Philosophically, do you think a vegetarian can have a job where one of the duties is handling/serving meat?

Question

I am a vegetarian and have been looking for a job that would have nothing to do with meat for months now. I've applied to countless places, but I haven't received one call (and my record is absolutely fine). I know that food service usually has more open opportunities at any given time. I'm desperate and becoming more open to taking up a job where I would handle meat. But---can vegetarians be compatible with such food-related jobs?

Answer 1

I'm a vegetarian and I have a summer job at DQ. I don't handle meat but I serve it. I have no problem with this since I didn't kill the animal and I'm not eating it.  

Answer 2

I'm a vegan. I worked at a grocery store and was in charge of the meat section. It was weird...but it was part of the job. Sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do.

Answer 3

i think it is fine to have a job that has to do with meat as long as you dont eat any meat and you wash your hands before eating.

also, everyone is entitled to their opinions and beliefs. If you dont agree with them, that doesnt mean you cant make them happy because there is nothing wrong with liking meat.

Answer 4

Get whatever job you can. Whenever you find a better job, quit the old one.

If the job doesn't require that you taste the meat or swallow it, what's the problem?

A word of advice, NO ONE at any job should know that you are vegetarian until you've been there for **AT LEAST** a few months.

Answer 5

I worked in a food court, and served food. Some of it did contain meat.

My philospophy on it is- It was my decision I wont force it on anyone. If they want to waste thier money on unhealthy food, let them go right ahead.

Thinking about it though, I suppose if I were to prepare it instead of just putting it on a plate, it would bother me. But, I mean, you cant pretend like it doesnt exist.

Answer 6

Sure why not? Your choice is a vegetarian, others have different choices.

It would be like not working in any restaurants that served non kosher meet if you were Jewish.

People have the right to their beliefs and lifestyles. By working with meat you are only serving others who desire meat. We were after all born meat eaters.

Do you not hang out with non vegetarians? It's along the same idea. :)

Answer 7

If you were vegan you would not work at a place like that.  Being just a vegetarian, it should be fine for you.  

If you are vegetarian because of social causes (animal rights, environmental sunstainability...), you probably won't want to work there.  If you're vegetarian just for health reasons or just for fun (that's why I'm vegetarian), there should be no problem with you working there.

Answer 8

I was working at a Burger King and I'm Vegetarian!  I convinced that Burger King to  serve Veggy Burgers in

addition to their regular meat burgers!  But the smell of those that cooked regular burgers made me sick! I didn't get sick on the job it was at the end of the shift!  Burger King said they made more profit on the Veggy Burgers per burger than the meat ones!   Whether they still serve them I don't know!

Answer 9

Philosophy be damned. Vegetarians, like anyone else, have to keep a roof over their heads, food on the table and clothes on their backs.

It's a very fortunate person who can pick and choose which job they take, and an extremely fortunate and rare person who works for an employer or company whose ethics completely coincide with their own.

I'm vegan and I've had jobs that involved handling meat - day care, serving children their meals. I would happily take such a job again.

Don't worry about it; veg*ns can't live in a bubble of veg*n perfection, they live in the real world, and in the real world you often have to take what work you can get.

Once employed, you can look around for a job that suits you better.

Answer 10

some vegetarians cant help it. they have to make a living somehow. i am 13, next year i get a job, i will probably have to work at someplace that serves meat or sells it like "the pig"

its not easy being a vegetarian in rural alabama

Answer 11

You would do pretty minimal damage by handling/serving meat.

Just put a little extra effort into making sure other people know what the animals go through ... the severe mental and physical torture that their entire lives consists of.

Of course, if possible, you could do extra good by getting a job at a health food store or some such place that not only doesn't support the factory farms in any way, but also works against them.