CEO of Facebook says, “I Only Eat What I Kill”
According to Forbes, Mark Zuckerberg is the #40 most powerful person on Earth today. With a net worth of US$13.5 billion, heās the 19th richest person in America and the 52nd richest person in the world.
At only 27 years old, he has created the largest and most influential social networking site of the century: Facebook.
In a world with approximately 6 billion people living in itā¦ there are more than 500 million active Facebook users. 50% of them log on to Facebook in any given day and all of them spend about 700 billion minutes per month on Facebook.
Together with three of his classmates at Harvard University, Mark Zuckerberg has created something that revolutionized the online social platform. EVERYONE knows about Facebook. And there aren’t that many other things you can say that about.
In 2010, Mark Zuckerberg was Time Magazineās Person of the Year and at the end of the year, both he and Warren Buffet (the 3rd richest man in the world) signed a promise called āGiving Pledgeā. They promised to give away at least 50% of their personal wealth over a certain period of time! Incredible… and good for them…
Mark Zuckerberg has been known to take on different personal challenges in his life. In the past he took up learning Chinese, and his current personal challenge is to eat only what he has personally killed!
It was on Twitter that his followers found out that he had just killed a pig and a goat. Besides that, he has boiled live lobsters and killed chickens.
Although some people might be quite upset with his new challengeā¦ maybe this intelligent man has a good motive for it? I really sure hope so…because with me it’s just don’t kill and eat vegetarian…..
In a letter sent to CNN, Mark Zuckerberg explains: “I think many people forget that a living being has to die for you to eat meat, so my goal revolves around not letting myself forget that and being thankful for what I have. This year I’ve basically become a vegetarian since 
the only meat I’m eating is from animals I’ve killed myself. So far, this has been a good experience. I’m eating much more healthier foods and I’ve learned a lot about sustainable farming and raising animals.”
I have added the article below for everyone to read, as well as 2 videos. Please have a look and tell me, do you think that Mark Zuckerbergās reason to kill his own meat isā¦ good or bad? You decide and you think it through.
Tsem Rinpoche
Facebookās Mark Zuckerberg: I Only Eat What I Kill
by Audrey Morrison
May 27th, 2011 | 1:40 PM
Constantly seeking a new challenge, Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg is making waves with his latest vowāto only eat the meat of animals he kills himself.
Heās not wasting any time either.
“I just killed a pig and a goat,” Zuckerberg posted to his private Facebook page on May 4.
Every year the 27-year-old mogul embarks on a personal challenge. He explained it to Fortune as “something to learn about the world, expand my interests and teach myself greater discipline.”
When compared to prior “personal challenges” (learning Chinese and wearing a tie every day) it may seem a little odd for a billionaire from Palo Alto, Ca. to be hunting and killing his dinner, but heās had expert guidance from neighbor and chef Jesse Cool and hey, most people donāt become rich, famous and successful without following the path less traveled. This path just happens to be lined with trees instead of HTML code.
He sent an email to Fortune, further explaining himself. Below is a rare glimpse into the mind of Mark Zuckerberg:
This year, my personal challenge is around being thankful for the food I have to eat. I think many people forget that a living being has to die for you to eat meat, so my goal revolves around not letting myself forget that and being thankful for what I have. This year Iāve basically become a vegetarian since the only meat Iām eating is from animals Iāve killed myself. So far, this has been a good experience. Iām eating a lot healthier foods and Iāve learned a lot about sustainable farming and raising of animals.
Mark and his girlfriend Priscilla prepare the meal after a butcher in Santa Cruz readies the kill. They recently ate a chicken, including the heart and liver, and in the spirit of being thankful for EVERYTHING, used the feet to make stock.
But like Mark said in his email to Fortune, this new “diet” doesn’t solely consist of Mark-killed animals. Heās also been traveling down the vegetarian road, admitting to eating much healthier foods these days.
Zuckerberg is in good company. Fellow famous vegetarians include Oscar-winner Natalie Portman, talk show shot Ellen DeGeneres, actor Christian Bale, new mom and author of “The Kind Diet” Alicia Silverstone and country music superstar Carrie Underwood.
