Disclaimer:
______________________________________
Dear Vegetarians,
If you chose vegetarian diet for ethical, moral, humane reasons and if you don't want to be a party to harming or killing animals - you have my unconditional and unwavering respect. I don't mince words in saying that you belong to a morally superior breed of humans and no silly argument could push you off your pedestal.
There would always be people arguing that plants are living things too without understanding that plants don't have central nervous system, brain or pain receptors. You will find others lecturing that eating animals is important for circle of life and to maintain a balanced food chain in the environment without accepting they eat animals that were selectively raised to slaughter and not with an intention to control animal population in their natural habitats. If they argue about nutrition and health benefits with non-vegetarian food, let me tell you there are superior health benefits with vegetarian food.
Don't bother about any internet articles shared by them stereotyping or belittling vegetarians or vegetarianism. They are usually compelled to do so that they feel they weren't on the wrong side of moral compass. You don't have to take them seriously. Hence I reiterate that voluntary vegetarians are more ethical, kind, virtuous, progressive thinking people of the society, hands down.
This article is dedicated not to vegetarians or animal lovers in general but to vegetarian activists who try to propagate vegetarianism among non-veg eaters. Let me tell you, your intention is noble and righteous because you hope to spread non-violence and love towards animals. Highly appreciable but I tried to analyze why such efforts don't yield remarkable results among non-veg lovers. There is a scientific or to be precise biological or anthropological reason behind that. Read on:
Do you know that the self-control, self-discipline and ethics you follow in terms of food habits is not natural to human species ? Human digestive system is designed for and is adaptable to non-veg food and we are born omnivores. Our stomachs, intestines, teeth are made to process both kinds of food. Appetite for non-veg food comes natural to human physiology. Pleasure cells in human brain release dopamine rush when eating non-veg food, the same dopamine which in high levels causes addiction to vices and guilty pleasures. That's human tendency. That's science. But in a way, that's a physiological handicap.
Hence if you are a vegetarian, you chose to rise above natural human instincts and laws of nature but your non-veg friends are living their natural life bestowed by thousands of years of evolution. So any activism or sharing articles would only cause them discomfort but not remorse.
For starters, celibacy means avoiding sex or any intimate physical relationship. There are philosophical, spiritual, religious theories about how refraining from sex is important for better and pure living. Celibacy, vegetarianism and sobriety are considered pillars for leading a higher standard of living. Many theories suggest that sex should be avoided (or limited to just dutiful reproduction of children) and the precious energy must be preserved and utilized in other very essential and indispensable functions. This might sound ridiculous for many but celibate movement is a genuine undercurrent phenomenon. You would be surprised to know how many world renowned legends practiced celibacy (including Mahatma Gandhi, Queen Elizabeth-1, Isaac Newton, Nikola Tesla to name a few).
But sex is a basic human necessity. Maslow's hierarchy of needs too states that sex is a raw physiological need that cultivates motivation. I don't want to use the concept of sex in this article to make anybody uncomfortable. Think of it as fuel for humans which gives intrinsic satisfaction to body and mind. So avoiding sex doesn't come naturally to humans just like avoiding non-veg food is not intrinsic. We are made like that and would continue being so unless another thousand years of ethical evolution causes humans to organically rise over.
Maintaining self-control and self-discipline for whatever they believe in must be lauded but imagine a situation where celibates describe others how awful the activity of sexual intercourse is. That's very similar to vegetarian activists trying to explain how animal cruelty or non-vegetarianism are improper.
If you show inhuman slaughterhouse videos to your non-veg friends and ask if they still want to eat non-veg, it's like a celibate showing you crass outrageous porn videos and asking if you still want to have sex ! They wouldn't refrain from what gives them pleasure, but would find ways to discredit your activism..and dislike you. They are hard-wired that way.
Though I know comparing animal cruelty to sex is silly, I'm trying to bring an analogy between two distinct human instincts that can't always be influenced by activism. But there are quite a few examples of non-veg lovers renouncing their food palate and I believe they should be hugely respected for their mettle and restraint.
PS: I mentioned that I have high regards for voluntary vegetarians but not so much for those who practice vegetarianism for religious or caste compulsions. I skimmed through Vedas, Upanishads and Manusmriti and let me tell you there are equal number of verses discouraging and encouraging non- vegetarianism and you may selectively choose what you want to follow. That debate some other time. If interested, read my earlier article about History of Religion.
- I don't intend to justify or mock either vegetarianism or non-vegetarianism.
- I'm non-religious and don't practice any caste stereotypes. I don't correlate food habits with caste or religion.
- I used the concept of sex to bring out an analogy between natural human instincts and not to titillate.
