My views on meat are best explained by my short time as a vegetarian. At the urging of friends, I tried to go meatless. I succeeded for 3 months, and then I walked six blocks forced by an uncontrollable urge for a double cheeseburger. Yes, it is true I love meat.
However, I think that meat is more than just food; it has become a symbol of our society. Notice how the NY Times Article speaks of the greatness of goat meat, while the more liberal articles are calling for meat moderation. I think that we have associated the "meat" of what it means to be a Conservative American with meat. What does this say about Americans?
I'm not sure how often I really *think* about meat as a category of food and what it means to me. I don't often think of foods as meat versus non-meat. I'm usually more concerned about what tastes the best and what's for dinner. The only time I really am forced to think about meat is during Lent, because I am supposed to avoid meat on Fridays. The most difficult part of that is merely remembering, for me. Once I remember, it's not a huge deal to find something to eat that isn't meat (Mac n Cheese is always an option). Meatless Fridays are immediately what I thought of while reading the article "Meatless Mondays Are Good for You... And the Earth." If I can do meatless fridays for a few months of the year, I'm sure I could do Meatless Mondays the rest of the year. I just need the motivation first.
For me meat has always been a staple in our home. We have always had meat, lunchmeat, turkey, chicken, beef, steaks, bacon, I honestly can't imagine a Thanksgiving, or a Christmas, without the honey baked ham, or the 25 lbs. turkey. I don't think that i am any different than most American families. I think it is interesting because I have not thought very much about it, but for Americans meat is kinda a unquestionable thing that goes with our day just as brushing your teeth does. I think that Jenn is correct in saying that it seems to go with the republican way of thinking, it is like the alternitive liberals go meatless because republicans are meat lovers, this is clearly presented in the NY times article. It sounds extremely far fetched to say some of these things, but how far fetched is it truely.
Meat means everything. Even though the production and manufacturing of meat does cause a significant amount of greenhouse gases and whatnot, but you cannot just expect the majority of the world to stop eating it because of that. It's such a huge influence in most peoples' day-to-day lives I don't think everyone could live without it. I know I have some sort of meat in a meal at least once every day, sometimes more than that. I agree with what Brian said regarding Lent, if i can make it until midnight on the hardest night of the week, friday, without eating meat; monday would be cake. So how meat means, is a weird question, but it just is another part of the life cycle. Without the way things are presently, there would be an abundance of livestock, a cut in farms, and no taco bell.
I must admit, I love meat. I would safely say I consume meat atleast once everyday. I feel as if a good hearty meal is not complete without a hefty portion of beef,chicken, or pork. As a typical American, I rarely think about where the meat comes from or how it is processed, simply because I do not care. If it tastes good I eat it. I feel like Jackson's article is true to some extent. Let's face it, American's love to eat meat. Simply asking the masses to cut back on meat is absurd. When I grew up, I ate meat a lot. It was on the table and if I didnt eat it, I went to bed hungry. Now in college, it is hard to break the habit of eating meat everyday.
Meat is just part of life, I don’t really think about it, its just there. I grew up in a home where meat was a part of almost every dinner. I have carried these habits into my own “home.” Before I go grocery shopping I think of what I’ll need to eat everyday, including meat in almost every meal except breakfast. Most days I eat a sandwich with meat and my dinner usually includes meat. After reading the “Meatless Mondays” article I think I’ll try to find meat alternatives for at least one day a week. I already have started to eat veggie burgers I’m sure I can find other alternatives as well.
For me, how meat means has changed significantly throughout the last few years. Like many of you have mentioned, I too grew up in a typical American household consuming meat for lunch and dinner every day. This was usually not my favorite thing in the world, because I really disliked the taste of most meats, excluding chicken and turkey. As I got older, and really started thinking about what it was that I was putting in my mouth I began to look into vegetarianism. At first it was just because I didn't like the taste, but the more I looked into it my view shifted and I began to think of meat as a muscle, which is exactly what you consume in most cases. I realize this is gross, but for me when I see a "nice juicy steak" as Alli said in class, all I can see is someone biting into a nice juicy muscle. I wouldn't eat my muscles, or the muscles of the person sitting next to me, so why would I eat that of an animal. I found it interesting in the articles that we read when the authors write about where they get their meat. In the NY Times article, Mr. Alford talks about fresh goat meat, the key word being fresh. He won't buy the meat frozen, which in my opinion is a wise choice. Similarly in "One Less Burger, One Safer Planet" the author writes about how seafood is becoming an expensive alternative to their every day meat. Of course it's illogical to have everyone become a vegetarian, but in the case of these two articles, I feel that if you eat meat, it's important to know where it comes from. It seems to me that instead of running to the local burger king for a baconator at dinnertime, wouldn't you feel a lot better about what you eat if you run down to findley market and grab some fresh meat to cook? Even then, look at places such as red lobster, or any local seafood place. We live in southern ohio, and i don't know about you, but I certainly can't think of anywhere to get fresh lobster or crab. It just doesn't make sense to me. Wouldn't it be better to eat the things around where you live? Less cost, less preservatives/chemicals, and less hassle.
