To ask why people are so against giving up meat?

[NewCracker]

Just that really, why are people so against giving up meat?
Without a doubt we know it's better for the environment, we know it's better for our health, we know it's better for animal welfare and it's actually quite expensive. But still as soon as you mention to the greater public about cutting their meat consumption, they get defensive and almost offended.
Would you ever consider giving it up, if you do consume it now? If not, why not?
I'm expecting some hate, this is MN after all, but I am genuinely just curious. Not trying to rattle feathers.

I genuinely believe that if most meat eaters watched footage of an abattoir they wouldn't eat meat and for those who that didn't put off, visiting in person would do it!
I have only been vegetarian for last couple of years so understand the mass 'ignorance is bliss' approach but the meat industry is dire.

One return flight to New York emits twice as much as my annual meat consumption. That's before you consider the carbon cycle.

Any methane burped out by cows breaks down to CO2 in eight years. The carbon in that methane came from the cow eating plants, and the CO2 from the broken-down methane will be reabsorbed by plants, either being cycled through the cow again, or being fixed into the ground by the roots. Pasture fixes carbon into the soil, whereas arable crops release it again when the land gets ploughed. You're not adding any new CO2 to the atmosphere by keeping animals.

The CO2 emitted by an aircraft on the other hand was not in that perpetual cycle. It was stored underground for millions of years and after burning it is released into the atmosphere. It adds to the atmosphere, it's not just cycling.

https://d1ymz67w5raq8g.cloudfront.net/Pictures/480xAny/5/4/6/512546_shutterstock_1696604602withtext01_574094.jpg

I've been on a kill line. I've killed chickens.

I eat meat.

I've been on a kill line. I've killed chickens.

I eat meat.

The poster said she believes ‘most’ meat eaters wouldn’t, not every meat eater. I agree with them. I know it would put me off and lots of people I know too. It’s the reason I don’t watch any footage. I know it will be horrendous.

Up to one million species currently face extinction because of the activities of humans, according to the United Nations. Deforestation, habitat destruction and climate change together are driving the current “mass extinction event” and behind all three is animal agriculture.
Forests are razed to make way for grazing or to grow crops to feed animals. The oceans are decimated not just for human consumption but so that caught fish can be rendered into feed for farmed animals. And 14.5 per cent of human generated climate-changing gases comes from farming animals.

@MeAndZee she also said

for those who that didn't put off, visiting in person would do it!

Which is why I posted my experience.

I don’t see the relevance of decision making capability to comparing basic biological needs. Surely the argument that smarter animal = more worthy would be one in support of stopping the stupid ants and other stupid predators from eating other animals and only letting the smarter higher beings that are humans eat animals? Or does our intelligence mean we get to think we are better than stupid animals and can say fuck the ecosystem Im too good to eat meat like an animal?

I don't need any thank you I have a PHD despite my learning disabilities in ecology. So I know more about the natural world and ecosystems and how human farming practices though cattle and plant based products affect both flora and fauna thank most but thanks for the offer.

But I see a much larger picture, than most vegans spout.

Because it tastes good and I can afford it. Do I need any more reasons?

This. Ex vegetarian turned vegan turned carnivore due to developing so many allergies and illnesses and being backwards and forwards to various medical appointments for so long. Eventually found carnivore massively helps. I also find I eat much less, am not hungry nearly as much and also zero waste.

I definitely think animal welfare standards nees massively improving though. I try to buy better but it's not always affordable.

The vegan extremists want to force veganism on everyone.

"The University of Kent student union has voted in favor of transitioning its campus to 100 percent plant-based catering. In what’s thought to be a record breaking voting turnout, 450 students supported the Plant-Based Universities notion to remove animal products from university-run catering facilities. Kent’s student union officially passed the motion on June 22. It will now lobby the catering services to make the transition to a fully plant-based menu by the year 2027-2028." (from plantbasednews.org 28/06/2023)

The "record breaking turnout" of 450 students who voted for this now want to force veganism on everyone. They have NOT held a campus-wide vote (University of Kent has around 18,000 students).

Plant-Based Universities is affiliated with Animal Rebellion (recently renamed Animal Rising) who were an offshoot of Extinction Rebellion. It is Animal Rebellion who favour civil disobedience (such as disrupting this year's Grand National) as a legitimate tactic to force veganism on everyone.

Because bacon butties.

Not all abattoirs are the same though. Some humanely euthanise, others horrifically slaughter. The footage pushed by short sighted activists is always of the latter and is usually from countries with records of ineffective or nonexistent animal welfare laws.

It’s rather like saying most dog and cat owners would be put off keeping pets if they saw footage of abused dogs and cats.

Disagreement is not usually from ignorance.

