The little things: Animal Safety or Personal Purity?

Question

I think I have ended up in the minority on this vegetarian topic.
I have heard of many v*gans who will buy pre-packaged products like raman noodles or some such and throw away the meat packet… or buy jeans that have the big, leather label and cut off the leather part. Those are smaller examples… I wish I could think of a bigger one at the moment.

In my world, buying meat is as good as eating it. I do not mean they are not v*gan, I just mean that you contributed money to the slaughtering of animals and told a company to make more.

I am only a vegetarian, so I do not have a ton of room to talk, but I feel that not contributing to the product is as important as not consuming the product.

Vegetarians and vegans, what are your thoughts? Did I miss something?
:)

EDIT #1- I am curious, not judging. I like getting others' thoughts on topics.
EDIT #2- Please no rude answers

Good points so far... I guess I should mention that I am talking about ethical v*gans.
:)

I just realized I have been putting my asterisk in the wrong place.
Sorry.

@Aladdin
I'm not quite sure if picking out the meat is the same thing. If I pick the pepperoni out of a pizza, I am still consuming the leftover fat/grease etc. of a pig, which is not vegetarian.

I think with the extra packets etc., personal purity is maintained because the meat never touched the noodles... Hence, personal purity being more important than animal safety.

Any thoughts?

Apparently "veg*ns" is a quicker way of writing "vegans and vegetarians."
:)

Answer 1

Like you I'm veggie and not vegan, I've never done the ramen thing, although I've been tempted given the cost difference of veggie friendly ramen.

I *am* guilty of the jeans thing though. When I buy new ones, I mail the tag back to the company with a polite note expressing my disappointment for including the unneeded flap of skin on their product, I also ask how I can buy their 'superior quality' product without the skin on it. The big L named company never replies so I quit buying their jeans. Wranglers parent VF always replies and once sent me a pair of tagless jeans (I sent them 10 tags).

Is there such a thing as outdoor grade, mens jeans that don't have the tag? Any tagless ones I've ever found were cr*p.

One last thing, don't forget the part about avoiding animal trash as much as possible!

Edit:

Just to save folks email quotas (y'all will get mail anyway).
The letter goes through just fine without extra postage and you can get companies address' by hitting their websites. I have NO idea what they do with the tags I send back to them, other than possibly passing it around the office amazed that some fool sent their piece of skin back again.
Since vegheads frequently end up with those tags, I once tried to get the IVU to start a 'mail the tag' campaign. Since you've all heard how successful it went, I supposed you've figured out they didn't like the idea and never did a thing with it.

That last line about avoiding animal trash as much as possible refers to the definition of a vegan as someone who avoids animal products as much as possible. You know, that last bit of the definition that meat trolls ignore when they blather about rubber, film, paint, drums etc?

Answer 2

If I understand correctly, the whole point of being a vegetarian or vegan is to not financially support the industries that contribute to animal suffering and death. For that reason, I don't think it makes any sense to buy a package of ramen noodles and then throw out the meat broth packet or buy a pair of jeans and then cut off the leather patch. Either way, in both cases, money is supporting animal exploitation.

Answer 3

I totally agree with you. Buying meat is same as eating it, if a person such as myself is a vegan for ethical reasons. Veganism is a lifestyle and vegan diet is only a part of it. Giving money for animal products even if we dont use it, or it is a gift for someone else, means supporting the same suffering of animals.

Most vegans I know do their best to avoid any animal products, and not just in food. I'm a vegan now, but even when I was a vegetarian I didnt wear animals or buy anything with a leather part whether it could be removed later or not. That is not the point. I simply dont want to buy a piece of dead animal skin. It's not like the animal feels better because it suffered and died to be a belt that you're NOT going to keep, even though you paid for it. Thats illogical.

I understand if this doesnt concern vegetarians who are on a veg diet for health reasons only. But all of us who claim to be ethical veg*ns, we have to try a bit harder.

There are many ways of supporting animal cruelty, eating animals is only one of them.

edit: When I lived with my parents, I wouldnt do the shopping if they wanted me to buy meat. My parents thought it was silly, but soon they realised that I really couldnt stand the thought of it and they respected that. After all, people who love us dont want to hurt us even if they dont always understand.

Answer 4

I agree, buying animal products is supporting the people that made them.
I get meat-eaters telling me all of the time to just pick the meat out of something and eat it, they just don't get it.
I guess that's where the meat-picker outer, leather cutter off-er vegetarians come from...lol

*** yeah I see what you mean, I think that buying things made with animals is the same thing as eating them, you are still supporting the killing of the animal...My point was that alot of people think that if the animal food is no longer there, then that makes it vegetarian. Its just goofy.
But to your question... I think that buying it is the same as eating it(to me because one of the reasons I am a vegan, is for the animals) so to me... buying is supporting the killing of them, but some people are vegetarians more for health reasons, or some maybe just don't realize that buying something (like ramen noodles-with "optional" animal ingredients) is still supporting the killing of the animal.

Answer 5

I agree with you completely that ethical vegans should not buy ramen soup and toss the beef broth ) or buy any other things along those lines ... the company would continue to produce more and hence more animals would ultimately die .. I think it is admirable that greenghost sends back the leather labels as this does not encourage more animal slaughter if in fact either they pay attention to what he is saying or "reuse" the labels .. he has stated he is not vegan .... for myself however I buy nothing at all with leather whether replacing it or not .. like watchbands , leather on necklaces or key chains , etc .. .. I just wouldn't feel right under any circumstances .. today with computers and on line shopping I think it is much easier for people to stick with their vegan ideals or give up what they might want in return for never hurting animals directly or indirectly .. there is only a marginal difference to buy and not use or to buy and use ... but I do believe any and all steps in the rights of animals is great .. lastly concerning ethical vegans I believe most would not partake in any purchases containing any animal products ....

Answer 6

I think your right on. If we send the message that we are willing to buy items containing animal products, the fact that me may or may not consume the animal products becomes a non-issue. We still have shown the company that we condone the use of animals.

Though you say " I do not mean they are not v*gan" I think this is a very un-vegan thing to do. Technically a vegan buying animal products is a vegetarian, not a vegan.

Answer 7

I'm not a vegetarian by any definition, but I thought your question was a good one. Unless you don't eat meat for health reasons, buying products that utilize leather seems to be the same as eating it. I agree that if you don't eat meat because of a concern for animal welfare, then you most certainly shouldn't be buying products made from animals. Kinda like going to the salad bar while wearing a rabbit fur jacket. Cutting the animal parts off of clothes or taking it out of pre-prepared foods seems more like being a fair-weather friend than a true supporter of animal rights.

Answer 8

Agreed. It is against the point to buy anything
containing an animal skin or animal food
product and then discard it. I also think that
it is more honorable for a person who buys
a pair of jeans with a leather tag to mail it
back to the company as Greenghost does
or to simply keep it attached to the clothing.
Throwing an animal related product away
is rather disrespectful to the animal that it
came from.

P.S. Great question Lill.

Answer 9

That is a good question. I'm a veggie and I agree with you. There is no sense in doing that. While they are not consuming the meat packet, they are still supporting that product and the company overall. Where do they draw the line? There are plenty of products that are vegan and animal-friendly. They should steer their efforts there instead.

Answer 10

It's a good point, and ideally, having nothing made from leather is the best. People who are thinking about it enough to want to cut the leather label off the jeans are at least on the right track if not perfect yet.

It's tough to find things without leather, but it can be done. I do think it's a good thing to try our best and applaud every step in the right direction. Don't be too hard on others, especially if they are trying their best.