And Mike, I am a vegetarian and I still eat Taco Bell! Just replace your meat with beans and you still consume the protein needed for your meal, it's just in another form.
I have to admit that I am one of those people who doesn’t think about the “greater good” when I chose to eat meat. I’ve seen the statistics that show the United States consuming more than the rest of the world. I’ve even read the Journals that tell us that we have to stop eating so much meat or the rest of the world will suffer, which was touched on in the “Meatless Monday” Journal. Having said that, I eat a lot of meat and don’t feel bad about it. In fact, I wish I could eat meat a little more often than I do. As a college student I can’t afford to eat meat at every meal, but I guess that’s why romen noodles come in beef, pork, and chicken flavors.
I have to play devil’s advocate on this. The New York Times is a liberal paper, which means the article is more than likely written by a liberal as well, and not from a Conservative/Republican point of view. If any conclusion can be drawn from this, it’s that the topic is still up for debate even within the liberal ranks. I feel the conclusion that liberals are pulling for restraint on meat consumptions, while conservatives push for more meat consumption or some other form of “outrageous consumption” is just not proven in these articles.
Meat has always been a big part of my meals and it always will be. I like the taste of meat and I enjoy eating it. Having said that, I can certainly understand Jenny's and other vegetarians opinions about the subject and why they may not like it. It is a decision that everyone makes and it can be made for different reasons. I have seen shows and read other articles on the process that meat goes through from the farm to the dinner table and it doesn't bother me to know where my meat comes from or how it got to me. I thought that the articles that we had to read for this blog were interesting. The one on goat meat caught my attention on how it is the number one meat consumed around the world but in America it is more of a once in a while kind of food. The other two articles on eating meat less made some very good points about the consumption of meat and the effects that it has on the planet. I thought the point on how eating less meat increases the amount of certain fish that are consumed and increases the endangerment of those fish. I might consider taking a day off meat, but it would be more like once a month and not once a week. I also think that portion control should definitely come into play when talking about eating less meat. If someone can control the portion of meat that they eat by setting a limit, they might end up eating less meat than they would by skipping it one day a week.
My review on meat is just something that would get my stomach full. Nothing more than that, there are few reason for this but mainly is because i never seem to be able to get fat! so no matter what i eat i couldn't be fat.. maybe is because i eat more of seafood meats, since my parent had a seafood dishes like every other day. but in reason year, i did notice the price of rice and other food product goes up, maybe it was related to the reading, OR is because we try to be fuel-efficient with cars, and using corn base fuel, which farmer switches from producing food for people to producing fuel for people.
I was intrigued by the goat meat article and how it spoke to the fact that because the goat is a somewhat "foreign" novelty, we latch onto it as a fad. We consider it chic and trendy - the author of the article noted the neologisms we have come up with to make the meat "sound like a miniature Chevrolet or member of a 1960's girl group." His language when describing his goat encounters at restaurants in West Village (pinky up of course) was questionable, making me wonder what his motivating factors were for rushing to goat all of the sudden. And he said he wanted to order goat "in as many restaurants as possible." Part of me thinks of this as an attempt to catapult himself into the social stratosphere by going on the idea of "Hey everyone, look at me, ordering goat. I know what's up and am worldly." Then he has the audacity to go to the local butcher and "harangue" him for not having fresh goat meat? Unbelievable. Like he gets it everyday? It was his first trip in to one of the three neighborhood butchers. I was just suspicious of his actual motives when I reached that point, bout halfway through the article, and after that, could feel myself doubting the author more and more as the article concluded.
