Natalie Portman Has Very Strong Opinions About Meat Eating
Natalie Portman recently read the book Eating Animals by Jonathan Safran Foer and it really opened her eyes, changing her from being "just" a vegetarian to a vegan activist. She wrote an article for The Huffington Post to talk about the book and her thoughts on meat-eating.
The human cost of factory farming -- both the compromised welfare of slaughterhouse workers and, even more, the environmental effects of the mass production of animals -- is staggering.
One of the more "shocking" things that she has to say is comparing meat eating with rape.
he reminds us that being a man, and a human, takes more thought than just "This is tasty, and that's why I do it." He posits that consideration, as promoted in The Omnivore's Dilemma, which has more to do with being polite to your tablemates than sticking to your own ideals, would be absurd if applied to any other belief (e.g., I don't believe in rape, but if it's what it takes to please my dinner hosts, then so be it).
I understand she's trying to make a point and it's something she's passionate about. Do you think she went a little overboard with the way she worded it? Have you read the book? What did you think?
Photos by WENN
she's starting to age, and her features oddly resemble Elisabeth Hasselbeck in these photos.
Sure it's just like rape - if rape was being served for dinner. Wtf.
First of all, she looks sensational in these pics! Obviously she is very bright and has completely taken advantage afforded to her in this country by getting a good education. But speaking theoretically is quite different than dealing with the realities of life. Across the world, cow farming is how many poor people make money to feed their families. For many of these people, who don't live in countries where opportunities are as vast as ours, their choice for occupation, if they have any, are slim. Although she is very educated, I think she also seems very naive.
First of all, she looks sensational in these pics! Obviously she is very bright and has completely taken advantage afforded to her in this country by getting a good education. But speaking theoretically is quite different than dealing with the realities of life. Across the world, cow farming is how many poor people make money to feed their families. For many of these people, who don't live in countries where opportunities are as vast as ours, their choice for occupation, if they have any, are slim. Although she is very educated, I think she also seems very naive.
7745 points
The comparison she was making was simply that you don't change your personal beliefs of what is wrong/right just because your host or the people around you don't agree with you....ie if your friend raped someone you wouldn't just suddenly be okay with rape to spare your friend's feelings and "be polite".....while it's not the best comparison she's making a valid point.
I don't eat meat and as such CONSTANTLY deal with people being bewildered and demanding that I "just try a bite" like it isn't some big deal to go completely against my personal morals for the sake of my host not getting butt hurt they cooked a huge chunk of lamb all day.
First of all, she looks sensational in these pics! Although she is very educated, I think she also seems very naive.
She can come over here and Ill make her a nice veggie kabob and some Italian wiscotta--candle light--ok back to reality...I have no chance
stop with this fanatic talks,if you don't want to eat meat,then don't,i don't care and it doesn't bother me,please pay the same respect to people who choose to eat meat.By the way found some interesting info
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Professor of animal science, Steven Davis suggest that vegetarianism and veganism wouldn't actually reduce the number of animals killed if we used more cropland for a ruminant-pasture model of livestock production. Whenever a tractor traverses a field to plow, disc, cultivate, apply fertilizer and/or pesticide, or harvest, animals are killed. Based on a study finding that wood mouse populations dropped from 25 per hectare to 5 per hectare after harvest (attributed to migration and mortality) Davis estimates that 10 animals per hectare are killed from farming every year. If all 120,000,000 acres (490,000 km2) of cropland is used for a vegetarian/vegan diet then approximately 1.2 billion animals would die each year. If half of the cropland was converted to ruminant-pasture then Davis estimates only .9 billion animals would die each year, assuming people switched from the 8 billion poultry killed each year to beef, lamb, and dairy products.
7745 points
Interesting considering that a vast majority of cropland is actually used to generate grain used purely to feed the animals then killed for humans to eat meat.
I agree with the first part of your post. I am a vegetarian and you would not believe the number of people that give me a very hard time about it. The questions that people think I OWE it to them to answer- it can be extremely frustrating. I think there are pros and cons to each diet (vegetarian/vegan and meat-eaters) regarding the environment, economy, health, and animals. LET EACH INDIVIDUAL PERSON CHOOSE TO EAT THE WAY THEY WANT TO EAT and stop trying to bring people that are different than you down.
this isn't "radical talks." it's fact. but i guess for most people, ignorance is bliss.
stop with this radical talks,if you don't want to eat meat,then don't,i don't care and it doesn't bother me,please pay the same respect to people who choose to eat meat.By the way found some interesting info
----------------------
Professor of animal science, Steven Davis suggest that vegetarianism and veganism wouldn't actually reduce the number of animals killed if we used more cropland for a ruminant-pasture model of livestock production. Whenever a tractor traverses a field to plow, disc, cultivate, apply fertilizer and/or pesticide, or harvest, animals are killed. Based on a study finding that wood mouse populations dropped from 25 per hectare to 5 per hectare after harvest (attributed to migration and mortality) Davis estimates that 10 animals per hectare are killed from farming every year. If all 120,000,000 acres (490,000 km2) of cropland is used for a vegetarian/vegan diet then approximately 1.2 billion animals would die each year. If half of the cropland was converted to ruminant-pasture then Davis estimates only .9 billion animals would die each year, assuming people switched from the 8 billion poultry killed each year to beef, lamb, and dairy products.
