Rebuilding Rob

Eating meat is a complicated issue for me. Yes, raising animals solely for human consumption is wrong. It is true that studies of human teeth and the human digestive track indicate that humans were never intended to eat animal flesh. Eating animal flesh is immoral and unethical…but it’s really, really good!

My favorite foods are meats: steak, chicken, burgers, tacos; lunch meats like sliced turkey, roast beef and the one – bologna. My diet is so meat-dependent that I worry about the future. I would have a very difficult time adjusting if I had to shift to a more plant-based diet for health reasons.

As an aside, how weird is it that we, as humans are the only animal – on this planet – that drinks the milk from another mammal? The truth is, humans were never really meant to drink cow’s milk either. At the risk of sounding like a conspiracy freak, I’ve read elsewhere that the whole “drink milk because it’s healthy” push was something started to boost the dairy-farming industry. It makes sense, considering how many lactose intolerant people are out there.

While writing this post, I stumbled this Daily Mail article. It states that , according to surveys, men eat meat to feel more masculine. I don’t know that I’ve ever consciously thought about this while eating meat, but it certainly plays into a lot of stereotypes about it.

“Have some of this. It’ll put some hair on your chest,” I specifically remember hearing one of my grandfathers say. I have also hear this line in reference to having a strong drink. I cannot remember if this particular instance was in reference to meat or alcohol. If you knew my grandfathers, this could have happened on either or both scenarios. In either case, “putting hair on your chest” is a reference to one’s masculinity. (I wonder if there’s a future blog post in here…)

Don’t misunderstand me. I’m the same tree-hugging, bed-wetting liberal I’ve been since college. I believe in animal rights; however I’m not fanatical about it. I’m not about to join the PETA members demanding that the Green Bay Packers change their nickname because of its references to the meat-packing industry. I have a lot of respect for vegetarians – especially those who choose that diet for ethical reasons. I think the vegan lifestyle would be extremely difficult to maintain. I know a few people who have tried.

I’m sure one day, as my health starts to diminish, that I will have to cut down on red meat. When that happens, I’ll try the impossible burger but until then, I’ll let the fish stick to eating seaweed.

What are your thoughts on eating meat? If you dont eat meat, do you choose not to for health or ethical reasons?

Thanks for stopping by Rebuilding Rob. All of your views, likes and follows are greatly appreciated! Be sure to follow me on social media as well! Check out my most recent posts below…

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The article “Feeling Denis Leary” first appeared on Rebuilding Rob