Vegetarianism: “Non-violence leads to the highest ethics, which is the goal of all evolution."?

Question

As per the statistics provided by National Vegetarian Week (observed between 18 - 24, May) & PETA the Vegetarian friendly countries are:

(1) India, veggies 20% to 40% (2) UK (3) Thailand (4) Turkey (5) Israel.

And the Non-vegan (Carnivores) friendly countries are (1) USA(Alligator, Beef, Lamb, Pork, Chicken) (2) China(Snake) (3) Slovenia (Horse burge) (4) Japan (Kobe Beef) (5) South Korea (Dog) (6) Scotland(Haggis).

Some famous vegetarian personalities in India & world:

Amitabh Bachchan, APJ Abdulkalam, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, Dr. Bhim Rao Ambedkar, Morarji Desai, Sushil Kumar(Olympian), Swami Vivekanand, Gautam Buddha(Nepal), Ashoka the Great, Kabir (Weaver,Poet), Mahavira(Jainism), Annie Besant(UK), Adolph Hitler(Germany), George Bernard Shaw(Ireland), Pythagoras(Greek Philosopher), Leonardo da Vinci(Italion Polymath),Albert Einstein, etc.

“He who does not value life does not deserve it.” -Leonardo da Vinci
“As long as men massacre animals, they will kill each other. Indeed, he who sows the seeds of murder and pain cannot reap joy and love.” -Pythagorus
“It is necessary to correct the error that vegetarianism has made us weak in mind, or passive or inert in action. I do not regard flesh-food as necessary at any stage” -Mahatma Gandhi
“He who, seeking his own happiness, punishes or kills beings who also long for happiness, will not find happiness after death.” -Buddhist Dhammapada
I did it for political, moral reasons, thinking that I was making this great sacrifice, but it was absolutely necessary; I was not going to contribute to the violence in the world any more. -Alicia Silverstone
“Nonviolence leads to the highest ethics, which is the goal of all evolution. Until we stop harming all living beings, we are all savages.”-Thomas Edison, inventor.

So, What do you think about vegetarianism in India and what extent you believe in non-violence of any form ?

Answer 1

I don't care that there are vegetarians in India. It makes no difference to me.



I only really have issues with vegans. I just think they are preachy and too extreme. I know we're suited for eating meat. Eating meat is how we developed as a species, a million or so years ago the hominids of the time began to scavenge meat and break open bones to eat marrow. This added protein allowed man to evolve a bigger brain and develop.



I am for eating meat. I don't like brutal factory farming but I am an omnivore (please note a carnivore only eats meat). I love meat and I think animals eating one another is an acceptable way of life.



Ethics are subjective. You cannot measure one set against another. It's not a measurable thing like weight or speed. Therefore every debate about superior ethics boils down to "I like these best". That's it. It's one word against another.



Thomas Edison was an inventor and politician. Not an evolutionist. Who is he to say what the goal of evolution is? Hell, evolution was a rusty idea at the time, a relatively new concept. Evolution doesn't even have a goal, it's a process not some self-aware entity. It's simply the process whereby mutations beneficial to an organism allow it to better survive its environment (e.g. the example I gave above).



Finally for non-violence I have already stated what I think about people parading their ethics as being factually superior. I think violence is a natural aspect of life. It isn't always nice but sometimes it is extremely necessary. I think absolute pacifism is retarded.

Answer 2

(I couldn't write much in the comment below 'voters choice'. ) I'll continue. As I was saying, we must prevent violence as much as we can, there's too much violence as it is. Most importantly we are not passive anything! Otherwise there would be no point to us. We fight for justice but in non-violence. If we are being passive then we would be doing nothing!!!!!! Often people can't see the difference, but saying it without checking makes you sound ignorant.



You don't have to be a Vegetarian to be a non-violence believer. It makes life much easier to take the least amount of violent as possible out of your life if you wish to be one. Perhaps Hitler was allergic to meat. I'm not sure why any of this has anything to do with "all evolution". I'm not sure what they mean by that and yes I know about Darwin and Dawkins and visited Darwins home.



