keithl@vice.UUCP (Keith Lofstrom) (01/06/84)
I classify vegetarians into the following non-exclusive categories (there are
probably more):
1) Ethical Vegetarians
Those who don't eat meat because they want to minimize (not eliminate;
that's obviously impossible) killing things.
2) Political Vegetarians
Those who don't eat meat because they feel that's politically correct.
(Prevent world hunger, etc.)
3) Physiological Vegetarians
Meat eating makes them sick.
4) Religious Vegetarians
Those who feel God doesn't want them to eat meat.
5) Aesthetic Vegetarians
Those who think meat tastes bad.
6) Financial Vegetarians
Those who can't afford meat.
7) "Health" vegetarians
Those who feel meat eating is unhealthy and shortens your life.
8) Hair shirt vegetarians
Meat eating is something else to give up.
I'm an ethical and aesthetic, but primarily a physiological vegetarian.
A boullion cube in the soup will give me symptoms resembling diarrhea; not
painful, but annoying. I find the other arguments "hard to swallow".
I can be very annoyed by the political and hair shirt vegetarians, mostly
because they are often the ones that spend their time proselytizing and
annoying people; this often causes non-vegetarians to assume all vegetarians
are finicky jerks. Oh well, it helps fill the veggie restaurants.
--
Keith Lofstrom
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