wdevauld

This post has nothing to do with the quote, I just love it....

The efficiency argument that is used to support a plant based diet, I believe, is quite narrow minded. It is true that there is a lot more energy involved in rasing a cow/pig/succulent lamb than there is just bombarding a carrot with sun and water. But humans have not always lived in this modern age of SUVs, inflating oil prices and mass deforestation. Our ancestors, even as far back as a few centuries ago, did not think of energy efficiency on a global scale. It was much more efficient to snare a rabbit, pit trap a tiger, or frighten a buffalo off a cliff than it was to spend days collecting plant matter. There is no dispute that animals are a much higher source of energy than plants (Especially the juicy, fatty parts). We just decided that it would be better to front end load a few days of effort to have meat for a month, than to spend days and days collecting roots and things hanging from trees. Before we domesticated animals, they were responsible for collecting and storing energy for us by surviving in their environment, we just took advantage of their hard work. It's only since we've had to start paying for energy that people have taken up the argument of efficiency in the foods we eat.

The animal cruelty argument is flawed as well. I grew up on a ranch, and know that the farmers from who we collected grain killed thousands of mice, voles and richardson ground squirrels each year as they harvested their crops. As the grain was passed through a sift you would see body after body fall to the ground into a large pile. This grain was not only being used to feed our cattle, but sent off to be turned into flour and other refined grain products. Vegetarian food is not cruelty free, so stop using this argument.

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As soon as you stop living, you start dying....