Here are some statistics on how much meat eating is hurting the world.

http://www.vegsource.com/how_to_win.htm

I love this, I'm printing it out! Of course, there is probably something out there for the omnivore that will contradict this and shut me up when I try and use it next time I have to defend my eating habits, but it's worth a shot. Thanks!

how to win an argument with an omni? i usually find a large stick helps...



seriously tho, thanks for the info, it'll def come be useful next time

I havn't looked at the info yet, but maybe I'll save my brain cells and carry around a stick with me...

Please describe a scenario whereby being spoonfed a list of uncited and unsubstantiated statistics is any guarantee you will win an argument with an omni.





Let me fabricate a scenario based on this list and see how it plays out:





Omni: Humans need meat to survive.



A veg*n, whipping out his or her handy-dandy new how-to guide: Let's see...[scanning down page] Ah yes. The survival argument. And I quote:

• Athlete to win Ironman Triathlon more than twice: Dave Scott (6 time winner)
  
• Food choice of Dave Scott: Vegetarian
  
• Largest meat eater that ever lived: Tyrannosaurus Rex (Where is he today?)
  
  
  
  Ha! Clearly therefore you are wrong. In your face omni scum!
  

Omni: Oh, gee, you got me there.

• I guess everyone else on the planet with the sole exception of Dave Scott will surely perish immediately.
  
• I guess the fact that the vast majority of top athletes are not vegetarian is just a fluke.
  
• The largest herbivore ever to exist was the Apatosaurus. Where is it now? Extinct along with all other species of herbivorous and carniverous dinosaurs.
  
• The T-Rex's diet did not lead to its extinction so that's a pretty frickin' retarded argument.
  
• And one last thing: T-Rex's needed meat to survive. But that has no bearing whatsoever on human dietary requirements.
  
  
  

Veg*n: Oh, I, um...I...there are no back up arguments on this sheet.



Omni, biting into hamburger: I guess I win.





Sorry to be a smartass, but I think it's far too simplistic to suggest that this is all you need to win a debate or make a valid argument.



You'd do much better read any of dozens of great books available and really know what you're talking about.



If you try to use this factsheet you not only run the risk of losing the argument, but you also might end up looking foolish.





Oh, and one last thing:



The ethical arguments are laughably and abysmally thin two of the three only concern slaughterhouse workers. How, pray do tell, in any way, on any planet, in any language, is employee turnover rates or injury inherently unethical?



The third little factoid is a statistic on number of animals killed per hour. That doesn't speak to ethics at all.



Cheers!

TJ

An old saying goes, " Don't argue with a fool. Bystanders can't tell the difference."

Oooo...Good one! I never argue anyway, but it would be nice to know what to say to someone when they tell me we need meat to be healthy!

Off topic.. (from the link) pounds of beef produced on an acre 250? that wouldn't even be one cow would it? I may be stupid, but them stats seem kinda out..

veg*ns can't win that argument, because eating is not a rational matter to most people. most meat eaters are not interested in the pros and cons, they like their way of living and eating and are too egoistic to sacrifice something they are used to.

why bother having arguments with meat eaters? they have access to the internet and book stores too, so if they are interested in healthy diets, they can read up on it by themselves and don't have to admit having been converted by a veg*n. actually, what i found is that by having an argument you push the carnivore into a corner and he is even less likely to turn vegetarian. all you might do is feel like the moral winner, but you have not achieved anything for the cause.

That's true-- if the average person was capable of rationally assessing the pros and cons of their diet and taking action based on the logical conclusion, there would be a lot more vegetarians and vegans.

I gave up a looooong, long time ago.



I'll have discussions, to a point. But I'll bail out before it leads to an argument or a debate. You won't convert anybody and the most likely outcome will be the straining of a relationship. (I speak from experience.)








I usually just tell people if they're really interested I can lend them some books that could explain it better than I could. Perhaps not surprisingly, I have had zero takers.



A lot of times omnis only want to poke holes in your reasons for being veg*n to help justify their own dietary predilections. So the best offense is a good defense. Don't take the bait.



But perhaps my greatest advice to anyone who wants to even have a discussion about vegetarianism, is don't rely too much on the crappy website listed above.



Cheers!

TJ

I don't argue with omni's. When an omni asks me why I'm vegan I just tell them that it's the way I want to live my life, not that it's a better or worse way to live, just a different way. If they ask me specific questions like why I don't eat meat I make my point and end it there, if they want to start aruging I just leave, I don't feel the need to express my lifestye upon everyone. If someone is interested and asks questions about being vegan I'm more than happy to answer but shoving facts and statistics down everyone's throats doesn't seem to me a good way to support my veganism.



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That's what I was thinking. But maybe that includes the grain that they eat as well as the space where the slaughter house is taking up along with the place where they crowd the cow into a tiny cage where it can't even turn around.