the meatrix

"Hey, thanks for that post on Facebook the other day. It made me decide to become a vegetarian." - "What?" - "Yeah, I just suddenly felt I had to quit eating meat thanks to your post." - "Um. Really?" - "No. But I admire your tenacity in posting this stuff." 

This was the approximate course of an office conversation I had this morning, and it left me pretty much speechless. I mumbled something along the lines of 'to each their own', and that was it. But in the aftermath, it felt like a slap in my face.

I can see why the average conservative cattle rancher would ridicule anyone who turns down meat and dairy and has the nerve to be vocal about it. I can also understand to a certain extent that people who are in a relationship with a hardcore carnivore don't want to overcomplicate things and just go along with the societal default option. I even have some level of understanding for those who say "If I were to live according to my values, I should be a vegan, but call me a hypocrite: I'm just addicted to [insert your choice of animal product]." Or for those who think that the Bible tells them that God created animals for human consumption - they're lost souls anyway. But I am completely clueless how people who publicly proclaim that they care for social responsibility and sustainability can shut down their hearts and their minds and even attempt to disparage or ridicule those who try to spread the word. Newsflash: Consuming animals is neither socially responsible (world hunger is aggravated because of the inefficient practice of feeding crops to livestock instead of people and in the process losing 90% of the nutritional value) nor sustainable (the livestock sector contributes 18% of worldwide greenhouse gas emissions - which is more than the transportation sector). But what's more, animals are conscious, sentient beings. Just like humans. What we would condemn if it happened to humans anywhere in the world, or even to our beloved pets, we seem to blindly accept when it comes to farm animals: Captivity, exploitation, torture, and murder. How can you sign the petitions against bullfights or whaling, or advocate for the rescue cats or dogs at your local shelter, but shield your eyes from the atrocities done to pigs, cows, and chickens day after day after day - with no reason but to satisfy your taste buds?

Yes, compared with humans, most animals have diminished cognitive capacities. But does that give us the right to do all these things to them - and with no reason except for a fleeting sensation on our palate? What if someone was farming, exploiting and killing babies or mentally disabled people (who often have lower cognitive capacities than animals) because they could make money with their flesh? The United Nations would give marching orders in no time; or Neo would be contracted by Morpheus to save the human race.

Here's the red pill for you: Eating animals (or their secretions) is unhealthy, unsustainable, unsocial, cruel, and entirely unnecessary unless you live in a region where there's no edible plants around most of the year, like, say, Greenland. But for most of the developed world, the only reasons to eat animals are convenience (in our societies, meals which contain animal products are the default option) and taste. Do these really weigh more than social and environmental responsibility and compassion towards our fellow creatures?

Whether you think that consuming animals is unethical is, ultimately, a question of personal values. For me, the answer is simple: Yes.

PS: And no, plants don't have feelings. And even if they had: Your meat consumes 9x as much plants to feed you the same amount of nutrients as I get by consuming the plants directly. Which, basically, turns your argument into one of mine.

PS2: And no, the lion eating the gazelle isn't on the same level. Lions do it for survival and have the chance of not eating at all due to the fairness of the fight. You, however, don't.

PS3: And no, everybody becoming a hunter and only eating game wouldn't work either. It may have been possible with a few million people populating the planet and no firearms or other sophisticated traps and instruments, as was the case in the stone ages when our forefathers and -mothers were hunters and gatherers. But today? If you want to feed 7 billion people with wild animals at the rate you consume them today, all wildlife on Earth would be extinct within weeks.

PS4: And no, the fact that the vegan diet lacks vitamin B12 and that we need to take it in pill form is not the proof that humans can't thrive on a plant-based diet. B12 is a vitamin produced by bacteria which can normally be found on the outside of plants. But since most plants these days get sanitized before they hit your plate (or even your shopping cart), we can't take enough of it in anymore. But your cows get B12 supplements too these days, exactly for the same reason. So, there's no need to be smug about that.

PS5: And no, our bodies aren't made to eat animals. The human body doesn't need meat, nor does it need cow's milk or goat's milk or any milk except for human milk in its first year or two. When it comes to protein, we shouldn't eat more than 50-70g per day - a cup of broccoli already has 6g, a cup of (dry) quinoa or oats 24g, and a cup of tofu 40g. The calcium myth was already debunked years ago (as described here.) And that the fats in nuts, avocados, and most plant oils are healthier than the fats in lard, whipped cream, or spare ribs should be common knowledge by now. The fact of the matter is that our bodies are able to digest an omnivorous diet to a certain extent, but that we can certainly live without animal products, and if we pay a little attention to balance the nutrients, thrive better on it than if eating animals. Yes, in the hunter-gatherer age, people might have eaten even more animals than we do today, particularly in winter when there were hardly any plants to gather. But at that time, the average life expectancy was 30-40 years. Maintaining your body without contracting various cancers, cardiovascular disease, and type II diabetes, just to name a few ailments strongly correlated with animal consumption, beyond that age works way better on a plant-based diet than an omnivorous one. Forget the Paleo Diet. It's a bunch of crap. If you want literature on this, shout.

PS6: And no, we don't feel deprived or weak. We feel pretty great about ourselves, because we're the pioneers of a movement that becomes larger day by day and will, ultimately, be the way the entire human race will live; because we know we treat our bodies well; because we learn hundreds of new ways of preparing delicious and nutritious meals made from plants; and because it feels good to know we're not supporting a ruthless and violent industry, but instead practice non-violence in all areas of our lives. The only thing which would make us even happier would be if you would join us. Which is why we're constantly trying to convince you. Of course, you can ignore us, you can ridicule us, but you can't stop us. If you prefer the blue pill, the only thing you can do is ban us from your newsfeed. But that won't make reality go away.