Or view the video on the server at: http://video.tsemtulku.com/videos/MarkZuckerberg-FacebookPart1.flv
Ā
http://video.tsemtulku.com/videos/MarkZuckerberg-FacebookPart2.flvOr view the video on the server at: http://video.tsemtulku.com/videos/MarkZuckerberg-FacebookPart2.flv
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After watching Zuckerberg’s interview, I feel that he is a big kid at heart and probably “not yet skilled” in covering his real feelings, which is great, because this seems to me is honesty. I am very impressed with what he has achieved at his age, and is please to know about his practice of thankfulness.
Having said that, I do not, however, agree with his idea of “vegetarianism”. I define “vegetarianism” as a practice of following plant-based diets without meat (red, white, seafood etc.). The purpose of this practice is to know that animals have to be killed for one’s enjoyment and that one’s true nature (loving-kindness, empathy, compassion etc) will be kept away as long as they enjoy meat. This will in return separate one from true happiness that one deserves. So, being a vegetarian means not only to refrain from eating meat, but also from killing.
To me, Zuckerberg is far from being a vegetarian. Worst still, he is encouraging people to kill for themselves. I agree that eating healthier food will make people feel good, but I believe healthier food do not consist of meat. If being vegetarian, according to Zuckerberg, means eating veges plus meat killed by oneself equals to good experience, then, his version of vegetarianism is simply a good experience, not mere practice of vegetarianism. He has still a lot of work to do on what vegetarianism is all about and should not claim to be vegetarian until he fully grasp the meaning of being a vegetarian.
This is very important because of his influence due to his fame. He would have many fans looking up to him and imitate his actions. The result might lead to many start killing and rejoice in it. I sincerely hope that Zuckerberg will be a “real” vegetarian and do not continue killing animals regardless of whatever good intentions he has behind it. At the moment, his whole bizzare idea of vegetarianism just doesn’t seems right to me.
I once saw a show of Jamie Oliver travelling in Italy where he had to kill a goat himself. He did not expect that he had to do this, there were cameras and he was off-guards and unprepared. The camera was on his face as he prepared to plunge the knife into the live animal and you could see the world going through his mind. He was clearly not sure that this was the right thing to do… Until he managed to silence his mind and killed the animal with an obvious effort to put his mind elsewhere.
There were times when our ancestors, in temperate climate countries, were in the middle of winter, with no vegetable growing for months and had to rely on meat for survival, they did not know any better and questioning this way of surviving was just unthinkable, for it clearly was a survival matter.
But those times are gone for many of us and we now have the choice, a choice nobody ever had before us, we could eat most anything, for most anything is made available to us, winter or not, and the food we choose is no longer a case of “there is no other option”.
I would not be surprised if some children nowadays wouldn’t even know that meat comes from an animal that was killed, and not just from a super-market shelf with music, nice light and air-conditioning.
This is entry level of delusion, we know that killing and abuse were necessary for the meat to be on the display shelf but we give in to the appearances that every thing is fine.
I can name a few friends, non-vegetarian friends, who would think that Mark Zuckerberg must be a cruel person to kill animals himself. To think that is delusional and paradoxical.
Why is it cruel for Mark Zuckerberg to kill the animal that he will eat, but not when we buy the meat and rely on someone else to kill? I would like to know…
What is the difference, does the animal not get killed? Does the animal not suffer?
Maybe they think Mark Zuckerberg is cruel because he is taking joy in the killing? I am not him, but I suspect he does not take pleasure in that.
But then, if we take joy in eating a rack of lamb or a fried chicken, could it be somehow linked to the killing also?
Is it linked or not?
Is there no direct relation between the killing and my meat dish?
If I rejoice at my meat dish, don’t I rejoice also at the killing itself?
In fact when Mark Zuckerberg only eats what he has killed, instead of many people being involved in the killing (the killer, the transporter, the sales person, etc… and the consumer), there is only one “killer-consumer short-cut”.
So we could even argue that it is less cruel.
