Something I've mulled over for quite some time, but could never quite make the change and jump into with both feet, is vegeterianism. Well, thanks to my Animals and Ethics class this semester, I didn't jump in feet first, I went in head first. The major factor in my sudden change of heart is enlightenment.
Until doing some reading and research for class, I had no idea how sheltered I had been my entire life from the process, and moreover the atrocities that occur in factory farms, that bring meat to my dinner table. Even after the reading and enlightenment, it was still all too easy for me to forget about these things when there was a filet cooked medium rare sitting in front of me.
... then we watched 'Meet Your Meat' in class the other day. I was nothing short of floored. I won't go into detail, but it was on that day my recognition of my complete ignorance of how that part of American culture worked was fully revealed to me. While I know many people would be numb to such things, it was beyond my understanding how, in man's quest to fatten his own bank account, people can commit such horrible acts and still sleep at night. I'd always been somewhat skeptical of vegetarianism, and my aversion to it was aided much by some of the 'flakier' types pushing it on our society on a daily basis. Even reading stories of what went on wasn't enough, but to be witness to man's brutality in full motion video was astounding. And just as horrifying is how impure a lot of what's put on our plates is (i.e. cattle with cancerous lesions where they should have eyes, and infected open sores in various places not being tended to because such things don't disqualify the meat from being labeled USDA certified).
Now, I'm not going to push my ideas on anyone around me, but I do think it's important that people know how this process works for their own safety, even if it doesn't deter them from eating meat. Even if my compassion wasn't the key factor in my giving it up, my health would be. Because let's face it, as long as you're buying what they're selling, they don't care what it does to you.
Until doing some reading and research for class, I had no idea how sheltered I had been my entire life from the process, and moreover the atrocities that occur in factory farms, that bring meat to my dinner table. Even after the reading and enlightenment, it was still all too easy for me to forget about these things when there was a filet cooked medium rare sitting in front of me.
... then we watched 'Meet Your Meat' in class the other day. I was nothing short of floored. I won't go into detail, but it was on that day my recognition of my complete ignorance of how that part of American culture worked was fully revealed to me. While I know many people would be numb to such things, it was beyond my understanding how, in man's quest to fatten his own bank account, people can commit such horrible acts and still sleep at night. I'd always been somewhat skeptical of vegetarianism, and my aversion to it was aided much by some of the 'flakier' types pushing it on our society on a daily basis. Even reading stories of what went on wasn't enough, but to be witness to man's brutality in full motion video was astounding. And just as horrifying is how impure a lot of what's put on our plates is (i.e. cattle with cancerous lesions where they should have eyes, and infected open sores in various places not being tended to because such things don't disqualify the meat from being labeled USDA certified).
Now, I'm not going to push my ideas on anyone around me, but I do think it's important that people know how this process works for their own safety, even if it doesn't deter them from eating meat. Even if my compassion wasn't the key factor in my giving it up, my health would be. Because let's face it, as long as you're buying what they're selling, they don't care what it does to you.
I know it doesn't mean much comming from someone you don't know....but it takes a real man to be sensitive enough to see that eating meat is cruel.