Interview - Vegetarian Showdown Part 2

A few days ago I posted a blog about Michael Keenan's original reasons for becoming vegetarian in 2007.  This is what he has to say about it now.

What were your dietary restrictions? What animal products did you not eat? How long were these restrictions in place?

I was vegetarian from October 2007 to March 2008. During that time I avoided all fish and meat products, but still ate milk and eggs. There were a few occasions where I ate meat, when otherwise the meat would have gone to waste. (The reason for this is that I considered that farming and killing animals might be immoral, so causing demand for that to occur is ethically questionable. It's the buying, not the eating, that causes the demand for farming and killing.)

What were people's reactions like when you tell them about your dietary restrictions?

If I recall correctly, no-one cared. My girlfriend at the time accepted it, and though she didn't become vegetarian herself, she ended up eating many vegetarian meals with me.

How easy or difficult was it for you when you eat out?

It was easy in America, and somewhat easy in Newcastle, England. I discovered interesting new food I hadn't tried before, like falafel and tofu. It would have been more difficult if I'd been a fussy eater, but I was happy to accept whatever vegetarian options were offered. This isn't to say my enjoyment of food didn't go down; it did. But it was logistically easy.

Did you miss the foods that you have cut out?

Yes! Especially chicken and pizzas with meat. And salami.

Would you or have you ever actively encouraged others to adopt your dietary restrictions? Why or why not?

I wrote a couple of emails about vegetarianism, and I sometimes talked to people about it in person, but only if they seemed interested in it. I didn't evangelize, because I wasn't very sure of my position that eating animals might be wrong.

What is your favourite food?

Pizza.