SPE 210: Blog 5

            On any controversial issue, there are multiple ways people will view the topic. Some believe so strongly for one side that they try to persuade people to agree with what they believe. On my specific topic of becoming a vegetarian, I was for this dietary lifestyle. However, there are other people who believe that their eating habits should continue to include meat. Along with these two opposite view points, there are some people who do not feel as strongly about it and are in between. These people don’t eat meat but will eat seafood or eliminate certain types of meat such as red meat. In the next few paragraphs I will be discussing the pro and con side of being a vegetarian and how each argument presents their information.

            For my argument that one should have a vegetarian lifestyle, I used three main points. They were animal rights and cruelty, the environment and health concerns. This was a good topic for younger people such as teens and people in their twenties. I think this is a good audience to target because they are still figuring out who they are and what works best for them. They do not have set ways such as people who are older and have been eating meat their entire life. They are young and can keep an open mind to new ideas that this lifestyle can be realistic and beneficial. People for a vegetarian lifestyle can stress the impact by sharing with the audience to not only think of themselves, but the impact they can have on animals, our environment and their health through their dietary choices.

            On the opposing side of this argument, people say that humans have been eating meat for 2.3 million years. They believe it is not cruel or unethical because every organism on earth dies, and it is the cycle of life and how nature works. However, just because humans have been doing it this long, does not mean its right. There are many things in history that humans have done and realized it was wrong. It was just a matter of getting the facts straight and standing up for what they believe in. I see the point that they make that everything eventually dies, but who are we to say when that animal should die and that we need it for food. There are plenty of options to having optimal health without meat being involved. I think that this argument would most likely be supported by people who are in their thirties or older. The reason I believe this is because they are set on their dietary choices and might not be as open minded to changing it completely.

            Somewhere in between these two opposing arguments are people who do not feel as strongly for taking action and changing their eating habits. They may or may not be persuaded by either side but would be able to listen to the arguments. Some people may even be a vegetarian for their own reasons or eat meat for certain reasons. Overall, there will continue to be a debate about what choice is right. People will continue to have different views of the topic, and the only way to promote change is by making people aware of their view points and convincing people to believe in them.