Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

The Price We Pay for Cheap Meat

rollingstone.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

21–30 of 211 posts

Re: The Price We Pay for Cheap Meat

#21

Post by Roelven »

I'm surprised and happy to see a big outlet like the Rolling Stone doing such an extensive feature on the meat topic. Yes, they present it completely biased and it's clear what the motivations of the publisher here are, but I think it's important to finally get visibility on what meat consumption actually means.

It's fascinating to see that people who want to eat meat are okay with the fact that we're so detached from what it actually is. The objectification of everything in this world is definitely playing a part in this, we just remove the moral context of the products we buy so we don't have to think about it, problem solved.

I eat meat, but I am struggling with where I buy it, what I pay for it and how much I eat it.

I recommend reading Eating Animals by Jonathan Saffran Foer, where he leaves the decision up to you but is providing you with interesting thought experiments (why not eat dog meat?) and information so you can make up your own mind. It is unfortunately written about the American meat industry, I'd love to see exposure like that on European countries as well.

Re: The Price We Pay for Cheap Meat

#22

Post by buckbova »

beaker52 wrote: post #14
randyrand wrote: post #8

Its hard for me to seriously consider changing my opinion from an article that shows its biases so clearly. You show me the worst case scenario, but what is the average case? Also, what are the alternatives to these techniques? If you don't like cattle prodding, what do you suggest instead? Not eating meat or drinking milk is not going to be an acceptable answer. Edit: Not going to be acceptable as an alternative to…

It's not about worst case, best case or average case. The fact that in all cases, animals are born (without choice) into captivity, for the purpose of having their life exploited or ended, is one of the most compelling reasons you should consider your consumption of meat and whether it's really worth it.

That's what you think "it's about". The article was not making a judgement that raising animals for slaughter is wrong.

Re: The Price We Pay for Cheap Meat

#23

Post by judk »

CapitalistCartr wrote: post #4
rooster8 wrote: post #2

I've never seen a more compelling reason to become a vegetarian.

Meat in the USA is made in the Farm Industrial Complex, sure. But so is all the mass market food; becoming a vegetarian doesn't change that. And I am a vegetarian.

"FIC" is a very broad term, encompassing a range of greater and lesser evils.

Re: The Price We Pay for Cheap Meat

#24

Post by randyrand »

logjam wrote: post #15
randyrand wrote: post #8

Its hard for me to seriously consider changing my opinion from an article that shows its biases so clearly. You show me the worst case scenario, but what is the average case? Also, what are the alternatives to these techniques? If you don't like cattle prodding, what do you suggest instead? Not eating meat or drinking milk is not going to be an acceptable answer. Edit: Not going to be acceptable as an alternative to…

Really. It's "not an acceptable answer." Really. And you were saying something about "bias"? Kindly explain to us all how "eating meat" and the suffering that inevitably accompanies it is necessary or even desirable.

By that I mean I don't think the United Sates public would (in the foreseeable future) accept that as an alternative to animal cruelty and less about my own opinion.

Re: The Price We Pay for Cheap Meat

#25

Post by mseebach »

randyrand wrote: post #8

Its hard for me to seriously consider changing my opinion from an article that shows its biases so clearly. You show me the worst case scenario, but what is the average case? Also, what are the alternatives to these techniques? If you don't like cattle prodding, what do you suggest instead? Not eating meat or drinking milk is not going to be an acceptable answer. Edit: Not going to be acceptable as an alternative to…

Pay more for your meat. Eat less meat to pay for it if you must. Research the premium brands available in your supermarket - the words "free range" or "organic" on their own are pretty meaningless. Find out what delivery services are available in your area, research them. Buy from a provider you trust.

Re: The Price We Pay for Cheap Meat

#26

Post by contextual »

If the suffering of animals matters, then eating meat is morally wrong. Animals are non-human persons who are aware of their own existence and who feel a wide range of emotions, just like we do.

Killing animals may still be acceptable in western society, but it's wrong. It's wrong just as slavery in the United States in the 18th and 19th century was once acceptable but wrong. Just as hanging, drawing and quartering to an audience of thousands in Europe was acceptable but wrong.

To disregard the pain and suffering of animal persons without regard for their interests - just because they're not human, is a form of racism. Peter Singer[1] calls it 'speciesism'.

We don't need technological advances in this society as much as we need advances in morality.

[1]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Singer

Re: The Price We Pay for Cheap Meat

#27

Post by logjam »

randyrand wrote: post #24
logjam wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Really. It's "not an acceptable answer." Really. And you were saying something about "bias"? Kindly explain to us all how "eating meat" and the suffering that inevitably accompanies it is necessary or even desirable.

By that I mean I don't think the United Sates public would (in the foreseeable future) accept that as an alternative to animal cruelty and less about my own opinion.

Oh. Argumentum ad populum.

In other words, bullshit. Are you really trying to convince us that because some large number of people want to mindlessly eat meat, nothing can be done?

Re: The Price We Pay for Cheap Meat

#29

Post by codex_irl »

ugh...this is the reason I have not eaten poultry for the last 10 years, except when I am back in Ireland where I can buy organic, free-range chicken from a farmer....it might cost $27 a pop, but as my grandma says....it tastes & has the texture of what chicken used to be like.

I used to love bacon / pork, but cannot eat that stuff anymore after reading about how toxins are formed / retained in the meat.

The only beef I eat is grass-fed pasture raised - no hormones or antibiotics.

My opinion is that you pay for your health one way or the other, either in preventing illness or after you become ill, there is no escaping the high cost of staying healthy in western, urban centers.

Post reply on HN