The vegan choice

Man has always considered himself the supreme master of all he surveys. He puts himself a notch above all other life forms and lives his whole life in the mistaken notion that everything on the planet exists to satiate his need and greed. So he loots and plunders Mother Earth; he kills for food and sport. How delusional is he who does not consider himself a part, just a miniscule part, of this great cosmic drama that is life!
My Way, The Green, Clean Way (Oct 9) was as disturbing to read as it was interesting and thought-provoking. Being a vegan by choice and fighting to keep up the status quo, I could easily identify with every sentiment expressed by the vegans in the article.
 From being an 'irritant' at parties and get-togethers, where the host has to go the extra mile to provide vegetarian options to suit my palate, to being ridiculed for missing out on the 'finer' things in life, I have faced it all.
While I wouldn't, for the life of me, impose my views on anyone and their choice of food, it would be a good idea to look at the health benefits of being a vegan. It is a given that vegans have longer, healthier lives as well as cleaner digestive systems, fewer cancers and heart-related issues.
They can also live lives, free from guilt, knowing that 'no animals were hurt, harmed or killed in the making of their food'. What's not acceptable even during the making of movies is perfectly fine to satiate and appease man's palate, and that's downright ridiculous.
Former Beatle Paul McCartney, a vociferous advocate of vegetarianism, said, "If slaughter houses had glass walls, eve-ryone would be a vegetarian." Guess that sums up the terror and torture these poor animals face to reach our tables as appetising culinary delights. It's heartening to see the new ethical trend among celebrities in joining the growing band of vegans. We, humans, who pride ourselves on our compassion and empathy, must take stock of our priorities, and become the voice of the voiceless.
Annie Mathew
» Nixing the notions
I am sure the article Breaking the Emirati Stereotype (Oct 9) must have been an eye-opener for most non-Emirati readers. It just goes to reinforce the oft-used idiom "Don't judge a book by its cover". Stereotyping generally arises from people's experiences from observing or socialising with various groups. Once stereotypes are formed, they persist when members of the group behave as we expect, thereby confirming and even strengthening the opinion. The human mind conditioned to a stereotypical behavioural pattern then finds it very difficult to accept anything different. It is not just Emirati women, but various other groups here that find themselves victimised and unable to liberate themselves from the tentacles of such bias.
About 20 years ago, there were very few Emirati women who were as career conscious as the younger lot today. Most of the expat population's exposure to them was limited to seeing well-dressed Emirati ladies arriving in high-end cars at expensive shopping malls, with kids and nannies in tow, and indulging in large-scale shopping. We've even had sessions on "dos and don'ts while interacting with Emirati lady colleagues" as an integral part of expatriate job induction. Men were warned that they should not look directly at Emirati women's faces or shake hands with them.
Things have changed over the years. Emirati women actively work in many fields. However, expatriates continue to thrive on outdated stereotypes. More media coverage should be given to the aspirations of Emirati women, and the good work being done by them to make life easier for the next set of local graduates who will be entering the job market soon.
Siji Joy, Dubai 
» Reel inspiration
Success has never eluded the Abbas-Mustan duo (Brothers in Arms, Oct 9). Films like Baazigar remain timeless classics, while those like Aitraaz and Race are remembered for being "different for their time". While this is good, the fact remains that Bollywood is notorious for making films 'inspired' by Hollywood. Even our most remembered film, Sholay, is rumoured to be a remake of four different films. Interestingly, there are Hollywood movies now that are inspired by their Indian counterparts, such as A Common Man, which is an official remake of the 2008 thriller A Wednesday!.
Adaptations such as Haider (from Shakes-peare's Hamlet) receive critical acclaim and rightfully so; not only are they cinematic masterpieces, they require a great vision to transform from print to cinema. Films such as these are few and far between, and are lost amongst the usual substandard fare churned out by the Hindi film industry. A great film can be an incredible journey for the audience, one they are unlikely to forget soon. Bollywood, with its immense talent, is capable of making great films and taking itself to the next level.
Valiny Rodrigues, Abu Dhabi