Garbage Society

 
I can only speak for the American society, because that is where I have lived my entire life, but I suspect societies in other nations are quite similar.
Nature is perfect.  Nature is beautiful.  Sure, violence exists in nature, and it certainly exists in our society.  But this is a violent world.  It always has been, and it probably always will be.  But our society sucks compared to nature.
Society is very hypocritical.  Murder is a serious crime.  Thou shalt not kill is a commandment.  But animals are killed, unnecessarily, on a massive scale.  It's also okay to kill during war.  In fact, the more foreigners you kill, the more of a hero you are.
Society is not fair.  In the wild, life is more fair than human society.  It's simple: survival of the fittest.  Conservatives like to pretend life in our society is fair, but this is the problem.  Some people are born into a situation in which there is no father and the mother is an abusive crack whore.  Many people are born into situations in which their parent(s) are lazy, stupid, or uncaring.  Other people have parents that are intelligent, successful, and caring.  Perhaps they feel as though if their sons or daughters are failing, then they are failing.
So we're not all dealt the same hand.  I pretty much fall into the middle category.  I am the result of a teenage pregnancy.  I was not wanted.  I was, as my mother once told me, "a mistake."  How am I a mistake, when you're the one that made the mistake?  My father left my mother and me when I was 2 years old.  My mother is stupid, lazy, and uncaring.  I come from a cold family that, I believe, has a history of mental illness.  What I find to be interesting is that I have 3 cousins, and we're all in our 30s and 40s.  None of us have children.  The odds are certainly against that.  I think we all know we come from a crazy family, and we shouldn't pass the insanity on.  People that come from situations like mine (and worse) have lived miserable lives in poverty, prison, and they have committed suicide.
And, of course, there is the treatment of animals.  Humans have decided that animals are here for them to use in any way they see fit.  Again, people don't need to eat meat to survive.  The healthiest foods to eat are veggies, fruits, nuts, seeds, beans, and whole grains.  In our capitalistic society, animals are things to make a profit from.  "Food" animals, like pigs and chickens, are crammed into buildings, as many as possible, because that is the way that will make the most money.  They frequently aren't given needed medical care, because it would cost money to alleviate their suffering.
I could go further, but I'm making too many keyboard gaffes, and I'm over it.       

Sometimes, it's not easy to be a vegan

 
I got into an argument with my best friend last night.  He is someone who eats meat.  He is also someone who is religious to the point of not wanting to take the Lord's name in vain.  He also doesn't want to hear me doing it.  I believe it's because he has a young daughter and close family members that are devout Christians.  Lately, I'd gotten a little tired of him scolding me for using language he doesn't appreciate hearing.  I couldn't help thinking it's hypocritical for him to get all hot and bothered by people saying words.  Words don't do physical damage.  "Sticks and stones will break my bones, but names will never hurt me" does sound childish, but there's a lot of truth to it.
We were in a friend's car, on the way home, when he scolded me for something I said.  I became angry.  I pointed out to him that words are just sounds that fly harmlessly through the air.  However, when he spends money on meat in a store or a restaurant, he is supporting cruelty to animals.  I yelled.  With the exception of disabled people, those who are afflicted with a serious disease, kids, and elders, people who eat meat are either ignorant or selfish.  They're either ignorant of the suffering they're supporting when they buy meat, or, they know about it, and they don't care, which would make them selfish.
He pretty much said he doesn't want to hang out with me anymore, to which I said something like "Fine!"  Then there was no more conversation for the duration of the trip.  It was quite an uncomfortable silence among 4 people in a car.  Then we were dropped off at his house.  The initial plan had been for me to sleep over, and he'd drive me home the next day.
But he asked me, "Are you ready?"  I knew he meant ready for the trip home.
I responded "sure."  So he drove me home in complete silence.  It was only broken when we arrived at my apartment complex when I said "thanks" to him before getting out of his car.
I tend to not confront friends and family about eating meat, but this time, I couldn't help myself.  I had thought he was being hypocritical by being so focused on words and not actions: like eating meat and supporting murder and suffering in the animal world.  It finally came out.  Our friendship has survived much.  I hope it will survive this.