Demi-vegan

I, the Demi-Vegetarian

If you didn't know already, my independent study (final year project) is on Peter Singer and his utilitarian thought. Specifically, I am examining the philosophy of foreign aid (he argues that it is your obligation to give a substantial portion of your paycheck, eg, 10% to charity, etc). Although, I must say the more interesting bits are about his vegetarian and abortion policies.

Let me share a new bit of philosophy: I was cutting up a chicken carcass this morning (not to say that the chicken inspired me to blog but rather I now feel obligated to) and words from Peter Singer started to taunt me. *Moral me started to worry about my participation in the 'flesh industry', and truly, it was a gruesome thought as I saw through skin, flesh, bone with my sharp blade, feeling each tear through the flesh (Singer said to not use 'meat' as it makes the animal a food automatically... so no 'pork' but 'pig' and no 'beef' but 'cow', yeah?) and hear each cracking rib bone. Pressure had to be applied to get the blade through.

Really, more sessions of chicken carcass cutting will make a pure vegetarian out of me. Truthfully, I hope it does.

In the meantime, I can't help but to confess to you that there is a difficulty to give up meat (arghh... what can I use to substitute the word?) completely. Not because I enjoy the taste so much but variety is a luxury and vegetarian food can only offer so little options. Furthermore, society (and dates) makes it difficult to confine others to my diet and myself away from lovely restaurants. Third, there are health issues involved where meat proteins are necessary for the body.

Which is why I currently subscribe to H.R. Hare's vegetarian philosophy. He calls it demi-vegetarianism. Hare sympathises the animal food industry but he argues that there is more damage done if we all become full vegetarians. He elaborates two of my concerns (society and health) quite impressively, and argues the economic and ecological need to continue some eating of animals. If you are keen to know more, I will be happy to share more details with you or lend you a copy of his essay, Why I am a demi-vegetarian. He defines demi-vegetarians:

"[Demi-Vegetarian] means someone who while not being a full vegetarian, let alone, vegan, eats little meat, and is careful what kinds of meat he or she eats. Usually the selection is on dietetic grounds (lean meat rather than fat, fish rather than meat, etc); but no doubt moral considerations come in too."

Hare's relevant point is this: eat only the minimal amount of meat you need. This way, it would be unnecessary for the industry to be so cruel to the animals while still meeting dietary requirements, cravings for meat and (in my case) fulfilling *social obligations. If possible, eat more fish as he thinks they suffer less.

More important, I would like to share a plea he makes. Go for free range meat. In my case, I have been cooking up only kampung chickens lately (*bless their free-range souls). Being kampung chickens, they are not cooped up and run a little free-er than their farmed counterparts.

Markets (both the wet kind and economy kind) are based on principles of supply and demand. If we can make this little change, imagine the impact we can make for animals and it is not at so much of an inconvenience for us (no sacrifice of eating meat here, see).

Indulge me please: Eat more fish and only buy kampung (free-range) chickens.

This community service message was brought to you by the *Damsel who now realises that her avoidance of KFC should be made into a boycott.