Earthworms and crickets (and possibly other critters) are a great alternative to traditional meat because they thrive in small, compact spaces favored by capitalism. I would really appreciate it if they caught on so that they’d be commonly available and cheap, and then we could maybe outlaw torture of animals without everyone whining about how meat would become too expensive and they’d all starve to death.
I know someone is going to say we should just all be vegan, but I think this hypothetical person needs to be realistic about achievable goals, harm reduction, and the Overton window.
Because they’re meat, and lots of people are very insistent about eating meat. You’ve honestly got to downplay the ecological and ethical aspects a bit when marketing because some people really get their backs up about green shit. There’s already a product where ground beef has been cut with ground vegetation, and I’ve had no trouble getting people with strong anti-vegan feelings to buy it because it’s still meat, it’s delicious, and it saves them money.
Also, not everyone has to do these things to make a positive impact. A relatively small percentage of adopters will cause market changes. It’s great if more people become vegan, and it’s also great if we slightly reduce demand for mammal meats. It’s like that story about the guy trying to save starfish when the tide’s gone out. (I’m pretty sure they can just walk into the sea on their own, but it’s the spirit of the story that matters.)
Earthworms and crickets (and possibly other critters) are a great alternative to traditional meat because they thrive in small, compact spaces favored by capitalism. I would really appreciate it if they caught on so that they’d be commonly available and cheap, and then we could maybe outlaw torture of animals without everyone whining about how meat would become too expensive and they’d all starve to death.
I know someone is going to say we should just all be vegan, but I think this hypothetical person needs to be realistic about achievable goals, harm reduction, and the Overton window.
How is “everyone is going to start eating worms” more realistic than everyone going vegan.
Because they’re meat, and lots of people are very insistent about eating meat. You’ve honestly got to downplay the ecological and ethical aspects a bit when marketing because some people really get their backs up about green shit. There’s already a product where ground beef has been cut with ground vegetation, and I’ve had no trouble getting people with strong anti-vegan feelings to buy it because it’s still meat, it’s delicious, and it saves them money.
Also, not everyone has to do these things to make a positive impact. A relatively small percentage of adopters will cause market changes. It’s great if more people become vegan, and it’s also great if we slightly reduce demand for mammal meats. It’s like that story about the guy trying to save starfish when the tide’s gone out. (I’m pretty sure they can just walk into the sea on their own, but it’s the spirit of the story that matters.)