WHO WE ARE: Save the grubs, cook the people

Wednesday May 9, 2007 04:08 PM

Who We Are

A column about Australia by David Dale, published in The Sun-Herald 12/10/2008
Think the unthinkable and say the unsayable. That's this column's readers. In recent days, they have advanced these propositions: 1) The best way to make school history lessons more interesting is to teach less about boomerangs and witchetty grubs and more about the Chinese communist party; 2) the best way to make the planet healthier and happier is not eating more kangaroos but eating vegans, ideally with ginger and black bean sauce. Yes, that was vegans, not veggies.

The way this column works is that we raise questions about national identity, and the readers answer them, usually by shredding conventional wisdoms. When I observed that Australian history, as traditionally taught, was likely to leave students with the impression that they lived in one of the most boring countries on earth, 57 readers replied.

Many urged the inclusion of more information about the people who were here before 1770. But Kate, who finished high school in 2005, complained: "Every year between year 3 and year 10 it was witchetty grubs, boomerangs, dispossession or reconciliation depending on how old you were. These are all very valuable topics and should be studied, but on and off for SEVEN YEARS? The statement that we were about to study either Australian or Aboriginal history was usually met with a groan.

"My favourite topics were the Cold War (and the Cuban Missile Crisis), the historiography (not history) of the Crusades, China under the CCP and the Industrial Revolution. Everything I've learnt in those subjects I've used a hundredfold since entering university. No one has asked me about witchetty grubs though...."

When I asked how Australians might be persuaded to follow Professor Garnaut's suggestion that we eat more kangaroo, 50 readers responded.

David H offered these suggestions: "Sheep and cattle need chemicals and innoculations that adds to the cost of raising them and who knows what proportion of those chemicals find their way into the food chain. Come on Aussies, get into your Roo Lasagne, Roo Chow Mein, Pho Roo, Roo au Vin, Roo Shanks and Mash, McRoo, Roo and Mushroom Pies. Write Roo recipe books. Throw another Roo Tail on the Barbie!"

Bonobo's Daughter suggested another approach: "Try becoming vegans - as nature intended us to be ... Not only will you experience vastly better health but you'll be doing the planet a huge favour. No more land clearing or destruction of the ocean's food chain - and save millions of our fellow creatures from suffering."

This worried "Peril", who asked: "But what would we do for a mixed grill? Koalas and wombats aren't plentiful enough and flying fox is too much effort to get a feed off. Emu is a possibility but it needs something more. How about some distraught Vegans? We get good food and reduce suffering at the same time." To which Charlie added: "A nice Vegan with black bean sauce, bit of ginger and garlic, yummo!

To join the discussion on what Australian history our kids should learn, go to Big Ideas.
To join the discussion on how to make Australians eat kangaroo, go to Beetroots and aliens

David Dale is the author of Who We Are -- A snapshot of Australia today (Allen and Unwin). To discuss Australian attitudes, go to http://blogs.sunherald.com.au/whoweare.

COMMENTS

I think we're on the right track with eating vegans. I love the comment "you experience vastly better health but you'll be doing the planet a huge favour" What a joke! As a doctor 60% of my patients have illnesses related to their vegetarian and vegan diets which can in many cases lead to disorders such as osteoarthritis and liver failure. Not to mention the fact that 100%, yes that�s every single vegetarian I treat looks malnourished and sick. Vegetarianism is a mere fad that childish cartoons have rubbed into adult heads because of course �Bambi� really cries when his mother is killed. This plus many other reason�s is why I support the eating of vegetarians and vegan � not to mention giving me some free time to heal people who are really sick instead of just stupid.

by Alexandra Griffiths on October 12, 2008 at 08:13 PM

A doctor? What a joke! No doctor in their right mind would criticise veganism - my cardiologist encouraged me to become a vegan and since doing so I am fitter than I have ever been and I am now off all heart medication. Thanks goodness that woman is a liar, otherwise she'd be downright dangerous in general practice!

by Annie Lovell on October 13, 2008 at 06:08 PM

Annie, humans have evolved physiologically to devour meat. Look at your teeth! You have incisors and molars just like the rest of us. Your body is designed to consume and digest meat. Who in their right mind would limit the intake of this type of protein just because another diet appears healthier? Is veganism really that much better? With the right balance of meat & vegetables nobody will suffer ill health. Think about it!

by Jimmy on October 19, 2008 at 07:24 AM

Alexadnrda...if you're a doctor I'm a brain surgeon.

by Joe Valence on October 19, 2008 at 07:57 AM

I recently had to sit through the excruciating experience of two vegitarians (one is a vegan) congratulating themselves on what great people they are because they are vegitarians.
The vegan, expanding on this theme, then said "I've never met a vegetarian that was a bad person. They're all so gentle", then proceeded to draw a conclusion from this broad statistical sample; "It must be the vegetarian diet that makes us non-aggressive and placid people".
It was at this point that I gently reminded them that perhaps one of the most (in)famous vegetarians of all time (a proselytizing one at that) was Adolph Hitler. Well that put a sudden brake on the conversation!
Of course, that does not mean that all vegetarians are, by extension, bad people. It simply means that vegetarianism (like all 'isms) is just another belief system and is just as valid as, say, The Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster, Jedi or anything else you care to name.
It is known that poorly planned and executed vegetarian diets can cause ill health. I'm not a doctor and I don't play one on TV but that's what my vegetarian friends tell me. I believe them. They are long term vegetarians and have given it a lot of thought and are not unhealthy. Unfortunately, a lot of new vegetarians are not as well informed and do end up unhealthy. That's an observation from people I personally know so it is a statistically small sample.

