I can't help but be a little disappointed that the compassion and love you sing about doesn't seem to extend very far past humans, being so cavalier about dietary choices, even "free range", seems to betray the lack of depth in the conciousness you sing of being the focus of you life. Always, it's your freedom to eat and advertise what you choose, but I was just a little disappointed that there seems to be so much pride in your lamb you prepared. I'm curious, could you have also killed it? If not, eating it seems pretty unconcious.
I agree, it's one thing to come out of a culture where lamb (any meat) is all there is, but in our culture it's so easy to have a lifestyle that causes less suffering, I found these pics to border on "food porn". Pretty unconcious. It's hard to sacrifice our desires, but when it's obvious those desires are causing useless suffering, why not change, esp. when it's so easy, esp. in Oregon.
While I'm sorry to disappoint you, I do not feel guilt about eating this meal. It was actually prepared quite thoughtfully and consciously. It was also enjoyed in the same way.
I have had several conversations with friends about going vegetarian, and I can certainly see how it would seem the superior moral choice (though most of my friends don't suggest that to me in any sort of condemning way), but I do not believe it is that simple.
Reading Pollan's Omnivore's Dilemma actually schooled me in that.
This isn't something I feel strongly about, and, as I told my friend Shaun, at some point, I could imagine myself moving in the direction of vegetarianism. But to do so now would merely be to fit in with a crowd whose opinions I generally value. That is, it would not come from an inner conviction since I have not made my mind up on such things.
I'm amazed at the level of animosity coming from the vegan friends who took the time to read and comment. Personally I find fundamentalism in all its various flavors (whether conservative or in this case vegetarian) to be revolting. People who simply want to engage in anonymous polemics are neither wanting meaningful conversation nor are they open to self-reflective change. I'm disappointed in those who clearly have the energy to make such open minded personal choices, such as converting to a different dietary fad, and yet fail to navigate through life with a similar open minded grace towards those who have come to different conclusions.
This animal may have had a face on it...but why carve Ryan up as meat just because he's eating some?
Bad show.
At least next time do so openly, out from behind the mask of an unknown lurker.
"Vegetarians, and their Hezbollah-like splinter faction, the vegans, are a persistent irritant to any chef worth a damn. To me, life without veal stock, pork fat, sausage, organ meat, demi-glace, or even stinky cheese is a life not worth living. Vegetarians are the enemy of everything good and decent in the human spirit, and an affront to all I stand for, the pure enjoyment of food. The body, these waterheads imagine, is a temple that should not be polluted by animal protein. It's healthier, they insist, though every vegetarian waiter I've worked with is brought down by any rumor of a cold. Oh, I'll accommodate them, I'll rummage around for something to feed them, for a 'vegetarian plate', if called on to do so. Fourteen dollars for a few slices of grilled eggplant and zucchini suits my food cost fine." From Kitchen Confidential, p. 70.
As someone who knows Ryan personally, I have to disagree with the statement that his "compassion and love does not seem to extend very far past humans." Ryan is one of the most thoughtful people that I know. If anyone has spent any amount of time with Ryan, they would know that he is thoughtful and compassionate about every decision that he makes and the effect that it has on humanity. The issues and discussion about whether or not to eat meat are too complex to pass a judgment based on a photo of a meal they have eaten. The photo could never indicate the type of friend, dad, husband and person Ryan truly is.
8 comments:
yum, dead baby animals.
I can't help but be a little disappointed that the compassion and love you sing about doesn't seem to extend very far past humans, being so cavalier about dietary choices, even "free range", seems to betray the lack of depth in the conciousness you sing of being the focus of you life. Always, it's your freedom to eat and advertise what you choose, but I was just a little disappointed that there seems to be so much pride in your lamb you prepared. I'm curious, could you have also killed it? If not, eating it seems pretty unconcious.
I agree, it's one thing to come out of a culture where lamb (any meat) is all there is, but in our culture it's so easy to have a lifestyle that causes less suffering, I found these pics to border on "food porn". Pretty unconcious. It's hard to sacrifice our desires, but when it's obvious those desires are causing useless suffering, why not change, esp. when it's so easy, esp. in Oregon.
While I'm sorry to disappoint you, I do not feel guilt about eating this meal. It was actually prepared quite thoughtfully and consciously. It was also enjoyed in the same way.
I have had several conversations with friends about going vegetarian, and I can certainly see how it would seem the superior moral choice (though most of my friends don't suggest that to me in any sort of condemning way), but I do not believe it is that simple.
Reading Pollan's Omnivore's Dilemma actually schooled me in that.
This isn't something I feel strongly about, and, as I told my friend Shaun, at some point, I could imagine myself moving in the direction of vegetarianism. But to do so now would merely be to fit in with a crowd whose opinions I generally value. That is, it would not come from an inner conviction since I have not made my mind up on such things.
I'm amazed at the level of animosity coming from the vegan friends who took the time to read and comment. Personally I find fundamentalism in all its various flavors (whether conservative or in this case vegetarian) to be revolting. People who simply want to engage in anonymous polemics are neither wanting meaningful conversation nor are they open to self-reflective change. I'm disappointed in those who clearly have the energy to make such open minded personal choices, such as converting to a different dietary fad, and yet fail to navigate through life with a similar open minded grace towards those who have come to different conclusions.
This animal may have had a face on it...but why carve Ryan up as meat just because he's eating some?
Bad show.
At least next time do so openly, out from behind the mask of an unknown lurker.
"Vegetarians, and their Hezbollah-like splinter faction, the vegans, are a persistent irritant to any chef worth a damn. To me, life without veal stock, pork fat, sausage, organ meat, demi-glace, or even stinky cheese is a life not worth living. Vegetarians are the enemy of everything good and decent in the human spirit, and an affront to all I stand for, the pure enjoyment of food. The body, these waterheads imagine, is a temple that should not be polluted by animal protein. It's healthier, they insist, though every vegetarian waiter I've worked with is brought down by any rumor of a cold. Oh, I'll accommodate them, I'll rummage around for something to feed them, for a 'vegetarian plate', if called on to do so. Fourteen dollars for a few slices of grilled eggplant and zucchini suits my food cost fine." From Kitchen Confidential, p. 70.
What we're missing is how delicious the chard looks! Nice.
As someone who knows Ryan personally, I have to disagree with the statement that his "compassion and love does not seem to extend very far past humans." Ryan is one of the most thoughtful people that I know. If anyone has spent any amount of time with Ryan, they would know that he is thoughtful and compassionate about every decision that he makes and the effect that it has on humanity. The issues and discussion about whether or not to eat meat are too complex to pass a judgment based on a photo of a meal they have eaten. The photo could never indicate the type of friend, dad, husband and person Ryan truly is.
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