For my first example blog post, I chose a TED Lecture by Graham Hill called "Why I'm a Weekday Vegetarian." To give a bit of background, TED is a non-profit organization that's dedicated to bringing together the best minds in the country to give short talks on important subjects such as education, the environment, war and foreign policy, technology, etc, etc. In this video, Graham Hill, creator of treehugger.com - a website to promote all things sustainable - gives a short, four minute talk on the topic of meat consumption and vegetarianism.
One of the effective strategies I noticed in Hill's talk is the use of rhetorical questions; that is, questions directed at the audience to bring them into the conversation and relate to their experience. Toward the beginning of the video, he confesses that, even given all he knows about the harmful impact of meat eating, he has had trouble taking the plunge and becoming a vegetarian. He asks the audience, "why was I stalling?". This question allows the audience to consider the reasons that they themselves may or may not be stalling when it comes to the question of vegetarianism. Later, he talks about vowing that each meal of meat would be his last, but continuing to eat it regardless and asks, "sound familiar?". Again, with this question, he tries to help the audience relate to his experience. Maybe they've felt like this before.
Another effective strategy is the symmetry of his talk. Two times at the beginning, he lists the drawbacks of meat consumption to our health, the animals, and greenhouse gas emissions. Then, once he poses his solution of weekday vegetarianism, he lists the benefits of this choice a couple of times as well ("health, pocketbook, environment, animals"). This technique of listing and recapitulating his reasons for going weekday veg, as he says, works very effectively to help the audience remember all of the benefits to be gained from reducing meat consumption.
I also enjoy the humor in his talk, for example, when he says "Imagine your last hamburger." Another quotable line that seemed significant was his final statement that, "if all of us ate half as much meat, it would be like half of us are vegetarians." His position makes a lot of sense to me because it does seem like vegetarianism and meat eating are presented to society as extreme, opposing choices, while in reality, we could all do a lot more good by simply picking a more mindful place in the middle.
Questions for further discussion:
1) Which parts of the talk did you connect with most? Did the talk relate at all to your personal experiences?
2) Which parts of the talk seemed most convincing to you? What kind of evidence does Hill use to support his points and does it seem valid to you?
3) What are your impressions of vegetarianism - does it seem like a radical position? Does this more middle of the road option seem appealing?
4) What kind of persona does Hill present? Is he likable? Trustworthy? Encouraging? How does he create this persona throughout the talk?
Personally, being a red blooded american boy, I neither like nor understand they idea of being a vegetarian. I have grown up eating meat and could not see myself living a meaningful life with out it. That was an exaggeration but I do really enjoy meat(n.h.) I could imagine that some might see my position as radical, but i feel that the majority of the population of The United States of America would agree with me. I feel that it may be better for the Earth's sake that we slow down on eating meat. The facts are out there about what meat can do to our health and what it can do to our beautiful earth. Based on these facts maybe it would be in our best interest to cut down on consumption. But are we willing to change?
ReplyDeleteWhile listening to Graham Hill's discussion, I found him to be very convincing in regards to vegetarianism. Although I'm not a vegetarian myself, I was able to connect with what he was saying because he provided valid points as to why being a "weekday vegetarian" could be beneficial to our health and the environment. Aside from the benefits he mentioned, being a vegetarian is indeed somewhat of a radical position in our society. In my opinion, I don't think it's radical that some people choose not to consume meat, but it is radical in the sense that being a vegetarian is not necessarily the norm of American culture. All in all, I found Hill's discussion to be encouraging more than anything because he is living proof that there are ways to live a healthy lifestyle and help conserve animals and the environment, but at the same time not completely giving up the foods you love.
ReplyDeleteI am not inherently against what graham hill is saying, it probably would be a good idea for more people to go "half vegetarian" however, it would be hard to convert a portion of America to this lifestyle. Most Americans enjoy meat in their daily diet, and would not consider giving it up on weekdays. Not only is it that they enjoy meat, but most Americans were raised with the knowledge that meat is an essential part of ones daily diet and is almost a necessity in ones daily diet. For these reasons, I believe Graham's proposition, while possibly a good one, would not work.
ReplyDeleteWithin this discussion I found his arguement for vegetarianism to be a very solid point. However, I believe that it is a personal preference for people to want to be a vegetarian or to eat meat. Although there are risk and concerns with meat, is there not risk and concerns for anything now-a-days? As time goings on the products we are using become more dangerous or health hazardous because of some ingredients within them. It is a known fact that vegetarians have low blood iron from not eating enough meat. Maybe lightening up on meat would be better for people and the environment, however personally I will not change my eating habits when it comes to meat.
