STYLETHREAD -- LET'S TALK SHOP!

poptart · Coach

Current Event?

JoceyBaby23 · Gucci

I agree with some of what you said. I eat all meat, except pig. No bacon, ham, pork, sausage etc. And that is mostly personal preference.

I have a heavy heart and find it difficult to eat meat when I start to think and rationalize and contemplate whether or not, they "think" like we do.. and if they have feelings.

I blame my parents for some of that. (They used to make my stuffed animals, dolls and even food "talk" to me when I was very little.) :)

And I always get a little teary when I pass a truck on the highway with cows and pigs on it. Because I can only imagine where they are headed.

That said, I think meat contains many things that benefit our bodies (although you can find protein etc in other items as well) and I think the concept of eating meat partially links back to the basic food chain.

This ad just doesn't seem to be in good taste.

Lisa, Just out of curiousity.. Do you have a problem with the Chic-a-fillet ads when the cows ask that we eat more chicken? Its funny that I never thought of that commercial to be offensive in any way.

laken1 · Hermes

JoceyBaby23 wrote:

Lisa, Just out of curiousity.. Do you have a problem with the Chic-a-fillet ads when the cows ask that we eat more chicken? Its funny that I never thought of that commercial to be offensive in any way.

I wondered the exact same thing!!! I am curious too....

blubirde · Chanel

I probably wouldn't be offended by the Chipotle ad but it's definitely in poor taste and disrespects people who might not eat meat. Which is a shame, actually, because vegetarians can eat at Chipotle and they're kind of driving them off.

I don't like that place anyway. Too many calories in every, single thing! And I don't eat meat very often. I'm not a vegetarian but I ABSOLUTELY REFUSE to eat cow. I prefer to not eat any kind of meat (except seafood, which is why I can't be a vegetarian because I somehow think fish have no feelings), but I'm not weirded out by other people eating it. Of course watching people eat a steak does make me lose my appetite... I always position my glasses and the candles on the table so I can't see the slab of (shudder) flesh sitting in front of their faces. Especially if it's rare. (shudder again)

You should call them or send them a letter and tell them how offensive you find it. Maybe point out that their consumer base is not all carnivore.

poptart · Coach

laken1 wrote:

JoceyBaby23 wrote: Lisa, Just out of curiousity.. Do you have a problem with the Chic-a-fillet ads when the cows ask that we eat more chicken? Its funny that I never thought of that commercial to be offensive in any way. I wondered the exact same thing!!! I am curious too....

I didn't find it *as* offensive, because I thought that ad campaign actually did a good job of "humanizing" animals (not that they should have to be humanized for us to care, but you know what I mean) and reminding people that there are lives at stake when we decide what we are going to eat. BUT, I wouldn't say I completely agreed with the overall message, either, because there was one ad that I saw that said something mean about chickens (I don't remember what it was anymore).

It's too bad for chickens. I don't feel like they get the same sympathy because they aren't as cute as cows. Poor things.

poptart · Coach

blubirde wrote:

You should call them or send them a letter and tell them how offensive you find it. Maybe point out that their consumer base is not all carnivore.

We're on the same wave length - I actually sent them one this morning! I used to eat there frequently b/c it is an easy, relatively healthy (I get the single veggie taco which I swear is a whole meal) and inexpensive place for vegetarians - but not any more!

I know what you mean about the meat on the table. For me, it is the smell. I can't stand the smell.

I eat fish sometimes too, and I totally justify it through the feelings thing. It's true that they don't have nerve endings. Anyway, I love this pocket-sized guide to the best fish choices. (Just thought I'd share in case you're interested.) http://www.mbayaq.org/cr/cr_seafoodwatch/content/media/MBA_SeafoodWatch_WestCoastGuide.pdf

NCshopper · Hermes

I'm not sure how far you want to carry the issue, but you could always alert PETA about the ad. If PETA starts breathing down their back, that might cause them to change faster than just one person's complaint. Just an idea.

blubirde · Chanel

Lisa wrote:

Anyway, I love this pocket-sized guide to the best fish choices. (Just thought I'd share in case you're interested.) http://www.mbayaq.org/cr/cr_seafoodwatch/content/media/MBA_SeafoodWatch_WestCoastGuide.pdf

Cool! Thanks. Question - are you a farm-raised girl or a wild-caught? I'm torn on the issue.

poptart · Coach

blubirde wrote:

Lisa wrote: Anyway, I love this pocket-sized guide to the best fish choices. (Just thought I'd share in case you're interested.) http://www.mbayaq.org/cr/cr_seafoodwatch/content/media/MBA_SeafoodWatch_WestCoastGuide.pdf Cool! Thanks. Question - are you a farm-raised girl or a wild-caught? I'm torn on the issue.

Wild-caught for me. It seems to be the most generally accepted, though I've heard other arguments.

poptart · Coach

NCshopper wrote:

I'm not sure how far you want to carry the issue, but you could always alert PETA about the ad. If PETA starts breathing down their back, that might cause them to change faster than just one person's complaint. Just an idea.

Ooh, good idea!

blubirde · Chanel

Lisa wrote:

Wild-caught for me. It seems to be the most generally accepted, though I've heard other arguments.

Wild-caught intuitively seems the best to me also but I've heard a lot of arguments for farm-raised. It's so confusing to figure out what to eat these days! Even my handy friends at Central Market and Whole Foods change their minds daily. Grr.

dc · Dooney & Bourke

Chipotle is owned by McDonalds, and we all know those bastards don't give a shit about vegetarians. I have never eaten at Chipotle and never will.

