Is Vegetarianism survival of the fittest?

Question

I was reading that vegetarianism is a behavioral variable where the individual chooses a different food source, because animals who have one food source are at a detriment. But humans, being from a type of ape, have the survival benefit of eating all types of foods. And to basically be sure of it, some individuals, it can be surmised ones with better genetic materials, have been imbued with a sense to take food from different sources in order to basically keep the body more fit. This doesnnt mean the children will inherit it. Because evolution can only occur from change-- change of the environment and food sources are the biggest things which can cause evolution to occur. I was wondering what you guys thought of this.

I read this in History of Vegetarianism by Colin Spencer. Very good book so far. Any comments or suggestions for further reading? Thanks. :)

By children inheriting it, I mean they may eat meat, but you do not eat meat, ie order to keep the bloodline fit and capable of taking foods from an optimal number of sources. Hope this makes sense.

I also wanted to briefly mention it adds that human have been vegetarian since BC. There were many people like us who were ridiculed and had the same struggles, but if the book is correct, vegetarianism is an evolution in the sense that evolutionary changes, as in diet, occur over millions of years and more amd more people ar ebecoming veggie. I wonder if Einstein knew of this information and that is wehy he said vegetarianism is an evolution for human beings. Thanks.

In response to a couple posts, the change is there. Vegetarians seek out more than just the veggies meat & potatoe eaters eat. I don't know about most vegetarians but my diet is very varied. I eat some things that some people I know never had.

Andy, no. I do not think meat eaters will die out. I am just throwing out a theory that I read to see what others think.

Btw my family eats meat. So vegetarians can come from meat eaters. I think everyone will become vegetarian if I were to believe this book.

Thanks.

the book says it effects the overall intelligence because when the animal finds new food sources, new challenges present itself. it has to be smarter.

it says basically two ideas: some people are naturally imbued with different eating behaviors so that the animal can be in ship shape form. challenges and hardships make the animal smarter.

and that more people are going to be like this, so there is a shift because basically food change and environmental shifts are one thing which can mold the body and change it causing it to evolve into something superior, which will eventually happen right? if all goes well.

i am not saying that you are not intelligent. you might have had a great grandmother like this. your daughter could be also. so basically you are most likely part of the shift whether you are aware.

it is something from this book i am reading. i am just throwing it out there to see what people are thinking. thats all. no personal attacks. take care.

Answer 1

Darwin was a vegetarian so maybe he knew that vegetarians would be the fiitest.What's the number one killer in America?Heart disease.

LEADING CAUSES OF DEATH IN AMERICA
http://webapp.cdc.gov/sasweb/ncipc/leadc... (1998)

Rank Total Description

1 724,859 Heart Disease (think fats/cholesterol: meat/dairy)
2 541,532 Malignant Neoplasms (cancer: think toxins/milk/dairy)
2a 250,000 Medical system (drugs/etc. think ignorance/incompetence)
3 158,448 Cerebro-vascular (think meat milk and dairy)
4 112,584 Bronchitis Emphysema Asthma (think toxins/milk/dairy)
5 97,835 Unintentional Injuries and Adverse Effects
6 91,871 Pneumonia & Influenza (think weak immune systems and
mucus)
7 64,751 Diabetes (think milk/dairy)
7a 40,000+ Highway slaughter (men, women and children)
8 30,575 Suicide (think behavioral problems)
9 26,182 Nephritis (Bright's disease: inflammation of the
kidneys)
10 25,192 Liver Disease (think alcohol and other toxins)

(2a and 7a were added for completeness)

(note: Number 13 on the CDC list is -18,272 Homicide & Legal Intervention-. It is curious that the CDC would readily list law enforcement and homicides... and not the 250,000 deaths caused by the medical system!)


colorectal, breast, and prostate are some of the most common cancers,and they are diet related

http://www.vegsource.com/harris/cancer_vegdiet.htm

Answer 2

1

Answer 3

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Answer 4

I don't know if I agree with that. People who enjoy consuming the flesh of animals also enjoy eating the foods that vegetarians eat (minus Garden Burgers). The health benefits are available to all who have the sense to eat balanced. Vegetarians just limit themselves to eating vegetables. I don't see anything evolved or "survival of the fittest" about that.

Even your question supports my statement. "... evolution can only occur from change...." There hasn't been a change in food sources, cows are still around, you just don't eat them. Doesn't mean you can't or that something has changed in the environment or that you have better genetics.

Now if all vegetarians had a second thumb on each hand, that would be evolved!

Answer 5

Vegetarianism is a conscious, voluntary choice; it has not been forced on anyone by a lack of food availablity. Therefore, it is not an aspect of evolution.

