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Our meat obsession is destroying the planet: How to change how we see animals

giantg2 5y ago
The idea of eating meat that we hunt and fish sounds nice, but the days when populations were low enough to do that sustainably as a sole source for all of society has passed (barring forcing people into specific diets).
mint2 5y ago
People seem to ingrain meat eating as part of their self identity. It’s odd
erik_seaberg 5y ago
> Indigenous ideas like “relationality” and “reciprocity” can help us all challenge our outlook on nonhuman animals. Fake meat seems a plausible solution, but a widespread change in religion just doesn’t.
hirundo 5y ago
"Cree filmmaker Tasha Hubbard has argued that the destruction of the bison was a form of genocide, since their slaughter was partly designed to render Native Americans and their cultures extinct." It was indeed part of the genocide, because the natives deeply depended on that meat and fat to live. We should learn from that, too. We evolved migrating around with herds of ruminants like bison, because they could digest the grasses that we could not, and we could digest them. We're good at being omnivores, but we're particularly good at metabolizing animal products into healthy bodies. In my own experience, which includes years-long periods of veganism, I don't reach optimal health without animal products. I don't think that's unusual. Maybe we do have to sacrifice some level of personal health to protect the planet, but I'm not convinced of that. With population growth slowing and wealth growing, we can have our cow and eat it too.
- drekk 5y ago
  I agree on the animal products side of things, but cutting out meat has only improved my health and doesn't seem like a sacrifice. Maybe that's unusual but I think people just really enjoy the taste and are afraid of change. In my experience Americans tend to be pickier eaters than in other cultures where other proteins like insects are consumed when available. In my opinion the largest issue is the misaligned subsidies—we are ensuring unhealthy food is the most affordable while also not investing in infrastructure has caused huge swathes of the US to be dubbed "food deserts". On average Americans get half the fiber they need but twice the protein, and so making that simple change would not only help people's health but also the planet without going so far as to 100% eliminate meat

The idea of eating meat that we hunt and fish sounds nice, but the days when populations were low enough to do that sustainably as a sole source for all of society has passed (barring forcing people into specific diets).

mint2 5y ago

People seem to ingrain meat eating as part of their self identity. It’s odd

erik_seaberg 5y ago

> Indigenous ideas like “relationality” and “reciprocity” can help us all challenge our outlook on nonhuman animals. Fake meat seems a plausible solution, but a widespread change in religion just doesn’t.

hirundo 5y ago

"Cree filmmaker Tasha Hubbard has argued that the destruction of the bison was a form of genocide, since their slaughter was partly designed to render Native Americans and their cultures extinct." It was indeed part of the genocide, because the natives deeply depended on that meat and fat to live. We should learn from that, too. We evolved migrating around with herds of ruminants like bison, because they could digest the grasses that we could not, and we could digest them. We're good at being omnivores, but we're particularly good at metabolizing animal products into healthy bodies. In my own experience, which includes years-long periods of veganism, I don't reach optimal health without animal products. I don't think that's unusual. Maybe we do have to sacrifice some level of personal health to protect the planet, but I'm not convinced of that. With population growth slowing and wealth growing, we can have our cow and eat it too.

drekk 5y ago
I agree on the animal products side of things, but cutting out meat has only improved my health and doesn't seem like a sacrifice. Maybe that's unusual but I think people just really enjoy the taste and are afraid of change. In my experience Americans tend to be pickier eaters than in other cultures where other proteins like insects are consumed when available. In my opinion the largest issue is the misaligned subsidies—we are ensuring unhealthy food is the most affordable while also not investing in infrastructure has caused huge swathes of the US to be dubbed "food deserts". On average Americans get half the fiber they need but twice the protein, and so making that simple change would not only help people's health but also the planet without going so far as to 100% eliminate meat