- I tried to analyze why vegetarian activism of non-violence against animals doesn't yield deserving results.
______________________________________
Dear Vegetarians,
If you chose vegetarian diet for ethical, moral, humane reasons and if you don't want to be a party to harming or killing animals - you have my unconditional and unwavering respect. I don't mince words in saying that you belong to a morally superior breed of humans and no silly argument could push you off your pedestal.
There would always be people arguing that plants are living things too without understanding that plants don't have central nervous system, brain or pain receptors. You will find others lecturing that eating animals is important for circle of life and to maintain a balanced food chain in the environment without accepting they eat animals that were selectively raised to slaughter and not with an intention to control animal population in their natural habitats. If they argue about nutrition and health benefits with non-vegetarian food, let me tell you there are superior health benefits with vegetarian food.
Don't bother about any internet articles shared by them stereotyping or belittling vegetarians or vegetarianism. They are usually compelled to do so that they feel they weren't on the wrong side of moral compass. You don't have to take them seriously. Hence I reiterate that voluntary vegetarians are more ethical, kind, virtuous, progressive thinking people of the society, hands down.
This article is dedicated not to vegetarians or animal lovers in general but to vegetarian activists who try to propagate vegetarianism among non-veg eaters. Let me tell you, your intention is noble and righteous because you hope to spread non-violence and love towards animals. Highly appreciable but I tried to analyze why such efforts don't yield remarkable results among non-veg lovers. There is a scientific or to be precise biological or anthropological reason behind that. Read on:
Do you know that the self-control, self-discipline and ethics you follow in terms of food habits is not natural to human species ? Human digestive system is designed for and is adaptable to non-veg food and we are born omnivores. Our stomachs, intestines, teeth are made to process both kinds of food. Appetite for non-veg food comes natural to human physiology. Pleasure cells in human brain release dopamine rush when eating non-veg food, the same dopamine which in high levels causes addiction to vices and guilty pleasures. That's human tendency. That's science. But in a way, that's a physiological handicap.
Hence if you are a vegetarian, you chose to rise above natural human instincts and laws of nature but your non-veg friends are living their natural life bestowed by thousands of years of evolution. So any activism or sharing articles would only cause them discomfort but not remorse.
Vegetarianism is to Celibacy what Non-Vegetarianism is to Sex
For starters, celibacy means avoiding sex or any intimate physical relationship. There are philosophical, spiritual, religious theories about how refraining from sex is important for better and pure living. Celibacy, vegetarianism and sobriety are considered pillars for leading a higher standard of living. Many theories suggest that sex should be avoided (or limited to just dutiful reproduction of children) and the precious energy must be preserved and utilized in other very essential and indispensable functions. This might sound ridiculous for many but celibate movement is a genuine undercurrent phenomenon. You would be surprised to know how many world renowned legends practiced celibacy (including Mahatma Gandhi, Queen Elizabeth-1, Isaac Newton, Nikola Tesla to name a few).
But sex is a basic human necessity. Maslow's hierarchy of needs too states that sex is a raw physiological need that cultivates motivation. I don't want to use the concept of sex in this article to make anybody uncomfortable. Think of it as fuel for humans which gives intrinsic satisfaction to body and mind. So avoiding sex doesn't come naturally to humans just like avoiding non-veg food is not intrinsic. We are made like that and would continue being so unless another thousand years of ethical evolution causes humans to organically rise over.
Maintaining self-control and self-discipline for whatever they believe in must be lauded but imagine a situation where celibates describe others how awful the activity of sexual intercourse is. That's very similar to vegetarian activists trying to explain how animal cruelty or non-vegetarianism are improper.
If you show inhuman slaughterhouse videos to your non-veg friends and ask if they still want to eat non-veg, it's like a celibate showing you crass outrageous porn videos and asking if you still want to have sex ! They wouldn't refrain from what gives them pleasure, but would find ways to discredit your activism..and dislike you. They are hard-wired that way.
Though I know comparing animal cruelty to sex is silly, I'm trying to bring an analogy between two distinct human instincts that can't always be influenced by activism. But there are quite a few examples of non-veg lovers renouncing their food palate and I believe they should be hugely respected for their mettle and restraint.
PS: I mentioned that I have high regards for voluntary vegetarians but not so much for those who practice vegetarianism for religious or caste compulsions. I skimmed through Vedas, Upanishads and Manusmriti and let me tell you there are equal number of verses discouraging and encouraging non- vegetarianism and you may selectively choose what you want to follow. That debate some other time. If interested, read my earlier article about History of Religion.
No comments:
Post a Comment