Sometimes You Need to Read the Source Material

Megan McArdle, of whom I usually approve, posted this piece as what I'm sure was a throwaway.

Now, I'm sure that a spirited defense of vegetarianism and a lively discussion would be entirely appropriate under most circumstances. Unfortunately, the proximate cause of her post turns out to be this Hitchens piece in Vanity Fair, which is one of the more agonizing essays I've read. To say that McArdle is a trifle flip in contrast to Hitchens would be an understatement.