Would it be correct to say every single person in the world is either veg*an or flexitarian?!
Now considering the fact that in modern times, say, the past 10,000 years if you trace it back to the Fertile Crescent, people have taken up farming and livestock raising. Basically the same diet as any of the tribal peoples, but the problem here is that deforestation became necessary, thus destroying animal and wild plant habitats.
For the past 1000 years, this way of life has become the norm in most countries, but even worse than destroying habitats for farming/ranching; more and more roads, permanent shelters, and such, required more habitat destruction. Now it has gotten completely out of hand. Not only is the natural environment being destroyed for the reasons mentioned above, but we have packaging, factories, chemicals, delivery, fetilizers, bio-genetically modified foods (plant and meat), and so on. So basically two things happened to animals just to get even so much as a spoon of peas on our dinner plates; animal habitats were destroyed and pollution from farming, transportation, and packaging of most foods has seeped into every natural habitat, thus throwing off the food chain and resulting in a rapid incline in instinction, and a rapid decline in wild animal populations.
Considering that, I have only met a few tribes that live entirely as hunter/gatherer societies, and only a few people who live without anything made from "civilization". So, I would have to say that a "true" vegan (if I were to put a label on it), does not exist. I have practiced non-military wilderness survival for 10 years in 8 countries, and lived with hunter/gatherer/farming tribes in 5 countries. Even when I went into the "wilds" for several months alone, I had to eat fish, set an occasional trap, or ambush an animal and kill it with a sharp stick that I made with a sharp rock. I have learned how to live without anything made in civilization.
I have come to the conclusion that all the people in the world are "flexitarian" to some degree. I could never call myself, or anyone I have ever met, a "true" vegan, as it is practically impossible to live without killing if we are to consider all the factors. Humans are locked into animal death whether we like it or not, yeah sure, we avoid eating meat for health issues, but non-the-less, animals die for humans to live regardless of our diets. Anyone who begs to differ can either give me thumbs down and live in contradiction and denial, or try to live in a wilderness on a 100% plant substance diet for a few months.
To simplify, modern human lifestyles are animal bi-products. The very key boards we are using right now are animal bi-products.
BTW. I live on about a 90% plant based diet. About 90% of my meat intake is fish and the other 10% free range or hunted. However I'll take a wild deer killed with a sharp stick I made myself (I don't use guns, that's cheating) that could feed me a couple dozen times before I eat a packaged chemical carrot anyday. Two lives, two deaths, but the differences being that the carrot has caused more blood and pain than the deer by far, and I can eat for much longer on the venison.
Answers: This is an interesting question. The way I see it, most of the human race has been "flexitarian" for over 40,000 years. The terminology has just changed. "Hunter/gatherer" or "opportunist omnivore" is the diet humans have had more than any other. Consider the Native American peoples for example, during spring, summer, and fall they were primarily plant and fish eaters. During the fall, they would begin to hunt for dry curing or smoke curing (preserving) meat to stock up for the winter months for two reasons; because they needed meat for survival and warmth. They also stored various plant foods, but for the most part, it could not support a band of people throughout the winter.
Now considering the fact that in modern times, say, the past 10,000 years if you trace it back to the Fertile Crescent, people have taken up farming and livestock raising. Basically the same diet as any of the tribal peoples, but the problem here is that deforestation became necessary, thus destroying animal and wild plant habitats.
For the past 1000 years, this way of life has become the norm in most countries, but even worse than destroying habitats for farming/ranching; more and more roads, permanent shelters, and such, required more habitat destruction. Now it has gotten completely out of hand. Not only is the natural environment being destroyed for the reasons mentioned above, but we have packaging, factories, chemicals, delivery, fetilizers, bio-genetically modified foods (plant and meat), and so on. So basically two things happened to animals just to get even so much as a spoon of peas on our dinner plates; animal habitats were destroyed and pollution from farming, transportation, and packaging of most foods has seeped into every natural habitat, thus throwing off the food chain and resulting in a rapid incline in instinction, and a rapid decline in wild animal populations.
Considering that, I have only met a few tribes that live entirely as hunter/gatherer societies, and only a few people who live without anything made from "civilization". So, I would have to say that a "true" vegan (if I were to put a label on it), does not exist. I have practiced non-military wilderness survival for 10 years in 8 countries, and lived with hunter/gatherer/farming tribes in 5 countries. Even when I went into the "wilds" for several months alone, I had to eat fish, set an occasional trap, or ambush an animal and kill it with a sharp stick that I made with a sharp rock. I have learned how to live without anything made in civilization.
