Lou
Forum Legend
I don't call it comfort food. I call it junk food. or "emergency food". My favs are frozen. Right now I have vegetarian frozen egg rolls for emergencies.
How can I make myself care about farm animals?
- Thread starter Deadliftguy69
- Start date
I don't call it comfort food. I call it junk food. or "emergency food". My favs are frozen. Right now I have vegetarian frozen egg rolls for emergencies.
Jamie in Chile
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- Joined
- Jan 3, 2016
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- Age
- 44
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- Vegetarian
I think a lot of the problem is that we live in a carnist society, and we are advancing a minority viewpoint.
I think you can be good at empathy even without being emotional since it can be as much about understanding and thinking about the other person (or animal) as about making an emotional connection.
I like the suggestions about going to a farm (or animal sanctuary) and watching videos of slaughterhouses/factory farms and so on.
Personally, I am a bit different. I read some books, concluded it was unethical to eat meat, and therefore stopped eating meat immediately and forever. So, there is always the chance you'll just do the right thing without the emotional back up. That is certainly what I did.
Try and draw a firm line for meat and just never eat it. It is true that once you have one slipup it can lead to another. See if privately, without telling anyone you can get from today to 30th June without eating meat.
If you make it, you could try announcing to everyone you know that you will be vegetarian from now on. That way, you will have something else to help you resist your temptation since you will have made a statement.
I think you can be good at empathy even without being emotional since it can be as much about understanding and thinking about the other person (or animal) as about making an emotional connection.
I like the suggestions about going to a farm (or animal sanctuary) and watching videos of slaughterhouses/factory farms and so on.
Personally, I am a bit different. I read some books, concluded it was unethical to eat meat, and therefore stopped eating meat immediately and forever. So, there is always the chance you'll just do the right thing without the emotional back up. That is certainly what I did.
Try and draw a firm line for meat and just never eat it. It is true that once you have one slipup it can lead to another. See if privately, without telling anyone you can get from today to 30th June without eating meat.
If you make it, you could try announcing to everyone you know that you will be vegetarian from now on. That way, you will have something else to help you resist your temptation since you will have made a statement.
You can do like I do. I just do it because its a better way of living, I feel better, more energized and happy.
Dont think too much. Just do it for 1 month, and then you have the habit.
Self dicipline is your friend.
You do change you mindset of what 'normal' means. I think it took me a good six months before I stopped struggling to get the thought of cheese out of my thought process, and even longer before ingredients got so much in the way.
If vegan fast foods and processed foods were priced the same as comparitive animal products, we'd see a lot more omnivores choosing them. When vegan healthy choices are normalized people are more apt to choose them.
The meat and dairy industry feeds off of the paleo, low carb, soy and gluten are bad fads
Took me 3 years to transition, I would last for up to 4 months, relapse, try again, and I was doing it for ethical reasons. Even with ethical motivation, I still struggled. When the meals felt too repetitive, and I had a craving, I caved. It was easy enough to stick to vegetarianism, but not so much sticking to being vegan. Things got easier, vegan alternatives improved a lot.
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I grew up with farm animals and as far as I can tell most pigs are way smarter and have more character than the average dog. Maybe you lack some empathy but I guess you have friends or pets? Enjoy a nice vacation on a farm and try to befreind the local animals there... if you wanna eat a friend youre not much better than Sv3rige.
Effect is better when you see it live.... mind-altering noise, numbing stench.... and you can literaly feel the desperation.
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It isn't necessity to feel for the animals, even thought that does help.
You can have compassion fatigue, alexithymia or some other condition and still be vegan.
Many people seem to start with empathy, but everyone needs basic information on nutrition and cooking skills to stay vegan.
What has helped me, as an active individual, is eating a breakfast that contains good amount of protein. Personally, lentils with macaroni or rice work for me the best at the moment. On the days off, I just have an oatmeal with beanut butter, walnuts and flax seeds. I emphasize breakfast because it's supposed to be the biggest meal of the day. And from my experience I can say that it keeps hunger away efficiently for the rest of the day and thus I'm able to control better what and when I eat.
Some people can't eat breakfast, but I have been thinking that even those people probably could have an protein shake or something. But what ever works for you.
Some people here have already suggested an appointment with a nutritionist. And since you are an athlete that would be a good idea.
You can have compassion fatigue, alexithymia or some other condition and still be vegan.
Many people seem to start with empathy, but everyone needs basic information on nutrition and cooking skills to stay vegan.
What has helped me, as an active individual, is eating a breakfast that contains good amount of protein. Personally, lentils with macaroni or rice work for me the best at the moment. On the days off, I just have an oatmeal with beanut butter, walnuts and flax seeds. I emphasize breakfast because it's supposed to be the biggest meal of the day. And from my experience I can say that it keeps hunger away efficiently for the rest of the day and thus I'm able to control better what and when I eat.
Some people can't eat breakfast, but I have been thinking that even those people probably could have an protein shake or something. But what ever works for you.
Some people here have already suggested an appointment with a nutritionist. And since you are an athlete that would be a good idea.
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beancounter
The Fire That Burns Within
As a Forest Warden I have killed many..... many animals. For every single one I said a prayer and never took a shot when I wasnt sure it would not be lethal. I am sick of killing animals because civilization fucked up.
It isn't necessity to feel for the animals, even thought that does help..... Dear 1st world problem city dwellers.... please think of nature as a whole beeing.
To think about nature as a whole... That would be easier, if you were living off-grid and self sustainably. Otherwise it's easy to forget, when you go to work, be in a hurry and get what you need from a store.
If you don't have an nature based religion that you practise every day, it can be really hard.
Animals rights is the most common reason to go vegan, but it's not the only one. My main motivation is environmental. There's the greenhouse gas emissions and pollution caused by intensive farming, the destruction of rainforest and the sheer waste of arable land and fresh water being used to raise livestock. And that's a picnic compared to the disaster unfolding in the oceans due to overfishing - the oceans that are the basis of food chains for our planet. Going vegan was not some noble sacrifice, it's very much in my and everyone's self-interest.
Thats true... guess its easy for me to say since I only spend about 5% or less of my time among people or in bigger settlements.
But what you say is a reminder for itself that there might be soemthing wrong.
Vast majority of religions value nature and many prophets even were vegetarians.
Farm animals are a difficult topic. Imagine beeing a wild chicken. Chances youre getting old are rather low due to natures pecking order. Its somehow a bitter question: Would you rather live in freedom as easy prey, or stick to some people that protect you until you at least reached a decent age? There is this theory that north american turkeys kinda domesticated themselves since living with the human tribes was somehow the better choise.
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David3
Forum Legend
Good point. Guess its the same thing as with humans... once we get used to something, even though it allready had major drawbacks from the beginning, its really hard to change habits unless something drastic happens.
I also understand that it is rather difficult for turkeys to change the current state on their own. Yet again... same as with humans. To be honest, turkeys are exemplary stupid animals.
Where do we draw the line? Eat only plants, even though they also show signs of intelligence? Mushrooms? Insects because they dont seem to feel pain as far as we can describe it? Fish because their ganglion excuse for a brain isnt enough to convice us? Chicken... I love birds but I have very little respect for chicken...
First, watch vegan documentaries such as Lucent and Dominion (all on YouTube). The animal torture on display will make you take an oath to be vegan forever and speak out against animal cruelty. DISCLAIMER: DON'T BOTHER WATCHING IF YOU ARE FAINTHEARTED. Many people are still non-vegans not because they love meat and milk or silk and wool so much, but because they are not aware of what farm animals go through before they end on their platters.
