Guest guest Posted November 12, 2003 Report Share Posted November 12, 2003 Hi, I am a recent convert to vegan diet. I am not all the way there yet, but making strides. I am not doing it for health concerns and am not interested in health claims regarding a vegan diet. What I am interested in is animal rights. I am most concerned about the suffering that animals go through when being raised for food in operations such as factory farms. Seeing and understanding this kind of suffering is new to me. When this type of treatment was called to my attention some 6 months ago while eating in a small cafe in Palo Alto, I made a decision to learn more and to work on changing my diet and behavior immediately. Where I am now is back to thinking about including some animals in my diet. If I do it, I do not want to cause suffering, but do clams suffer? Do oysters? I would think that they do not because they lack a nerve center of sufficient development to " feel " pain or to understand suffering. One of the reasons I want to do this is selfishness. It would make the lifestyle easier if I could eat these types of lower animals, as it would help to vary the available diet and make it a bit more interesting and pleasurable. The less selfish side of the same argument is that it would also make it easier to gain new converts. Those who are also interested in alleviating suffering and can clearly understand it in terms of a dog, pig, chicken, fish, but who like me, begin to question things when talking about clams need a place to go that is not hostile and militant against them. I am looking for help in understanding this and am wondering what you all think. Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 12, 2003 Report Share Posted November 12, 2003 You should draw the line at calling yourself vegan (or even vegetarian.) If ethics were " easier " more people would have/follow them. Veganism is a definite stance committed individuals take that says, in a nutshell, " all life is sacred. " (not just those creatures that supposedly can or cannot feel pain.) No single choice occurs in a vacuum. The decision to eat shellfish is a decision to support creature farming, habitat destruction, and resource pollution and depletion. Furthermore, classifying life as " lower animals " is the same mindset that leads people to classify other people as less human. I applaud your decision to reduce the amount of suffering in your food choices. However, do not discredit those who can and do make the hard choices of compassion and consciousness by calling yourself a vegan. Veganism is not a diet about convenience or fashion. Attempts to popularize exceptions to veganism would only make it harder for those of us who live by the rule. Despite the tone and content of this mail, I do have respect for your choice to eliminate much of the death, cruelty, and suffering in your diet that you can afford. Keep with it and perhaps, in due time, your compassion will override your " selfishness " . Until then, might I suggest you describe yourself as " mostly vegan " ? Cheers, Matthew sfBAVeg , " energyandfun " <tykthemoon> wrote: > Hi, I am a recent convert to vegan diet. I am not all the way there > yet, but making strides. I am not doing it for health concerns and am > not interested in health claims regarding a vegan diet. > > What I am interested in is animal rights. I am most concerned about > the suffering that animals go through when being raised for food in > operations such as factory farms. Seeing and understanding this kind > of suffering is new to me. > > When this type of treatment was called to my attention some 6 months > ago while eating in a small cafe in Palo Alto, I made a decision to > learn more and to work on changing my diet and behavior immediately. > > Where I am now is back to thinking about including some animals in my > diet. If I do it, I do not want to cause suffering, but do clams > suffer? Do oysters? I would think that they do not because they lack > a nerve center of sufficient development to " feel " pain or to > understand suffering. > > One of the reasons I want to do this is selfishness. It would make > the lifestyle easier if I could eat these types of lower animals, as > it would help to vary the available diet and make it a bit more > interesting and pleasurable. The less selfish side of the same > argument is that it would also make it easier to gain new converts. > Those who are also interested in alleviating suffering and can > clearly understand it in terms of a dog, pig, chicken, fish, but who > like me, begin to question things when talking about clams need a > place to go that is not hostile and militant against them. > > I am looking for help in understanding this and am wondering what you > all think. > > Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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