There's
a lot of different cultures around the world. They concern different
aspects of life, including eating. The style of eating also evolved
over the centuries. We know that our genetic ancestors ate raw meat
and fresh plants and fruits. But over the years it has changed. We
usually eat pre-prepared meat (excluding steak tartare or sushi). But
today I want to ask if it is really ethical? In an age when we know
that animals have (at least) the emotions, they feel the pain,
whether it is appropriate to without a second thought eat their
meat?
In many countries there's a lot of different food
prohibitions often determined by religion and they usually concern
meat. For example:
Judaism strictly forbids eating amphibians and reptiles, bats, bears, eagles, vultures, ospreys, camels, horses and of course humans.
Anyway the Fore people of Papua New Guinea saw nothing wrong with cannibalism until recently.
Most countries in East regularly consume dog meat, which in turn is banned in most western countries.
Also, a few days ago has been found a restaurant in Poland, which perhaps served the dogs (without the knowledge of customers). Immediately it was closed, mainly for health reasons, and the police launched an investigation into the meat. This is not the first incident that type in Poland. A few years ago has been found farm of dogs intended for human consumption.
Looking from different angle, in our culture it's normal to eat pork, but it's strictly forbidden in Islam and Judaism.
West countries are also ok with eating cattle, horses and lambs, but for Hindus it is inconceivable, because most of them are vegetarians.
As we can see, each culture has inculcated different habits. But which are really ethical?
Question time:
1. Do you think that eating meat is ethical?
Why and if so, which type?
2. Would you rather consume more expensive than normal meat from farms where animals are treated with respect and live without stress? Why?
Sources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Food_and_drink_prohibitions
http://o2.pl/artykul/mieso-z-psow-w-lodzkim-barze-przerazajace-5948107718156929a?src01=6a4c8
http://www.ancient-origins.net/diet-human-brains-helped-papua-new-guinea-tribe-resist-disease-003233
http://www.sammyboy.com/archive/index.php/t-193619.html
Judaism strictly forbids eating amphibians and reptiles, bats, bears, eagles, vultures, ospreys, camels, horses and of course humans.
Anyway the Fore people of Papua New Guinea saw nothing wrong with cannibalism until recently.
Most countries in East regularly consume dog meat, which in turn is banned in most western countries.
Also, a few days ago has been found a restaurant in Poland, which perhaps served the dogs (without the knowledge of customers). Immediately it was closed, mainly for health reasons, and the police launched an investigation into the meat. This is not the first incident that type in Poland. A few years ago has been found farm of dogs intended for human consumption.
Looking from different angle, in our culture it's normal to eat pork, but it's strictly forbidden in Islam and Judaism.
West countries are also ok with eating cattle, horses and lambs, but for Hindus it is inconceivable, because most of them are vegetarians.
As we can see, each culture has inculcated different habits. But which are really ethical?
Question time:
1. Do you think that eating meat is ethical?
Why and if so, which type?
2. Would you rather consume more expensive than normal meat from farms where animals are treated with respect and live without stress? Why?
Sources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Food_and_drink_prohibitions
http://o2.pl/artykul/mieso-z-psow-w-lodzkim-barze-przerazajace-5948107718156929a?src01=6a4c8
http://www.ancient-origins.net/diet-human-brains-helped-papua-new-guinea-tribe-resist-disease-003233
http://www.sammyboy.com/archive/index.php/t-193619.html
Once, I wanted to be a vegeterian, but I realised that to keep balanced diet meat is very important. I don't consider eating meat as something unethical. Farm animals are breed for that. However when i read some article about how animals are treated it makes me really sad. They don't deserve that, but people are so cruel and do everything to make more money even at the cost of pure being. But well, this is the way how the world goes.
ReplyDeleteI don’t mind eating meat but I haven’t eaten meat for more than 4 years. My decision was simple: I don’t like this kind of food, it doesn’t taste delicious and consumption doesn’t make me pleasure. When I realized that I can replace meat, I tried it. But when it comes to ethical problem – I have never wanted to eat domesticated animals, like dog, cat, horse, rabbit. In the whole families this kind of animals are treated like a family member. We don’t breed them, we live with them under the same roof.
