This is a guest-post from a young writer named Katie. Good job, Katrina E! (please read on)

The difference between carnivores and herbivores is as obvious as the difference between, coincidentally, a large steak and a simple tossed salad.

Compassion VS. Aggresion

One is filled with aggression, the need for incisors, and a guilty steak-house location where bull heads and pseudo-western lassos are mounted above every table. The latter, however, is related to a light feeling of well being, a bright and colorful appearance, and probably garnished with something dainty, equally healthy, and invitingly green.

Vegetarianism and non-vegetarianism are perhaps the two most world-wide polar opposites. The argument is abundant in every niche of the world, always following the same pattern. The non-vegetarians (or carnivores as we will call them) are shunning the meatless world, assuming that a diet without chicken, pork, or beef will be bland, uninteresting, and bereft of all protein. As a defense to these naive conjectures, I can speak from experience when I say that vegetarian meals from all over the world can be absolutely delectable.

Unhealthy Fast Cruelty-Filled Meals VS. Varied Delicious Cruelty-Free Meals

On my trip to France, for example, my carnivorous teacher warned me that my meals would be just some steamed broccoli and maybe some rice. This prophecy based upon the presumption that vegetarians were scant throughout Europe. However, over my stay of 10 days, I was served perfectly buttered red potatoes (lightly seasoned). On the side was a salad made of five different vegetables and three different cheeses (dairy products are fantastically rich in protein) on a night where everyone else ate large, slimy sausage links. I also dined on the most delicious Lebanese rice dish with crisp green beans and a spicy curry sauce when the others chewed on a poor, little lamb.

Evidently, the argument on which the carnivores seem to be so dependent is merely based upon a distorted perception, and perhaps an apathy or laziness that prevents them from looking further into the reality.

Thoughtless VS. Thoughtful

This lack of knowledge is what sets the tone for the subtle difference between the two sides. The careful vegetarian will plan an extra ten or twenty minutes each day for some meal preparation. They will spend this time boiling water for rice, maybe cutting up vegetables, or using the small amount of effort that it takes to spread some baba ganoush, cheese, and cucumbers on a piece of pita bread.

This is because, for one thing, there are no fast food restaurants that offer much more than maybe a cheese quesadilla (TacoBell) or some French fries as a meatless option (McDonalds). However, it may indeed be more so the case that the stereotypical vegetarian really does care more about what is being fed into the body, and would like to supervise the preparation of said nourishment.

A carnivore would not think twice about being caught placing a (McDonalds) chicken nugget in his or her mouth, even though, ironically, this particular choice from the menu is actually 56% corn. (1)

Time, Life, and Diet Choices

Perhaps I am wrong in accusing these meat eaters of their carelessness. Perhaps they are simply caught up in the importance of work and the general duties of life. Excluding eating, and therefore have no time to worry about how many grams of fat are in that beef chalupa, much less from where it truly originated. If this were the case, then it would be us vegetarians who are obviously doing something wrong. That is if we are provided with enough time on our hands to be able to wonder around preparing a pasta salad here, or a tofu lasagna there.

After all, most of us are also concerned with waste and pollution, an obsession that takes some of us as far as to discontinue a daily shower routine. Do we really care, or are we just lazy? Maybe in the end we will find that bragging about our ability to combine whole grains with dairy to create the perfect protein has failed to cover up the fact that we are just a bunch of smelly, hungry, spastic herbivores who thought that choosing the soy milk for our latte would make a world of difference.

Meat Eaters Vs. Plant Eaters, Battle Fuels On

The heated battle between plant and meat eaters will be occurring for as long as humans are faced with the opposing choices. The vegetarians will stick to their sensitivity and awareness as a form of personal growth, whereas the carnivores will continue to nonchalantly eat the quickest food accessible.

Chances are, if you’re easily persuaded, you’ll end up an herbivore some day, which, of course, will make you a better, guilt free person. If you’re not, then may you be blessed with a successful career and copious amounts of take-out.

[photos - flickr and flickr]