Is a possible morality debate brewing here?

DanM wrote: "Is a possible morality debate brewing here?"

Just remember that my morality is better than your morality.

Waring, see my post above. Nowhere do I defend eating fish, but take full responsibility for it being wrong, call it a compromise, and say that I hope to have the will-power to stop doing it someday. Much better than those who, because they do something, can't conceive that it's wrong.

Normally, when someone admits to wrong-doing, it's good form not to gloat. But I appreciate your post, because it will get me thinking about the suffering of the fish I do so dearly love to eat but know that I shouldn't.

Cimbrone, I recognise your dilemma. But I don't quite go along with your suggestion that eating meat or fish is wrong-doing.

Inflicting unnecessary suffering on living creatures is wrong-doing. On the other hand, we are genetically-dtermined to be omnivores. So my effort at achieving balance is to select foodstuffs that have been produced in fairly humane (what an odd word for it) conditions. For example, I buy only free-range poultry or veal produced on grassland.

To link back to the thread title: I have eaten foie gras, but only because it arrived on a plate in front of me, and nothing I could do at that point would have spared the goose's suffering. I thought it was delicious. But I would never buy any.

This makes me want to go eat some of the foie gras I brought home from Dordogne.

All joking aside, you will not have any problem finding something to eat. There will be several places offering a wide variety of foods that will meat (ha!) any diet.

<<but only because it arrived on a plate in front of me, and nothing I could do at that point would have spared the goose's suffering.>>
You and me Padraig! I only eat those things that are on the menu already so I say, "oh, well - nothing I can do to save this poor creatures life."
So I order it and enjoy it. No twinge of conscience here.

Cimbrone - I hope you were kidding...
<<fowl and cattle...these intelligent, beautiful creatures.>>
You've never been on a real farm have you? or you're blind.
You were joking... right...

I think that your dislikes are marvelous Daetrips. I assume you disdain raw oysters, smoked eel, and steak tartare also. That's good because it leaves more of these delicacies for the rest of us. Veal brains and pork tongue are also great.

For a dining experience you might like try McD's or one of those British fast food places.

A fish eater is a piscivore. That's one of the "learn-a-word-a-day" words I like to use on my high school classes. Few get it, until I write carnivore and herbivore under it and explain the Latin origins.

Waring,
I hardly eat fish at home anymore for the reason you stated in your message. But in Paris I do have it as a main dish or I would have nothing to eat. It's true I could go to vegetarian or ethnic restaurants and I sometimes do it but not every day.

robjame--actually, I've spent a great deal of time on farms. I guess beauty and intelligence are in the eyes of the beholder.

With chickens, it's debatable. But I find it hard to believe that anyone wouldn't find cattle beautiful and intelligent. Not to mention social and familial. All of which keeps me from wanting to eat their flesh.

Padraig, I appreciate your post. While there's much evidence that we're meant to be omnivores, since vegetarians are significantly healthier and long-lived than meat-eaters and since we've evolved to the point that we can appreciate the suffering of our fellow creatures, I'm not sure that the "genetic" argument has much weight anymore.

Cimbrone, I have no wish to make you change your policy, nor do I wish to persuade anybody else to follow mine.

On the genetic determination point, I think that it is fair to say that we are programmed to eat a relatively small amount of flesh, far less than the average consumption of those of us in the properous western world. The vegetarian might be closer to according with the genetic inheritance than the omnivore.

I hear they do lamb and veal very good in Paris? We are really looking forward to it.

veal in france is white veal unlike the brown veal you will find in Uk. I like white veal but I admit it has to be a cruel thing to grow. What sort of veal do you get in USA?

"For a dining experience you might like try McD's or one of those British fast food places."

Hopscotch, why such a snide answer? I don't like the specific dishes the OP mentioned either, yet I've managed to enjoy French cuisine for several decades.

In spite of what I said above, veal is a no no. Never even tasted it.

Chickens are technically vegetables.

Consider a place like La Mascotte(shellfish) in Montmarte or Maceo near Palais Royal which has a vegetarian menu.

BTilke asked: "Hopscotch, why such a snide answer?"

I'll be honest: my mind was running along the same lines. Consider what Daetrips wrote about not liking "foie gras, lamb, veal, etc.". The "etc." suggests to me that her range of gastronomic interest is very limited.

I agree... it's a reaction to all those "are there any quality foods in France" posts that are supposed to be cute that the poster's tastes are limited and refined only to bland "American" food.

Does anyone else find it hilarious that Daetrips perfectly legitimate question has turned into this discussion, speculating on the motives for not eating, etc.

When I read the question, I assumed she was like me -- a "skittish" diner. I have no reason not to eat foie gras, lamb, veal (not vegan nor do I feel sorry for the animals); I'm just, well, I don't know....I'm hesitant to eat them... Who knows why. I actually wish I could bring myself to eat them because it would make meal selection a lot easier.

Give Daetrips a break!

Give him/her a break!

You must try foie gras, even if to find out you don't like it. Problem is that it is addictive.