ReplyDeleteThis is a controversial topic. I do not like meat. I eat it because of a diet that has it a little contain. But as I think about eating a dog, cat, etc....This is me not well. I feel sick when I hear about it. For me killing domestic animals for food is the same like cannibalism. If I eat meat I prefer those from organic farming where animals are free.
ReplyDeleteThis is a controversial topic. I do not like meat. I eat it because of a diet that has it a little contain. But as I think about eating a dog, cat, etc....This is me not well. I feel sick when I hear about it. For me killing domestic animals for food is the same like cannibalism. If I eat meat I prefer those from organic farming where animals are free.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI know people who are vegetarians and I think that they do stupid. They make their small daughter vegetarian too. And it's not good idea that small child don't eat meat at all. It's not good for her health. We need meat because it contain proteins. It's very important component. But some kind of meats are exaggeration yet. I have a rabbit. And I love my rabbit. And my heard cries when I see that people eat rabbits... People are monster! I tolerate only poultry, pork and beef. And, yes, sure. If I have enough money I would buy this kind of meat - from ecological farms. why not.
ReplyDeleteEating meat is ethical for me. We - the people - are dominant race on the earth. I know that it sounds cruel, but it's truth. If the dogs were dominant race they would eat us. But ther aren't. I tkinh eating every kind of meat is ethical. Maybie not the human flesh. If i have to choose of cours i would choose a meat from non stress farms. Where animals are treated well. But still i like meat.
ReplyDeleteI have met a lot of people who are vegetarians, but I would never change place with them. I love meet, the taste of it and the whole "ceremony" of preparing it. But I think it's unnatural for health to stay with eating only vegetables or only meet. Our diet should be mixed and balanced.
ReplyDeleteLast times I don't eat meat just cause I don't want to and maybe even don't like. It is more delicious to eat a salat or fired vegetables for me. I use meat only for preparing a soup. But only chicken. At first I really like caws, sheeps, pigs - all these animals whom people like to eat. Someone will say, that it is stupid or something. But so it is. Secondly grass-feeding animals produce a lot of methane to the atmosphere by chewing the grass. So, it causes global warming too.
ReplyDeleteSometimes I ask myself same question. We were eating meet from the beginning, it’s nothing new for humans but fact that animals have emotions and feel pain is something kind of new for us. I think that eating animals isn’t that bad, but way animals are treated on farms is horrible.
ReplyDeleteI would eat healthier meat which is more expensive. I think stress, additional hormones and food which is meant to make animals grow faster and sometimes fatter can affect their meat in bad way.
I eat meat. People always ate it and it's normal to me. Of course I'm horrified when I read about eating dogs or about cannibalism. But eating typical meat like chicken or pork seems obvious to me. I admire vegetarians, their strong will and determination. I know all the stories about terrible animal treating before killing them for meat; however, I try not to think about that. It's human normal impulse that they eat meat. I would never try horse or lamb meat. It just doesn't intrigue me. I prefer to stand by chicken.
ReplyDeleteNowadays people tend to ask a question whether it is ethical for humans to eat meat or not. People in favour of it claim that it is the food chain and humans eating other animals can be compared to the animals eating smaller animals and so on. As a contrary people who are against eating meat say that animals have feelings and killing them is even like committing a murder. What I have observed, nowadays, many people start to follow a vegan diet. It has become kind of a fashion just like vegetarianism few years ago. Some people do it only because of the celebrity influence and because it is 'cool' these days which I find ridiculous. I personally do eat meat and I think it is ethical, because if you cut a plant it somehow has its feelings too so thinking this way we shouldn't be eating fruit and vegetables too. The only proplem I have is with the way the animals are treated and it should be changed. In my opinion it is completely your choice if you eat meat or not and no one should be trying to push anybody in any direction.
