:25

@willsa but we don't have to kill animals for food anymore there are plenty alternatives to this.

Raven88 · 29/03/2018 23:26

Typo in first post. I meant meat not me Grin

moofolk · 29/03/2018 23:28

Opppsite OP. I was veggie for years then thought yes I could kill for foods and it's been bacon butties all the way since then.
I am however a very honest carnivore and won't lie to or mollycoddle the kids about where it comes from.

DairyisClosed · 29/03/2018 23:28

I hsve nothing against killing animals myself asides from the hassle. But I would regularly kill animals of that was the only way to get meat for my children. The reality is that many products I consume from milk to leather requires the killing of animals. I am very much aware of this and openly a knowledge it. It would be hypocritical to consume these products yet refuse to do the killing myself. I don't think the life of an animal is a particularly valuable one when you think about how they live. I have no qualms in ending one (arguably I do by providing consumer demand) so long as it is done humanely regardless of whether I was doing myself or paying for someone else to do it. Obviously it's not a pleasant thought which is why I often avoid eating meat or dairy (thoughts re where this stuff came from often pops up and isn't exactly great for my appetite. Don't like leather apholstered dining chairs for sane reason) and why I choose ethical animal products always. I just find it disrespectful and ignorant to consume these products while ignoring the deaths that made them possible. I've always been a bit morbid though.

SuffolkBumkin · 29/03/2018 23:34

.

To think if you had to kill the animal yourself you wouldn’t eat meat
sharkirasharkira · 29/03/2018 23:38

I would, and have. I don't have a problem with it at all.

TBH if I was in a survival situation I don't think there's anything I wouldn't eat in order to stay alive!

Katedotness1963 · 29/03/2018 23:40

Grew up on a farm. If I had to kill it myself, I wouldn't do it.

TheScottishPlay · 29/03/2018 23:41

It was the typos and grammar in your first post (where I think you say you're a teacher) Daffodillia.
Have no fear, I grew up on a farm and still live on one so I know the nitty gritty very well. DS and I are vegetarians - he is very well aware of the farm to plate process. DH preps his own meat but it's always from the farm shop I can see from my kitchen window. I insist on this at least.
I grow as much but not all our own and the pet rabbits' veg and herbs though - but nothing dies because of this.
As you will see from my pps, I shovel my own shit from time to time.

SleightOfMind · 29/03/2018 23:59

I’ve killed, skinned, gutted, cooked and eaten a fair few things and come the apocalypse, I could definitely butcher things cleanly (but not quickly or prettily).

Future generations are going to view our attitudes to other living creatures with horror though.
There really is no justification for eating mass farmed meat.

nooka · 30/03/2018 00:00

I've lived in a community which hunted and fished for food as well as a fair amount of farming too. Myself I've only fished for food (I am not great with aim or bangs so haven't hunted). In my experience the farmers and hunters are pretty proud with their accomplishment and enjoy eating and sharing their meat/fish. dd and ds had friends who were part of farming for children initiatives and they were also pretty proud of their livestock, farm to table. This seems to me far closer to a natural state than a city child who may never have seen animals in a field let alone consider eating them. The farm children I have known were very matter of fact about the animals, talking about and handling the lambs that didn't make it as if it was totally normal (because it was).

Puffycat · 30/03/2018 00:02

I pay the butcher conscience money

HildaZelda · 30/03/2018 00:06

I grew up on a farm. I haven't physically killed animals myself but I have seen them being killed and seen them being born. It's part of life.

NutElla5x · 30/03/2018 00:12

I couldn't even kill a fish but I don't see how that makes me wrong to eat it.I don't grow my vegetables either so should I feel wrong in eating them?

ALittleAubergine · 30/03/2018 00:16

I would definitely eat less meat as it would be so much more effort than just popping to the shop..... I grew up fishing and lived in a place where hunting was popular so I don't have problem with that. Oddly I would probably never eat cow, pig, lamb etc again. Probably because I would find it much harder to kill them than wild animals. Don't know why, maybe because I've never seen it done.

tygr · 30/03/2018 00:23

Couldn't be bothered to make my own cheese. Does that mean I shouldn't eat cheese?

BlondeB83 · 30/03/2018 00:27

I couldn’t/wouldn’t so I would definitely be vegetarian. I am the same as you OP, I eat a pescatarian diet at home with occasional meat when eating out.

AjasLipstick · 30/03/2018 00:29

I would if I was hungry. I'd wring a chicken's neck or whatever was the most humane way.

I don't think I could kill a pig or something though.

mehhh · 30/03/2018 00:42

I have eaten meat and dairy etc all of my life, but from a young age, after seeing animals in the truck on the way to the slaughterhouse, I have hated it, it broke my heart, I have said for a while I don't want to eat meat but have been talked and ridiculed out of it because I feel uncomfortable disagreeing with other people's opinions, but I recently decided that I was tired of feeling guilty and thinking of the poor animals (and the horrendous videos and images I have seen of the so called "humane slaughter") every time I ate meat that I'm not doing it anymore, and if that makes people uncomfortable/change their opinion of me, then so be it, I feel happier in myself that I'm not supporting it

& The whole "if you were on a desert island", "if there's nothing else to eat", "plants have feelings too", "lions eat meat", "it's the food chain", is just absolutely ridiculous in my opinion, highly unlikely anyone will be stranded on a desert island with nothing but an animal to eat, and I'd hope the most intelligent species on the planet has more sense than to compare itself to an animal and can realise that you don't have to eat an animal to survive Smile

FollowUrH · 30/03/2018 00:44

Wouldn’t bother me at all. Killing and eating the animal - as long as the death was a pleasant as it could be

This makes no sense. There is nothing pleasant at all about coming to your death Confused

Eating meat is a way of most people's lives but come on, it's 0% pleasant for animals to be killed

Newmanwannabe · 30/03/2018 00:48

I think maybefkr the first year you wouldn’t but after that necessity would change you and you would. Especially if your children needed it

Newmanwannabe · 30/03/2018 00:50

But you would be more conscious about what you were doing and definitely much less wasteful making sure you used everything. I think that is our problem. It’s too easy to get and we don’t truly value what we have.

FollowUrH · 30/03/2018 00:50

The whole "I wouldn't/couldn't grow vegetables, does that mean I shouldn't eat those?" Is a ridiculous argument to come back with and I think most people know it.

The concept is completely different. I wouldn't grow and pluck out vegetables because I can't be bothered. But a huge proportion of people wouldn't eat meat if they have to kill it and rear it themselves because of gulf and emotion. Entirely different concept.

FollowUrH · 30/03/2018 00:51

*guilt

mirime · 30/03/2018 00:57

@FollowUrH every living thing dies though. I know someone who keeps pigs, they have a really good life and are very well looked after and I have no guilt about eating the sausages, unlike with supermarket pork anything.

I definitely think that less meat should be eaten overall. I have cats so I realise I'm not helping that situation.

MidniteScribbler · 30/03/2018 01:16

I'd hope the most intelligent species on the planet has more sense than to compare itself to an animal and can realise that you don't have to eat an animal to survive

I would hope that the most intelligent species on the planet would be able to realise that most people have already examined their conscience on whether they choose to eat meat or how they source it and are quite able to make a choice that is different to someone else's.

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