Ethical conundrums

[sacredchao]

It seems I'm removing meat from my diet. The odd part is that it's a compulsion that I still haven't entirely worked out in my own mind as yet. I've been tumbling it aobut in my head increasingly over the past couple of weeks, trying to work out where the impetus is coming from. In some ways I think there's a lot of peer pressure involved but rather than it simply me feeling pressured into ditching meat because lots of people in the queer and derby community are vegetarian, if not vegan, it's more that I have fewer people validating the excuses I have internally for ignoring the uneasiness I have over something dying, and more importantly living really unpleasantly just so that I can eat something tasty.

So I'm being strangely vague about my motivations but the compulsion is strong and I've been getting the uneasy feeling that goes with ignoring something in the back of my mind because it means I might have to make uncomfortable and/or inconvenient choices. I've been getting better at recognising those and have learned intellectually if not deep within myself that ignoring that and deferring dealing with it just means that I'll wind up annoyed with myself later.

There's really no reason not to go ahead with this other than convenience and the part of me that wants to play with tasty tasty charcuterie (there are so many awesome things that can be done with meat that are both tasty and fascinating!). It'll improve my diet, settle my mind and probably help me take off the weight that's been creeping on since I haven't been able to exercise. So I start the moratorium on meat and animal derived products as of now (no more Guinness once the sole remaining can in the fridge has gone *sadface*). I'm not especially fussed about giving up meat. The reduction in the cheese that will be available to me is going to be hard though. There will be an adjustment period and then I'll be fine. In the meantime, I have some thinking to do.

Comments

[sjkasabi.livejournal.com]

I have thought very hard about it over quite a long time, and I am comfortable with animals dying so I can eat them.

What I find harder and harder to bear is the thought of how most animals are expected to live so that people can eat them. Also teh feeding grain to herbivores while humans starve thing. And what industrial agriculture does to topsoil.

You will only get ethical meat in my house. That means there is often not much of it, or you're getting it on a special occasion, because it's expensive.

Just pointing out that there's a philosophical option which acknowledges some of your issues without insisting that you become a strict vegetarian (though you may in practice become a near veggo for financial reasons).

[f-m-r-l.livejournal.com]

Some number (not, granted, a great number) of dairy cows live more comfortable lives than do the people who make the clothes or electronics that are commonly available, or the people who harvest the fruits and vegetables that show up in my supermarket. You might look into whether you have access to a co-op that places a priority on animal treatment in the production of milk products. Around here there are 'regular' gourmet shops that sell cheeses from well treated cows. (Some people favor them simply because of the effect on the milk of the cows' stress levels.) The cheeses come from all over the place, so it should be possible to have them sent to all over the place.

It's a bit pricy. But it is one alternative to completely giving up milk products.

Vegetarian is occasionally tricky but not a huge change unless it involves cooking for the family. (I have relatives who insist it is, but they are unimaginative when it comes to food.) Vegan is dietarily complicated and takes more attention to making sure all nutritional needs are met and can also impact your social life more, especially if any part of your social life has involved hanging out at pubs. On the other hand, your friends now have a designated driver.

[sacred-chao.livejournal.com]

Restricted cheeses is primarily due to calf stomach derived rennet. Most beer is fine, but Guinness uses a fining agent made from bits of fish. My approach is a little ethically inconsistent right now but I'm so SO not diving headlong into veganism; that's setting myself up to fail. People are mentioning bobby calves and male chicks a lot. Yes, I know about them. The dialogue goes in one of two directions, either why not ease the restrictions on a pragmatic basis or why not go vegan. I think either will result in me throwing my hands up in the air and giving up on it. I'll settle into this and develop new eating habits and once I'm settled and comfy and have had time to reflect, I can refine things.

[f-m-r-l.livejournal.com]

There's vegetable and microbial rennet, if you get a craving. I should have remembered about kosher cheeses.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rennet#Vegetable_rennet