Friday, July 10, 2015

Vegan/Vegetarian, Stop Behaving Like Communist







Yesterday, there was an interesting discussion going on in Kaagmandu Magazine page on the post by Ajita Pande -- Vegetarian/Vegan versus "meat eaters."  Some good points from both sides, and some pretty lame.  This is not the first time that I had witnessed such debates on the topic.  It's all well and good to share perspectives and develop communication skill.  BUT, sometime, some arguments do not go well with me, i.e., stubbornness of vegetarians/vegans over the choice of diet made by others.  Thought I should take a chance to express my points as well and thus, this article is written.   

First thing first, I eat meat and I love them, especially the "Choyela," butter chicken, mutton chop and Manchurian.  Liver, I don't like though.  Intestine, only if is fried.  Needless to say about Mo:Mo.  Meat of those cute looking goats and adorable chickens is just so so Yummy!  Look! I sound such a "sadist/cruel/psychopath" bragging about how great eating those innocent animals, Right?  Wait, don't judge me.  I donate some of my earnings once in a while to pet centres; I am extremely vocal if I see animal being abused or disrespected.  I am against all kind of animal sacrifice in the name of God and spirits. I have also done some amazing humanly things around to make better world and better society.  You see? I'm not so bad person.

What a hypocrite I must be, right? or, maybe you are just too young cognitively to understand the world.  No, I am not  hypocrite.  I know my weakness and strength, right from wrong in most part and thus, have evolved from idealist mind to realistic mind.

Oh damn, I become bit touchy there.  Let's get back to chicken and muttons and yummy foods versus leaves and carbs and grains.  Which is better?  By all means, being vegetarian is better.  No doubt about it.  That is the most beautiful thing one can do to self and others. BUT, does not mean being "meat eater" is all bad and inhuman.  This is where I am finding many "vegetarian/vegan" worse than "meat eaters."

No meat eater ever condemns vegetarians nor forces or interferes on others' diet choice, whereas vegetarians/vegans are constantly pushing the agenda shoving down the throat of "meat eaters" with all kinds of labelling as if "meat eaters" are the filthiest and cruel human.  

"Don't kill animal.  Killing is bad.  If you don't stop, I will kill you."  Most of the arguments sound like that.

So, my piece of requests to all you vegetarians and vegans out there,


  • Respect Diet Choice Made By Others.   There are all kinds of diets permitted by government and WHO after deep research and fact-checks.  If meat would be bad for health, it would be labeled same as cigarettes.  So, let's respect diet choices made by fellow humans if the diet is not proven to be causing adverse health effects, whatsoever.
  • Your Argument Is Subjective.  Being vegan/vegetarian is "supreme" choice made out of preference or ideology.  Either way, your reasoning in this matter is always subjective.  Don't expect others to understand or agree with your subjective claims.
  • World Is Changing. Don't Worry Too Much.  Meat consumption isn't going anywhere but with the rise of humanity and concept of, "love and compassion for all," slaughter house and meat eaters are less cruel than before and they all are learning year by year to be nicer to animals even if have to kill for food.  Moreover, artificial meat is future. So, please don't worry too much about earthlings.
  • Meat eaters aren't bad people.  They got the taste and they love it, but they are not idealist like many of you.  They are realistic and know that even if they stop eating animals out of love, someone will be still killing those animals for food.  So, if meat eaters choose vegetarian/vegan lifestyle, the sole reason will be "Will" and not "Ideology."  Give them time to develop the will.  Until then, don't just patronise or despise them.  
  • Have Patience, Follow The Natural Process.  Every change comes in phases and not all in one shot.  Human used to eat anything and everything, then evolved to eat selectively, then evolved to eat by adding spice to it, and now have evolved to "eat but act nice to it" and may evolve to eat only in need, and then may evolve to find alternative and eventually never eat. Don't expect end to all with one slogan within one season.  Right thing to do is to focus on achieving next phase.  For example, here in this part of world, focus should be to encourage people to, be nice to animals even if have to eat them; eat meat but don't kill for spirit; eat meat as per nutritional need and not pleasing God.  First enter this phase, stay in this phase, let some time passes by, and if you are still alive, then push for next phase.  Otherwise, next generation will come and will take it from there (human can't stay settled.)   This is how, human and their society evolves by taking its own time and process.  Don't be so stubborn to become the one to change the world.  Just do one thing at a time, and focus achieving your mission in a phase, one stage after another. 


Long thing short,


We all meat eaters agree that being vegan/vegetarian is far more superior way of living than being a "meat eater," but we also agree, being less superior does not mean we are low-life, filthy cruel animal.  There are other ways to compensate that weakness of ours and still remain on same level of superiority and contribute in spreading love and compassion.  Don't label us hypocrite.  We are not hypocrite.  We are just not "Idealist" as you are, who believe world would be better place if everyone stops eating meat.  Nor we are idealist like you, who think if we stop eating, everyone will stop eating.  We are pretty pragmatic and realistic that believes, until WHO claims meat to be bad, until Government declares meat to be bad, until laws are enacted to make animal killing a crime, ideology alone is not going to stop consumption of animals.  So, we instead of wasting our energy on the mission that is practically not possible to achieve, we focus on ideas of being nice to animal, finding a method of slaughtering them without injecting much of pain, funding projects for animals, and promoting ideas of love and compassion and humanity through various other ways and not just "NO TO MEAT."

So, all Vegans and Vegetarians, please don't behave like communists and push the idea of utopia.  We understand and respect your concept of utopian world, but we are not just ready to march with you, because we are bit pragmatic and realistic and naturalist.

So for now, let's together work on next phase, that is "being nice to animals and finding better ways to kill and consume them."


To the rest of meat eaters, join me for this momo.  ;)

Image Source:  Google Image