veganism and discipline

[dale]

ok, i've been wondering about this for a few days:

 

most people, especially those who are religious, believe some things to be absolutely wrong (lying, cheating, stealing etc..). yet, most also accept that every once in a while even the most upright "slip up" in one or more of those areas.

that being said, why is meat-eating, something we know to be wrong, something that we would never never never eat. i suppose it's the same as all the other vices in that its something that would fulfill us athe expense of others. so, why don't we have people on the forum saying, "oops, guys, i tripped up and had a fat slice of ham; forgive me."

what gives us the discipline to do what we know is right 3+ times a day, every day of the year? basically, why are we more disciplined at avoiding meat than even the very religous are at avoiding whatever it is that they believe is wrong?

 

i hope this makes sense..

[seand]

ever consider that some of us here simply don't desire or crave meat, instead of requiring self discipline at all?

[dale]

yes, and i've also considered that there are a few who didn't give up meat for ethical purposes. still, there are many who

a. like the taste of meat

b. gave up meat for ethical purposes, and

c. never eat meat, not when no one is around, not when there's nothing else cheap to eat, never.

 

for me, i think its a powerful formula: 1/2 right + 1/2 spite= total dedication

[Richard]

Well eating animal meat to me is the same principle as eating a human, and paying for meat is like paying for someone to be killed. Eating humans and paying for humans to be killed are also things I hope I never do, so in that way it's not really complicated to me. Lying, cheating, stealing, getting angry, punching someone, swearing, making someone feel bad, taking drugs, drinking, those things are so far down the scale in comparison to murder, I think that's why meat-eating is taken so seriously by many veg*ns

[SeaSiren]

For me personally it's a matter of life and death. Meat = high cholestrol and high BP = high risk of heart attack and/or stroke, plus a several other genetic diseases I am at risk of. I have been vegan for sometime now and don't crave meat at all. On a rare occasion I may smell something that smells really good, and in each instance it is the sauce or seasoning I am wanting, easily recreated in a vegan dish ( I love burnt BBQ sauce or blackened seasoning).

 

As for others who slip up and go back to being vegan, I think many persons transition. Hopefully, eventuall they won't crave the old favorites anymore as their taste continue to change.

[9nines]

Eating preferences are basically habits. Once you break them, there is no intrinsic value there. Not only do I have no desire to eat animal products, I can not understand how I ever ate them, accept that it is a habit of society.

[Odidnetne]

Lying and cheating are things that you do to avoid hurting other people, though still looked down (in some cases, like lying about where you've been or cheating on a test), but unless someone holds a gun to your head, there's no real difference that eating "that fat slice of ham" might do to make everyone's life easier.

[xChrisZx]

I think it is as simple as this...

 

Stealing is awesome

Lying is good in some cases

Cheating is good in some cases also

 

Eating Meat is damn gross and is never ever good

[Aaron]

I have been vegan for sometime now and don't crave meat at all. On a rare occasion I may smell something that smells really good, and in each instance it is the sauce or seasoning I am wanting, easily recreated in a vegan dish.

 

Ditto.

[K-oz]

Hi dale, I've thought about that too and I came to the conclusion that discipline is something you need when you actually don't want to do something (or do want to ), but you do it anyway (or leave it).

 

With religion there is often the problem, that people don't know WHY they are doing what they are doing. It's a commandment and for ther reason alone they try to change there life, but they don't feel it, nor really comprehend why. So whenever a tempting situation comes up it is very hard to resist, because drinking with friends can be much fun, sex as well , steeling too. I went to church regularly for one year in the USA and what I heard most, was: "Because the bible tells me so".

 

With ethical vegans I made the experience, that they are deeply moved by what is going on, that they feel compassion and love and truely UNDERSTAND what is means to eat meat and drink milk. They come to a point where they don't WANT to be part of all the horror anymore, thus change their habits and that's it. The "not wanting to eat/drink it" makes it not that much a matter of discipline, but of principles.

 

I would almost say the same about vegans who went vegan for health reasons. They also know what they are doing to themselves with other food and they choose not to comsume that anymore. But my experience with health-reason-vegans is, that they are more likely to eat somthing non vegan, because as long as it is in moderation it's ok.

 

Summery

- they want to, but forbid themself, what they want

- we don't want to and how can something tempt me if I don't want it?

 

[veganmonk]

Speaking from the a/r perspective (which I am)...

 

Speciesism is the same as racism, sexism, and other forms of discrimination and oppression - the only difference is the species.

 

Would it be okay for a person to have the occasional slave, or occassional suppression of women?

 

Ethical matters are not of the subject matter of acceptable slip-ups.

 

Also, you will never see a herbivore have the occasional slip-up and eat meat. It is simply not something that occurs, as there is no desire and no instinct to kill animals and eat their flesh as food.

 

If one believes in the equality of animals and respects them as such, it is just a given that one will never cause intentional harm to them.

[K-oz]

What is a "a/r"??

[veganmonk]

What is a "a/r"??

 

animal rights

[K-oz]

ah, yeah, thanks.