Vegetarianism

I'm a vegetarian.
Well, not technically. The technical term is "pescetarian": I eat animal byproducts, seafood, and non-animal organisms, but not meat. Vegetarianism is a stage that many children--at least, those who were as animal-oriented as I was--go through, but few stick to it. There are those who think it absolutely stupid, and those who think it virtually a godsend.
I'm in the middle.
Although previously I would have eaten free range meats (or even not free ranged, as long as they were treated following my ethical standards), and I definitely encourage eating meat from a butcher, local farm or other non-slaughterhouse, I currently would not eat meat at any time. I haven't eaten it for long enough that it has simply lost its appeal.
I don't think that the current way meat animals are treated is acceptable, or even close to it. I can tolerate genetic modifications and even severing of beaks, but overcrowding just isn't okay. As beak severing occurs at a young age, it does not have a large effect on a chicken (aside from its purpose), while overcrowding will negatively change an animal's entire life, from youth to old age--or as old as the animal will grow before its slaughter.
I'm a proud owner of a chickens, and I have seen overcrowded chickens--they aren't pretty. I get it, they aren't supposed to be pretty, but the unhappiness is incredibly clear. I have no problem with the actual killing of animals. It happens, and most methods are acceptable as long as the executioner isn't specifically trying to draw out the death and make it as painful as possible. Killing for meat is natural, and I don't expect it to stop, nor do I want it to. I just want the way livestock is being raised to change.
Vegetarianism is a choice. There is no right or wrong answer, and I can perfectly well accept that people like eating meat as long as they don't think it's the only way. It's not. Vegetarianism and omnivorism are two separate lifestyles, and neither is objectively better than the other. It all depends on how you interpret the world, the value of animals in your eyes and what makes you happier.

I don't have a problem with the way commercial meats are raised. I know that they are treated poorly. I know I should have a problem with it, but I don't.

A few of my cousins are vegetarians for the same reasons as you. They are very strict vegetarians. They won't even eat Jello because gelatin is derived from animals. Poor folks. Jello is heavenly.  

The only problem I have with vegetarianism is how they eat fake meat. (I've tried fake bacon. Nasty.

Charlock Holmes wrote:They are very strict vegetarians. They won't even eat Jello because gelatin is derived from animals.

I'm nitpicking, but that sounds more like veganism than vegetarianism to me. Veganism is not eating anything derived from animals or animal byproducts. This can (but usually doesn't) include sugar--the grinder, which turns sugar into the tiny grains it is, is often made up of many hard products that sometimes include animal bones. Vegans don't eat more obvious things, too: dairy, eggs, meat, seafood, etc. A definitive vegetarian doesn't eat meat, but can eat fish and other seafaring animals, eggs, and dairy. A pescetarian follows this definition as well, but can eat fish and seafaring animals.
While I don't think vegetarianism is a bad thing, it's very extreme and not something I would consider following myself.

Charlock Holmes wrote:The only problem I have with vegetarianism is how they eat fake meat. (I've tried fake bacon. Nasty.  

What is your problem with this? Do you actually think that fake meats should not exist, or are they simply something you would never eat of your own choice?
I've tried meat substitutes, and some of them are in fact delicious. A problem is that people expect it to taste exactly like meat. It doesn't, and it's not going to, because it's not. Instead of thinking of it as replacement meat, think of it as a separate dish--not fake pork but porc française de la plante. It's new, it's exciting, and it's an entirely separate dish from its inspiration.

No, I'm very sure they're not vegans. I've seen them eat eggs.

The problem I have with fake meat is, if you have made the choice to be meat-free, don't even try to eat meat. Really. Just eat beans, nuts, eggs, or tofu to get protein. The fake bacon I tried was like chewy, fried, smoked cardboard. Not pleasant. Another problem I have is how processed those things are. I doubt you can make it at home. I do not, however, have a problem with veggie burgers. I've actually made them at home.

Charlock Holmes wrote:if you have made the choice to be meat-free, don't even try to eat meat.

The choice has little to nothing to do with eating meat itself. People become vegetarians because they are disturbed by the way meat animals are treated. Although there are some exceptions, the majority of people, both vegetarian and non-vegetarian, find meat delicious--which is why vegetarian foods try so hard to replicate it.

Charlock Holmes wrote:Another problem I have is how processed those things are.

Right, because the meat that's stocked in modern supermarkets is entirely natural.  Although meat substitutes are processed, I hardly think that is a valid argument when actual meats are just as bad (with the added bonus of being made out of formerly living beings in buildings that have one of the highest in-workplace injury rates).

I am not entirely interested in getting into a discussion about the pros or cons of vegetarianism, because there are many people better equipped to describe the benefits of it, and I am really not interested in converting the entire world to follow my diet. As said, it's a choice, and I'll be happy as long as everyone recognizes that.