College Essays Vegetarianism Text

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Vegetarianism has become a trend that seems to be increasing in our society today. Many people wonder what it is and why would someone choose this lifestyle over eating animal products in their diet? there are many reasons that someone would choose a vegetarian diet. It is important first to identify what type of diet that actually is, and how it is different from most diets in western society. There are definitely some benefits to eating a vegetarian diet however, meat eating must also have merit since it is the dominant palette in western society.

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Russian philosopher count leo tolstoy once said, if a man earnestly seeks a righteous life, his first act of abstinence is from animal food. Socrates and albert schweitzer also supported and wrote about a diet free from animal products. The earliest archeological data we have that suggests a voluntary partial vegetarian die is the old kingdom of egypt. There are hieroglyphic inscriptions, which suggest the avoidance of eating some animals. The priest avoided eating pig for its lack of cleanliness, and cow for their belief that is was a. the sample application essay below was written by felicity for personal essay option 4 of the pre 2013 common application: 34 describe a character in fiction, a historical figure, or a creative work as in art, music, science, etc.

34 be sure to go to page 2 of this article to read a critique of felicity 39 s essay. note that felicity 39 s essay is from before 2011 when the common application implemented the 500 word length limit. in the south, where i grew up, pork is a vegetable. Actually, it’s used as a seasoning, but so commonly that it’s almost impossible to find salad without bacon, greens without fatback, white beans free of pinkish shreds of ham. The decision itself, made for the usual reasons of health, ethics and ecological conservation, was easy putting it into practice, however, was another matter. At every restaurant, every school lunch, every church potluck, every family gathering, there was meat in the entrée, the sides, the condiments.

Eventually i worked out a system: i brought my own lunches to school, asked servers about the broth used in the soup of the day, avoided the usual suspects of beans and greens. This system worked well enough in public, but at home, i faced the challenge of respecting my parents and harmoniously sharing meals with them. They were excellent cooks, both of them, and i had always enjoyed the country fried steaks, burgers and ribs they’d served to me for so many years how could i now say no to those delicacies without angering or inconveniencing them, or, worse, hurting their feelings? i couldn’t. I’d manage to live a pure, meatless life for a few weeks, subsisting on pasta and salads.

Then, dad would grill an especially juicy teriyaki marinated flank steak, look at me hopefully, and offer a slice and i would accept. And crumble at the first whiff of the thanksgiving turkey roasting in the oven and the proud smile on my mother’s face. But then, i found a role model, one who demonstrated to me that i could live without meat and still be a functioning member of society, eschew my parents’ pork chops and fried chicken without giving offense. I wish i could say that i was inspired by one of history’s great artists like leonardo da vinci, or a leader and inventor like benjamin franklin, but no. Let me pause here to acknowledge how absurd it is to be inspired by an animated sitcom character, albeit one as smart and together as lisa. Yet it was the very absurdity of feeling, somehow, moved by lisa’s resolve and strength of character, her refusal to compromise her beliefs, that convinced me i could follow her example.

In the pivotal episode, lisa is tortured by visions of the lamb whose chops provide her family’s dinner. She is moved by ethics, yet almost breaks her resolution when homer prepares a pig roast and is hurt by his daughter’s refusal to partake. Like me, lisa is torn between her convictions and her fear of disappointing her father not to mention the undeniable deliciousness of pork. But she manages to explain her beliefs to homer and show him that her rejection of meat is not a rejection of him that she can share his table and his love while still living according to her principles. No imaginary lamb conscience spoke to me, and unlike lisa, i was not able to celebrate my vegetarian lifestyle by triumphantly singing with quickie mart manager apu and guest stars paul and linda mccartney.

But seeing the very obstacles that stymied me being overcome by a yellow skinned, spiky haired caricature was so silly that my difficulties, too, seemed silly. Well heck, i thought, if lisa simpson a cartoon character, for heaven’s sake can stick to her guns, then so can i. I told my parents that i had decided to really commit myself to vegetarianism, that this was not a passing phase, that i was not judging or seeking to convert them, but that this was simply something i had decided for myself.

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They agreed, perhaps a bit patronizingly, but as the months went on and i continued to forego the chicken in my fajitas and the sausage gravy on my biscuits, they became more supportive. I took on a larger role in preparing the meals, and reminded them to please use vegetable stock in the potato soup and to reserve a separate pot of plain spaghetti sauce before adding the ground beef. When we attended a potluck, we made sure that one of the dishes we brought was a meatless entrée, so that i would be guaranteed at least one edible dish at the pork laden table. I did not tell my parents, or anyone else, that lisa simpson had helped me say no, forever, to eating meat. Doing so would cast the decision, one that many teenagers passionately make for a few months and then abandon, in the light of well intentioned immaturity. But lisa did help me live a more healthy, ethical, and ecologically sound life to say no to pork, in all its guises. Allen grove is the former director of a program for new college students, a professor of english, and a freelance writer who focuses on college admissions, student success, and the transition from high school to college.

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