Being a vegetarian is pointless.

Vegetarianism irks me. I don't oppose against it the way I'm opposed against fundamentalism, but enough people around me do it to spur my thoughts into the "why" of it all.

There seem to be many reasons for going vegan or whatever, or at least that's how people would like you to believe. I think all those reasons can be categorized under 2 umbrella motives. For health, and for compassion.

If one does it for health, I can understand. Not because that it actually makes you healthier (it probably doesn't) but ultimately one's health is directly related to how good one feels about oneself's life. If consuming nothing but plant-based products make you feel good about yourself, by all means. I'm all for more happiness and peace and lovin' yo.

Then there's those who do it out of compassion. It is their point of view that killing another animal for food is barbaric, cruel, and unnecessary. Consuming plant life is much more acceptable because they feel no pain.

I find this argument to be staunted, weak and unconvincing. The whole thing works on the assumption that suffering can be measured. Which I think is complete bollocks. Who's to say plants don't feel pain when you amputate them? I remember a shirt story once back in high school. In it, a professor dude invents a machine that allows him to hear sounds outside our normal hearing spectrum. He discovers that when plants are hurt, eg cut, pulled, chop, they emit a high pitch sounding noise akin to a song of the siren. It makes for some adequate fiction reading, and excite the imagination.

I presented this case to my girlfriend, who is a vegetarian by religion, and by extension, compassion. I argued that it is just as cruel to eat veggies because they're organisms as well. The fact that they can't express pain does not make the act less cruel. To which she replied - the regeneration rate of plants far exceed those of animals, thus relieving them one of their organs would not do them any harm.

This argument, is once again, to put it bluntly, utter nonsense. Suppose we were to consume animals the way she described us consuming veggies. We cut a portion of their skin periodically to eat, let it grow back, and repeat. I'd say this is even worse than the former. It borders on torture and is, in my opinion, a form of slavery. Of course, we mostly DON'T consume plants, or anything else for that matter, like that.

What I hate most are vegetarians who use their habit as a way to exert their superior sense of moral judgment over others. I think it is childish, stupid, and misinformed. Eating an apple is akin to eating a baby calf. Eating veggies is no different than eating meat. The only difference is how it makes you feel. If you feel good about yourself jolly ho. I admire and salute you. But I hope you don't feel superior about it.

Realize it's no difference. It's how nature works. It's part of the beauty of life. It's not exactly pretty, but it has an undeniable balance and elegance to it. I stand in awe and wonder of the various nuances and laws of nature, and also how we, as humans have defied it time and time again. It's like we're this emo rebel kid who doesn't get punished cos we keep getting away with it.

I end this with a reminiscent. I asked Janet a while back why she became a vegetarian. I remember her answer to this day. I consider it truthful and honest compared to what I've heard from others. She said she became a vegetarian because she could relate to animals running around in the field. Yet there are many living things she can't relate to(plants, mussels etc) , and thats why she has no qualms about taking them as source. She's honest about it, and I might not agree with it, it comes off as something I can respect.

I wonder how many people I've offended with this article. Ima go ping it now.