this post was submitted on 25 Dec 2024
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As a thinking experiment, let us consider that on the 1st of January of 2025 it is announced that an advance making possible growing any kind of animal tissue in laboratory conditions as been achieved and that it is possible to scale it in order to achieve industrial grade production level.

There is no limit on which animal tissues can be grown, so, any species is achieveable, only being needed a small cell sample from an animal to start production, and the cultivated tissues are safe for consumption.

There won't be any perceiveable price change to the end consummer, as the growing is a complex and labour intensive process, requiring specialized equipments and personnel.

Would you change to this new diet option?

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[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 week ago

I would definitely eat cultured meat as long as it’s not too expensive.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 week ago

The only thing I'd wait for is for the process to be refined enough to be more eco friendly than just eating real meat. I'd do it, but until there's proof of it being more sustainable and won't tank my blood thin/thickness levels (blood thinners sometimes suck), I would be down to try it at the very least.

Though I would receive resistance in changing my diet until either my dad changes his eating habits or I move out on my own because my dad absolutely refuses things like plant based meats, so I know he'd most likely resist lab grown meat as well. It's also hard for my mom and I to switch to a healthier dinner diet since both my dad and older brother wouldn't dare change their diets to something like a Mediterranean or some other healthier because they can be picky eaters (especially my older brother).

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 week ago

Absolutely. I'll take grown meat over slaughtered. Last i heard they basically just need to make the equipment cheaper to have it be viable. I'm awaiting it.

The day it's on the shelf is the day I'll buy it.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (9 children)

I would sooner argue for eating insects vs. lab-grown protein made by a corporation. I have no trust for corporations to produce safe and emergent solutions to the problems we face as a species and world. They have no incentive to do the right thing and put the brakes on when things are looking bad.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 week ago (1 children)

I always assume any hypothetical beneficial scenario is happening under socialism or another system that discards the profit motive because while we're dreaming might as well dream big.

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[–] Chainweasel 4 points 1 week ago

The only question I have is about prions, which are just misfolded proteins. As long as the quality control is good enough I don't have to worry about that, then I'd have no problem with it.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Lots of comments along the lines of "only if it tastes the same" but no one seems to consider the possibility of it tasting better. Like what if lab grown meat is an orgasm for your mouth?

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[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 week ago

making meat green? Sure, it would be cheaper and less destructive.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 week ago (2 children)

I've been vegan for almost 25 years, and vegetarian for couple years before that... and I'd be happy it existed, but I wouldn't eat it. I don't miss meat, and the idea of eating any of it just grosses me out.

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[–] Postmortal_Pop 4 points 1 week ago

Instantly! I'm already drooling at the door of every meat lab hoping for the day I can get perfect texture meats from any possibly creature to potentially cook with. Imagine the possibilities! Fried dodo, elephant steak, shark kabob, all without the moral, ethical, or biological risks that come with consuming extinct animals, sapient beings, or super predators. The culinary world will never be more shook!

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 week ago

still waiting for the mass to consume it and see what happen, also waiting for the price too

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 week ago

its all about cost. The plant based while not as good as meat is decent and if cost competitive I would use it to at least reduce met consumption. lab grown at price parity would almost get me to switch. Problem is my wife is turned off by it so that will be a complication. crickets are fine to me in food so processed you would not notice.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 week ago

I will let you all try it first. Going to pass on crazy mutation diseases.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (5 children)

Without hesitation. If the taste, consistency, nutrition, and price are all the same, then the only differences would be whether an animal was bred to suffer until slaughter and the likelihood of illness from consumption. I'm assuming that stuff like e coli would be nearly impossible through this. Plus less demand on farm meat means less chance of coronavirus mutations like the 2009 swine flu outbreak. And less of a need for the real estate, feed, and potable water to grow those animals. I must be missing something because I'm struggling to see a downside here.

I'm sure that, in the same way that there's still a market for objectively inferior exploitatively mined diamonds as a status symbol instead of lab created diamonds, there would still be a market for rEaL meat where "you can really taste the suffering" or whatever.