On another note, I cannot believe you people who say "I don't care what's in the meat, if it tastes good, shove it in!" I would take anything fresh over processed, so much more nutrional value, and steer clear of fast food like the plauge as a result. I tried a hamburger somewhere a few years ago, after just as many devoid of heart-attack laden cylinders, and was disgusted in the whole experience. I honestly don't feel like I am missing anything, and would hope that more people take a little more concern in what goes into their body.
I agree with Drew on this one, a meal that consists of lets say pasta or salad even does not feel complete without a meat topping. That sounds really maybe American of me to say but it has become just a normal part of my day. Another thing to consider while reading “Meatless Monday” is the industry of meat and the jobs it fuels. if everyone did not eat meat on Mondays it might make a difference on the environment, but at the same time it would deal a serious blow to the economy of meat. With this economy can we afford to not buy meat?
Meat to me is just a type of food that I eat. I don't feel compelled to just eat meat. Similar to what Brian said, I just eat what tastes good. However, when I was younger, my mom thought that it was a good idea to stop eating pork. Since I was about 11 or 12 years old, I just did what my mom said and haven't eaten it since then. I remember her telling me how unclean pigs are and that there are references in the Bible about how we are not supposed to eat it. Now I am starting to realize how "unclean" other meats are. Part of me wants to cut out beef altogether, but I know there will be times where I will crave a hamburger or some meat loaf.
I think the idea of cutting out meat once or twice a week wouldn't be hard for me at all. I am going to start thinking more about my food intake and try to make healthier food choices. This decision could possibly mean eating less meat.
Meat is something that i enjoy. i grew up eating all kinds of meat from turkey and ham to lamb and chicken. anything you can think of i tried before. even thought i tried all these different kinds of meat doesn't mean that i enjoyed them all. For me, meat is a part of every meal i have. If i dont have a meat dish my meals aren't the same. i could NEVER become a vegetarian because im so accustom to having it all the time. I know that meat isn't always good to have all the time and im trying to make some changes to my diet. This class has opened up my mind to some important information and i;m going to take what i have learned about factory farming and shop more wisely.
My views on meat are best explained by my short time as a vegetarian. At the urging of friends, I tried to go meatless. I succeeded for 3 months, and then I walked six blocks forced by an uncontrollable urge for a double cheeseburger. Yes, it is true I love meat.
ReplyDeleteHowever, I think that meat is more than just food; it has become a symbol of our society. Notice how the NY Times Article speaks of the greatness of goat meat, while the more liberal articles are calling for meat moderation. I think that we have associated the "meat" of what it means to be a Conservative American with meat. What does this say about Americans?
I'm not sure how often I really *think* about meat as a category of food and what it means to me. I don't often think of foods as meat versus non-meat. I'm usually more concerned about what tastes the best and what's for dinner.
ReplyDeleteThe only time I really am forced to think about meat is during Lent, because I am supposed to avoid meat on Fridays. The most difficult part of that is merely remembering, for me. Once I remember, it's not a huge deal to find something to eat that isn't meat (Mac n Cheese is always an option). Meatless Fridays are immediately what I thought of while reading the article "Meatless Mondays Are Good for You... And the Earth." If I can do meatless fridays for a few months of the year, I'm sure I could do Meatless Mondays the rest of the year.
I just need the motivation first.
For me meat has always been a staple in our home. We have always had meat, lunchmeat, turkey, chicken, beef, steaks, bacon, I honestly can't imagine a Thanksgiving, or a Christmas, without the honey baked ham, or the 25 lbs. turkey. I don't think that i am any different than most American families. I think it is interesting because I have not thought very much about it, but for Americans meat is kinda a unquestionable thing that goes with our day just as brushing your teeth does. I think that Jenn is correct in saying that it seems to go with the republican way of thinking, it is like the alternitive liberals go meatless because republicans are meat lovers, this is clearly presented in the NY times article. It sounds extremely far fetched to say some of these things, but how far fetched is it truely.
ReplyDeleteMeat means everything. Even though the production and manufacturing of meat does cause a significant amount of greenhouse gases and whatnot, but you cannot just expect the majority of the world to stop eating it because of that. It's such a huge influence in most peoples' day-to-day lives I don't think everyone could live without it. I know I have some sort of meat in a meal at least once every day, sometimes more than that. I agree with what Brian said regarding Lent, if i can make it until midnight on the hardest night of the week, friday, without eating meat; monday would be cake. So how meat means, is a weird question, but it just is another part of the life cycle. Without the way things are presently, there would be an abundance of livestock, a cut in farms, and no taco bell.