ReplyDeleteI admire people who don't eat meat. I am not able to resign of this and I eat it too much, nearly everyday. I believe that it isn't ethical but I don't think it is the most important thing - when you eat bread, you also caused the death of the animals during the harvest (althought it is smaller number of dead organisms). I believe that the veganism is exaggeration becauser eating eggs or cheese (the animals aren't killed for producing them) doesn't make sense to me. I try to be a conscious consumer and buy eggs which come from from hens living in better conditions, even if they are more expensive. The diversity of forbidden food in different cultures is really interesting for me but there is no difference in eating pork, cow or chicken for me.
ReplyDeleteEthic is product of culture, it depends on values and tradition. I think that there is nothing bad about eating meat, we do it since the beginning of the world. The only thing that has changed is preparing the meat and, let’s say, hunting. In my opinion it’s impossible to eliminate meat from our diet but we can take care about breeding animals in humane conditions and killing it, as much as possible, in the least painful way. Of course, killing isn’t good, no matter what, but in this case it’s reasonable. There are a lot of arguments whether we should eat meat or not, and I see concerning practice- people who don’t eat meat try to impose the others their lifestyle and beliefs. We should stop accusing people of murders and killing innocent animals just as we shouldn't do it for fun or without thinking. It can sound inappropriate in this contects but I am writing it- live and let live. Decide and let decide.
ReplyDeleteI don't think there is something wrong with us people eating meat. Its how it's been for centuries, its what helped us survive and grow as species. Sure, I personally wouldn't eat dog meat if I knew about it and had a choice, but that's strictly the matter of culture I was raised in. If I were born somewhere closer to the East, I might've not see anything wrong about that as well. So while I can kind of understand the argument of "Why you love one and eat the other", it doesn't convince me enough to believe that eating any meat at all is "unethical". Its how nature works.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion eating meat isn’t ethical. Especially nowadays, when there are a lot of different kind of food, being a vegetarian is as simply as ever before. It isn’t time, when people must kill to survive, so why they still do it? Why they choose to eat animal, which feel pain as same way as like people? Most of people, who eat meat don’t think about animal, which they kill and eat. They look away from photos and videos of slaughterhouse or shows cruel treatment of animal, so they feel that it isn’t moral. Why most of people cry out against eating dogs or horses, but they eat with pleasure cows or pigs?
ReplyDeleteI think people have to start thinking about ethical aspects of food. It was mentioned in the article that in different cultures people eat different types of meat, but in every culture there is always few animals that we call pets. For me, as a vegetarian, it’s hard to understand why some animals are beloved friends and the others are just part of everyday meal. What kind of power people have to hurt? Nowadays we know not only one, but more ways of taking care of our health without eating meat. This has been proven by a lot of doctors, so what’s the reason, why some people still do it?
ReplyDeleteI don't consider eating meat as something, which is not ethical. People are doing it since the beginning of the world, and In my opinion, it is not going to change in at least few hundred years. The only thing, which truly can be consider as something unethical is the way, these animals are treated. I don't support farms, where animals are treated not like ANIMALS, but like a something, which is breeded to be food (like chickens in cages) and I'm trying to buy meat and products of animal origin from local farmers or in bio shops.
ReplyDeleteI don't understand this division between meat that can be eaten and the one that can't be eaten. Meat is meat. Of course, cultures are different and some animals are our "friends", but we can't judge anyone who for example, eats dogs, because they're also a living creatures. Don't get me wrong, food chain is very clear and I'm also a meat-eater, but making one creature more valuable than other seems just wrong.
ReplyDeleteThis topic is difficult because of differences between nations and cultures. The problem (or maybe the question) is what is acceptable to us, European people, and for example for commons from a jungle. For us eating a dog is not good but for Chineese people is a delicacy. The differences between cultures existed, exist and will be existing and in my opinion we should not try to change it. I think that eating meat is not something unethical. This is our culture and nobody will change it. But today, due to world's trends in protecting everything we have a lot of possibilites to minimalize suffering of animals and in my opinion if we have prospect to do it, we should try to show our humanity.
ReplyDeleteI think eating different kind of meat is connected to culture and tradition. It is difficult to change food habits. Nowdays we live in vegetarian trend but in my opinion it will not work for a long time. It is important to but meat from farms where animals are treated with respect because it has influence for us and our health. Quality of meat is higher.
ReplyDelete