By the way, that's very general about Vegans. I know one who's never preached once to me.

Answer 3

I am inclined to believe that non-violence is the answer, and not only for India, the country that has greatly progressed in their vegetarian habits, as come to think of it, there is no need to kill anyone in order to survive. We place too much pressure on food, as if we live to eat and not vise versa. The decision to stop eating meat does not only resolve the violence question, it also appears to be a perfect solution for the economic conundrum, practically every country is in at this moment. The problem is that adopting vegetarianism implies changing the mindset of the entire nation, and unfortunately, this is not something the government of any country wants to do as it is would lead to the need to reorganizing the entire socio-economic system.

Answer 4

Choice of food depends on your survival.

If you don't have anything to eat on earth you will eventually eat even your own human kind.

In hunger brain doesn't give attention to any ethics or non-violence.It asks only food-food.

We choose food only if we have options.

Meat-definitely gives us more energy.This is the reason when we eat more meat,we don't know what to do with that extra energy and we end up fighting.

Doesn't mean all non-vegetarians are violent people.Many hard core non-vegetarians are afraid to even raise their voice.

But even vegetarians do engage in violent activities.

Through science we know that even plants and trees are also living beings.Isn't that killing for vegetarians?

Non-violence towards on our own kind should be avoided.

It doesn't matter what you eat as for as you can control your mind.

Answer 5

Vegetarian is primary food prepared by plants from sun's rays and is rich in carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins, fats and minerals. It is soft, nutritious and easily digestible food which builds up body and brain cells and improves intellect. Vegetarians develop composed state of mind and naturally turn out into scholars, scientists and social reformers. However they lack the body strength of a non vegetarian.



Non vegetarian is secondary food derived from meat of vegetarian animals where energy of the plants eaten by them is converted into meat and fats. The meat provides proteins and fats to build up body but lacks in other nutrients like carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals. It can not build up brain cells. Rather, being a hard food it consumes four times energy for digestion than vegetarian food. Non vegetarians develop aggressive traits and naturally turn out into fighters and warriors. However they lack the intellectual power of a vegetarian.



Aggressive mentality together with materialistic life style filled with lust, greed, jealousy, hatred, enmity. ego, etc. are the root cause the present day violence. The mad violence can be controlled if food habits are changed to vegetarianism.



This is true whether in India or anywhere in the world.

Answer 6

I agree we don't have any right to kill any living being unless it is a threat for your life or for taste I agree , but but if we relate with non violence I can't accept completely in country border we need gun in our hand if enemy is in front of you , we need strong laws to tackle the criminal that also a kind of violence.



You gave few examples of vegetarian celebrities but don't ever forget SARDAR VALHABBHAI PATEL because of his initiative stand India is unite , because of may be of non violence we miss our freedom SHAHED BHAGAT SINGH at that time people shown some courage we never miss him any way.

Answer 7

Everything must kill and eat to live, and must nourish their bodies with the best fuel, which is meat. It is unfortunate, but that's just the way it is. No one can claim high moral ground on this because we're all in the same boat. There is no evolution if there's no one around to evolve.

Answer 8

Yet, plants are Living creatures

and you can't hear them scream when you pull them out of the ground

or pluck an Apple off a Tree, so that is acceptable violence?

Answer 9

and that plant didn't care that somebody killed it to eat? oh yeah lets just eat some plant fetus or ovum and call it dinner. i get not being cruel to one's food and yes americans as a whole probably eat far too much meat than what is healthy but there comes a point at which the differences come to zero. we are not plants ourselves able to produce our own food from practically nothing but water, air, and some nutrients in the dirt.

Answer 10

Your starting point (morality) is much like Descartes' (God). Neither has basis outside of human imagination.

Tigers still eat meat and seldom kill other tigers.

Death comes to all eventually.



You are welcome to eat anything that you believe assists you in supporting the intimacy of your cultural experience.

Answer 11

in theory, evolution has no goal.

Answer 12

don't care for skewed reports.



don't care for india in general.



it is sometimes necessary.

Answer 13

Agreed with the quote. Thanks.