I grew up to think I was the weirdo in my family. Barbecuing on weekends was just not my type of fun. I couldn’t see meat chunks other than icky stuff that’s all sticky and gooey :P Whenever my parents insisted to top my plate with a grilled rib, I’d wait until they left then toss it back into the serving dish secretly. I had absolutely no reason and not the least idea why I felt that way. Yes, I do admit – it’s nothing moral but simply a matter of appetite. I mean, I do eat meat in minced form and find it okay. But my natural impulses reject certain other forms of meat. So if I’m born like that, and it’s okay … Why then do we think that vegetarians are different? Is it cuz of all the philosophy they’ve added to that different instinct they’ve got?
No More Chicken Legs for Me!
On my first year at college for the first time I got into an anatomy lab … or in other words the morgue. From that day on, I visualized chicken legs as femur bones. The scene was horrendous. Mesh bas the look of dead bodies lying around all torn and shredded, but more the disrespectful beings doing their spotting with one hand stuck in the guts and the other senselessly holding a burger!
On my first year at college for the first time I got into an anatomy lab … or in other words the morgue. From that day on, I visualized chicken legs as femur bones. The scene was horrendous. Mesh bas the look of dead bodies lying around all torn and shredded, but more the disrespectful beings doing their spotting with one hand stuck in the guts and the other senselessly holding a burger!
Respect for the Living … and for the Dead
This incident struck me... eah el 2araf da! Tab3an keda vegans have got a very good point. We do treat animals with cruelty. Even with a human corpse we can be so disrespectful. Frankly speaking, I just don’t see plant eating any better than animal eating, since they’re both living. Some people actually look down upon lawn mowing. Why should we kill grass for a better front view? That’s so true. I always knew flowers were better off on their stems than in our vase.
This incident struck me... eah el 2araf da! Tab3an keda vegans have got a very good point. We do treat animals with cruelty. Even with a human corpse we can be so disrespectful. Frankly speaking, I just don’t see plant eating any better than animal eating, since they’re both living. Some people actually look down upon lawn mowing. Why should we kill grass for a better front view? That’s so true. I always knew flowers were better off on their stems than in our vase.
Meat Eating …
I can still remember when I was a little kid. Like a lot of people, I was taught the concept that God created animals for us to consume and that we should eat whatever we’ve got on our plate. All our holidays and occasions were linked to feasts and dinner gatherings. I can’t imagine what my folks would’ve done if I had a vegetarian wedding :D Mafeesh kalam en chicken broth and livestock are much tastier than vegetable stock. And after all, we are carnivores (with the actual dental proof for that!) That’s when it gets real complicated. How would you respond to a three year old who’s decided that she’s not so into meat? How can you teach such a kid to care for a pet, feed it and all … then one day kill it and eat it for dinner!
I can still remember when I was a little kid. Like a lot of people, I was taught the concept that God created animals for us to consume and that we should eat whatever we’ve got on our plate. All our holidays and occasions were linked to feasts and dinner gatherings. I can’t imagine what my folks would’ve done if I had a vegetarian wedding :D Mafeesh kalam en chicken broth and livestock are much tastier than vegetable stock. And after all, we are carnivores (with the actual dental proof for that!) That’s when it gets real complicated. How would you respond to a three year old who’s decided that she’s not so into meat? How can you teach such a kid to care for a pet, feed it and all … then one day kill it and eat it for dinner!
Like I said, vegans do have a different natural instinct. And since we’re always looking for ways to make a difference, we also keep adding philosophy to things that have been done for so many years. But how would not-eating-meat be a positive thing and make a difference?
No Meat Eating …
In search for a trace of light I had a chat with Chadi, our vegan friend and Convo’s creative director. He’s been on a strict vegetarian diet for six years! He says, “While it was a humane thing at the beginning, it's no longer like that. It's a matter of right and wrong, religion aside. People in countries come into this life and are exposed to eating cockroaches, some frogs’ legs, some dogs, some camel. It's a matter of cultural exposure. We came knowing chicken and cattle are created to be food for us. I don't see it this way and find it mesh feyte b rassi eno we kill them for food. That's all there is to it.”
In search for a trace of light I had a chat with Chadi, our vegan friend and Convo’s creative director. He’s been on a strict vegetarian diet for six years! He says, “While it was a humane thing at the beginning, it's no longer like that. It's a matter of right and wrong, religion aside. People in countries come into this life and are exposed to eating cockroaches, some frogs’ legs, some dogs, some camel. It's a matter of cultural exposure. We came knowing chicken and cattle are created to be food for us. I don't see it this way and find it mesh feyte b rassi eno we kill them for food. That's all there is to it.”
It’s all so true. I ran into meat eaters who considered rabbits to be domestic pets, like cats and hamsters. I also met those who ate grasshoppers in the movies instead of popcorn :S Ya3ny kol wa7ed we dameero :-S
Mostly Flexitarians
Why go extreme then if it’s just a matter of choice? Ya3ny meat eating people are okay. Vegans who break their vegetable routine once in a while – felxitarians – are also okay. Trying to interfere with other people’s freedom … is NOT okay. Six years ago a couple got jailed after starving their baby to death. They ruthlessly denied breast milk and formula and gave her only nuts, fruits and vegetable. Poor baby got severe malnutrition and died. Well it wouldn’t really happen here but is an example extremist situation. I mean what’s so humane about that? Aside from the killing, they were taking away the baby’s right to have all options ahead, and then make the choice. That’s a basic human right!It’s clearly a natural thing. Witnessing a living being in a disrespectful sight, especially if it’s for the sake of one’s enjoyment is more than enough to do the job. The least you would do then is get nauseated with any sight of meat.
Why go extreme then if it’s just a matter of choice? Ya3ny meat eating people are okay. Vegans who break their vegetable routine once in a while – felxitarians – are also okay. Trying to interfere with other people’s freedom … is NOT okay. Six years ago a couple got jailed after starving their baby to death. They ruthlessly denied breast milk and formula and gave her only nuts, fruits and vegetable. Poor baby got severe malnutrition and died. Well it wouldn’t really happen here but is an example extremist situation. I mean what’s so humane about that? Aside from the killing, they were taking away the baby’s right to have all options ahead, and then make the choice. That’s a basic human right!It’s clearly a natural thing. Witnessing a living being in a disrespectful sight, especially if it’s for the sake of one’s enjoyment is more than enough to do the job. The least you would do then is get nauseated with any sight of meat.
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