This article is not logically sound, or based on facts. I agree with the basic premise that meat isn't necessarily evil. But they completely lost me when they tried to argue that as a society, we...
This article is not logically sound, or based on facts. I agree with the basic premise that meat isn't necessarily evil. But they completely lost me when they tried to argue that as a society, we don't need to cut down on beef consumption. The whole argument seems to rest on the idea that grass fed beef is (or at least could be) good. But when the question of land-use comes up, they just raise a bunch of questions about cropping which has nothing to do with beef.
Any argument about pasture raised beef and sustainability needs to address the deforestation happening to increase beef production. Ignoring this blatant and well-known criticism for beef just furthers my impression that they are cherry picking to defend beef because they like it.
They also compare the environmental effects of crops vs. beef, which ignores the fact that crops produce at least 4 times more calories per acre than grass raised beef does. Not to mention the fact that a big proportion of grains grown are currently being used as feed for meat.
Then they rest their arguments on the assumption that eating a small handful of grains instead of meat is bad, which ignores the fact that there are plenty of other foods you can replace meat with (or we could probably stand to not replace meat with anything - most people are eating too much).
There is a valid argument to be made that raising beef on land that is unsuitable for cropping is sustainable and efficient. But it is incorrect to assume that we can produce enough beef this way to sustain current beef consumption rates.
edit: also, the way she switches between global foods intake and western health issues is disingenuous. Globally, people eat less meat have less diet related illness. Western countries eat more meat and have more diet related illness. But she seems to show the global levels of grain intake to make an argument about health in western countries.
So right from the start the animal ethics are just going ignored? In an article with "meat isn't evil" in the damn title? Unimpressed. The author shouldn't write sweeping claims like this if they...
Stop hating the player and instead, hate the game. Humans have been eating meat for all of our existence. Why vilify it now? I think what most people are really upset with are modern agricultural techniques and hyper-palatable, ultra-processed foods. Those are the real issue here, not a grass-fed steak.
So right from the start the animal ethics are just going ignored? In an article with "meat isn't evil" in the damn title? Unimpressed.
It should also be noted that the nutrition in grass-finished beef is far superior to rice, avocados, walnuts and sugar, so comparing “plant products” to “meat” is not really logical.
The author shouldn't write sweeping claims like this if they want to be taken seriously.
The only difference that I'm aware of between grass fed/grass finished vs non-grass-f'd, is that some people don't get a that heavy feeling in their gut when you consume too much oil or fat....
The only difference that I'm aware of between grass fed/grass finished vs non-grass-f'd, is that some people don't get a that heavy feeling in their gut when you consume too much oil or fat. However, that's only an anecdotal thing. I think you might get like a little more of like vitamin B12 or something from it, but the nutritional benefit is negligible at best.
Did I miss something, or does the author completely ignore the "meat isn't evil" part? Do they give any arguments besides "We've always been eating it"?
Did I miss something, or does the author completely ignore the "meat isn't evil" part? Do they give any arguments besides "We've always been eating it"?
He touches in on it passingly "meat itself isn’t evil, it’s the method by which we farm it (feed lots and CAFOs-Confined Animal Feeding Operations)". Definitely selective in what he addressed.
He touches in on it passingly "meat itself isn’t evil, it’s the method by which we farm it (feed lots and CAFOs-Confined Animal Feeding Operations)". Definitely selective in what he addressed.
This article is not logically sound, or based on facts. I agree with the basic premise that meat isn't necessarily evil. But they completely lost me when they tried to argue that as a society, we don't need to cut down on beef consumption. The whole argument seems to rest on the idea that grass fed beef is (or at least could be) good. But when the question of land-use comes up, they just raise a bunch of questions about cropping which has nothing to do with beef.
Any argument about pasture raised beef and sustainability needs to address the deforestation happening to increase beef production. Ignoring this blatant and well-known criticism for beef just furthers my impression that they are cherry picking to defend beef because they like it.
They also compare the environmental effects of crops vs. beef, which ignores the fact that crops produce at least 4 times more calories per acre than grass raised beef does. Not to mention the fact that a big proportion of grains grown are currently being used as feed for meat.
Then they rest their arguments on the assumption that eating a small handful of grains instead of meat is bad, which ignores the fact that there are plenty of other foods you can replace meat with (or we could probably stand to not replace meat with anything - most people are eating too much).
There is a valid argument to be made that raising beef on land that is unsuitable for cropping is sustainable and efficient. But it is incorrect to assume that we can produce enough beef this way to sustain current beef consumption rates.
edit: also, the way she switches between global foods intake and western health issues is disingenuous. Globally, people eat less meat have less diet related illness. Western countries eat more meat and have more diet related illness. But she seems to show the global levels of grain intake to make an argument about health in western countries.
Also check out the Wikipedia summary of one of her sources. Yikes.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Vegetarian_Myth
Right? Humanity just needs to be burned completely. None of this 90% wiped out bullshit. Just destroy the entire human race.
So right from the start the animal ethics are just going ignored? In an article with "meat isn't evil" in the damn title? Unimpressed.
The author shouldn't write sweeping claims like this if they want to be taken seriously.
The only difference that I'm aware of between grass fed/grass finished vs non-grass-f'd, is that some people don't get a that heavy feeling in their gut when you consume too much oil or fat. However, that's only an anecdotal thing. I think you might get like a little more of like vitamin B12 or something from it, but the nutritional benefit is negligible at best.
Did I miss something, or does the author completely ignore the "meat isn't evil" part? Do they give any arguments besides "We've always been eating it"?
He touches in on it passingly "meat itself isn’t evil, it’s the method by which we farm it (feed lots and CAFOs-Confined Animal Feeding Operations)". Definitely selective in what he addressed.
The author is a she.