Responding to bolded sections:
1) Eating vegetables isn't necessary in this day and age, either. I know because I don't eat any (though I used to eat 16-24 oz. per day and all it gave me was bad gas and a distended stomach).
2) Actually, meat wins in just about every category depending on the context and the person.
3) You forgot taste, caloric density, evolutionary benefits, etc. (meat wins these, too).
4) And farming with oil-based equipment and oil-based fertilizers giving way to produce shipped on oil-based trucks made from oil is pretty awesome for the environment. So is raping and pillaging the homes of animals and insects to do so so that they die of starvation and misplacement.
5) ANYone who buys bottled water is an idiot.
6) All the other stuff you mentioned has nothing to do with vegan vs. meat. You're really good (or rather, consistent) in talking about things that have nothing to do with the topic.
7) Did I mention meat is healthier in many circumstances?
Translation: Meat wins in every category because it's the position I support and believe in, not because of facts or evidence. For example read my spaceship evolution diet later in this post.
Also I started out as a meat eater (like you) but thanks to some book reading and education, I tried something new and found out it was great.
I suggest reading some of the links I provide, watching the videos I provide, and also reading my posts instead of just saying you're right all the time, okay? I've taken up critical thought and fully knowing how both sides work, there are many stronger arguments against vegetarianism (that can still be taken down) that no one in this thread has ever mentioned. From my own research, experience, and critical thought though I've concluded that yes it tastes better, fills me up with more energy, has made me smarter, is cheaper too, you know there's really nothing bad I can say about it.
You say meat is better in these categories, what are your arguments, here are mine:
1)
Taste. (Forget the fact that pretty much all herbs, spices, and sauces including barbecue sauce, are from plants).
Watch this video mate:
http://www.today.com/food/today-puts-meatless-meat-test-does-it-taste-chicken-1D79579619Click the link, watch the vid, read the article. Educate yourself.
It is so terrible man, the above food has no meat, tastes much better, is much cheaper to make, takes less time to prepare, has no animal cruelty, doesn't take months or years to raise, takes less water. Oh no it is way too terrible man!
I've been so weak and so stupid lately thanks to all these fruits and vegetables I've been eating, urgh no wonder the only thing you see those sick and obese people eating are fruits and vegetables, they are so bad for your health. Everywhere I go and see a fat dude, he's always eating some banana or chowing down on some broccoli, urgh. In the hospital all these sick people only eat apples and vegetables, proven to lower immune system and health, oh nooooo.
2:
Caloric DensityAre you talking about more calories per 100g or less calories per 100g?
100g of steak has around 277 calories, we can round up to 300 calories if you want. Coconuts have 385 calories per 100g, but we can round down for you, to make it 300 calories per 100g. So both coconus and steak have same amount of calories per 100g. Prunes have 447 calories per cup, but we can round down to 300 calories per cup too if you want. Now they all have the same amount calories.
Wow you won. (<--- sarcasm)
3:
Evolutionary BenefitsYou talking about this evolutionary benefit?
Damn I'm sold!!
Now you say humans have evolved thanks to meat. There are also people that would argue against that, but I'll agree with you for now since most evidence would point to that conclusion as well.
For one second let's forget that humans have reached the top of the evolutionary chain. Let's forget that humans have the most impact on the planet. Let's forget that we have now reached a stage of comfort and lack of competition. Let's forget that to evolve as a species, it's necessary for the species to adapt to a new environment with new challenges.
[
Humans still have very sharp claws that can rip flesh, we still have our superior noses, we still have our very sharp canine teeth that can tear through flesh, we are still able to consume dead flesh safely without cooking it, humans still have superior agility, we still have a bloodlust when we look at any animal such as a dog we just want to eat it, and when we see some road kill and smell it, it smells really good to eat right then and there.
Also evolution isn't about adapting at all! Because we reached a plateau in our evolution and conquered all forces of nature, let's just keep doing what we've always been doing our entire lives. That is the only way we can evolve as a species; by not doing anything new or different.
Just in case you start talking about outer space evolution or whatever:
In space, we can easily raise cows and chickens inside of our spaceships and bring them to other planets too. Instead of having plants inside of spaceships, let's just bring animals along with us and raise them for months and years while they take up a large supply of food, water, and other resources that we instead could have used instead. Instead of plants that can grow from light bulbs, has a faster time to create food, and only requires a small amount of water, let's bring live animals with us instead to space. Great idea. That is a really good idea and easily sustainable.
] /sarcasm
Since we've reached an evolutionary peak as a species dominating all other lifeforms and reached comfort, the only way to evolve to the next evolutionary step is to adapt to a different lifestyle and diet.
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Anyway even Richard Dawkins says: "I wish everyone to be a vegetarian" or something like that.
In this day and age it's pretty crazy to imagine buying people, putting them in cramp spaces in boats for months giving them little food and care, selling them to other people, and then the people locking them up in tiny shacks at night with little food and care, and in the morning waking them up and having them work all day while whipping their backs and raping their women.
But it was pretty normal back then. Few people questioned the norm because it was what everyone else did. Then there were some few smart guys that said "Hey slavery ain't right" but then another group said "Yes it is cause we done it all the time, it done help us build the country"
Save that planet bro.
Some awesome advice:
DO NOT BECOME A VEGAN, VEGETARIAN, FRUITARIAN OR RAW FOODIST!!