Mark Zuckerberg is taking us out of a mirage, he is reminding us that meat is a corpse’s flesh and that killing was necessary for it, whether we want to be deluded about it or not.
He is putting the facts straight for us to see.
Then I notice that he tends to become vegetarian…
How interesting…
So it may be that, for most of us, if we had to kill the animal ourselves we would rather be vegetarian = proof we are deluded when we buy our meat in the super-market.
We think we have nothing to do with the fact that the animal, a sentient being, was killed. We think us buying the meat and eating it is unrelated to the killing, because “some else” killed for us.
Try explain that to the animal…
I say thanks to Mark Zuckerberg, because he is reminding us about the reality. And I hope he becomes 100% vegetarian soon and stop the killing all together.
A classic example of the difference between good fortune borne from good deeds performed in tandem with refuge in the Triple Gems and those borne from charitable deeds without Dharma motivations. The former are stable and will not degenerate; the latter is temporal and will most likely open the path to the lower realms. Mark Zuckerberg clearly belonged to the latter.
From Buddhist point of view a killing is 100% negative action. Of course this is irrelevant if you donāt believe in karma or in Buddhism. When you kill in order to teach somebody a lesson it becomes a murder ā not a simple killing in my point of view. But that is still irrelevant if you donāt believe in karma.
An interesting story: I have a friend who had entered a kung fu organization called YMAA. As far as I know this organization among other rules has one important rule which states āThe student promises that he or she will respect all life.ā. Some time after the entering in the organization the person took the vow that he will study 10 years under the Great world renown Master Yang Jwing-Ming in order to preserve the ancient martial arts of China. In other words the person stated that he wants to become a kung fu master one day. Okā¦ He(his name is Zach) stated to his frends (all of whom were non vegetarians) that he is a vegan. Than some months after that he took some tool(I donāt know a gun or something else) and killed 2 robins in the forest were the Retreat center of the YMAA is situated. The old master looked at him and listened to a long explanation and justification why he did that which basically is the same what Zucenberg sais here. The old master said nothing about that. The student said that he wants to eat them to see what is it. The master said ok and helped him to cook the dead robins.
I reacted to the event with a blast saying that the person has no place in the organization not knowing that the old moral code of the organization is not included as a vow system before beginning the 10 year program. When I entered this organization I took this rule in my heart and did my best to not kill (In order to respect life) I took something like a vow in front of myself to not kill deliberately even insects but only in case of defense when I myself could be killed by the sentient being or hunger. I knew that the old Master Yang is not a vegetarian but I thought that he is not killing his food in order to eat it by himself which is the same case as in the ancient Buddhist temples where they ate meat because they had nothing else to eat(in other words you kill or you die from hunger and the Tibetan tradition is that you eat already killed meat and you donāt order a killing in order to eat meat). Even if Master Yang makes fishing it is forgiven for me because he is a Master and he has the ability to do things without mistakes(I think he is at the level where he can see the karma of the animal and help it with its rebirth ā but these are my conclusions). Many members of the organization and even some instructors donāt know or donāt remember about the rule about respecting life which I think has a Buddhist background since the YMAA is related in some way with the legendary monastery of Shaolin. This resulted in a split between me and them. I was devastated and even made a group in FB which states that the organization is a fraud since the student was not excommunicated. I realize now that the reason was that Master Yang wants to preserve the ancient Arts and that this is more important than few errors made by stupid students which would be resolved by themselves. After that I realized my huge error ā that I shouldnāt judge my fellows from the YMAA if they donāt know something or donāt understand something and that sometimes a human being is more important than rules. So I apologized to my friends from the organization and some of them accepted while other still canāt understand me saying that I should be ashamed because I myself was eating meat at the time of the scandal. They said that Iām immoral and that what I did is like a stabbing in the back. Anyway I respect and feel a brotherly love to those dedicated studentsā¦ Some time latter Zach decided that during the trainings he hurt his body too much and that wants to give up so finally he gave up his vow in front of Master Yang. And Iām a vegetarian since January this year.
Some people of the organization think that the murder of the robins was something very manly and brave but how can I judge them when they donāt know what I know about these rules or about Buddhism?
