On Wed, 21 Oct 1998, Don Wiss wrote:

> To me Amadeus is a troll that gets his intellectual kicks out of hassling
> meat eaters and trying to convert them to his way of eating. Just like
> there are a couple guys that hang out in the rec.food.veg newsgroup and
> hassle the vegetarians for their way of eating.

I don't see it this way at all.  Personally, I have no interest
in becoming a vegetarian but I nevertheless find many of
Amadeus's arguments challenging and significant, as should anyone
who wishes to emphasize the gathering aspects of the
hunter-gatherer lifestyle.  Indeed, I think it is worthwhile to
pay attention to his experience if only because he is quite
unusual among vegetarians in attempting to implement a
paleo-vegetarian diet.  As far as I know, he is healthy.

Yes, he is critical of the meat choices that predominate among
many Neanderthin practitioners -- cow and pig muscle, to use his
terms.  But his criticisms are generally supported with
scientific information.  And he is not the only one who is
skeptical of these choices.  Those who have not read Loren
Cordain's most recent article on the Paleodiet Forum list should
probably do so.

I would much rather have my assumptions challenged by Amadeus
than retreat to a dogmatic slumber (to use Kant's wonderful
phrase).  Even though I am not inclined to become a vegetarian, I
have learned a lot from thinking about and sometimes engaging his
arguments.

Todd Moody
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