Barryg
I respect your lifestyle choice, but don't share it.
The following is not directed at you:
One issue I have is the expectation by many humans is that humans are somehow superior to other species and are above the natural world of things. That they can control everything. Sanitise everything. And make a synthetic world for themselves. All because they are the greater entity.
How very elitist of them.
Humans don't like cruelty done to themselves, so don't like it to anything else. However, humans can be incredibly cruel to other humans, and to everything else. Only self restraint from society and religion restrain our excesses. Though in times of war that often goes out the window, and when society requires resources it will take them whatever is in the way.
Rich societies can be more restrained than poor. But they are going to resist going back to being poor.
But my first point is if humans were vegan/vegetarian then they would remove the herbivore competition; the wild, and there would be no need for the domestic. Human activity and priority would be completely different, and would still not tolerate competition.
What is very modern is the distancing of meat to the point that few know or care how it arrives packaged on the supermarket shelf. The process has been sanitised.
Now sanitising anything of the natural world is a bad thing. The message is that natural is bad, and only human sanitised man made is good. The more who live from birth to death in a man made sanitised world the less they will care about the natural world. If no one cares then its surplus to requirement.
What I understand from my hunting and fishing, and being in isolated natural spots, is that the natural world is real. Processing the natural bounty is part of being close to the "real". Much of the rest of my living is taken up by a "plastic" human constructed existence. For example when diving in my air conditioned car with the radio on I may be occupied, but I am in a completely humanised environmental bubble. It is not natural, though quite comfortable.
Humans love comfort, and love KFC delivered to their door; I do. Vegetarians have their veggies delivered too. That is not "real", nor natural.
I love the human comforts, for the natural world is stark and uncomfortable. I still want to be attached to the natural world and not just be an occasional tourist or watch it on TV detached.
Can humans live without meat? Yes, but they do need to be careful. Some guts have a long history of not eating meat and evolved to do very well. Some guts aren't as evolved and demand more care to ensure everything necessary is found in their vegetarian only food. (Parents that choose such lifestyle choices need to be careful they are not harming their children; there are cases of nutritional neglect.)
One real truth is meat eater don't need to consume as much as they do. The richer the society the more meat they eat, because we love the stuff, but often far too much for our own good.
On the mental issues of working in slaughter houses.
It is not for everyone, but millions do and come to no ill effect. Millions of butchers love their work. Repetitive industrial work can bring its own mental health issues. Just reflects mental health issues in society in general.
Originally Posted by Muskett
Barryg
