Should there be such a thing as an Ethical-arian?

Question

I cannot call myself vegan despite holding some of their views, since I eat meat, fish and eggs.
However I spend a lot of my time thinking about animal welfare and trying to make ethical choices. I only ever buy organic meat. I don't consume milk of any kind as I have strong views on it being unnatural, and unnecessary for my health. In fact it encourages my asthma and hay fever.
I prefer to only eat eggs from a local farm where they keep both hens and cockerels (therefore avoiding the issue which vegans have with eating them). I never eat battery eggs.
I don't eat much meat, but treat it as a luxury and something that has worth. I don't mind paying more, and I prefer local meat, or that which has been hunted- like wild game, as this is more natural and the animal had a good life in the wild.
I think that although humans do not need to eat meat we have evolved to be omnivores, and I enjoy the taste of meat, and feel that if an animal is to be killed for food then that is alright.

I don't however think that it is our right to have unlimited access to cheap meat which we never had to see alive, and had no part in it's killing. I think if you eat meat you should accept something died, and face up to it. Which is why I support hunting wild game.

Of course they are related to this section because I'm raising issues which are common to both groups. I am raising issues which I always hope may inspire people including veggies and vegans- you are making veggies and vegans sound quite snobby, and as though I'm not allowed to be your friend if I don't obey a set of rules. I talk a lot on these issues as I feel so strongly about the animals- it is not an excuse to talk about myself.
I am aware that supermarket organic meat may not have had as idyllic lifestyle as they make out. I therefore buy very little of it. I buy sausages and burgers occasionally from the supermarket which I know come from a Devon farm I am happy with- I live in Cornwall- and from now on any chicken I get from a butcher in town who sells birds from a another good farm in Devon. I have researched the farms.

I think Hugh Fernley Whittingstall has similar ideas, except he uses dairy. He embraces meat eating as part of our culture yet treats it as something precious.

Why do people always have to retaliate with frankly rediculous 'facts.' The farm I am talking about is not a commercial farm. They do not electrocute them but just keep them in their field along with horses and ducks etc, for their own pleasure.I am an animal care student and they keep several chicken breeds and house the cockerels and hens together quite happily.

I don't think I'll ever become fully veggie or vegan as I do not treat either as being superior to my present views.
I have more than just a 'guilty conscience' as some people have said, as I actualy do something about it. And I stand by both people, and animals, and try and form a well rounded, educated view.
I think that people that believe killing anything is wrong, are themselves simply unable to deal with death. I find death terrifying myself. We all do. All animals do. But all things, including myself one day will die. It is a natural process. Many animals eat other animals and so nature does not consider meat eating in itself to be wrong, however I'm sure if it had a voice it would object with our farming methods.
And I think there is nothing shameful or cruel in eating meat because it is food- the intention is not one of murder. I don't think an animal that is quickly shot in the wild knows much about it- far less than any farmed meat in a slaughterhouse.

Oh and I always check labels and don't eat things with animal gelitin in. I don't think leather is wrong since it is a by- product of the meat/dairy industry. If we didn't use it would be thrown away.
I enjoy making good use of an animal- every part including offal, etc.

Answer 1

Yes, or maybe something more catchy.
Being a veg*n doesn't make someone morally superior in anyway. There are many ways to reduce the suffering in the world, being a veg*n is just one.
This way of eating doesn't sound twisted or guilty to me. It is simply making informed, compassionate decisions about food.
No, we don't all have to have labels. Yes, they are helpful when trying to sum up our habits quickly.

Answer 2

There is no label for that or atleast not one vegans and vegies commonly acspet as one but im sure someone has labeled it before.

