Apopos of Ezra and Amanda's discussion of the hostility faced by vegetarians, I thought I'd mention my own views on the question of meat. I divide meats into three categories. Factory-farmed meats, which unfortunately make up the majority of the chicken, pork, and beef that you'll find, go into the category of Normal Meat. I don't eat them, because I don't want animals to have miserable lives. Non-factory-farmed meats, including most seafood and unusual things like alligator, are Weird Meat. The category of Fallen Meat cross-cuts the other two, and includes meats that I can eat without contributing to economic demand for meat. (For example, when my roommate would go on vacation and leave a sausage in the fridge, I would consider it fallen meat and eat it.) I eat only Weird and Fallen Meats.
I've found that my carnivorous friends are often amused by this system, particularly by the category of Fallen Meat. There's a sort of humility in announcing oneself an eater of Fallen Meat -- it's an admission that I'm willing to gobble up their leavings like a jackal or some other low creature. The sanctimonious are resented, while humble scavengers are happily tolerated.
