Shellfish-ly Eating

Welcome to Vegbash! The event where all of your stereotypical vegans get together and share a common joy over the fact that they do not have to worry about reading food labels or asking the chef if there are any animal products within them^1.

I personally went to this small event where there were no animal products in sight; My perspective was changed even more when I realized it is possible to eat healthy and fulfilling meals without meat, dairy, and eggs (of course, you have to remember to eat those vitamins to get more protein that others normally get from meat). As I walked around and socialized, I realized that there was a distinct difference between those who are vegan for their internal health and those who are vegan for the animal’s welfare.

David Foster Wallace would fall into the animal’s welfare category as he continued to question if it was moral to be killing lobsters in brutal ways- boiling them alive, or stabbing them to kill them “instantaneously.” The directors of “Seaspiracy,” would also be categorized as caring about the animal’s welfare as well as the environment. 

“Seaspiracy” is an eye-opening documentary which exposes and uncovers the fishy activity-pun very much intended- within the fishing industry world-wide. One moment that stands out to me to this day (after watching it about a year ago) is that the fishing industries are catching fish over the limit and getting rid of evidence- some including throwing people off the side of the boat and making it look like an accident- in order to continue to maintain a business deal with high-end restaurants. Similar to how the Maine Lobster Fest wants to continue making money, these fishers represented in “Seaspiracy,” look past the morality of what they are putting the aquatic sentient creatures through. Both of them put as many sea specimens as they can into a container-no matter how cramped- to sell more than a competitor. 

In contrast, Wallace demonstrates the questionable morality that is put on the lobster population while “Seaspiracy” demonstrates the questionable morality on various aquatic species and the world as a whole, with the impact of the tactics that are used to get fish from the ocean to your plate. 

I highly recommend watching “Seaspiracy” on Netflix because I cannot think about eating fish without thinking out this documentary, as it brings real examples to the surface and acknowledges, questions, and learns more about what is actually happening in the oceans of our planet.

1- Don't worry I was at Vegbash, I just took that picture, but don't have a picture of myself there.