Make sure that you read Barb's Tigers And Strawberries for the context I am drawing from.(Look over on the right, it is in the perm links)
Okay, since I have some coin to spare, let me toss in my .25 cents on this.
Do the people of his home planet think Adam Weissman is some kind of genius? Problem number one I have is the "vegan lifestyle" relies on many falsehoods. Being vegan in ones eating can be a matter of choice, personal ethics, or medical necessity. Fair enough. But when you try to shove it down my throat, your in a for a fight. These people seem to forget that if a farmer is not "commercial" in his use of machines he then uses either horses or an ox to plow. Some call this animal exploitation. I call it smart. Developed brains usually make smart choices. When brains begin to rot from being fed garbage, they become "Freegans". I can lay fairly good money that there are almost 0 farms in North America that use human powered plows, no matter how ecologically sound and earth friendly they might be. I also find that there are a good number of these people have no need to be the way they are but do it not out of some want to be part of an actual effective movement. Basically, these pathetic schmucks need to belong to something; if it was not this they could just as easily be Nazis loose in the back alleys of America. Don't think so, then think again. Extremism in any form can be dangerous. Best to seek the middle path.
Next lets move on to this whole idea of hunter-gatherer groups being the "Golden Age" of mankind. Hello? Mr Freegan-psycho who expounds the bunny hugger idea of this mythological never-never land. Then let us start with the first part of the name: HUNTER. My ancestors did not evolve to become great hunters by stalking the wild asparagus. Nor did they evolve the abilities in tool making so they could track down and kill the free-range radicchio. Don't forget that your ancestors did the same thing. How many 3 or 4 th generation vegetarians do you know of? This is something in general brought about by the modern advances in farming. We, as a species create things like language, art communication and something that I find lacking in a large amount of the extreme granola earth-nugget: BATHING. Yes, of course, soap exploits animals and is a tool of the man. I am sure that somewhere there is a boardroom filled with people trying to plan the downfall of modern civilization by the development of better and more effect personal cleaning agents. Oh, and a word of advice, Patchouli is not a substitute for a bath, EVER. I have never seen a medical professional say to clean a wound using patchouli. It could have something to do with foraging in a dumpster. Now back to the hunter rant. I am not exactly sure but I do not recall anyone ever saying that killing an animal was exploiting it. That is using it for food, something completely different. Making it wear a purple mumu and do Ethel Mermen impressions is exploiting it. I wear a leather jacket. I have items made from bone. Let some 98-pound freegan get in my face about how I am exploiting animals and I'll prove to him what an evolved omnivore can do with a little herbivore. Course, I don't think they are vegetarians. See that would entail them eating just vegetables, so he would be an herbivore. They eat garbage, so that makes them scavengers. I don't eat scavengers. Doesn't mean I wouldn't give one a smack up side the head. Maybe two, if it were funny. Yea, the leather is from an animal. So is the attitude. Deal. I am not recycling as that denotes using something for a second time. I myself think it makes more sense to use this effectively the first time. Why waste the leather if I am going to eat the meat? Give me a bone necklace to go with it and that should complete the ensemble.
Till next time
Be mindful and awake.
(And enjoy a hamburger)
For the record, I don't much care if a person chooses to eat meat, vegetables or garbage, so long as they do it in an ethical, consistent fashion, and they don't make up illogical, fallacious philosophy based upon delusion to go with it.
ReplyDeleteThe fact that freegans dumpster dive doesn't bother me in the least, except that they might be taking food from those who really need it and have no choice but to dumpster dive.
The fact that, in addition to perhaps taking food from those who have no choice, the freegans make up bogus arguments to the inherent superiority of their lifestyle, is what grinds my ass to the bone.
And now that we have that out of the way, in the immortal words of Jack Crazyquilt, Zen Coyote: "I never could figure out if poop was a meat or a vegetable."
I agree with Barbara; I dinna much care if someone dumpster dives. She is right though, they are probably taking much needed food from those who are truly hurting.
ReplyDeleteWhats burns me is Mr. Weissman's belief of a return to a "Hunters Gathers" society. He claims Freegans eat no meat, rants against Vegans (who don't eat any animal product) but he wants to return to a hunt. Hunt what? Carrots?
Let's explore "Gatherer". Let's live off the land. I do not know where Mr. Weissman lives but where I live the land is frozen for close five months of the year and lemme tell you, meat becomes a huge part of the diet. We rely on frozen veggies for our roughage and what have you. Yes, I have a small garden in my backyard and yes, it is organic but please. There is no way for me to be able to grow enough vegatable matter to take my three kids and hubbie through our winters. Just how do you freeze salad stuffs? Not to mention, if I "gather" edible plant material to sustain our family through the winter (along with the rest my country's population) we would destroy the entire ecosystem.
Mr. Weissman may I susggest you get your head out of the garbage and start to really work at what matters. Encourage sustainable developemnt of our waste. Educate city dwellers (like me) in organic gardening and preserving of foods. Inform children of the virtues of keeping that toy rather than buying the latest greatest. Oh wait, I guess that would involve actually working and putting your money where your mouth is.