Is someone a hypocrite if they love animals and eat them at the same time?

Question

Do you love animals? Are you vegetarian?

Are you willing to become a vegetarian for the sake of animals OR at lest, consider the option?

I like meat AND veggies (all food in general). I have always wanted to become vegetarian, but have been unable to or didn't know how to. In the past I have read the book Fast Food Nation. It was an eye opener. Eating animals is not an option if we care about: animals, our health, or the sustainability of the planet. It's not as simple as saying "I am not cruel to animals, so I'm ok." By consuming animals and animal products, we are supporting the big companies who DO practice cruelty towards animals.

Answer 1

We were raised in a society that eats meat! We have natural cravings for meat! Humans are omnivores! It's not your fault you want to eat meat. If you feel guilty about it maybe you should eat organic meat that you know has no chemicals in it.

Answer 2

do you care about the planet??if so are you not a hypocrite for using electricity which harms the planet......do you care about plants? bet you do but you eat them...i care about animals in the sense that i care that they are treated as humanely as possible until they are killed for food and that thier death is as painless as possible.

Answer 3

Even some vegetarians are hypocrites in that regard. They won't eat meat, but they buy their eggs and dairy from major commercial sources that feed the meat industry directly. (Spent hens and male chicks obviously don't help the egg business, but there is still a profit to be made. Same with dairy cows... not every calf born is going to grow up to make milk. They don't just let the male cows run off free.) So, they won't buy meat, but they still pay for animals to be killed.

Additionally, there is the matter of speciesism. In short, this is the idea that some animals are friends and some are food. An example of this is some of the more commonplace "exotic" meats out there. Rabbits and dogs are food sources in other cultures. Many meat eaters are pretty horrified that anyone would eat a cute little bunny or worse, a loyal dog. Why is that? It's because humans develop different relationships with different kinds of animals. The same goes for animals. My cat will come and sit on my lap, but I don't really think an ocelot would do the same.

So, to answer your question: is it hypocritical? Yes. But quite frankly, there are far more more damaging hypocrisies in the world today.  

Answer 4

What I find hypocritical is vegetarians who claim to love animals and can't bear to have them killed then wear leather shoes,belts,wallets and purses.

Answer 5

I'm a vegetarian but i don't know that i'd say it being a hypocrite..one of my friends said she couldn't be a vegetarian but she makes sure her meat is free range and the eggs she eats are free range also..i know loads of people who love animals yet eat meat..it's just the way of life for most people

Answer 6

You're only a hypocrite if you eat your dog, cat, hamster, gerbil, parakeet or other pet.  

Answer 7

I don't believe it is hypocritical but...I read this book and the main character was a vet and super animal lover. At the end when she finally wins back the forest and saves the animals she settles down to eat a huge steak. I thought the author should have made her a vegetarian since her love for animals was such a huge part of the story!

Answer 8

No you are a hypocrite if you tell someone not to do something then do it. I love animals too and i still eat them...

Answer 9

I do not love animals although I have been fond of many.  I have eaten several that I was fond of.  

Answer 10

i love dogs, don't love chickens, cows, pigs, or any variety of fish or livestock

Answer 11

No. I love animals and I love to eat animals. It's 2 different types of love. Although, I wouldn't eat a dog and I wouldn't have a cow for a pet.

Answer 12

yea i always think it's funny when someone tells me how much they love animals as they are eating a hamburger.... uh your eating an animal!  if you love animals, stop supporting their torture.

Answer 13

Man has eaten meat since the beginning of time. We raise the cattle and other animals to consume. So what is cruel? Is it better to eat a dead cow or a live one? The critters must be killed to be eaten and the meat is better if the animal isn't scared to death first. I would say we're doing it the right way and I think the cows would agree. It is the few and not the many that raise the issues of cruelty to animals for food. Animal cruelty does exist however, but it is the neighbor that beats his dog or the farmer that starves a horse that are cruel. Eating is just a fact of life and I can think of no way to kill anything that might not seem cruel to someone. Therefore, I would have to have a medical reason to become a vegetarian. I hope my thought process helps you some with your internal conflict.

Answer 14

No, it's not. Cattle, hogs and chickens that are sold at the store to be eaten were raised for that reason alone, and just because you eat them does not mean that you don't love (for example) your pet chicken. Being a hypocrite is where you say one thing, and do another. It's sort of like being two faced. Hope this helps.