Describe a setting in which you have collaborated or interacted with people whose experiences and/or beliefs differ from yours. Address your initial feelings, and how those feelings were or were not changed by this experience.
"Please don't kill animals they feel pain as we humans do." This is the faddish reason most vegans give to pose people to steer non vegans to vegans. But is it the real truth that plants don't feel pain? I believe every person at least once in their lifetime, voluntarily or not, becomes involved in this age-old debate between vegetarians and meat-lovers on "what's the best to eat".
Personally I am a meat-lover, one of those people who prefers non-vegetarian diet but also considers vegetarian food for its fiber and other important nutrients. Many times I get into these kinds of debate who believes people must switch to vegan diets. Once I went to India and I was staying in the family who were all in all vegans and the mighty debate begun.
They told me the same elegant reason- pain to the animals. I told them plants do feel pain as we do and they too try to defend themselves to be alive. The response was hilarious, the whole family laughed at me. One more time I tried to persuade them by recounting that a number of studies has shown that plants do feel pain. The smell we associate with freshly cut grass is actually a chemical distress call, one used by plants to beg nearby critters to save them from attack. Obviously plants cannot uproot their roots and run for their lives. According to researchers at the Institute for Applied Physics at the University of Bonn in Germany, plants release gases that are the equivalent of crying out in pain. Using a laser-powered microphone researchers have picked up sound waves produced by plants releasing gases when cut or injured. Although not audible to the human ear, the secret voices of plants have revealed that cucumbers scream when they are sick, and flowers whine when their leaves are cut. Likewise, there are several other evidences that plants do feel pain as animals do.
They were somehow convinced by my points but aunt again mentioned that humans are not made to eat meat and if we are true carnivores or omnivores we would eat animal flesh raw and bloody. Repeatedly I again struck back with the point that it's just a misconception proliferated among us. During the ancient time meat was considered as the preeminent food for humans. According to researcher Manuel DomÃnguez-Rodrigo, an archaeologist at Complutense University in Madrid said, "I know this will sound awful to vegetarians, but meat made us human". I switched to discovery channel and coincidently there was Bear Grylls eating a dead camel on the desert. I laughed and showing the program told how can you not say humans aren't made to eat meat?
Ultimately, it was a family and it was evident that the points and explanations conveyed by me could not affect their day to day practices and rituals and neither theirs could affect mine. However, it was a great to interact with the peoples who had a different belief than mine. I got to express my known ideas and opinions to them. Although the adult members couldn't change their thoughts I hope the younger members might have got itty-bitty information from me.
Hardik, the information that you provide in this essay is really interesting to read. I consider it an eye opener specially since I did not stop to consider that plants could very well feel pain as well. I am sure that this will also catch the eye of the reviewer. It is a really good and debatable topic that should definitely leave the family meal table. However, I have a little comment regarding the information in the essay.
When you mention the information from the university, it does not come across as information that you could have shared at the meal table because it is too detailed and precise. It really has the feel and read of a researched response instead of some reason that you thought of on the fly. I think you should consider rewording that part, maybe even omitting the name of the university, in order to give it a smoother and more intertwined feel to the information. You want your essay to come across as natural as possible in presentation and message. The inclusion of the name of the university and the information from them made the paper suddenly take an academic turn when it should have a casual voice to it.
Overall, this is a pretty good essay that effectively discusses the prompt requirement. Aside from my suggestion about the research studies and the like, which I hope you will address, I believe that you have an essay that you should be proud to submit to the reviewer. It is clear, smooth, and informative. As a source of your background influences or family relationship, I think that you got the message across clearly. You come from a family of intellectual people who love a good debate when they can get one :-)
Hardik, I'd like to help out on the 2nd and final paragraph of your essay.
2nd paragraph
- They told me the same elegantunacceptable reason- pain to the animals.
- They were somehow convinced by my points but my aunt again
- mentioned again that humans are not
Final paragraph
- Ultimately, it was a family and it was evident that the pointsviews and explanations
- I conveyed by me could not affect
- However, it was a great to interact with the peoples who had ahas
- different beliefs than mine.
Hardik, your essay draw a very informative and somehow argumentative essay, at least for your family I suppose.
Overall, it's a well written essay and I hope my remarks helped.
