Those animal snobs.

[manzana]

Why aren't all animals vegan? Dammit! Humans needed better examples to model themselves after, apparently.

[Bowwowmeow]

What animal would you model yourself after then?

I think I'd like to model myself after an animal with symbiotic algae embedded in its skin. Then all I would have to do for sustenance would be to lie around in the sun for a few hours every day.

[manzana]

Originally Posted by Bowwowmeow

What animal would you model yourself after then?

One that can self-replicate (we'd all get along nicely together).

[Gliondrach]

Cave bears should be our models. They are vegan.

[manzana]

Aren't they extinct?

[manzana]

Elephants are said to have the most varied herbivorous diet (of African animals).

[Gliondrach]

Originally Posted by manzana

Aren't they extinct?

No. But they are usually in disguise these days. I was talking to one this morning.

[manzana]

Was the "cave bear" in question named Fuzzy?

[Gliondrach]

He is known by that name in certain quarters. The wickedpaedia article has some errors in it. They don't know about the type that Fuzzy belongs to who are much bigger than ordinary cave bears.

[manzana]

In other news, those ants really pissed me off! Snobs.

[firenexx]

To answer OP's question I would be inclined to give some sort of metaphysical explanation... I.E. even the grossest parts of a system are necessary in order for the subtler parts to exist.
So we have obligate carnivores, such as my kitty Fang. And then we have herbivores, such as the Brontosaurus. Both serve a function and have to exist in order for the entire system to flourish, and neither is inherently better or more important than the other.
(Although a domesticated, bred animal isn't the best thing to use for an example like this.)

[manzana]

It still comes back to people deciding what sort of behaviors to take after. We are generally the worst examples by now, because people have "evolved" to take an interest in selling animal waste to others, while calling it "fresh". It seems like a fundamental problem with humanity. Because humans do not treat animals as free spirits, they harm other humans by treating them like animals. Yet we cannot get this most basic ideal going for us, and our system is not designed to put us in harmony with anything, so we remain uncivilized on some level. Of course, we are in the middle of wars and what not, so discussing this is out of the context of common sense. I have only seen capitalism become less fair throughout my life, so I am trying to become less of a consumer in fairness to myself, and other animals. They are the only example of freedom that I have seen, and I know this is not what we are fighting for.

[Bladerunner]

I know it's now a slightly old thread but I'm a slightly old poster who's going to "bite" and answer the OP's question "Why aren't all animals Vegan?"

My guess is that not all animals have yet read Being Vegan by Joanne Stepaniak otherwise they would all be.

Bladerunner

[Gliondrach]

I'm one of those animals who hasn't read that book by Joanne Stepaniak.

[Bladerunner]

You obviously didn't need Joanne's help Gliondrach!

I found/find it quite a useful book, especially since Donald Watson didn't give us a trillion rules to guide us through veganism. No doubt some others who've read it may disagree, such is life.

Bladerunner