AgentR11 wrote:...but it *DOES* matter that smoking is hard to quit...
It DOES not. We are talking about data, correlation, and causation. Is it good data or not?
AgentR11 wrote:...and it *DOES* matter that it is hard to consume 3500 Cal of plant based food
It DOES not. Also, I don't agree with your premise that it's any more difficult to eat 3500 on a vegan diet. For some, yes, OK...but again, irrelevant. Furthermore, most people don't need 3500 calories.
AgentR11 wrote:Basically what you are trying to suggest is that anything that is presented that is a challenge to the sustainability of a daily activity is irrelevant if the result of that activity is desirable.
No I am not. Any challenges to becoming a vegan have absolutely nothing to do with the data to which I have referenced. Also, you seem to miss the fact that there are millions of vegans and that it's not a challenge for many. You want to fixate the matter on the notion that there are some high-caloric athletes who have a hard time with a vegan diet.
AgentR11 wrote:This flies directly in the face of everything we know about human behavior. If it were true, there would be no overweight people; there would be only a very few with diabetes (honestly broken pancreas), heart disease and emphysema would be extremely rare. But they are. Because the difficulty of a suggested good behavior *IS* relevant. I'd suggest to you, that not only is it relevant, but that it is the most critical component. Belief or not, accept or not; THOSE are irrelevant in the face of behavior challenge.
You have crossed over into a very complex area, human behavior. Part of the reason many Americans eat what they eat is because the food industry knows how the mind and body works and they concoct food that is 'addictive', for lack of a better word. The best analogy is smoking tobacco. There is correlation and causation between smoking and lung cancer. It's very hard for many to quit. Such a fact doesn't change the fact that smoking causes cancer...
For what it's worth, I think the processed food, dairy, and Frankenmeat are the problem. I don't see as much of a problem with the natural meat (eg. wild fish), unless the quantity is high...
You may want to consider studying philosophy and logic, if you haven't already, so that you can build stronger arguments. I understand a bit what you are trying to say, but I really don't see the relevance. If you want to create another thread discussing human behavior and its role in our diet, I'd be happy to participate if I have anything to offer...