24 October 2011

Coefficient of vegetarianism

    The food products we see in super markets contains label for vegetarian content(green color) and non-veg content(deep brown color). But foods cannot be classified into only two categories. In fact it is not feasible to classify into any finite number of categories. Labeling should not be a discrete quantity wrt veg/non-veg but should be an analogous quantity.
    The reason are as follows. There are different types of vegetarian. There are still inconclusive debate regarding egg and milk product's classification. Some foods derived from plants e.g roots and vegetables which makes our body heated are considered non-veg. There is nothing called 'pure vegetarian'. A vegan may eat so called 'pure vegetarian' diet, but wears a leather shoe, belt or bag is not a vegan at all. A food product labelled as veg may be produced in a way where some animal is killed or exploited. The food may not be contaminated with animal product but the process of producing that food may affect animals in a negative way. When humans build farms(or settlements for living) by clearing forests we are depriving many animals their food and home.
    Having said these by no way it is encouraged that we start eating animals since it is practically impossible to lead life as a vegan. Here the concept of 'coefficient of vegetarianism' is useful. This coefficient will have a value say from 0 to 5. Zero for pure veg and five for absolute meat. The coefficient value cannot be strictly 0 or 5. Any value between 0 and 5 but not 0 or 5. A very complex mathematical and statistical model endorsed by a recognized organisation has to be developed to arrive at the value of the coefficient. We no longer have food-chain or food-cycle but food-web.
    Typically in a veg vs non-veg debate the non-vegan argue that since plants have life they too sense pain when cut, one should make no distinction between animals and plant. Probably that non-vegan will later argue we should eat humans as well. Here comes 'coefficient of vegetarianism' to rescue. Non-vegan's coefficient value will be near 4 and the vegans score would be around 1. Raising an animal requires fodder. So when an animal is killed we are killing the plants from which the fodder has come as well as the animal. Moreover animals are more close to humans in terms of biological and physical anatomy. Cutting a branch of a tree will not kill the tree altogether nor will it hamper its day to day functioning(the branch can regrow), but cutting a limb of an animal is as good as killing it. In fact trimming a tree's branches is advisable for better growth. Give a child a chicken and apple. The child will play with the chicken and eat the apple. If a stray animal comes on our way suddenly while driving  we try to save the animal even at the cost of our life. This shows humans in nature are very compassionate. Just because meat is coming to our dinner table wrapped in a glossy packet we are not realizing the bigger picture. There are other environmental and health issues which arises because of non-veg diet. Lastly, color of blood is same for animals and humans.   
    So given an alternative one should try to keep the coefficient value as low as possible. A person living in polar, desert or coastal region might not have plant based food. In their case eating meat is understandable.
    What is the future? How do we meet our ever increasing food demand? We can try to embed chlorophyll into our body. So by drinking mineral water and moderate sun's ray we can produce our own food to some extent. Use animal's service for example a snake's poison as medicine, a horse as a means of transport. No exploitation or killing.
    Kindly  google search for 'veg vs non-veg'. There are many more reasons in favour of veg diet.
    Lets maintain nature's balance. Going meatless(as much as possible) does not make oneself weak.

13 October 2011

Democracy, Hinduism and Linux

  According to dictionary 'democracy' means a system of government by the whole population or all the eligible members of a state. It means freedom and equality. Freedom to choose one's way of life irrespective of religion, sex, caste or colour. The subjects choose what protocol to be followed. There is no 'one' ruler. Everybody have their say in the governance.

  Similarly,  Hinduism is a way of life which is influenced by all its subjects. That is the reason there are so many gods (there is no 'one' ruler). To qualify as God there is no restriction. Almost anybody or anything can be God. Colour, sex, living or non-living, animal or human nothing matters to qualify as god. it need not exist in any form even. It is a belief, an idea, which comes in 'form' as Avatar. Subjects has to feel it.

  Here by subjects it means everything in the universe.Not just humans. Why should we keep democracy limited to men and women? Why not we extend it to all other living beings? Some people laugh at followers of Hinduism because they pray a tree, they pray a monkey. What actually means is , everything in universe has their part to play and they should have their rights as well. Just because one is powerful does not mean  it can kill or exploit the not so powerful (eg killing of animals for food, exploitation of natural resources). Residence of god can be anything if not everything.

  Now people who are a bit computer savvy can understand what linux has got to do here. Linux is an operating system which no 'one' person or company owns. Its the users who owns it. Anybody can come and build his/her own linux distribution. The number of different types of linux distribution is uncountable. There are people who like an authoritarian rule. But  authoritarian rule is a great gamble. It can be either very good or very bad. Freedom is very limited. What is said for linux can be said for any open source software, Linux being the most popular one.