Can you convince me to stop eating fish/seafood?

Question

I've been a pescetarian for a little over a year now. I'm proud of that, but I still wish I could give up meat altogether, especially now that I'm reading Jonathan Safran Foer's book 'Eating Animals'. I've also already seen the documentary 'Earthlings', which was what convinced me to stop eating beef/chicken etc in the first place. But I still can't give up fish, I justify my actions when I'm eating fish by choosing to believe there's no aquaculture in my small country, and I have faith the fishermen and fishmongers in my country aren't sadistic and don't overfish... When I'm eating fish, I remember that a corpse is a corpse, but I just can't see fish/seafood as anything but food, despite the videos I've seen, the data & stats & scientific research I've read. Please convince me or give me any tips?

P.S. Where I live, the people here love their meat. I get questioning looks when I tell people I don't eat chicken & beef etc. No one considers vegetarian guests when they hold parties or whatever. Even the veggies have meat in it in the form of anchovies, shrimp or diced chicken! I personally only know one other vegetarian, but she isn't originally from around here so she doesn't go to many family functions.

Answer 1

Most parties I go to have a veggie platter and a fruit platter, you can be a vegetarian. If you want to give up seafood then try your best to do so and eat it sparingly. Or try to eat things like oysters and scallops which is hard to see them as something that has feelings and they can also be farm raised which helps the environment because they are filters.

Answer 2

No - I can't convince you to stop eating fish/seafood NOR do I feel obligated to. Humans are given 'free will' for a reason so for me to tell you what to eat/not eat would make me a cult leader, a Master, Tyrant, etc.

Now as far as attacking 'Creation Detective & MissYumYums' - that was uncalled for. To expect real members on YA to force you into eating something that you, yourself cannot even do seems a bit sadistic & counterproductive to me. If you're so passionate about it, then it's up to you and you alone to make that change - Not us! It sounds like you're making excuses - plenty of veggie & fruit plates out there and folks Do serve them - vegan or Not.

If you need help with becoming a complete 'No meat ever in my life' human, then join a support group in your area. And unlike the 'anti - everything' abusers on here.... get educated because whether you realize it or Not insects enjoy fruits & veggies too.

Answer 3

Everyone is a from a place where everyone "loves their meat," step one is to realize how not unique you have it. If there are no dishes that are strictly non-veg*n then this is where you become the kind of person who likes to bring a dish, just let the host know because the host is planning everything and they may not like a random dish to show up and screw with the continuity of the rest of the food (even though the dish is for you, it is not just for you so there is a bigger picture in mind).



" I get questioning looks when I tell people I don't eat chicken & beef etc." Step two is to not tell people things you do not do, that goes with anything. I do not go around saying "I don't ballroom dance" to a room of ballroom dancers. Irrational as it is, people take your dissociation with something they do as a personal remark, they can become introspective or otherwise interpret it as you saying you think ballroom dancing is not worth it, and so on. The point is that with anything, people take it personally when you declare yourself as something different from them. I am sure you can "blend in" without being interrogated, it is easy. I also come from a really nosy family and everyone is in everyone's business. Barely anybody notices ,so why would yours be any different? If people are noticing, you might consider revaluating how you are coming off, you might come off as awkward and not knowing what to do so people are asking you about your eating because they want to help.

Answer 4

You have to remember that many of these so called books/documentaries are produced by and for people with an agenda and these books, videos, etc are slanted to promote this point of view. Often many of the facts are years out of date and many of the practices are no longer done but are presented as current and accurate. This is true for both sides of an issue of course.



That being said to address your question I would suggest that you do not stop eating fish. Fish, especially fatty fish, is the best source of Vitamin D and they also contain a lot of "good fat" that the body needs to operate effectively. If you were to stop eating fish you would have to remember to take Vitamin D and possibly B12 supplements and, since they cannot be made from animals, must be artificially produced in a lab. So you have to consider whether trading natural for artificial sources is a good idea.

Answer 5

Don't believe everything you see in videos like Earthlings, the people who produce them have an agenda. If you want to eat fish, eat fish. Don't let those with an agenda make you feel guilty over eating something that you like and is good for you.

Answer 6

There are many reasons to give up fish;



-Over fishing is a huge issue right now.

-There are many scientific studies that suggest that fish feel pain

-Even small organisms that appear to be 'just existing' may be emotional and or social. Star-fish, for example are now shown to hunt and have a social hierarchy.

-Big boats like ones used for fishing cause sound pollution which disorient animals such a dolphins and whales and can lead them to their death.

-Animals often get caught in fishing boats and/or fishing nets. Dolphins are a big example but I once worked with a sea-turtle who was hit by a boat. Poor thing.

Answer 7

I get questioning looks when I tell people I don't eat chicken & beef etc." Step two is to not tell people things you do not do, that goes with anything. I do not go around saying "I don't ballroom dance" to a room of ballroom dancers. Irrational as it is, people take your dissociation with something they do as a personal remark, they can become introspective or otherwise interpret it as you saying you think ballroom dancing is not worth it,

Answer 8

Don't believe everything you see in videos like Earthlings

Answer 9

There is no reason to convince you and you shouldn't feel guilty about it. Humans are a product of evolution that counts them as omnivores. We evolved to eat meat, fish, and seafood as part of our diet. Most of the animals we eat evolved to be prey, if not for humans, but also for other predatory carnivores.



The problem with humans is not that we eat meat, but that we eat too much meat.

Answer 10

I don't understand why? Why would I want to convince you to not enjoying seafood? Makes no sense to me.

Answer 11

Theres a lot of raw sewage and chemicals that leaks into rivers and the sea and water beings tend to hold a lot of these toxins in their bodies. Not that that puts me off fish

Answer 12

I don't think you'll be successful. What you're asking is to have someone convince you to not believe something you already do believe. That doesn't work.

Answer 13

No one can convince you to do anything. You have free will and can make your own decisions. Frankly, if you cannot convince yourself, what makes you think another person can compell you to change?



If you want to give up fish, then you will.

Answer 14

Why? Do you want to have bad health and health issues related from an improper diet that has no proper protein from meat in it? Meat is good for you

Answer 15

not if yuou like it because fish and some of the seafood is healthy and is good with low salts and no carbs.

Answer 16

Have mock fish

Answer 17

Now why would I do that? Seafood is very good for you.

Answer 18

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LPodP7ioJZI&list=UUTDTSx8kbxGECZJxOa9mIKA

ocean depletion

Answer 19

*convinces you*