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DeleteWhile reading the article on Graham Hills dicussion regarding being a vegetarian I connected to the idea of being a "weekday vegetarian." I do eat meat and have read and watched many things on the process of being able to eat meat but still find myself eating meat. I do not eat meat daily but I do still eat it. So when he talks about being a weekday vegetarian that part seems most convinving to me because I still get to eat meat on weekends but not feel as bad eating meat during the weeks. I feel I would feel better about myself if I cut down and limited my intake of meat throughout the week. I feel being a vegetarian is a radical position but I am not opposed to anyone who does so. I believe that Hill is trustworthy and encouraging in the fact that he was able to do what he is promoting by helping the enviroment while also being able to give up a food for a certain amount of time but also treat yourself to it.
ReplyDeleteI like how realistic Hill is about giving up completely on certain foods. Once a week I think I consume some type of red meat because it does taste good. Why not enjoy life once an awhile and have a burger. I guess the change I would go for is maybe making red meat more lean and healthier possibly.Completely giving up is pretty hard if you alrteady have been eating red meat.
ReplyDeleteHill's short speech about becoming a weekday vegetarian was very convincing. I personally do not eat red meat very often, but I do eat chicken and turkey about four times a week. After hearing what Hill had to say, I want to try and give up all meat during the week and become a weekday vegetarian. Hill had very strong arguments about why we should become weekday vegetarians. I did not know that the production of meat was worse for the environment than cars, buses, trains etc. combined. He also mentions that meat production uses more water than the production of vegetables. The fact that meat production is so bad for our environment makes me want to cut down on the amount of meat I eat. Also, I like the fact that eating less meat is healthy and can prolong your life. I really like his idea because it does not restrict meat from your diet completely, so you do not have to become completely vegetarian.
ReplyDeleteI might as well just become a vegetarian now. It was probably the purple sneakers and sport jacket combo that got me. All jokes aside, Hill is great at being up front and honest with his audience. Although it feels more like he is reading off a teleprompter than really talking, he knows what the people want to hear. He presents relevant and somewhat disturbing facts to engage the audience, like how eating meat shortens one's lifespan. I also like his middle road approach to things. As a college freshman who is limited to mostly the food choices available on campus, it would be difficult to completely become a vegetarian and not get extremely bored with the two or three menu options available.
ReplyDeleteI am personally not a vegetarian but Hill brings up some good points. Instead of being radical and giving up meat all together he comprises with himself. He knows the benefits are great, but does not want to lose the variety in his diet. The fact I found most interesting was if you eat a hamburger everyday your life expectancy is cut by 1/3. That is shocking, and got me thinking how much meat I actually consume. Although I think being a vegetarian is radical I think Hill found a happy medium, and one that I would be willing to try.
ReplyDeleteThe topic 'Why I'm a weekday vegetarian' surprises me. I am not a vegetarian neither a meet lover. I just surprises since I know, to be a weekday vegetarian seems impossible to me because when I was kid, I dislike to eat all kind of vegetables but carrots. I hardly eat veg. It however, does not mean that I oppress vegetarian and think vegetarianism is radical. I should thank to vegetarian though for indirectly encouraging me eat vegetables. Now, I love to eat vegetables and not just carrots. Throughout the talk, I can see that Hill is encouraging and knowledgeable. I should give him big applause for making me to think twice about his idea of becoming a weekday vegetarian. His points are so much convincing especially when he talks about water consumed in a meet production. It does make sense.
ReplyDeleteTo me, Hill presents a shockingly simple middle ground between vegetarianism and continuing with the status quo. I think that most people would find it very difficult to cut out meat entirely from their diets, which is a point that he addresses several times; however, he offers an approach that seems very manageable. I think it definitely helps that Hill presents a very down to earth persona. I like that he acknowledges that he is "one of the green guys," but that he still struggles with vegetarianism. The part of this speech that affected me most, was how simple he made being a weekday veg seem. I consider myself a meat lover, and I eat meat all the time, but he made me think about cutting down on my meat consumption even just a little bit. That, I think, is what he was hoping to accomplish, and what he probably did for many of the viewers.
ReplyDeleteIn this video Hill's explanation of why people shouldn't consume meat is very convincing. All of the points he brought up were not only informational but shocking. Like myself, most people probably don't know that producing meat is more harmful to the environment than all of transportation combined, or that eating meat could actually shorten your life. Also, the alternative Hill gives to being a vegetarian is a great compromise for the people who know that bad effects of consuming meat but can't make the change in their life. Just lessening the amount of meat people consume each week could really make an impact in their life and to the environment.
ReplyDeletePersonally, I connected most with Hill’s experiences on the attempt of giving up meat. With me being the extreme animal lover that I am, I have constantly tried to limit my meat consumption, but have failed at each attempt. Although I am aware with some of the harmful effects that meat can have, I still cannot stop myself from eating the delicious food. I do not believe that a lot of people would, or could, just eliminate meat out of their lives forever, but I do believe that with Hill’s theory, many would be able to meet with the idea of vegetarianism half way. For this reason, I feel as the idea of vegetarianism isn’t as farfetched as some people may think. Weekday vegetarianism is an idea that would not only be beneficial to innocent animals, but also for the world to become a much healthier environment.