You know, the chik-fil-a ad doesn't bug me as much, but it still bothers me in that I always think it's sort of sick to anthropomorphize an animal or portray it is cute or funny in order to sell their flesh. There's this BBQ place in Richmond (VA) called Bill's, and their little logo is 3 little pigs... barbecuing. Ew. Cannibal pigs... it's so wrong.

P.S. since it came up... There is NO nutrient that people get from meat that can't be derived from other sources. Protein is in pretty much everything, including wheat bread and vegetables (which is surprising) - I like to get mine from legumes/soy-based products as well. If you are getting enough calories every day and not filling up on junk food (eating a balanced meat-free diet), you'll get enough protein. As a matter of fact, overconsumption of meat & other animal products is far more likely and also far more unhealthy (and people who don't eat meat are less likely to die of cancer or heart disease). Ditto fish - there are many excellent sources (flax, etc) of the Omega 3's and 6's that fish provide if you have any qualms about eating them, what with the toxins they might carry and all. I eat flax waffles every day for breakfast (I simply have never liked fish anyway).

-- Edited by dc at 13:32, 2005-09-12

poptart · Coach

dc wrote:

I eat flax waffles every day for breakfast (I simply have never liked fish anyway). -- Edited by dc at 13:32, 2005-09-12

I agree with all of the above - thanks DC. I didn't know Chipotle was owned by McDonalds though. Another reason to boycott.

Anyhoo, real reason for this post: can you tell us more about the flax waffles?

bumblebee · Coach

i haven't seen the ad, but it just sounds kind of gross. i do eat meat, but it seems like a bad advertising choice to humanize the animal in order to entice people to then eat it--yuck!

dc · Dooney & Bourke

Lisa wrote:

dc wrote: I eat flax waffles every day for breakfast (I simply have never liked fish anyway). -- Edited by dc at 13:32, 2005-09-12 I agree with all of the above - thanks DC. I didn't know Chipotle was owned by McDonalds though. Another reason to boycott. Anyhoo, real reason for this post: can you tell us more about the flax waffles?

Hee hee! They are Van's, which you can buy at Whole Foods in the breakfast section. There is another brand, too, but the Van's has more Omega 3's. Also they are a good source of fiber and protein. The taste is ok, though lately I've been adding blueberry preserves. I just pop one in the toaster to munch while getting ready in the a.m.

You can also buy flaxseed oil to add to recipe or I think ground flax. All that is at whole foods. HTH!

dc · Dooney & Bourke

Oh, lisa, one more way I get my Omegas is that I often drink Odwalla's "Berries GoMega" juice smoothie which has ground flaxseed (there are two servings per 15 oz bottle - each serving represents 1/2 of your daily req. of ALA, which is the omega 3) . Also a nice source of vitamin C and iron.

I am having some right now - yum.

sage · Dooney & Bourke

You can also throw ground flax in or on just about anything (mix with oatmeal, bake in muffns, etc). I too am not a big meat eater. I do eat fish, even though fish are the only type of pet I have ( I only have one right now, his name is F.Scott, he murdered Zelda)
and I love tofu and other soy products. And I do find the idea of the ad offensive, but I find the image of pigs bbq'ing other pigs even more disturbing. My sis and I have food related OCD so dont get me started.

Oops, I noticed dc already mentioned the ground flax.

-- Edited by sage at 17:46, 2005-09-12

-- Edited by sage at 17:47, 2005-09-12

blubirde · Chanel

sage wrote:

(I only have one right now, his name is F.Scott, he murdered Zelda)

hahahahahaha!!! That cracked me up. If only...

Maddie · Coach

I'm an ex-vegan, now a vegetarian and I don't really find this offensive. People are going to eat meat and aren't going to think twice about it so I really don't think that Chipotle's advertising is saying anything too shocking. Obviously animals don't really think like that anyway, so who cares? My objection to meat isn't that it's wrong for people to eat it (because I think it's natural to do so), but the way animals are treated. This ad doesn't really hit anything that I care about.

dc · Dooney & Bourke

Maddie wrote:

I'm an ex-vegan, now a vegetarian and I don't really find this offensive. People are going to eat meat and aren't going to think twice about it so I really don't think that Chipotle's advertising is saying anything too shocking. Obviously animals don't really think like that anyway, so who cares? My objection to meat isn't that it's wrong for people to eat it (because I think it's natural to do so), but the way animals are treated. This ad doesn't really hit anything that I care about.

Uh, wow... Ok, who cares? I care. The point is that it makes light of killing animals. The point is it makes light of suffering. It has nothing to do with what the animal thinks, the point of the ad is that this cow should somehow feel honored to end out in half-assed fake mexican food. If you're concerned about how animals are treated, then this type of advertising should concern you, b/c it perpetuates the image of animals as something to be made fun of and whose suffering is not to be taken seriously. It is hardly their honor to become our food, no matter how they are raised. And even if Chipotle uses a certain type of meat, this type of advertising, as I said, does little to enhance compassion for animals (quite the opposite) and as a result perpetuates the very practices to which you object.

Moreover, I'd argue that it's not "natural" for humans to consume meat. Perhaps the tendency to eat meat has evolved out of need when there were not other options, but from the ground up, our bodies weren't built like a carnivore's. Our closest relatives in the animal kingdom do not consume meat. And the fact is there is absolutely no phyiscal reason why we should.