Do People Argue With You When They Find out You're A Veggie? (food, indian)
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At lunch today, with some new people (it was a Meetup group), I revealed that I was a vegetarian. That's it. Wasn't trying to convert anyone or be holier than thou. In fact, I was just saying I was in relation to the Indian food we were eating (that when I spent a week in Belgium, Indian food saved my life because there otherwise weren't veggie options anywhere else).
One woman demanded why I don't eat fish. (Even before I turned veggie, I didn't care for the taste of fish. It always struck me as funny when people praise a fish dish for not being too fishy. I've never praised a chocolate dish for not being too chocolately---in fact just the opposite!). She then commented that there are plenty of fish in the ocean. By that way of thinking, there are plenty of chickens, cows, pigs, goats, etc. And it's not that the world can't survive without that fish/chicken/cow.....but like the starfish story, it's pretty important to that one starfish or other animal to survive and not be brutally slaughtered.
I don't understand why anyone feels the need to convert anyone else to their way of thinking or eating. I would never force collards or blackeyed peas on anyone. But, hey, if they asked, I'd share.
I think just the mere fact that someone is a vegetarian/vegan can make some people really uncomforatable. By not eating meat you are making a statement that you have a problem with it(unless you are doing it purely for health reasons). It makes people defensive because they feel that you must be judging them. I honestly don't have the patience for other people's hang ups. I'm not going to get into people's face about meat but if they are going to project on me I won't sugar coat the truth or be bullied. That woman was the rude one. I wouldn't have been able to hold back. I go to great pains to not judge individual people for eating the corpses of tortured animals.. I get that meat eating is very ingrained. I do judge society as a whole though. And if someone gets in my face about it then the gloves are off. I'm sorry you had to deal with this nasty defensive woman.
I have never understood why vegetarians make their lifestyle choices a discussion, not unlike lesbians who go out with a GF, no one cares or notices, until they pronounce they are "partners". Like, who cares?! Did I need that information? Why did they feel like they had to announce their lifestyle?
I think it's better not to bring it up unless someone asks. When I go out with people, I order what I order and don't make a big deal of it. Most omnivores could not care less about what other people eat.
Eventually people figure it out as they get to know you, anyway. I've always found it to be a less contentious discussion that way, because by that point, people already know (and like) you and are asking out of curiosity because they noticed your plate somehow--like, say, no turkey at Thanksgiving.
I have never understood why vegetarians make their lifestyle choices a discussion, not unlike lesbians who go out with a GF, no one cares or notices, until they pronounce they are "partners". Like, who cares?! Did I need that information? Why did they feel like they had to announce their lifestyle?
I have not eaten red meat for many years, whenever they have a cookout at work and they offer me a burger, i say no thanks, i dont eat burgers, thats when i have to hear, you dont eat red meat? whats wrong with you? thats just weird, no wonder your so thin, you need to eat! you see, we dont start the discussions, and im a very healthy 115lbs, and its always the overweight people who are eating 2-3 burgers that have something to say, they start the discussions, not us.
I have never understood why vegetarians make their lifestyle choices a discussion, not unlike lesbians who go out with a GF, no one cares or notices, until they pronounce they are "partners". Like, who cares?! Did I need that information? Why did they feel like they had to announce their lifestyle?
Interesting----never expected to be attacked on a vegetarian board for any post about being vegetarian! Guess we aren't safe anywhere!
Jasper, I think you misunderstood my post. I did not sit at the table and announce that I am a vegetarian and go on and on about it. We were talking about Indian food and how a lot of people don't like it. That's when I said that Indian food saved my life in Belgium when I was there because otherwise there would not have been anything for me to eat since I am a vegetarian.
That's it. No lectures. No holier than thou. Not going on and on about it. Just making conversation, like we do on this forum. Look at all the topics that are discussed and information that is revealed. I understand why politics and religion may be No-Nos at a table with strangers. I understand why people shouldn't go on and on about their health issues. But to just mention one's diet as part of a discussion about restaurants? Lots of people talk about avoiding carbs. I just mentioned that I don't eat meat in the context of why I like Indian restaurants, with their being veggie-friendly.
The crazy thing is any small thing today can be an attacking issue -people seem to take things more personally than any time I have experienced in my lifetime. It seems to serve the purpose of taking the focus off of more important issues - Just because I do not eat meat or fish - some people consider that I am thinking I am better than them and they get personally offended (even though they know it is more healthy) UNBELIEVABLE but TRUE
4sankofa---I think you hit the nail on the head---everyone flies into a rage when people don't conform to their way of thinking/behaving. It's like it's a personal affront---rather than just someone's personal choice, like deciding to wear blue rather than red one day.
Last edited by Green Irish Eyes; 10-03-2011 at 09:58 AM..
Reason: Edited out reference to deleted post
Interesting----never expected to be attacked on a vegetarian board for any post about being vegetarian! Guess we aren't safe anywhere!
Jasper, I think you misunderstood my post. I did not sit at the table and announce that I am a vegetarian and go on and on about it. We were talking about Indian food and how a lot of people don't like it. That's when I said that Indian food saved my life in Belgium when I was there because otherwise there would not have been anything for me to eat since I am a vegetarian.
That's it. No lectures. No holier than thou. Not going on and on about it. Just making conversation, like we do on this forum. Look at all the topics that are discussed and information that is revealed. I understand why politics and religion may be No-Nos at a table with strangers. I understand why people shouldn't go on and on about their health issues. But to just mention one's diet as part of a discussion about restaurants? Lots of people talk about avoiding carbs. I just mentioned that I don't eat meat in the context of why I like Indian restaurants, with their being veggie-friendly.
I don't think you're too sensitive, and it certainly doesn't sound like you were trying to preach or convert anyone. I've had MANY similar conversations in my 20+ years of vegetarian living and I've found most people to be interested in, or at least open-minded about, my choices. Even the ones who think I'm a flake (which is true ) have generally been polite about it.
On the few occasions I've run across someone who gives me a hard time (like the "lots of fish in the sea" woman), I just smile (through clenched teeth), nod politely and then do my best to ignore them .....
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) have generally been polite about it.
