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wikipedia: vegan


suz
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Has anyone checked out the vegan page on wikipedia lately? Has it always been so biased?

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vegan

 

I'm pretty sure it doesn't have anything positive about veganism on it. Interestinly, under "motivations" it says: [motivations] include opinions about the esthetics of animal slaughter and butchery, especially the opinion that such activities are "ugly," or that slaughterhouses are "unpleasant neighbors;"

 

It also goes on to talk about health risks, vitamin deficiencies, genital defects and soy, and eating disorders and ethical criticisms.

 

This is a great reminder to not take everything on wiki as an absolute truth. This article points to the fact that wiki is really nothing more than a reflection of popular opinion.

 

Sadly, if people read lies enough the lies start to become truth.

 

We need someone to go on there and clean it up!!!

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I don't think it's that bad. The things mentioned are always connected to some research. The reader, I believe, has to be aware of how science works. Science doesn't (usually) present absolute truth but more a foundation for discussion. I think the article brings up the topics of debate for veganism. The thing I could object to is that it seems to think that if you are a vegan you are automatically a heavy soy eater.

 

The topic of wheather it's ethical or not to kill animals for food is discussable and the health aspects of vegan diets is also up for discussion, as mentioned in the article.

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I have a wiki account, I will try to alter it.

 

I think most of the article was fine, parts are biased. I only altered 2 parts which seemed heavily to miss the point.

 

I added in the last sentence here:

 

"Steven Davis, professor of animal science at Oregon State University, claims that the number of wild animals killed in crop production is greater than those killed in ruminant-pasture production and therefore eating meat causes less harm to animals than a vegan diet.[81][82] However, in order to feed livestock, you must harvest food for them, and in the process you will kill vastly more animals than if you were to eat a plant-based diet, rather than raise and eat animals."

 

and the last few sentences here:

 

"The American Dietetic Association says that a properly planned vegan diet presents no significant nutritional problems.[26] Vegans are potentially at risk for being deficient in nutrients such as vitamin B12,[46] vitamin D,[47] calcium,[48][47] iodine[49] and omega-3 fatty acids.[50] These deficiencies can have potentially serious consequences, including anemia,[51] rickets[52] and cretinism[53] in children, and osteomalacia[52] and hyperthyroidism[53] in adults. Supplementation, particularly for vitamin B12, is highly recommended for vegans.[54] Despite these concerns, a vegan diet can easily contain all the necessary nutrients and vitamins to remain healthy. A vegan will only lack these nutrients if they fail to eat a healthy balanced diet. Veganism in itself does not imply a deficiency in any nutrients or vitamins, with the possible exception of B12 - which can be gained synthetically."

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First of all, props for editing it! It sucks that it was removed that quick.

Can't you lock it? Your second addition seemed ok, maybe you should back it up by referring to a published scientific article. I'm not to sure about your first addition.

 

However, in order to feed livestock, you must harvest food for them, and in the process you will kill vastly more animals than if you were to eat a plant-based diet, rather than raise and eat animals."

 

No disrespect, but I found this sentence a bit confusing. It seems like you are saying that you kill animals in the process of harvesting food..

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You do kill animals in the process of harvesting food; they get caught up in the machines inevitably. But you kill far more animals if you harvest food to feed other animals to then kill and eat. Far far more

 

Nah, no way of locking, it is open to be edited. But I am thinking of citing a reference for the things I've said and doing it again, because then I follow their stupid rules. Duh, someone else must have said it first before you can say it here. Even if it's factual like what I said

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You do kill animals in the process of harvesting food; they get caught up in the machines inevitably. But you kill far more animals if you harvest food to feed other animals to then kill and eat. Far far more

 

Good on ya for updating the wiki page. Hopefully it'll "stick" next time. One caveat I might add to the professor's claim is that I think it assumes that all plant food is harvested by machines. While it's certainly true that a lot of it is, it's also true that it doesn't have to be. During the summer and fall, my wife and I get nearly all our produce from local organic farms where it is picked by hand. Likewise, a lot of the fruit we get from the natural food store is handpicked. And we're going to grow a lot of our own food this year, so I know that food will be cruelty-free.

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vegan outreach just released some findings about the vegan diet and calcium. Essentially vegans that dont pay any attention to nutrients wont get the ones they need but if you eat right you are no more likely to have problems than anyone else who eats right...what a suprise right?

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vegan outreach just released some findings about the vegan diet and calcium. Essentially vegans that dont pay any attention to nutrients wont get the ones they need but if you eat right you are no more likely to have problems than anyone else who eats right...what a suprise right?

 

Exactly!

 

Bah, I find the last half of the wikipedia entry to be the bad part. The early bit is mainly just straight forward. The ethics part especially is irritating, because it only really contains counter-arguments against veganism, rather than an actual explanation of the ethics.

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