I eat little meat and would love to cut it out altogether but I'm gluten free now - it's really difficult as it is

I do prefer non meant alternatives a lot

Aldi no chicken chicken burgers are much nicer than chicken burgers

But to be totally meat free is so restrictive. Id really like to be , but I'm having to
Cut out so much, I'd be so restricted if I was completely meat free

@speluncean I agree with the poster who says it would put people off. There will always be exceptions to everything and equally we don’t know you are telling the truth about having worked there. I think it does take a certain type of person to have a job like that.

I was brought up on a farm.

Why would I lie?

How do you buy from ethically slaughtered butchers only ? How do you find out ?

I used to buy a jumper from the well hung meat company but it was a lottery on what meat came and I are t always in to receive it .

@HadalyEve
Hmmm - so where is all this video footage of these 'humane' slaughterhouses. You'd think the industry would be keen to show us them. But no. Because they don't exist. There is NO humane way to mass kill sentient beings whose desire for life is as keenly felt as yours.

I didn't say I worked on a kill line. I've been on one but not worked on one. I have killed chickens.

Can someone explain to me please what I have posted that makes people think I'm lying?

Because bacon is fucking gorgeous.

It's as simple as that.

If lab grown meat becomes a viable thing and tastes similar, then I'll happily move to that, but the simple fact is that I find eating meat enjoyable.

I do lots of things that aren't particularly good for me. I drink, I eat sweets, I play football on dodgy knees. I know that I'll probably die sooner because of them, but they also make life more enjoyable, amd what's the point of living a long, boring life.

Because I like it.
Because there are bioavailable minerals and vitamins that the body cannot process as efficiently when taken in veg or supplement form.
Because the British landscape is shaped by farming.
Because natural fertiliser from animal poo is far better for the soil/plants/environment than anything created by chemical companies.
Because much of the research telling us to go vegan, go plant based, is provided by companies with a vested interest in people stopping eating meat, so I don’t consider it trustworthy or unbiased.
Because veganism comes across very like a cult, and is very often evangelised by people with disordered eating.
Because humans are omnivores, literally evolved to eat both meat and veg.
Because I don’t want my children to grow up in a world without fresh, healthy food. Plant based food tends to be UPF.
Because research demonising red meat is extremely poor quality and proves nothing that it claims to.
Because in certain areas the local economy revolves around farming.
Because much of what we’re told to do nowadays isn’t for the benefit of the planet, or for us, it’s for the benefit of greedy fuckers who want more $$$$ to hoard.

Because you go against their narrative and the modern cancel culture, means opposing views as yours need to be dismissed and eradicated and that includes making out your a lair.

Actually, eating an appropriate amount of good quality meat is very healthy - giving up meat entirely is no necessarily any better for our health. Especially not when you replace it with all the highly processed meat substitutes!

We eat meat as we live abroad in an Asian country and culturally every meal contains (a small amount of) meat. Where we live, there are no instant processed foods and everyone cooks from scratch with fresh vegetables, loads of spices, and a little meat. Food is incredibly healthy and delicious. But yes, it contains meat. However, the amount of meat is often absolutely tiny (even unnoticeable in a lot of cases) so if you calculate how much you’ve actually eaten per day or week, it’s usually a small amount. Much smaller than if you were to eat a western meat dish like a burger or something.

To be vegetarian would be impractical for us because my children would be unable to eat literally any school meals, we would be unable to go to 95% of restaurants (most people eat out here as it’s the same price as cooking), we would be excluded from almost all social events which take place in environments where meat is served. There are honestly almost no entirely veggie dishes. Food is very important culturally and people socialise over long meals. People are very proud of their traditional dishes and keen to share them with non-locals and to be a vegetarian would be to miss out on this wonderful part of their culture. It also would probably cause a lot of offence and alienate us.

I do feel crap about eating an animal but I also cry whenever I see an animal eating another animal on a nature documentary but I can’t stop that either! To me, it’s just a part of life. I know in some countries the idea that veggie is best has become very popular, but in a lot of other cultures you’d have a VERY hard time convincing people that meat was unhealthy - especially considering the type and amount of meat that they eat here, which actually IS healthy. Also, where I live now people don’t really care so much about animals (I mean, of course some individuals do, but it’s definitely not an issue that is widely discussed or worried about within the society as a whole) so that side wouldn’t really convince them either.

Theres no interest in it, it’s not sensational, so of course none of those are going viral or being featured in documentaries like Cowspiracy.

There are humane ways to euthanise animals, so strange to claim there isn’t.

The solution of not eating meat would cause far more suffering and death to those same animals and every other animal in the food chain and larger ecosystem that depends on our symbiotic relationship with farm animals.