Hypocrisy

[eumelia]

I'm a hypocrite.
Being at the Natural History Museum made it clear to me.
I'm a hypocrite.
How can I claim to be an Environmentalist when I'm a meat eater.
Okay, so humans are omnivorous and historically we used to hunt our game and grow it.
But you know what, I'm a grrl who has lived her entire life in the western world and has consumed (with great privilege and pleasure) all the west had to offer her.
I eat beef, I like hamburgers (real kind, I've not stepped into a Burger King in three years and a McDonald's in five years), I like kebab, shawarma, pargiyot, shrimp, salmon, lobster and tuna.
Yet I make sure all my face cleaning soaps, moisturizers and such are not tested on animals.
I'm a hypocrite.

I've often considered becoming a vegetarian, but it never seemed worth it because I love meat.
But in the past year my ideology (of which I had none during high school and most of my army service) is quickly solidifying, and in the past I used to think ideological vegetarians were cheating themselves.
I'm becoming aware that I'm actually cheating myself.
How can I be an advocate of animal rights, when I use them in such a disgusting way?
God the hypocrisy!

Comments

[kaetien.livejournal.com]

well, if there was a massive movement - hundreds or thousands of people getting in contact, mobilizing, and taking a stand - it may make a difference. i'm sure people have tried. it's just hard to change the system. as much as i might not like how things work and what society dictates, i do my best to live with it and often ignore it in order to lead a simple, happy life - one not consumed with guilt over things i alone cannot change.

[krazyhippie.livejournal.com]

There are a lot of things I can't change on a massive scale--but it doesn't mean it would be right for me to participate in them. I myself can't end racism, but that doesn't mean I might as well participate in it since I can't do anything about it. Doesn't mean I should ignore it and say "oh well, can't change it."

Don't get me wrong--I'm not a vegetarian myself. So I'm not trying to act like I'm perfect. There are plenty of things I do that I shouldn't. But I can't pretend that just because I'm only one person, my actions don't have consequences, either.

[kaetien.livejournal.com]

oh, actions definitely have consequences - that's why i believe so strongly in morality and standing up for what you believe in. to me, it's just a question of scale.

[eumelia.livejournal.com]

Yay, civilized debate!

[kaetien.livejournal.com]

tis so unusual on teh intarwebs ;)

[krazyhippie.livejournal.com]

*nods* I understand that, and it's very subjective as to what matters most to different people.

[fenchurch42.livejournal.com]

Damn, I'm probably too late in the discussion (again), but I just wanted to say I agree with you, I mean, giving up on the idea of making a difference just by changing your own actions, because everybody else is "doing it anyways".. Hell, one person can make a difference! and have throughout history.. (take Rosa Parks for example...)

"You know, if
one person, just one person does it they may think he's really sick and
they won't take him. And if two people, two people do it, in harmony, they may think they're both faggots and they won't take either of them.
And three people do it, three, can you imagine, three people walking in singin a bar of Alice's Restaurant and walking out. They may think it's an organization. And can you, can you imagine fifty people a day,I said fifty people a day walking in singin a bar of Alice's Restaurant and walking out. And friends they may thinks it's a movement..." :)

Sorry, I'm tired..