meat is necessary

“Gyorgi Ivanovitch,” she said, “it really isn’t necessary to kill animals to feed ourselves, is it? Can’t we live perfectly well on grains, milk, fruit, and vegetables?” “Yes,” Mr. Gurdjieff replied, “it is quite possible, because everything required for the physical and spiritual life of man can be found in the vegetable kingdom.” Mme N. was radiant. “You see,” she said to the others, “I was right!” “Yes,” Mr. Gurdjieff added. “You would be right if our human existence was limited only to the spiritual, but it isn’t. Meat is necessary when there is hard physical work to be done, or in a very cold climate, or when edible plants cannot be found. Besides, our canine teeth as well as other biological characteristics show that our digestive system has been adapted by nature to assimilate meat. Animal flesh provides all the substances we need, both for the intensive working of our organism and for maintaining a normal temperature in cold climates. So, you are right, and at the same time, you are not right.”

Gurdjieff a Master in Life p.36