I have come to the conclusion that all the people in the world are "flexitarian" to some degree. I could never call myself, or anyone I have ever met, a "true" vegan, as it is practically impossible to live without killing if we are to consider all the factors. Humans are locked into animal death whether we like it or not, yeah sure, we avoid eating meat for health issues, but non-the-less, animals die for humans to live regardless of our diets. Anyone who begs to differ can either give me thumbs down and live in contradiction and denial, or try to live in a wilderness on a 100% plant substance diet for a few months.
To simplify, modern human lifestyles are animal bi-products. The very key boards we are using right now are animal bi-products.
BTW. I live on about a 90% plant based diet. About 90% of my meat intake is fish and the other 10% free range or hunted. However I'll take a wild deer killed with a sharp stick I made myself (I don't use guns, that's cheating) that could feed me a couple dozen times before I eat a packaged chemical carrot anyday. Two lives, two deaths, but the differences being that the carrot has caused more blood and pain than the deer by far, and I can eat for much longer on the venison.
You can't say for certain, there are probably some people who eat animals at every meal.
It depends on how you define flexitarian, I have never heard a single concrete definition of what a flexitarian is. Some say they eat meat 2 - 3 times a week (a hundred or more times per year), some say it's only on social outings (but what if you go out every day?), some say it's once a year when you eat some Christmas ham... I really think the word is in itself a new invention and people like to apply it as they will to themselves. Compare that to "vegetarian", which has been defined for a century or more and is black and white (someone who does not eat animal meat/flesh, including fish). There is a word for "vegetarian" in just about any language.
Another thought: In Japanese, the word for "vegetarian" is "Saishoku shugisha", and it means the same thing as it does in America. In Poland, it is "wegeterjanin", which means the same thing as it does in America. In most countries the word "vegetarian" is understood even if spoken in English. The definition of "vegetarian" remains the same - someone who does not eat meat, including fish. Meanwhile, flexitarians seem to claim that the word for flexitarian AND vegetarian is fluid between societies. Having had traveled myself, I know the truth behind these claims.
Flexitarian is a made up word that doesn't have a true definition, so yes, everyone is a flexitarian, unless you are vegan or vegetarian
lol funny questions
Flexitarian? What? We don't have that Down Under, 'cause any one who trotted that out would be called a w***er and a tool!
Vegans and vegetarians, on the other hand, would be treated with respect (I'm Vegan).
No offence to anyone, but it sounds like something you call yourself to sound more interesting. Ain't that an omnivore?
No.
Pay fake trace no mind. She is one of the group of trolls and her/him/it's day will come too.
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No it wouldn't.
''Well the truth is flexitarian is a vegetarians are quite fluid...'' '' "Strict" veg*n's claims to what is a what isn't ''
Huh? Are you drunk again fake Trace? Or just lonesome lol?
Sorry, I couldn't resist - if it's a literacy problem I really shouldn't poke fun. Still, whether the result of drink, semi-literacy or 'limited intellect', your answer is petty and spiteful. Some people may be puzzled by your out of context reference to anorexics; others will recognise it as an inexcusable dig at someone who has answered this question and who has been honest and generous enough in the past to share her history of eating disorders on V&V.
It isn't the first time. Do you troll other forums taunting people who help questioners by revealing experiences from their pasts - I don't know - rape victims, cancer survivors, people abused as children?
BTW - if anyone wonders why this Tracelicious is often referred to as 'Fake Trace', it's because she copied the user name and avatar of another V&V user; initially her user name was ... Ashley! Fact - check out her early Q&A.
No. Even the loosest definition of flexitarian would say you have to be making an effort at it. And how can you hate potatoes? They are so yummy.
Edit: great post earthling.
Well the truth is flexitarian is a vegetarians are quite fluid . . . except to anorexics masquerading as vegans . . . and of limited travel experiences and limited intellect and worldview.
It would be more correct to say that every signle person in the world is either a veg*an or an ominivore.
"Strict" veg*n's claims to what is a what isn't are rarely considered as valid since they are usually a very tiny somewhat rabid minority.