Yes. But the human numbers gives something like 8 million pounds of antibiotics over something like 300 million people, or something like 0.03 pounds per person per year. By weight, there are something around... 8-10 people in a cow.

Remember what the antibiotics are being used for here. It's not just 'oh, we're not sure if the animals are getting sick cause we have so many of them so we'll just give them antibiotics in case', it's 'oh hey, if we give them antibiotics, they gain weight faster'. The level of antibiotic use (along with nearly all business practices in large scale animal farming) is almost directly dictated by consumer demand for cheap meat. There's simply no way around that - and this comes from a lover of meat.

We really need to adjust our expectations of our food supply.

Yeah, I've never understood why people automatically make this argument.

Industrial meat != meat

It's like saying that because most restaurants are unhealthy (e.g. fast food) you should zealously avoid all restaurants.

I buy much of my meat and eggs now from Hidden Villa in Los Altos Hills. Selection is very limited, and their prices are 2x-4x the cost of similar items in a supermarket, but their farm is literally down the street from my house and their livestock is pastured and well cared for. Money doesn't grow on trees, I eat a lot less meat than I used to, but I find that I enjoy my meals a lot more now.

I never had the view that 'die young' was a good way to go when I was as a teenager, but I did generally have the idea that being old sucked because you'd inevitably get bogged down by diseases and ailments.

That was until I met my neighbor, who's in his late 70s. He is simply the smartest person I know (a biomedical engineer, with knowledge of nearly everything you can bring up)... it seems as if he's still at the height of his intellect. My perception of things since meeting him has changed -- if you take good care of yourself now, exercise, take your vitamins, etc. you can really genuinely enjoy life when you're older. The guy spends the morning of every other day at the gym for about an hour. He can lift more weight more comfortably than I can -- he's almost 80, I'm in my mid-20s.

Also see William Shatner: http://www.reddit.com/user/williamshatner

The guy is 81 years old and so very astute and smart.

Right, but the response to that argument is that most diet based health problems are slow-burning, chronic and painful.

If you eat healthy, you'll also feel better. As you get used to different foods, you'll find your tastes shift and that things you previously found unappetizing are actually really delicious. The only real downsides to improving your diet are completely temporary.