So I think that what Zuckerberg does is his problem not mine. I thinks he is ātrying to be a better catholic than the popeā ā lol : ))) Because many people in many countries donāt have other choice but to eat meat bought from the market and on top of that they are not Buddhists. I wouldnāt judge those people because they should decide for themselves. If you call every person who eats meat a sinner ā I think you are wrong. It is bad to eat meat in many points of view but in the society it is a personal choice and not an obligation given from some authority. But if you have a Guru ā it is all another story!
Best regards,
P.D.
I basically agree with the above opinions. He is putting real thought in the food he is eating, which is a good thing. But killing remains killing and in our society where a vegetarian diet is possible without problems it is an unnecessary taking of lives in my opinion. I started being vegetarians 8 months ago and only now i can start to look in the eyes of our wonderful friends which are the animals without feeling guilty. I hope that more and more people can start sharing this lifestyle. It would solve so many problems.
Hopefully Mr. Zuckerberf will follow this path too and be a great example for many people.
Zuckerberg only eats what he kills, which to me is much better than others who eat meat but not wanting to know where the meat comes from. At least he holds himself responsible for the sufferings of the animals he slaughters. Others choose to be ignorant of the sufferings thinking that the animals deserve to die to serve humans as humans are superior to animals. If only they can see for themselves the pain and agony the animals have to endure, and experience for themselves the process of taking away one’s life, before consuming the plate of meat served at the table. Not all of us are born with killer instict nor sadistic that we take pleasure upon the sufferings of others. I believe many would change their diet should they confront themselves the whole process of the animals being slaughtered. I ate meat for 29 years, and I stop eating them cause i can’t bear to see the pain, the fear, the despair, the frustration, the sorrow that the animals have to go through before, upon and after being slaughtered.
I totally don’t agree on what he’s doing.It is wrong,and this is not being a vegetarian. Any kind of animal sacrifice or death will inflict pain,stress,and suffering.He’s sending a confusing message which I’m afraid some people will follow due to his success. I don’t know where this world is heading toward,but I feel so fustrated every time I hear about animal abuse,animal cruelty,and plain ignorance around the world,even coming from rich,successful,and the so called elite and educated people.
I could understand where he was coming from when I first read the article but of course it’s not “right”, not to criticize Mark Zuckerberg.
You know, depending on how he thinks about it or what his motivation is, maybe it will lead him towards becoming vegetarian a few years down the road? I know before I studied dharma I didn’t have much of a problem killing insects, and didn’t understand, but was able to reflect on that later and have it add to my practice in some way.
The fact is killing your “own” animals just means the same amount of animals die. It’s like switching from a job as a banker to a big real estate agent, the same possibility for attachment to money, reputation, image is still there.
If his message brings awareness to the slaughter house processes then that is good. But I am worried about his karma from doing this. If his motivation was actually good and sincere then he quietly stop eating meat. I suspect that the whole animal killing thing is more of a “clever display” or performance of some philosophy he holds at the moment. Killing an animal yourself would be a terrible experience, and the only way to “get used to it” would be to increase wrong view of the animal, to numb out the animal’s feelings and pain, and that imprint would stick.
When I eat vegetarian the two most difficult things are money and convenience. For someone with Mark Zuckerberg’s wealth it should be very easy. You could have your own personal chef. I wasn’t able to watch the interview or how he felt during these questions, but I hope his mind changes in the matter.
Thinking through this post carefully, I am inclined to believe that in the end Mark Zuckerbug will turn fully vegetarian.
His resolution to only eat the meat of animals that he himself kills and his saying that this resolution stems from his view that ‘many people forget that a living being has to die for you to eat the meat’ appear to me to be coming from someone who is finding a path of compassion towards becoming a total vegetarian.
Wouldn’t it be great that the Facebook founder and CEO becomes 100 percent vegetarian? How tremendously positive an impact it would be on all who are on Facebook.
Haven’t read all the posts but I think he’s on the right track … I’m quasi-vegetarian myself and have often thought that none of us should eat animals when we haven’t bothered to really look at what’s happening with the whole livestock / farming industry, abattoirs, etc. It’s a valid choice to eat an animal but at least let’s be aware of what we’re doing.