Now here's the more interesting question that actually has me on the fence: if "growing any kind of animal tissue" is what has been achieved, where would you stand on consuming lab-grown human meat? Is it immoral? Are there risks? Should such a thing be restricted in some way like alcohol or handguns? What would be the proper etiquette and presentation and everything if it became socially accepted? What wine would pair best with it? Or would it be more of a beer pairing? If this weren't socially acceptable, would no-suffering chimpanzee meat be okay?

If it only takes a small cell sample, would it be unethical to dig up extinct animals like mammoths or dodo specifically to enjoy their meat? If that's okay, and it chimps are okay, would neanderthals be okay to eat? Where would we draw the line?

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 week ago

I’m sure that, in the same way that there’s still a market for objectively inferior exploitatively mined diamonds as a status symbol instead of lab created diamonds, there would still be a market for rEaL meat where “you can really taste the suffering” or whatever.

I don't think the value is sadism in itself, but the supposed natural purity; it's the sense of authenticity. They'd be more likely to market it like "As nature intended", "no nasty chemicals, organic", "no added dihydrogen monoxide", like that. You can play on the silly fear of scary chemical names.

I suppose animal furs is a relevant case study. Synthetic alternatives exist, but the real thing is considered a status icon by idiots.

That all said, fuck those cruel idealistic pieces of shit and the suffering they enable.

Now here’s the more interesting question that actually has me on the fence: if “growing any kind of animal tissue” is what has been achieved, where would you stand on consuming lab-grown human meat? Is it immoral?

Human meat, the inevitable question!

I see literally no ethical problem with eating non-sentient lab-grown meat, and I don't see why it being human flesh should be treated specially. I'm not even trying to equivocate humans and other animals, I don't consider human meat to be a human being, so there's no farming torture I'm concerned about, and I care about the meat's death as much as I care about a jellyfish or grass being squished. It's not like they're farming an entire conscious human like The Matrix, that would be uneconomical. (that said, what if humans were lab-grown for scientific research like lab animals? That's a more confronting question to me!)

Are there risks?

I'm no expert, but I suspect human diseases are more transferable than other animal meat diseases, so that's a consideration. Contamination is always a concern, I'd assume.

What would be the proper etiquette and presentation and everything if it became socially accepted?

I don't care. I can buy chicken nuggets and eat them with my elbows, if I want. I'll do that with human meat too. I already side with Frank Reynolds' perspective on the whole 'respect for the dead' tradition, put me up on a mountain for vultures and flowers like the Zoroastrianists, but this isn't even a sentient, let alone social, being. The only real etiquette I would consider is to make sure people aren't unknowingly served it, same with pork and other meats, because that could be unreasonably cruel to someone who is alive.

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[–] r0ertel 3 points 1 week ago (3 children)

No, i'd go vegan before i'd eat cultured meat. I'm not opposed to it and it's probably better for the economy and environment, but I have a mental thing about it. Granted if I had to catch and clean my own meat, i'd also probably go vegan. Maybe I'm just squeamish about my food.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 week ago (2 children)

Sorta sounds like you already think meat is gross.

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[–] argarath 4 points 1 week ago (2 children)

What is the mental thing you have against lab grown meat?

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[–] whotookkarl 3 points 1 week ago

I'd want to try some exotic synthetic meats you can't or shouldn't get anymore like dodo or dolphin. I wouldn't have the stomach to try it but you can bet there'll be some market for synthetic long pig. For normal consumption though I don't eat much meat now so I'd probably just go with whichever if there's no difference in cost or calories.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 week ago

I’d rather go vegan. Falafel all the way.

[–] surph_ninja 3 points 1 week ago

It already exists. We need to be pouring subsidies into it. I would absolutely switch, if it was widely available.

Not only is it better for the environment, but it’s also not loaded with antibiotics or been exposed to fecal matter at the farm.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 week ago

As a vegetarian, I wouldn't care much for it. I feel like the plant-based alternatives have got everything covered I could want from meat (and more, if you look beyond Western cuisine). And then I just feel like it's hard to compete with them in terms of sustainability, efficiency, price etc.. In particular, I also really cannot be fucked to put more perishable things into my fridge. I had bought these meatball-like things for Christmas, but didn't eat the whole load on the first go, so had to cram them in a few days later. Meanwhile my lentils, beans, TVP, peas, nuts etc. just sit there for months, not needing any of my attention.

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