Eating Vegetarian for Now

TLDR

I’ve decided to eat vegetarian, and for some reason I feel compelled to explain my rationale.

Short answer

It’s because of animal welfare.

Long answer

Ever since our dog Salami died, I’m been hyper-sensitive to experiences of animal abuse. I have had a significant increase in frequency and intensity of intrusive thoughts depicting graphic animal abuse, and many of these thoughts have been deeply upsetting to me.

I’ve been aware of the harms of industrial meat processing for a long time. Shortly after Salami’s death, my partner was talking with me about a book she was reading, Raw Dog. While the majority of the book is a celebration of hot dogs, my partner mentioned that there was a chapter discussing the industrial meat economy which is necessary for the production of hot dogs. The information she shared wasn’t exactly news to me, but it was a reminder of what I am implicitly supporting every time I eat meat from unknown provenance.

I actually don’t have an ethical problem with eating animals. I don’t have a problem with hunting or raising animals for food. I do, however, have a problem with torturing animals as part of the process. Ultimately, I believe that much of the meat consumed in America results in animal torture at some point in the animals’ lives. I don’t care to clarify my definition of torture or cite statistics or research; I am merely expressing why I’ve chosen to eat vegetarian for now, and this is why.

Furthermore, although my primary motivation is animal wellfare, I also carry concerns over the human labor practices of industrial meat processing. From things I’ve read, I don’t believe that human wellfare is held in high regard in many of these factories. This also goes against my morals. I believe we are capable of building a world where every human can be treated with dignity, respect, and self-determination. Industrial meat processing does not seem to align with my values for either humans or animals.

With the combination of feeling a heightened sensitivity to animal abuse, and a renewed attention to the suffering animals experience in industrial meat production, I found it incompatible with my personal morals to continue eating meat.

Why not vegan?

My understanding is that chickens have some of the most barbaric treatment of all animals in industrial farming. I imagine dairy cows often are often mistreated as well. However, for the time being, I’ve decided to continue eating eggs and dairy. My feelings on this are two-fold:

1. I am reluctant to shift my diet so abruptly from a meat-eating diet to fully vegan. I am concerned that the change in nutrient intake (particularly fat which I’ve learned my body needs more than average) would be hard on my body. While it may be true that this indicates a weakness in my morals, I’m willing to admit weakness if it means preserving my own health.
2. I believe it is easier to source ethical eggs and dairy than it is to source ethical meat. I have been buying “free range” eggs for probably over a decade, and I always buy organic dairy when it is available. I know there are massive limitations to these labels and they don’t necessarily mean anything at all, but I have to start somewhere. I am still trying to do my best, even if I am taking baby steps to get there. If you have any recommendations on how to make better choices for eggs and dairy, please send them my way.

Looking to the future

While I intend to continue eating vegetarian for the foreseeable future, I also recognize that the future is unknowable. I may decide to start eating meat again, or I may decide to eat fully vegan as well. I may oscillate between extremes depending on season. I may decide to exclusively support a local, humane farm for meat, dairy, and eggs. As with all of my writing, this post is a point-in-time representation of my thoughts and feelings. Nothing is static in our dynamic world, and I reserve the right to continue changing over time.