ReplyDeleteI strongly agree with Hill's opinion in the last paragraph that vegetarianism doesn't mean completely no meat eating, but eating less meat. Public are so convinced for so long that vegetarian is an extreme behavior, which makes a lot of people become afraid of accepting vegetarianism. However, the purpose of appealing more people to become a weekday vegetarian is not to make people away from meat, but advise people to consume less meat, eat healthier and do some good to the environment. Everyone can try to become a weekday vegetarian without a completely change to his whole diet. Personally, I decide to take Hill's opinion and change my food consumption from now on. Eating a little less meat everyday will not only benefit my health, but also the whole environment we live in.
ReplyDeleteThe part that convinces me most when thinking about going vegetarian throughout the weekdays is probably the fact that going vegetarian is good for the environment. He brought in evidence such as red meat production uses 100% more water than farming vegetables. He also mentioned that the meat production industry gives out more emissions compared to the total emissions emitted by transportation. This is very shocking to hear because we're thinking of ways to create "greener" vehicles, but we never thought about "greener" ways in meat production. Now, if going vegetarian for the weekdays helps the environment, we should at least try. It would be difficult for me to go vegetarian for 5 days a week as I am a meat lover, but maybe I'll start with a couple days a week; baby steps.
ReplyDeleteThe video was very interesting and made me think about what I eat a lot. Growing up eating meat almost every day is what I am used to. Mr. Hill makes a lot of good convincing arguments and presents his point in very good ways. Everything he presented as a reason is very hard to argue about. I also like his proposal as sort of a middle ground solution because it is not too radical. He doesn't say that meat should be eliminated completely but proposes to just eliminate it sometimes. In the end however, I probably would not commit to something like this. I believe in eating meat in moderation for multiple purposes, including his reasons mentioned, but mostly for just eating healthily. I do not eat meat everyday as it is so I do not think watching when I do or do not eat it would be necessary but it may be an effective strategy for other people.
ReplyDeleteI do somewhat feel that vegetarianism is a radical idea. A middle of the road approach, like Hill described, is much more appealing. I care a lot about animal welfare and making the environment more healthy, but I am not willing to give up meat. I think deciding to eat less meat is more realistic for most people, including myself, than deciding to never eat meat again.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, vegetarianism is sustainable and pragmatic. My brother is a vegetarian and my mom generally avoids meat. Since I am an athlete, I’ve always felt like it would be too hard to give up meat and maintain energy to perform. However, if there is a day that I’m not working out, I try to eliminate eating meat. What he said about the dichotomy that the public perceives about vegetarianism made a lot of sense to me. In general, I feel we have a notion that one cannot be “partly vegetarian.” Consuming meat is consuming meat, there aren’t many grey areas in terms of when we are eating animals or not. Certainly not to dock the importance of animal rights, but vegetarianism does not have to be solely about animal cruelty. It is OK to minimize your meat consumption for the sake of improving your own health.
ReplyDeleteHill tries to come off as a very relaxed person. He does this by speaking calmly and even wearing gym shoes with his suit. What I liked most was that he didn't focus on telling everyone that they should do exactly as he does. Instead, he gives an alternative way of eating and explains why he does it. I couldn't be a vegetarian because I enjoy meat too much. If I think of my favorite foods, they all involve meat. I wouldn't have any clue what to eat if I were to become a vegetarian and I can't even imagine myself being one (even on only weekdays). But he can eat his way, I can eat my way and everyone is happy.
ReplyDeletefor me personally the talk didn't relate to me because i grew up eating red meat and not brought up a vegetarian. I like that he didn't tell people exactly what to do he just gave his own perspective. I wouldnt be able to even try to be a vegetarian because i enjoy meat too much but i agree that it is ok to minimize how much meat you eat.
ReplyDeleteThe approach Hill takes to making a change is very subtle. He does not bum-bared the reader with reasons why they should be doing this and that along with all the other crazy things we have come across in the media today. He simply explains a new alternative. One that does not require a vast amount of time or energy. His humor and his own faults such as "he has had trouble taking the plunge and becoming a vegetarian", allows the reader to associate and take a likeliness to Hill as a person, and not just write. I thought his final words were quite interesting. It gives me something to think about on my own, and also think about how i can help.
ReplyDeleteI could really relate to the things Hill said in this video. My mom has always been big on replacing red meat with fish. That being said, I enjoy nothing more than a medium rare filet mignon, but only on occasion. The part about the emissions caused by beef production were really convincing. Also, the living conditions at the beef factories is another good reason to reduce our consumption of red meat. I think that while vegetarianism seems like a radical position, the weekday veg seems much more reasonable. Hill is very likable. He creates this persona through the way that he speaks and the way he is dressed.
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