Vegans are stupid, vegetarians are smart, says study
A few days ago a study was released showing vegetarians, in general, have a higher IQ than meat-eaters.
Chris Feldhaus, a wonderfully eloquent conservative blogger, sent me this article and told me I could chalk up a victory for my side. For a minute I thought he was right.
When I finally got a chance to read the entire article, I spit out of my soy milk and dropped my Tofurky sandwich in shock. While he was correct in general, forgetting I am the kind of guy who ruins all my mom's holiday dinner plans by passing on dairy as well, he was wrong about me personally (I wonder if you get docked IQ points for having a dairy allergy, though).
It's still unclear why vegetarians are so damn smart (and why vegans are at the low end with an average IQ of 95 – I certainly would have brought the average up I were studied). Some scientists suggest it's possible a vegetarian diet can make you more intelligent, as if there is some mysterious nutrient in meat that deteriorates your brain. Others say, and I tend to side with this camp, that a vegetarian diet is indicative of a more reflective, thoughtful person.
I personally wouldn't say that meat-eaters are stupid. After all, chicken wings smothered in a spicy garlic sauce, a fat, sizzling steak, or even an artery clogging Big Mac, are all quite delicious. Combine the flavor explosion with the inconvenience of passing up the carcass at the dinner table, or the extra burden a vegetarian diet places on your wallet, and believe me – I get it.
But as with all our choices in this world, it never hurts to think of your personal impact, or you "footprint" on the planet. Whether it be giving up your SUV to stop global warming or passing on the morning bacon to save a pig from slaughter, there's always ways to do better.
Who knows? Taking the plunge into a world without meat may even make you smarter.
(cross-posted at Hines Sight)
Frequently dismissed as cranks, their fussy eating habits tend to make them unpopular with dinner party hosts and guests alike.
But now it seems they may have the last laugh, with research showing vegetarians are more intelligent than their meat-eating friends.
A study of thousands of men and women revealed that those who stick to a vegetarian diet have IQs that are around five points higher than those who regularly eat meat.
Chris Feldhaus, a wonderfully eloquent conservative blogger, sent me this article and told me I could chalk up a victory for my side. For a minute I thought he was right.
When I finally got a chance to read the entire article, I spit out of my soy milk and dropped my Tofurky sandwich in shock. While he was correct in general, forgetting I am the kind of guy who ruins all my mom's holiday dinner plans by passing on dairy as well, he was wrong about me personally (I wonder if you get docked IQ points for having a dairy allergy, though).
"However, vegans - vegetarians who also avoid dairy products - scored significantly lower, averaging an IQ score of 95 at the age of 10."
It's still unclear why vegetarians are so damn smart (and why vegans are at the low end with an average IQ of 95 – I certainly would have brought the average up I were studied). Some scientists suggest it's possible a vegetarian diet can make you more intelligent, as if there is some mysterious nutrient in meat that deteriorates your brain. Others say, and I tend to side with this camp, that a vegetarian diet is indicative of a more reflective, thoughtful person.
I personally wouldn't say that meat-eaters are stupid. After all, chicken wings smothered in a spicy garlic sauce, a fat, sizzling steak, or even an artery clogging Big Mac, are all quite delicious. Combine the flavor explosion with the inconvenience of passing up the carcass at the dinner table, or the extra burden a vegetarian diet places on your wallet, and believe me – I get it.
But as with all our choices in this world, it never hurts to think of your personal impact, or you "footprint" on the planet. Whether it be giving up your SUV to stop global warming or passing on the morning bacon to save a pig from slaughter, there's always ways to do better.
Who knows? Taking the plunge into a world without meat may even make you smarter.
(cross-posted at Hines Sight)
So my question is, who is the real vegetarian behind these posts, as you, a vegan can hardly spell your name.
;)
Posted by Jacqueline | 11:57 AM
We can't believe the vegans and vegetarians actually eat carbon-based life forms. How cruel. We suggest they become "mineralists" if they really care about eating poor innocent living things.
Posted by Every Cincinnatian | 11:59 AM
This study is clearly very accurate! Too bad you are a vegan, Andrew.
Posted by Maureen | 12:14 PM
""The distinctive human brain evolved in consequence of predatory co-operative hunting." That’s Chicago University anthropologist W. S. Laughlin.
"Fifty percent of the fatty acids that make up our central nervous system are only available in meat." That’s not the Beef Council or The Texas Cattleman’s Association. That’s Britain’s Nuffield Institute of Comparative medicine. Our brains ballooned when we started hunting."
http://www.lewrockwell.com/fontova/fontova40.html
Posted by Jimmy Carter | 3:19 PM