ReplyDeleteI must admit, I love meat. I would safely say I consume meat atleast once everyday. I feel as if a good hearty meal is not complete without a hefty portion of beef,chicken, or pork. As a typical American, I rarely think about where the meat comes from or how it is processed, simply because I do not care. If it tastes good I eat it. I feel like Jackson's article is true to some extent. Let's face it, American's love to eat meat. Simply asking the masses to cut back on meat is absurd. When I grew up, I ate meat a lot. It was on the table and if I didnt eat it, I went to bed hungry. Now in college, it is hard to break the habit of eating meat everyday.
ReplyDeleteMeat is just part of life, I don’t really think about it, its just there. I grew up in a home where meat was a part of almost every dinner. I have carried these habits into my own “home.” Before I go grocery shopping I think of what I’ll need to eat everyday, including meat in almost every meal except breakfast. Most days I eat a sandwich with meat and my dinner usually includes meat. After reading the “Meatless Mondays” article I think I’ll try to find meat alternatives for at least one day a week. I already have started to eat veggie burgers I’m sure I can find other alternatives as well.
ReplyDeleteFor me, how meat means has changed significantly throughout the last few years. Like many of you have mentioned, I too grew up in a typical American household consuming meat for lunch and dinner every day. This was usually not my favorite thing in the world, because I really disliked the taste of most meats, excluding chicken and turkey. As I got older, and really started thinking about what it was that I was putting in my mouth I began to look into vegetarianism. At first it was just because I didn't like the taste, but the more I looked into it my view shifted and I began to think of meat as a muscle, which is exactly what you consume in most cases. I realize this is gross, but for me when I see a "nice juicy steak" as Alli said in class, all I can see is someone biting into a nice juicy muscle. I wouldn't eat my muscles, or the muscles of the person sitting next to me, so why would I eat that of an animal.
ReplyDeleteI found it interesting in the articles that we read when the authors write about where they get their meat. In the NY Times article, Mr. Alford talks about fresh goat meat, the key word being fresh. He won't buy the meat frozen, which in my opinion is a wise choice. Similarly in "One Less Burger, One Safer Planet" the author writes about how seafood is becoming an expensive alternative to their every day meat. Of course it's illogical to have everyone become a vegetarian, but in the case of these two articles, I feel that if you eat meat, it's important to know where it comes from.
It seems to me that instead of running to the local burger king for a baconator at dinnertime, wouldn't you feel a lot better about what you eat if you run down to findley market and grab some fresh meat to cook? Even then, look at places such as red lobster, or any local seafood place. We live in southern ohio, and i don't know about you, but I certainly can't think of anywhere to get fresh lobster or crab. It just doesn't make sense to me. Wouldn't it be better to eat the things around where you live? Less cost, less preservatives/chemicals, and less hassle.
And Mike, I am a vegetarian and I still eat Taco Bell! Just replace your meat with beans and you still consume the protein needed for your meal, it's just in another form.
I have to admit that I am one of those people who doesn’t think about the “greater good” when I chose to eat meat. I’ve seen the statistics that show the United States consuming more than the rest of the world. I’ve even read the Journals that tell us that we have to stop eating so much meat or the rest of the world will suffer, which was touched on in the “Meatless Monday” Journal. Having said that, I eat a lot of meat and don’t feel bad about it. In fact, I wish I could eat meat a little more often than I do. As a college student I can’t afford to eat meat at every meal, but I guess that’s why romen noodles come in beef, pork, and chicken flavors.
ReplyDeleteI have to play devil’s advocate on this. The New York Times is a liberal paper, which means the article is more than likely written by a liberal as well, and not from a Conservative/Republican point of view. If any conclusion can be drawn from this, it’s that the topic is still up for debate even within the liberal ranks. I feel the conclusion that liberals are pulling for restraint on meat consumptions, while conservatives push for more meat consumption or some other form of “outrageous consumption” is just not proven in these articles.
Meat has always been a big part of my meals and it always will be. I like the taste of meat and I enjoy eating it. Having said that, I can certainly understand Jenny's and other vegetarians opinions about the subject and why they may not like it. It is a decision that everyone makes and it can be made for different reasons. I have seen shows and read other articles on the process that meat goes through from the farm to the dinner table and it doesn't bother me to know where my meat comes from or how it got to me.