I feel that since Mark Zuckerberg has clearly stated that he is basically a vegetarian and he only eat the meat of animal he kills himself; he trying to say to non-vegetarian, “if you want to eat meat, kill the animal yourself”. This is a very powerful statement as an overwhelming majority of people would not and have not killed an animal for their meat. Faced with the choice of killing the animal for its meat, I am sure many would not chose to eat the meat. Hence, he is promoting vegetarianism.
I feel even if one were to buy meat from the markets or restaurants, one is hurting another. Ultimately, the person who did the killing is hurt most. And we are supporting the cause for him to kill more.
In contrast, it is better for us to kill than having others kill for us.
I find this very disturbing. I do not think he is on the right path. I believe that this way, he will be collecting more negative karma as he is causing the pain by his own methods. It is basically saying that he is a “vegetarian” that kills to eat. I do not think that is a vegetarian.
Thierry summed up what I was thinking precisely.
I see this as a good first step towards being aware and respectful of what we choose to eat as food.
Many people find it very difficult to give up or reduce meat consumption…even though many of them believe that eating meat is not good for the health and create disgusting suffering for the animals and environment.
This inability to let go could be a form of attachment to meat and what we think meat means to us: a form of self-indulgence (giving yourself a treat of a juicy steak), wealth (in many societies, only the wealthy can afford meat) etc.
As letting go of meat completely is not an easy step for many people, making the effort towards consuming less meat by confronting and realizing the suffering “behind the scenes” is a strategic method. I applaud Mark Zuckerberg for being brave enough to be responsible for each time he chooses to eat meat. It is certainly being more accountable than others who avoid the truth about the pains our fellow earthlings have to endure in order for them to enjoy a meal.
In relation to creating negative karma each time he kills…I believe he is already collecting such karma each time he ignorantly eat meat in the past. Perhaps, by creating this negative karma WITH AWARENESS, he will eventually develop a basic form of compassion and choose to stop eating meat. This may not only stop his accumulation of negative karma from eating meat in the future but also begin creating positive karma from being a vegetarian who may influence and inspire other people towards eating less meat or become a vegetarian.
Therefore, I pray that Mark Zuckerberg will eventually make the choice to commit to a kind diet and bring great benefit with the influence he possesses.
I think he wants to be responsible for his own actions.that means if you wants to eat meat then you do your own killings so if you cants kills then dont eat meats well i could be wrong
Whether Mark Zuckerberg’s reason to kill his own meat, or to have someone to do it for him, still remain as killing, which in our Buddhist practice is “SINFUL”. Everyday all around the World, animals are brutally abused, murdered and slaughtered for the pleasure of humans – except in the case of Zuckerberg’s killing of his own meat for his food, which may have the abuses, torturings and sufferings that may have been left out by uncaring butchers. But the fact remains that a living being has still to die for his food, which is heavy “Karma” causing. As Zuckerberg is travelling down the Vegeterian road, which obviously is much healthier and “Sin-less” food these days, a man can still live and be healthy without killing for food (meat i.e). As in the golden words of Thomas Edison when he said, “Non-violence leads to the highest ethics, which is the goal of all evolution. Until we stop harming all other beings, we are still savages.”
You don’t have to kill to eat food.. That is called Vegetarian..! He has the luxury to be this kind Vegetarian, which would be impossible for millions of other people..! Basically this is arm, leg twisting for your purpose..!! Yes, you could kill, and eat too, first learn to give, create life.. Then, you might deserve it..!!
It is very convenient for people to buy meat almost anywhere…and the society has projected that meat dishes are a necessity to our diet. Hence with the ease of obtaining it, people are very unlikely to consider becoming vegetarian because they do not have to kill with their own hands to obtain the meat. Perhaps they would consider vegetarianism if they would have to kill to be able to eat the meat?? Perhaps Mark Zuckerberg is trying to be aware how his food gets on his plate?? and try to make a statement to the rest of the world. Most modern folks & kids do not know the process of how the meat got on their plate.