MetaKnigel If the Rule is Broken–Break It.

Confessions of a Vegan Meat-Eater

Written by Knigel Holmes

Twice have I been unable to defend my arguments for consuming meat. While I resisted at first, in the end, my opponents persuaded me into vegetarianism. They countered my points showing me how I either contradicted myself or used flippant comments to deflect. No single argument convinced me into abstaining from animal products; vegetarianism is a lifestyle built from diverse arguments including those of ethics, economics, and health. The arguments supporting vegetarianism are persuasive and rational; however, I will explain why, after being a vegetarian for so long, I not only murder and eat animals, but that my ethical choice withstands vegetarian righteousness and encourages me to eat less conventional animals—such as insects, octopuses, and dogs.

My first experiment with vegetarianism taught me esoteric knowledge giving me insight beyond the ignorant mainstream. My natural distrust for government and business helped me grasp vegetarian concepts and then apply them to my new worldview. Having researched in depth—not necessary before as an omnivore—I saw my choice as undoubtedly superior. Convinced meat-eaters either wilfully ignorant or lazy, I waited patiently—like a carnivorous plant—to entrap my prey. Ordering vegetarian dishes was enough to lure victims into engaging me in debate. I mauled; then digested the encounters—each giving me ferocity for future confrontations.

This first bout with vegetarianism lasted two years ending for the sake of living in Cuba. With The United States continuing an illegal economic embargo punishing the Cuban population, the Cuban government rations food so that no one starves; unfortunately, this does not ease the dearth of resources. A vegetarian diet was impractical—if not impossible—while living in the small Holguín barrio. Moreover, my Cuban host father, Manuel, challenged my animal rights ideology. Through ongoing dialogue, I realised that much of my vegetarian philosophy derived from first world luxuries that could not satisfactory compete with strife from those who endured the economic hardships during “the special period”. Cubans struggled for basic nutrition, and I implied that they were immoral for doing so. Despite my ethnocentricity, I kept my vegetarian philosophy. Instead of accepting meat consumption as moral, my discordance between belief and behaviour left me in cognitive dissonance.  Read more... (1703 words, 1 image, estimated 6:49 mins reading time)