[lbo-talk] Alternet reviews Singer's latest (The Way We Eat) (and other responses)

ravi gadfly at exitleft.org
Mon May 29 18:44:49 PDT 2006


At around 26/5/06 5:33 pm, info at pulpculture.org wrote:
>
> And my objection was and remains: talking about vegetarian practice,
> historically and currently, as if it's the same thing as what's Singer
> advocates is irresponsible.
>

I fail to understand the above. Who talks about vegetarian practice as if its the same thing as what Singer advocates? And what is it that you see Singer as advocating? (he has advocated vegetarianism, for example, in the past).


> The ill informed are ill informed because of conversations like this one
> where the only person who took responsibility for the problems was /
> dave /.

Responsibility for what problem? I am afraid I don't follow this at all. I thought I had answered your questions in a fairly straightforward manner, to the best of my knowledge.


> ravi joked
> about my health condition as if it was ha ha funny and peculiar. I
> wasn't and remain unamused.

Where do you get my joking about your health condition? Can you quote the relevant text? I have not joked about your health condition at any point, for I fail to see what can be amusing about it.


> Or is that just the utiliatarian thing and
> the one person who gets sick from this diet doesn't count, so there's no
> need to notice that it's all taking place in the context of a
> discussion, _by vegetarians_, who cahlk it up to stupid owns that should
> know better.

In fact, in my posts, I have mentioned that both Singer (my speculation) and I would find it understandable that you would choose not to attempt a vegetarian (or vegan) life. In my responses I made it abundantly clear that I was speaking to the general case. I also mentioned that my position is not some of moral absolutist all-or-nothing argument (and proposed that Singer's utilitarianism and my own understanding of his writing would suggest that neither is his).

When I posted the Singer review, I added "let the flaming begin". You seem to believe that such content is coming from those who are promoting vegetarianism. I, on the other hand, see nothing but casual dismissal of animal rights issues, etc.

No doubt my idea of my content is bound to be self-serving: I believe I have responded fairly to the messages that I could respond to (such as yours asking about possible vegetarian choices). I have not made fun of your health. The only issue of contention I have brought up is a peripheral one concerning terminology.

--ravi

-- Support something better than yourself: ;-) PeTA: http://www.peta.org/ GreenPeace: http://www.greenpeace.org/



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