The only logical reason to keep the cockerels is so they can electrute them and then kill them.
Also i highly doubt they let the hens associate with them which is un natural (they dont want there eggs to all be fertile). When the hen stops laying enough eggs they would kill her.
It is sill exploitation of animals.
are just a couple of other things vegans have a problem with.
With hunted you have to be careful that they are truly wild and not born out of captivity but in an enclosed space where they have no chance of survival.
I noticed you did not mention fish except at the start. Most fish suffer a terible death unable to breath as they are not in waterr being sqashed by others of there kind . Think of it as drowing with 500 dead humans on top of you.

I however commend you on trying to make a little bit of difference over time you may change your views further towards vegerterian or vegan. There is more you can do (there is more most people can do) but you have made a start even if it is a small one which is more then you can say about most people.

Remember always do what you think is right. a title is just a title. you only need a lable if you wish to show off or seam supeiour (just like the flaxiterian vegans)


EDIT: What are your views on leather clothing, footwear, seats and everything else made from leather? Same with geliten and animal fat added to cakes (and cakes made from non good looked after eggs)
Im curious what someone with your stated fealings thinks about this not in any way attacking.

Answer 3

No, there is no label for someone who only eats less cruelly raised meats and locally produced eggs. It is better than most people, but you are still an omnivore, although a dairy-free omnivore.

The very ethics of veganism believe it is wrong to use animals for our dietary (and other) desires. And many people in the AR movement know that just because meat is organic didn't mean it had a better life--or even a kinder death, as they end up in the same slaughterhouses as conventionally raised animals--so it's hard to condone eating "organic" animal products.

But it is good that you are conscious about where your food comes from and that you try to eat less of it.

Answer 4

I believe that you have a great deal of conflict and turmoil in your head & heart. You eat meat ...end of story. Regardless of how the animal is cared for humanely or inhumanly you consume meat. You posture your arguements with examples of how meat affects your health and to the great lengths you go through in order to consume what you believe to be an ethical kill. Sure I think that it is important for animals to be cared for and killed as ethically as possible. However I think it a bit nieve that you feel that it's better for an animal to be hunted. Having been raised in a family of hunters, I don't know if you (with all of your ethical posturing) consider how truly stressful it is ultimately on any animal being killed regardless if it is being slaughtered on a commercial farm or being hunted in the wild.

In a commercial setting the animal, the animal already senses/smells it's fate. In the wild, the animal is chased and completely stressed out as well. Sure, the animal HAS a chance to escape...but can you imagine what that animal just went through in order to survive. I'm just basically saying that you really might do yourself some good to just accept your eating habits, not try to convert the world based on your beliefs. I eat meat, I believe that animals, humans and all living species for that matter are part of the food chain. If I walk into a forest where grizzly bears inhabit the area...I am (in reality) part of that food chain. If I swim in the ocean where sharks are present, I am part of that food chain. Like it or not. That is reality.

Answer 5

Vegan people believe that animals are not property to be eaten, worn or used up like unfeeling automatons. Even if an animal lives the best life possible, there is no need to end its life by slitting its throat. I would not like someone to decide when my life ends so why would I want to be responsible for the traumatic death of another.

Some would just call you a conscious consumer.

"Ethical-arian" sounds like butchered English.

Answer 6

You shouldn't feel the need to label yourself, defend yourself or otherwise explain yourself. You eat how you see fit based on experience, knowledge and background. If you eat meat, you are still an omnivore, though you seem to be a more conscientious one than most. That being said, it seems like you are very insecure about your diet if you are posting two rants in the V&V section, one after another, defending your viewpoint on what someone should/should not eat...

Answer 7

Don't worry about labels. Eat whatever you see fit. You can call yourself a "socially conscious food consumer".

Answer 8

I donno. Sounds like a good name for Shindler. But hey, its cool what you are trying to do, keep it up. You've got my respect.

Lets coin a word!
Levithultivist- (le vu thul te vist) n. one who is concerned or involved in the coining of new words.

Do you like it?

Oh and by the way, you are under the big umbrella of flexitarian diets, if you like that word.

Answer 9

Yes there should be 'ethical-arians' and they probably hang out with 'egalitarians'.

Answer 10

Nope.