Help
Sign In
animal right
December 2008 
Survey: What would it take to make you change?
Posted on Jan 11th, 2008
by 
cosmicbdog
cosmicbdog
This is a survey / study I am doing on what it would take to make people change their diet from a meat / flesh eating one, to a vegan or vegetarian diet. What would make you make the shift?
The reason I ask, is because it seems there are so many people in the world who are right on the verge of making the shift, or are aware for different reasons why they would consider not eating meat but for whatever reason are missing something. So I am conducting this study.
What would make you stop eating meat? For example, an untreatable disease that was laying dormant in the farm bred animals which suddenly wiped out the population of a country... or a whole species of animals like sheep started speaking english... WHATEVER... Don't let me give you the answers... I am wanting to learn - what would it take in the world to make you stop eating meat? Be as out there or as you like.
Access: Public
What converted me about 30 years ago was actually seing a program about factory farm conditions, it sickened me to my core, I could not be the cause of such suffering and became vegetarian, I never regretted it, now even the smell of meat is abhorrent. However I do believe it is each persons responsibility and right to choose, though I would have more respect for meat eaters if they took care that the animals were treated humanely with regard for their natural lifestyle and lifespan, and if they were prepared to kill ther own meat locally and humanely. I grow my own vegetables and because I do it organically my garden is shared with nature, We have newts, grass snakes, toads,frogs, hedgehogs, moles, fieldnice, many spiders and other insects including a large population of moths, bumble bees, bees, butterflies and dragonflies,and a wide variety of birds.
I went vegetarian after seeing Ocean Robbin's presentation on the problems of eating meat and the benefits of being a vegetarian. I was close to being veggie already and this pushed me over the edge. That was over 15 years ago.
I've stopped eating red meat, but I still at odd times occassionally eat chicken… I do like seafood. It's been a slow gradual journey to eventually becoming vegetarian. What would it take? training my mind, consciousness, wellness, and my strong belief in karma.
Thank you so much for these responses so far. Your honesty is truly appreciated by this elf of the forest.
Lisa Lisa, Is it the taste of seafood you like? Also, do you eat seafood raw? I promise I will not use your feedback in this post to do any convincing here in this column.
Inviting further feedback… This is me querying, 'what makes a flesh eater tick?' and 'what would make a flesh eater tick over to a non-flesh eater?'
I would also say I think you are awesome, regardless of whether or not you do or don't eat flesh. Thanks!
There are only a few certain seafood I will eat…My palate is very picky. .. as far as raw - maybe shrimps and salmon.
I do have my cravings.. i am a female afterall..
What about Halal meat? what is your take on that?
I made the shift, as you say, just a few months ago. I had been toying with the idea for a long time, even years perhaps, but could never seem to cross that line. Then I saw an episode of “Dirty Jobs” where a dairy farm spread raw sewage over their crops and I was just appalled! That episode lead me to investigate the common practices of factory farms which, in turn, lead me to the PETA website. I haven't eaten meat since. Well, no, to be fair, I do still eat fish. Only wild caught, though, and preferably caught by someone I know. So, would it be possible for a “mass conversion” of meat-eaters to non-meat-eaters? We have to start looking at where our food comes from, and not just the physical animal but the entire process involved in raising that animal. When did it become ok to spread raw sewage over a food crop. No, the crop was not intended for human consumption, but that raises another important question: Why should it matter who (or what) will be consuming that food? It's still crap……
I agree with EVERYTHING you said cosmicdblog ..
You are talking complete and utter sense .. I often wonder why everyone does not feel this way ….
Friends, I can't tell you how badly I want to answer some of these questions… but like I said, I don't want to share any of my opinions here and completely ruin my study. I will definitely offer my thoughts at a later date but right now I am looking to continue gathering information from people who are happy, proud, ok, good, cool, alright with eating meat.
What I want to know is, what is it that would make you make the shift? For Lisa, it is about training the mind, consciousness, wellness and a strong belief in Karma. For Amanda, it is about not wanting to eat sewrage and support an industry that creates massive sewrage and pollution..
Mark, what was it in Ocean Robbins presentation exactly? I'm just trying to work out these pinnacle shifts that occured…
I am a bit like Zephyr where I have my own organic garden and use no pesticides or anything like that and if I'm lucky, I get to eat the food that the rest of the animals I live in equality with don't take it! My spinach has about 100 holes in it by the time I pick it. My tomatoes have nibble marks in them from the little various mice. The strawberries all the forest dwellers seem to leave for me.
So just repeating the question, as a meat eater, what is it exactly that would make you shift? Repeating that there should be no fear around posting what your reason is as there will be no debate in here from me, just the gathering of information to enhance my understanding* (* so I can form a formiddable argument for the future based on the responses.).
Thanks !!!!!!! :D
I may not have explained this very well, but here is an example of how I would imagine one might answer hipothetically.
“I'm not a christian, and I don't believe that Jesus is going to reincarnate here on earth… BUT IF HE DID… And this guy magically walked around healing everybody… THEN I would definitely believe in that…”
So… “I'm not a vegetarian, and I eat meat… but IF ____________ then I would stop eating meat.”.
I'm also really appreciative of the “I'm a vegetarian and I stopped eating meat because of ______________”. But that was an unexpected surprise.
With gratitude, blessings and fresh smiles on the surface of earth,B
Well, it has been 5 months since i've posted my last commment here… and now I can answer your statement:
I'm finally a vegetarian and I stopped eating flesh completely because ………………
I met Dharma Mittra (my Guru and true Yogi in every sense of the word from New York City) and listened to his talk and something Divine happened. I remembered who I truly was and where I was and everything inside me. I am a Yogi and yoga and meditation is my path, and I cannot be completely who I am and eat flesh at the same time. This karma was weighing me down.. It kept me from achieving my spiritual bliss. So i said goodbye to seafood.
They say when the student is ready, the teacher will come.
Its crazy how many people think that Seafood is vegetarian !!!!!!!
To clear the air folks… Fish is not a Vegetable or a Fruit. While it may be a good source of protein to some, like Liza says, its definitely not a good source of karma.