'Survival of the fittest' is a misinterpretation of the phenomenon researched by Alfred Wallace and Charles Darwin. Let's say you have a population of beetles that depend on one source of food. If the population becomes too big for the food source to sustain, many of the individuals will die. However, if several individuals from the original population find a different food source that will sustain them, then they will survive by fitting into that niche.

Answer 6

So, in essence, what you're saying is that meat eaters are less evolved (or will be) and will eventually die out for not having the sense to see vegetarianism as right?

This reminds me of Victorian scientists who used Darwinism to claim that the lower classes were less evolved and used it as an excuse to leave them in poverty. For shame.

Still, it isn't survival of the fittest, vegetarians won't evolve into some sort of superior race to meat eaters, or whatever you're implying.

Vegetarianism is a choice, that someone chooses it doesn't mean they're cleverer as that it's actually healthier than meat is very disputed, and there are many benefits to eating meat and fish. Interestingly, many studies which have show vegetarians as healthier, cleverer, longer lived, etc, have shown vegans as worse that meat eaters. Personally I'm of the opinion meat is perfectly healthy, but the point stands.

Assuming cleverer people all went veggie (which is far from the truth as the majority of clever people still think it's rubbish) and assuming veganism *was* healthier, which is also far from the truth, in your experience does intelligence have any correlation with other features of good genes, like healthiness, attractiveness or eyesight, etc? No, so even in the above situation all it would mean it would mean veggies pass on the genes that cause better intelligence, but as a good diet doesn't change your genes they'd still have just as bad genes in other, physical, areas. Clever people don't have physically better genes, on average, than idiots. In the described situation veganism is something that would controll for intelligence, and no physical values, so physical genes of vegans wouldn't increase.

So, in essence, it'd still be the same old race (and of course if all the intelligent people went veggie the not-so-intelligent crowd would follow, so there'd be no difference (and THIS is assuming there'd be no cross breeding between vegans and non-vegans)).

Of course, as I said, in my opinion veganism isn't healthy and certainly it isn't true that people choose it because they're intelligent and can thus see that meat is evil or whatever bollocks you believe.

I haven't read the book, but from your brief explanation it misses one, huge point, which is why it is so utterly wrong.

Even if veganism was much healthier and meat eaters died early and lived unhealthy, unintelligent lives because all the intelligent people had moved to veganism, etc. Diseases which are attributed to meat eating, like coronary diseases and cancer, generally happen well after breeding age and so, from an evolutionary perspective, are quite irrelevant. Meat eaters, even if they were hideously less fit than veggies, would still survive past the age required to have children.

Long way of saying it I know, but it isn' survival of the fittest because they aren't in competition, there is enough food to go round and even if there wasn't they use different food sources, and meat eaters easily live long enough to pass on their genes and so veganism doesn't affect evolution.

Answer 7

I will admit I am a live and let live person and interesting enough that I have read that both Hitler and Napoleon were vegetarian. Fact or fiction??? who knows. I believe that you need to eat a balanced diet regardless of personal choice, there are plenty of people who choose a vegetarian, vegan or fruit only diet to live by although I am not sure how the last one gets enough protein. I disagree in that being vegetarian or vegan assists you in survival of the fittest based on the fact that I know many who always seem to be sick. Sick as in always pick up the first bug going around, days off work/school because of stomach problems like gastric or diarrhea and in the kids often lack energy when playing sport. Having said that I applaud people who investigate and research and who consider all the facts before making informed judgments. My daughter chose to be vegetarian and I assisted by reading up one ways to ensure she had enough vitamins and minerals, protein etc. The hardest part was iron and she became anemic seems you need a ton of leafy green vegetables when you're female. She tried suppliments as in FGF which worked but played havoc with her digestive system. I know we done need to eat as much meat as we do the size of a prttion is relative to the palm of your hand. After many years of trying she has reverted to meat and is much healthier however neither of us eats meat daily and we have incorporated many vegetarian dishes.... as I said its all about balance.

Answer 8

Actually no, vegetarians lack proteins that nonvegetarians get from meat. But vegetarians consume the loss proteins by getting vitamin D from the sun because vitamin D is produced by getting sunlight on your skin. "PUREVEGETARIANS' don't eat any animal-related products but if you're a 'PARTIALVEGETARIAN' you still consume milk and eggs.
Although, I can't say that the animals inherited the type of food they eat. I'm assuming they began the process of it because of there living enviroment and what's available.

Answer 9

I've read his book and don't really think to much of his theorys...

But considering Prions, Ptomaine, E.Coli, H5n1 (bird flu), Salmonella, Heavy metals, Vibrio V., methane, N02 etc, maybe veggie will be the survivors.

Answer 10

I think it contributes to the concept of survival of the fittest, but in the opposite way. Humans are omnivors and have evolved that way for a reason. Vegetarians do not have the advantage that omnivors have when considering the basic concept of survival. Which one do you think would have the best chance of surviving if stranded in the wild?