Don't Eat Anything With a Face

Open to Debate

Education, Society & Culture, News, Government, Politics

4.5 • 2.1K Ratings

🗓️ 2 September 2025

⏱️ 52 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

More Americans are moving away from eating meat toward a vegetarian or vegan lifestyle. But is continuing to eat animals a personal choice—or an ethical failure? Those favoring a plant-based lifestyle argue that eating animals is morally indefensible when plant-based alternatives can provide the same nutrition without pain. But meat lovers argue there’s more to eating meat than seems obvious and caution against vilifying meat consumption. Now, we debate this motion: Don’t Eat Anything With A Face. Arguing Yes: Neal Barnard, Clinical Researcher, Author of "21-Day Weight Loss Kickstart" Gene Baur, President and Co-Founder of the Farm Sanctuary Arguing No: Chris Masterjohn, Nutritional Sciences Researcher; Blogger at The Daily Lipid Joel Salatin, Farmer & Author Emmy award-winning journalist John Donvan moderates Visit OpentoDebate.org to watch more insightful debates. Subscribe to our newsletter to stay informed on our curated weekly debates, dynamic live events, and educational initiatives. Take our podcast listener survey here: https://bit.ly/opentodebatesurvey Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:35.5	This is open to debate. I'm John Donvan. Hi, everybody. Summer is almost over, or at least it's
0:40.8	certainly feeling that way, with the new school year coming up, and Labor Day marking a long
0:44.5	final weekend filled with time spent with family and friends, relaxing, and maybe having a backyard
0:48.8	barbecue. Now, what goes on the grill? A beef patty that came from a cow, or a plant-based patty, perhaps an
0:55.6	impossible burger or a veggie burger. Your dinner plate is part of what we want to focus on.
1:00.0	In a fan favorite debate we had some years back that we called Don't Eat Anything with a Face.
1:06.2	Some of us are fortunate to have an abundance of food we're able to buy or to choose what kind of food we eat.
1:11.6	But when we think about issues around food, about our health and the environment and even ethical concerns,
1:17.8	which diet is best?
1:19.3	Veganism, vegetarianism, meat eating, or something else.
1:23.7	Think about that question as we go back in time, live from the Kauffman Music Center in New York City.
1:29.6	I'm John Donvan. We have four superbly qualified debaters who will argue for and against this motion, don't eat anything with a face.
1:40.1	As always, our debate goes in three rounds and then our live audience votes to choose the winner,
1:45.3	and only one side wins. Our motion is don't eat anything with a face, and let's meet the team
1:51.4	arguing for that motion. First, let's welcome Dr. Neil Bernard. And Neil, you are president and
1:59.4	founder of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine.
	...

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