diesteldorf

Just curious.

I know that many who choose to be vegetarians do so because of

A) Health concerns
(eliminating fats from the diet that are in meat)

B) Animal Rights

C) Digestive issues and a lack of tolerance for meat.

D) The person just doesn't like meat

I'm not a vegetarian, so there may be other reasons that I ommitted. However, I am curious about why someone would choose to be vegan instead of the seemingly less restrictive vegetarian lifestyle.

I know that health concerns could be
an issue. However, with the proliferation of low-fat cheese, yogurt,
ice cream, egg beaters, etc. , it seems
possible for someone to enjoy these
foods even if they are on a restrictive
diet.

I would be curious to know if it has anything to do with animal rights.
Some vegetarians choose that
lifestyle because they don't like
eating animals. However, they will
drink milk and eat eggs, whereas a vegan would not.

If someone is lactose intolerant or
doesn't like eggs, cheese, ice cream etc, I understand why it would be
natural to be vegan. However,
was it really a choice, or did their
body necessitate that they become vegan?

Hopefully, there are some fellow otters that might be willing to educate me.

Red Dog

I never understood why someone would think it is wrong to consume milk/cheese.

Brain Stew

Well, when you think about it, it is kind of weird to drink another animal's lactation and eat their unfertilized child.

Canis Firebrand

From one Vegan I used to know.

Milk/cheese still is an animal product. They won't consume it for that reason and for the way the animals are treated to get the product necessary to deliver milk/cheese to us.

I think they eat cheese and drink milk if it is soy procuct and/or lactose free.

There are lots of milk and cheese options now then there were in the past.

JasonF

Or eggs, for that matter.

Maybe GoVegan will wander by this thread to present his side of the story, but my understanding is that most vegans feel that consuming milk, etc. is wrong because we are exploiting the cows, etc. that produce the milk for us. Thanks to our demand for milk, the cows have to live in inhumane conditions (as the vegans perceive it); if we didn't drink milk, the cows wouldn't be subjected to living on dairy farms.

UncleGramps

I am a vegan because of my personal beliefs about animal rights. While you don't have to harm an animal to get milk or eggs, most farms don't exactly treat the animals very well, which is why I don't eat eggs or dairy products. I can go into more detail if you're curious, but I don't want to bore you or seem like I'm preaching.

Red Dog

I'm no scientist, but don't cows need to be milked or do they simply believe that cows should be roaming free to begin with (and thus their calves would be sucking the milk).

Th0r S1mpson

Canis Firebrand

See MaxF's post.

A lot of the decision stems from the way the animals are treated to get the milk to make the cheese, etc.

Animals on farms aren't exactly treated in the best way.

I neither agree nor disagree with a Vegans philosophy. Unless they get in my face about it when I am eating something they disapprove of.

And that has only happened once in my lifetime.

GoVegan

You know, that's funny. A lot of people believe that. I certainly did. No. Cows only produce milk for a few years after giving birth, so from what I understand cows are either "retired" at that point or impregnated again.

Other people have already covered my feelings on the matter. I became vegan because I wanted to reduce the amount of suffering I caused to animals. At this point in time I think it's incredibly easy to be a healthy vegan, especially compared to when I first made the transition.

Red Dog

I don't care one way or the other. I was just curious about the reasoning. What gets me are vegitarians/vegans who wear leather.

UncleGramps

I think this why a lot of people have a negative perception of vegetarians and vegans. The ones who bother other people about eating meat/eggs/dairy get the most attention, and they give the rest of us a bad name. I suppose they believe that they're doing the right thing, but for me, it's about doing what feels right to me, not trying to change anyone else's mind. I'll respect your beliefs if you'll respect mine.

And to explain my earlier statement a little more, cows have to be kept pregnant in order to keep producing milk. Also, their calves are usually either sold as veal or beef. For chickens, they'll lay eggs all the time, so that's not really the issue. It's more about the living conditions of the animals. Also, it's my understanding that most of the chickens are eventually killed and sold as poultry. Since the production of eggs and dairy products is so closely tied into beef and poultry production, I choose not to support these industries. Even with free-range farms, I think a lot of these issues still apply.

kvrdave

You-----------------------(spectrum)----------------------Me

UncleGramps

It's kinda funny...I bought some leather work boots a few years before I went vegetarian, and I still own them and use them now and then. Since going vegetarian, I haven't purchased any leather products, but it seems wasteful to throw out a perfectly good pair of boots. However, I know the kind of vegetarians you're talking about - the ones who don't seem to make the connection between buying leather products and eating meat. It seems pretty inconsistent to me, but to each their own, I suppose.

Roto

People become vegans out of fear

Cygnet74

I have never in my life met a vegan that wore leather. you may be mistaking a faux-leather alternative.

kvrdave

So they have leather envy. Take your place at the top of the food chain, I say.

UncleGramps

For some of us, this is true. But most of us just really, really hate plants.

JasonF

Am I the only one who's watching Amish in the City? One of the people on that show is a vegan who explained that milk is cow pus, eggs are chicken abortions, and cows come from outer space.

So some vegans, at least, are vegans because they are complete and utter morons.

(Note to vegans: some omnivores are also complete and utter morons).

RoyalTea

i can't wait for the day science finds out that plants can feel pain.

Trigger

I tell my vegan friends who get all fussy about where we go grab a bite to eat that I'm gonna eat 3 steaks for every 1 they don't eat.

GoVegan

Then the fruititarians will be in all of our faces.

kvrdave

RoyalTea

obscurelabel

It is very difficult if not impossible to completely avoid animal products, even if one is committed to it. I always found it highly ironic that the late Linda McCartney was well known as a vegetarian and animal rights proponent, as well as a photographer. Primary ingredient in photographic film? Gelatin, made from boiled animal hooves, hides, and bones. (Of course now with digital cameras one could avoid film if desired).

News reports have detailed Paul McCartney's requests for animal free products while on tour, including limos without leather seats. Of course those limos drive on tires made with stearic acid, another product manufactured from animal by-products.

I guess one can try to avoid as much as possible, but it's difficult if not impossible to get shoes, soap, tires, and dozens of other products if being animal free is a requirement.

By the way I am not a vegetarian but I probably eat fish or chicken only about once a week, and pork and beef not at all, primarily for health reasons.