by Mark Harrison on October 19, 2008 at 11:44 AM

A well planned vegetarian diet, with a degree of iron and B12, can deliver optimal nutrition and life expectancy. By not eating meat, you are saving space in your tummy, and money, for an increased intake of fruit, vegetables, legumes, wholegrains and dairy... all powerhouses of nutrition.
I can't quite comprehend the level of hatred thrown at vegetarians by omnivores... what have we ever done to you except lowered our carbon emission, decreased our future incidence of heart and colon disease, and boosted our energy levels?
Could it perhaps be an expression of guilty conscience, now that the UN has noted that while all forms of transport only account for 13% of greenhouse emissions, the meat industry accounts for 18%???
Rather than threaten to eat your veg*n acquaintances, why not take a [lettuce] leaf out of their book, and try going veg yourself for a day or two a week. Who knows, you might feel so energised, you'll make it a habit...

by veggie on October 19, 2008 at 05:17 PM

People are naturally omnivores and are adapted to eat a wide range of foods (except perhaps grass, not being sheep). But some people also have high falutin principles which make them feel virtuous (these people actually are a bit like sheep). In my experience vegans waste hours every day worrying about their diet, like anorexics. Try flatting with a vegan or anyone else with an eating disorder. Get over your high falutin and highly flatuent principles you dopes.

by andrew christie on October 19, 2008 at 06:02 PM

I like the part where veg*n's require vitamin suppliments or vast quantities of legumes to have an actual healthy diet. Not a "healthy diet" as defined by veg*ns, but a healthy diet as defined by nutritionists and dieticians.
You smug bastards think you're so great, but when famine hits, who will be the first to be eaten? Veg*ns.
And lets face it, the more things that had to die, the better it tastes. I think it's the suffering.

by Capnsilver on October 19, 2008 at 06:38 PM

This is the best development since the end of the famous cholesterol scare of the 1990s! By eating vegetarians and vegans we automatically ingest all of their virtues, and we rid the country of boring people! And the price of beef and lamb and pork will go down, due to the competition from purveyors of vegan fillet! The trade will need to be strongly controlled, of course; we don't want unscrupulous vegans slipping a bit of carnivore mince into the display case!

by Richie on October 19, 2008 at 07:40 PM

As a farmer - with cows - we host working travelers - Wwoofers - and when it comes to feeding the vegetarians - which is quite easy as we eat vego one or two nights a week - they are invariably still starving after endless lentils, pasta, tofu, homegrown organic veges etc and have to stuff their faces with chocolate. My chocolate. Sometimes I wonder if Vegetearians just do it to annoy people. Sane, meat eating people.

by Bryon Bay on October 19, 2008 at 08:33 PM

Not all vegetarians are obsessive animal rights lobbyists!
Now, I would never agree with some comments in this and previous columns that "nature intended" for humans to be herbivores. From the research I have done this is a completely misleading statement. As one friend of mine pointed out to our vegan companion - humans could never have developed the brain we have today without animal protein...
Nevertheless, this does not mean that vegetarianism does not provide an adequate diet, in a modern situation. It also does not give everyone the right to constantly judge and criticise vegetarians! I have only been vegetarian for less than a year, and I am totally sick of the reaction I get when I reveal that I no longer eat meat.
My reasons are complex, and have a lot to do with the availability of farm-fresh produce (and home grown veggies) in my area. Why should I eat meat which has often been processed, travelled amazing distances and is quite resource intensive, when I can actually have a much more diverse diet as a vegetarian? Even with all of the added fruit, vegies and legumes that I have introduced into my diet, my grocery bill is about a third less than it was. An unexpected bonus is that my Rheumatoid Arthritis has also been much better (though I accept that this may be a coincidence).

I am now a much healthier weight and have a far more diverse and nutritious diet as a result of excluding meat from my daily meals. I feel better, and everyone comments that I look better. Of course this doesn't work for everyone, and I am not recommending it, but if it works so well for me, why should anyone judge me for it?

I really don't understand this hatred of vegetarians and vegans. By all means, dislike people for being snivelling self important know-it-alls, but don't assume that just because your vegetarian friends are idiots that you can't be a rational, balanced individual who doesn't eat meat. Maybe you're just no good at picking friends?

by Em on October 19, 2008 at 09:26 PM

Now if we can only find someone brave enough to farm them.
Perhaps there is an appropriate plot of Commonwealth land in Canberra that can be allocated, hopefully solving the kangaroo problem as well - competition for resources of course, not food.

by Samo Start on October 19, 2008 at 10:40 PM

the only animals i eat are vegetarians anyway

by another doctor ( really! ) on November 03, 2008 at 06:51 AM

Does anybody else here just love the look on a vegos face when you eat a rare steak in front of them, making sure the blood drips all over the plate? And that look of horror when you rave about how much you love the indeterminable meat objects found in your everyday meat pie? I dont have anything against vegos; some of my best friends are vegos. But I do have something against the attitude some vegos have towards us normal people. It reminds me of the "smug alert" episode of South Park, in which everybody buys hybrid cars, then become addicted to their own farts.
That aside, vegan with white wine suace does sound like a bit of alright.

by Alex on November 05, 2008 at 08:54 AM

The Sun-Herald

Who We Are

WHO WE ARE: Save the grubs, cook the people

COMMENTS

POST A COMMENT

Comments Terms & Conditions

RECENT ENTRIES

ARCHIVES