Vegetarianism
Maddy Orick
English 103
Professor Colton
13 November 2011
You’re a Vegetarian? But Why? Have you ever wondered why people become vegetarians? People who are vegetarians choose to become so for a wide variety of reasons. Being a vegetarian has become a popular and trendy during the past few decades. However, according to Alan Beardsworth and Alan Bryman authors of “Meat Consumption and Meat Avoidance Among Young People: An 11-year Longitudinal Study,” people have started to eat more meat rather than avoid it. Whether vegetarianism is on the rise or not, it is interesting to discover what drives a person to choose a vegetarian lifestyle. John Lawrence Hill, professor of law at St. Thomas University, School of Law, and author of The Case for Vegetarianism, holds that about nine million Americans are vegetarians, which is about four percent of the entire population of the United States. Reasons for why people of this group become vegetarians include health, not liking the taste of meat, compassion for animals, and religious reasons. According to Karen Iacobbo, professor at Johnson and Wales University, and Michael Iacobbo, a journalist for the Associated Press and the Providence Pheonix, who are both the authors of Vegetarians and Vegans in America Today, people even become vegetarians in order to end world hunger. When people decide to become vegetarians, they are usually motivated by a single reason. Iacobbo goes on to say that the person who decided to become a vegetarian usually adds other reasons why they became one (Iacobbo). I think this is true, because one thing might finally convince someone to become a vegetarian, but as they learn more about vegetarianism and meet other vegetarians, their reason for becoming a vegetarian will become many reasons. In their book, Karen and Michael Iacobbo include a survey taken by the Vegetarian Times in 1992 that stated that the majority of people become vegetarians “for health reasons, followed by ethical,
English 103
Professor Colton
13 November 2011
You’re a Vegetarian? But Why? Have you ever wondered why people become vegetarians? People who are vegetarians choose to become so for a wide variety of reasons. Being a vegetarian has become a popular and trendy during the past few decades. However, according to Alan Beardsworth and Alan Bryman authors of “Meat Consumption and Meat Avoidance Among Young People: An 11-year Longitudinal Study,” people have started to eat more meat rather than avoid it. Whether vegetarianism is on the rise or not, it is interesting to discover what drives a person to choose a vegetarian lifestyle. John Lawrence Hill, professor of law at St. Thomas University, School of Law, and author of The Case for Vegetarianism, holds that about nine million Americans are vegetarians, which is about four percent of the entire population of the United States. Reasons for why people of this group become vegetarians include health, not liking the taste of meat, compassion for animals, and religious reasons. According to Karen Iacobbo, professor at Johnson and Wales University, and Michael Iacobbo, a journalist for the Associated Press and the Providence Pheonix, who are both the authors of Vegetarians and Vegans in America Today, people even become vegetarians in order to end world hunger. When people decide to become vegetarians, they are usually motivated by a single reason. Iacobbo goes on to say that the person who decided to become a vegetarian usually adds other reasons why they became one (Iacobbo). I think this is true, because one thing might finally convince someone to become a vegetarian, but as they learn more about vegetarianism and meet other vegetarians, their reason for becoming a vegetarian will become many reasons. In their book, Karen and Michael Iacobbo include a survey taken by the Vegetarian Times in 1992 that stated that the majority of people become vegetarians “for health reasons, followed by ethical,
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