I think she should take what she reads with a grain of salt. She is certainly educated but seems to believe whole-heartedly in what the author says. She needs to be more critical of the material and not just jump heart and soul into it, because, as someone has said, it is rather naive.
2895 points
I'm sure she has a valid point to make. I doubt that she needs to use shocking statements such as the one above, to get the reader to understand her point. I hate to say it, but vegetarians in the media usually come across as very in-your-face and self righteous.
Totally.
43780 points
I'm with you, even though I wholeheartedly agree with some of the reasons for being a veggie/vegan, namely that it's better for our bodies. But yeah, no matter what the cause, there are reasonable defenders and then there are the zealots giving them a bad name.
128110 points
Here, here!
1100 points
I agree she should be allowed to express her opinion. I also believe that God put animals on earth here for us to eat (or not to). Some farm methods are a little more undesirable than others, yes. However, to eat meat or not- that's a personal decision. And rape? Seriously? Musta just finished "Skinny B1thch". I was veggie for about 15 minutes after I read it. Then I got over it. There are humane animal farms on the planet.
yes, there are humane animal farms on the planet. but you probably don't get your meat from them. you should.
The rape reference is ironic and distasteful to me considering she signed that petition supporting Roman Polanski. I think she put her foot in her mouth with this statement (and I'm a vegetarian! so that's not even the issue).
I really don't understand this girl, sometimes she seems smart and sometimes she seems incredibly naive. But then again, I'm not a big fan of Jonathan Safron Foer who wrote the book she's talking about.
She just made the case for the entire pro-life movement (i.e., if you believe something is murder you wouldn't simply stand by just because others don't), although I seriously doubt she'd stand up for the people who believe in that cause. I mention it because there always seems to be a silent double-standard for "progressives" who pride themselves on being open-minded. The truth is, like all extremists, they think their beliefs are the default and anything to the contrary is just different shades of "wrong."
She just made the case for the entire pro-life movement (i.e., if you believe something is murder you wouldn't simply stand by just because others don't), although I seriously doubt she'd stand up for the people who believe in that cause. I mention it because there always seems to be a silent double-standard for "progressives" who pride themselves on being open-minded. The truth is, like all extremists, they think their beliefs are the default and anything to the contrary is just different shades of "wrong."
43780 points
Did she really? Wow. I don't get that one at all.
neither do i.
71635 points
really? i didnt know.
Ha! Good point!!!!
1181970 points
The rape analogy gets people talking and attention though it wasn't the best example. I think it is true that most people make choices according to the consensus without making educated conscious decisions.
I totally disagree with the "naive" comment. The core of what she is saying is absolutely right. I think in 500 years, people will look back and think we were barbaric because we ate animals.
Isn't she one of the celebrities who signed a petition to free the child-rapist Roman Polanski? She doesn't agree with rape yet she supports one? I don't think it's fair to compare veganism to rape.
Isn't she one of the celebrities who signed a petition to free the child-rapist Roman Polanski? She doesn't agree with rape yet she supports one? I don't think it's fair to compare veganism to rape.
Everything she says is complete nonsense. There are millions and millions of people around the world who are starving to death. I'm pretty sure they wouldn't compare eating meat to rape. Not everyone can be so discriminating in the things they eat. She might be educated, but obviously she doesn't have the wisdom to think outside her own box.
I'm a vegetarian at heart, but my mouth is such a cheater.
7745 points
LMAO!
43780 points
haha! Same here!
Whatever happened to the good ole days when actors/actresses did what they were good at - acting. I don't care about Natalie Portman (or any other actor's views) on anything. Honestly, smile at the camera, wear outrageously expensive outfits at movie premiers, and keep your mouth closed!!
You got that right.
I bet she believes ABORTION is ok though! Don't kill a chicken but hey that baby in your belly thats kicking around sure why not stick that vaccum in your vagina and suck that babys brains out. (thats part of the horror in a partial birth abortion) What a freakin idiot. There are a lot of educated people out there with NO common sense and I think she just might fall into that category.
How can you go on this angry rant when you don't even know for sure whether she think it's okay for not?