"Hey, thanks for that post on Facebook the other day. It made me decide to become a vegetarian." - "What?" - "Yeah, I just suddenly felt I had to quit eating meat thanks to your post." - "Um. Really?" - "No. But I admire your tenacity in posting this stuff." 

This was the approximate course of an office conversation I had this morning, and it left me pretty much speechless. I mumbled something along the lines of 'to each their own', and that was it. But in the aftermath, it felt like a slap in my face.

I can see why the average conservative cattle rancher would ridicule anyone who turns down meat and dairy and has the nerve to be vocal about it. I can also understand to a certain extent that people who are in a relationship with a hardcore carnivore don't want to overcomplicate things and just go along with the societal default option. I even have some level of understanding for those who say "If I were to live according to my values, I should be a vegan, but call me a hypocrite: I'm just addicted to [insert your choice of animal product]." Or for those who think that the Bible tells them that God created animals for human consumption - they're lost souls anyway. But I am completely clueless how people who publicly proclaim that they care for social responsibility and sustainability can shut down their hearts and their minds and even attempt to disparage or ridicule those who try to spread the word. Newsflash: Consuming animals is neither socially responsible (world hunger is aggravated because of the inefficient practice of feeding crops to livestock instead of people and in the process losing 90% of the nutritional value) nor sustainable (the livestock sector contributes 18% of worldwide greenhouse gas emissions - which is more than the transportation sector). But what's more, animals are conscious, sentient beings. Just like humans. What we would condemn if it happened to humans anywhere in the world, or even to our beloved pets, we seem to blindly accept when it comes to farm animals: Captivity, exploitation, torture, and murder. How can you sign the petitions against bullfights or whaling, or advocate for the rescue cats or dogs at your local shelter, but shield your eyes from the atrocities done to pigs, cows, and chickens day after day after day - with no reason but to satisfy your taste buds?

Yes, compared with humans, most animals have diminished cognitive capacities. But does that give us the right to do all these things to them - and with no reason except for a fleeting sensation on our palate? What if someone was farming, exploiting and killing babies or mentally disabled people (who often have lower cognitive capacities than animals) because they could make money with their flesh? The United Nations would give marching orders in no time; or Neo would be contracted by Morpheus to save the human race.

Here's the red pill for you: Eating animals (or their secretions) is unhealthy, unsustainable, unsocial, cruel, and entirely unnecessary unless you live in a region where there's no edible plants around most of the year, like, say, Greenland. But for most of the developed world, the only reasons to eat animals are convenience (in our societies, meals which contain animal products are the default option) and taste. Do these really weigh more than social and environmental responsibility and compassion towards our fellow creatures?

Whether you think that consuming animals is unethical is, ultimately, a question of personal values. For me, the answer is simple: Yes.

PS: And no, plants don't have feelings. And even if they had: Your meat consumes 9x as much plants to feed you the same amount of nutrients as I get by consuming the plants directly. Which, basically, turns your argument into one of mine.

PS2: And no, the lion eating the gazelle isn't on the same level. Lions do it for survival and have the chance of not eating at all due to the fairness of the fight. You, however, don't.

PS3: And no, everybody becoming a hunter and only eating game wouldn't work either. It may have been possible with a few million people populating the planet and no firearms or other sophisticated traps and instruments, as was the case in the stone ages when our forefathers and -mothers were hunters and gatherers. But today? If you want to feed 7 billion people with wild animals at the rate you consume them today, all wildlife on Earth would be extinct within weeks.

PS4: And no, the fact that the vegan diet lacks vitamin B12 and that we need to take it in pill form is not the proof that humans can't thrive on a plant-based diet. B12 is a vitamin produced by bacteria which can normally be found on the outside of plants. But since most plants these days get sanitized before they hit your plate (or even your shopping cart), we can't take enough of it in anymore. But your cows get B12 supplements too these days, exactly for the same reason. So, there's no need to be smug about that.

PS5: And no, our bodies aren't made to eat animals. The human body doesn't need meat, nor does it need cow's milk or goat's milk or any milk except for human milk in its first year or two. When it comes to protein, we shouldn't eat more than 50-70g per day - a cup of broccoli already has 6g, a cup of (dry) quinoa or oats 24g, and a cup of tofu 40g. The calcium myth was already debunked years ago (as described here.) And that the fats in nuts, avocados, and most plant oils are healthier than the fats in lard, whipped cream, or spare ribs should be common knowledge by now. The fact of the matter is that our bodies are able to digest an omnivorous diet to a certain extent, but that we can certainly live without animal products, and if we pay a little attention to balance the nutrients, thrive better on it than if eating animals. Yes, in the hunter-gatherer age, people might have eaten even more animals than we do today, particularly in winter when there were hardly any plants to gather. But at that time, the average life expectancy was 30-40 years. Maintaining your body without contracting various cancers, cardiovascular disease, and type II diabetes, just to name a few ailments strongly correlated with animal consumption, beyond that age works way better on a plant-based diet than an omnivorous one. Forget the Paleo Diet. It's a bunch of crap. If you want literature on this, shout.

PS6: And no, we don't feel deprived or weak. We feel pretty great about ourselves, because we're the pioneers of a movement that becomes larger day by day and will, ultimately, be the way the entire human race will live; because we know we treat our bodies well; because we learn hundreds of new ways of preparing delicious and nutritious meals made from plants; and because it feels good to know we're not supporting a ruthless and violent industry, but instead practice non-violence in all areas of our lives. The only thing which would make us even happier would be if you would join us. Which is why we're constantly trying to convince you. Of course, you can ignore us, you can ridicule us, but you can't stop us. If you prefer the blue pill, the only thing you can do is ban us from your newsfeed. But that won't make reality go away.

the meatrix