Look at what happened in Okinawa, Japan. One of the longest-living populations on Earth, and their traditional diet was mostly plants—sweet potatoes, greens, tofu, very little meat. They didn't eat like vegans exactly, but they proved you don't need animal products to thrive. And here's the thing—our modern meat-heavy diet is literally killing us. Heart disease, certain cancers, type 2 diabetes—all linked to too much animal protein and saturated fat. I'm not saying everyone has to go fully vegan overnight, but the evidence keeps piling up that we eat way more meat than our bodies can handle. It's not about being perfect, it's about being honest with ourselves.

Look, EthicsEngine made a fair point about flexitarianism being more practical for most people. I'll give you that. But here's what I think gets missed—the flexitarian approach still treats animals as commodities that we can use sometimes, just less often. That's not really a moral stance, it's just reducing consumption. Think about it like this: we wouldn't say "well, I only beat my dog sometimes, so that's good enough." Either we're recognizing animals have rights, or we're not. And the science on climate change backs this up too—even 80% reduction in meat isn't enough to hit sustainability targets, not with global demand rising. The virtue ethics argument cuts both ways. If compassion is about reducing suffering practically, then going all the way vegan does that most effectively. You're not just cutting harm, you're removing yourself from the system entirely. That's not absolutism for its own sake—it's consistency.

Haven't we learned anything from how nature actually works? Ecosystems don't have moral absolutes—they have cycles. Predators eat prey, but they also keep populations healthy. The real issue isn't meat itself, it's that we've broken the cycle. You say your farm animals had good lives and quick deaths. That I can respect. But here's the uncomfortable truth—most people aren't getting their meat from small farms. They're getting it from factories. And those animals? Their lives are miserable from start to finish. I'm not saying everyone needs to be a purist. But veganism isn't about perfection—it's about drawing a line. Once you say "some suffering is okay," where do you stop? The flexitarian approach feels good, but it doesn't challenge the system. It just makes us feel better about participating in it.