7255 points
clap, clap!
opinions are like azzholes, either u got 1 or u r 1 like her.
7255 points
...says the mentally challenged.
128110 points
LOL!
"Anonymous
Oct 27, 2009 @ 11:12 pm
Anonymous said:
I bet she believes ABORTION is ok"
abortion is ok! what's the matter?
you are very un-educated when you think she's wrong.
You can't just say 'abortion is OK' like it's fact. That's your opinion, but it's not everyone's.
If you read it with half a brain you can understand she's not actually saying that eating meat is the same as rape.
People just love an excuse to get outraged don't they?
17525 points
Yep, exactly.
The rape reference is ironic and distasteful to me considering she signed that petition supporting Roman Polanski. I think she put her foot in her mouth with this statement (and I'm a vegetarian! so that's not even the issue).
The rape reference is ironic and distasteful to me considering she signed that petition supporting Roman Polanski. I think she put her foot in her mouth with this statement (and I'm a vegetarian! so that's not even the issue).
Do some REAL research on cattle slaughter and breeding THEN come back n tell me thats its not rape. Cuz it is. And I am a vegetarian who has been raped. We are raping the Earth by eating meat, we are killing the planet. So STFU to everyone who is not a vegetarian and who has not experienced rape. Do research before shamelessly running you mouth on the computer.
Wow, you have really missed the point of Natalie Portmans' comments. The fact that you've been raped is completely besides the point. "We are raping the earth...." please, you of all people - a rape victim - should know better than to use a moronic analogy as that. Or maybe you threw that out there to gain some sympathy in hopes of someone actually agreeing with what you have to say. Guess what, it backfired because the only thing you've managed to point out is that you're a completel moron.
Every year of vegetarianism saves 100 animals per person so to the loser who posted that society going veg wouldnt save animals. Get a clue and back your claims with research.
27027 points
I really like Natalie Portman. She is a good actress and is intelligent and informed. I don't really appreciate the rape reference she made. It's a bit too much. However, I too am a vegetarian and I do get harrassed at times as to why I don't eat meat. My reason is it's better for my body and I feel great not eating meat. I'm not a vegan, I do eat cheese and eggs. I'm very health conscious and very aware of what I eat. I don't eat meat, I don't eat fast food and I workout daily. That's just me, that's how I am. I don't look down on people who do not think the same way I do. My husband's family is really negative on the whole vegetarianism and I swear when we have family dinners they purposely put meat in every single dish, even salads and side veggie dishes, just to irk me. So, we always bring our own vegetarian dishes. Even though when we have them over we always offer them a side of some type of meat so they feel fulfilled with their meal. I think next time they come over for dinner they are getting an entire vegetarian experience. I bet they won't even be able to tell the difference.
71635 points
i agree, the whole rape thing was a little too much.
well that sucks they put meat on your plate on purpose. hopefully they'll stop doing that and understand that that's the way you are. yeah, you should give them that experience lol. they will probably feel healthier haha. i eat meat but i have friends that are vegetarian and i dont question them. ppl like what they like and that's the end of that.
Natalie is a very beautiful woman and I love her for being a vegan :-)!
She came over last night and gobbled down 8 inches of meat and then asked forsome man-aisse.
She's no vegan...
She doesn't compare meat eating to rape. Her point was about compromising your beliefs, and says that compromising you rbeliefs about eating meat "would be absurd if applied to any other belief"--and then she uses the example that if your dinner guests believed in rape and you did not, you shouldnlt compromise. This is not a direct comparison of meat eating and rape. Go back to school folks and get some reading comprehension skills
I think we all get that. Her comments are still stupid.
That's true...My belief is that Natalie Portman is stupid. It would be stupid of me to compromise my belief and even consider Natalie has a brain. So, to not compromise my belief, I still think Natalie is stupid.
33280 points
YUM! chicken
128110 points
LOL! That was funny!
I believe criticizing meat-eating the way portman does is just like rape.
128110 points
Not "just" like it, but I get your point.
I meant "just" so for me it's "just". Portman should be more sensitive of other peoples' view before telling such horrible things. She must be an inner fascist.
128110 points
Ever been raped? I totally agree with what you're putting across, but rape is serious shit.
I guess like everyone else I have not read the book Eating Animals by Jonathan Safran Foer. I'm waiting for the movie. Hope Natalie's in it.
there is no correlation between her analogy of animal eating and rape... i've always liked her, but harvard isn't worth the money...
you might as well eat a human if you eat a cow or a pig. you either eat meat or you dont and since you think its ok to eat animals then what are we? humans need some serious number reductions anyway, we are way overpopulated and useless to the planet. One day we will evolve even more and WE will become the meat and then you idiots who think its ok to allow a cow, chicken or pig etc to suffer in factory farms will see how it feels.
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