2debate

12 minute Oxford style debating - engaging, fun and interesting short form arguments on contemporary issues...

https://archive.org/details/2debate

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episode 76: 2d76 - Decent human beings have no alternative but to be vegetarians!


To be or not to be (vegetarian)

I have to admit: anything related to “diet” bores me. I’m not a foodie: although I do enjoy eating, I don’t like talking about it or spending time cooking. And this comes from someone whose country of origin – France – claims to have one of the best cuisines (the word is French after all!) in the world. And I’d have to admit a weakness for it. If we start talking about vegetarians, or vegans, or agriculture, you’ve almost completely lost me. So why on earth would we debate on that topic?

Well, because we should. The meat industry is probably one of the most, if not the most, polluting industry, even beyond air travel it appears. So if you’re not already vegetarian and if you care about the effects of climate change or about the fact that animals are sentient beings, then you need to stop closing your eyes. I admit I’ve ignored the topic out of blindness, insensitivity and the way I was raised (namely, to be an “omnivore” ensuring fish or meat was consumed at every meal). It doesn’t mean you have to change your habits but at least be fully aware of the consequences of your decision – consequences to your health and that of others (humans, animals, and our planet).

The undeniable fact that vegetarianism is so closely connected to the lives and health of so many conscious beings leads us to wonder whether we would be able to still look ourselves in the mirror if we continued to slaughter. Hence the notion of decency that we introduced into our motion of the day: “decent human beings have no alternative but to be vegetarians”.

Is it impossible to have good taste (i.e. to be decent), let alone become vegetarian without giving up on… taste, precisely? Well-named Impossible Foods believes it can make it possible. It’s a company that develops plant-based substitutes for meat and dairy products; a company that Google and Bill Gates, among others, invested into; a company that is already valued at more than $1 billion. As recently as 1st April 2019, Burger Kings announced it would test-market the vegetarian patty in some of its locations – and it wasn’t a joke.

It wasn’t a joke either that Sebastian had to be in favour of the motion – that is defending that “decent human beings have no alternative but to be vegetarians”. Of course that was decided by the flip of a coin. And Dirk logically had to argue against the motion in our latest episode that you can find online, all fresh and rrrraw

And here goes the credit roll:

Audio producer: Dirk

Author of bad jokes: Sebastian

No animals were hurt in the creation of this podcast episode (we think).

Starring: Sebastian & Dirk

 

Picture: CC0, Pixabay


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 April 10, 2019  43m