ReplyDeleteI thought that the articles that we had to read for this blog were interesting. The one on goat meat caught my attention on how it is the number one meat consumed around the world but in America it is more of a once in a while kind of food. The other two articles on eating meat less made some very good points about the consumption of meat and the effects that it has on the planet. I thought the point on how eating less meat increases the amount of certain fish that are consumed and increases the endangerment of those fish. I might consider taking a day off meat, but it would be more like once a month and not once a week. I also think that portion control should definitely come into play when talking about eating less meat. If someone can control the portion of meat that they eat by setting a limit, they might end up eating less meat than they would by skipping it one day a week.
My review on meat is just something that would get my stomach full. Nothing more than that, there are few reason for this but mainly is because i never seem to be able to get fat! so no matter what i eat i couldn't be fat.. maybe is because i eat more of seafood meats, since my parent had a seafood dishes like every other day.
ReplyDeletebut in reason year, i did notice the price of rice and other food product goes up, maybe it was related to the reading, OR is because we try to be fuel-efficient with cars, and using corn base fuel, which farmer switches from producing food for people to producing fuel for people.
I was intrigued by the goat meat article and how it spoke to the fact that because the goat is a somewhat "foreign" novelty, we latch onto it as a fad. We consider it chic and trendy - the author of the article noted the neologisms we have come up with to make the meat "sound like a miniature Chevrolet or member of a 1960's girl group." His language when describing his goat encounters at restaurants in West Village (pinky up of course) was questionable, making me wonder what his motivating factors were for rushing to goat all of the sudden. And he said he wanted to order goat "in as many restaurants as possible." Part of me thinks of this as an attempt to catapult himself into the social stratosphere by going on the idea of "Hey everyone, look at me, ordering goat. I know what's up and am worldly." Then he has the audacity to go to the local butcher and "harangue" him for not having fresh goat meat? Unbelievable. Like he gets it everyday? It was his first trip in to one of the three neighborhood butchers. I was just suspicious of his actual motives when I reached that point, bout halfway through the article, and after that, could feel myself doubting the author more and more as the article concluded.
ReplyDeleteOn another note, I cannot believe you people who say "I don't care what's in the meat, if it tastes good, shove it in!" I would take anything fresh over processed, so much more nutrional value, and steer clear of fast food like the plauge as a result. I tried a hamburger somewhere a few years ago, after just as many devoid of heart-attack laden cylinders, and was disgusted in the whole experience. I honestly don't feel like I am missing anything, and would hope that more people take a little more concern in what goes into their body.
I agree with Drew on this one, a meal that consists of lets say pasta or salad even does not feel complete without a meat topping. That sounds really maybe American of me to say but it has become just a normal part of my day. Another thing to consider while reading “Meatless Monday” is the industry of meat and the jobs it fuels. if everyone did not eat meat on Mondays it might make a difference on the environment, but at the same time it would deal a serious blow to the economy of meat. With this economy can we afford to not buy meat?
ReplyDeleteMeat to me is just a type of food that I eat. I don't feel compelled to just eat meat. Similar to what Brian said, I just eat what tastes good. However, when I was younger, my mom thought that it was a good idea to stop eating pork. Since I was about 11 or 12 years old, I just did what my mom said and haven't eaten it since then. I remember her telling me how unclean pigs are and that there are references in the Bible about how we are not supposed to eat it. Now I am starting to realize how "unclean" other meats are. Part of me wants to cut out beef altogether, but I know there will be times where I will crave a hamburger or some meat loaf.
ReplyDeleteI think the idea of cutting out meat once or twice a week wouldn't be hard for me at all. I am going to start thinking more about my food intake and try to make healthier food choices. This decision could possibly mean eating less meat.
Meat is something that i enjoy. i grew up eating all kinds of meat from turkey and ham to lamb and chicken. anything you can think of i tried before. even thought i tried all these different kinds of meat doesn't mean that i enjoyed them all. For me, meat is a part of every meal i have. If i dont have a meat dish my meals aren't the same. i could NEVER become a vegetarian because im so accustom to having it all the time.
ReplyDeleteI know that meat isn't always good to have all the time and im trying to make some changes to my diet. This class has opened up my mind to some important information and i;m going to take what i have learned about factory farming and shop more wisely.