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Vegetarians? No issues whatsoever. I only eat meat a few times a week and I'm also bothered by the mass slaughterhouse process that produces most of our meat, so I have sympathy for the concept of vegetarianism.
Vegans? Errr...it seems a bit extreme. Many vegans do have a militant attitude about their diet and it carries over into their lifestyle. I don't think I've ever met a vegan who looked genuinely healthy.
For those of you who are omnivores: What are your thoughts about vegetarians and vegans .......
Why would I even know that they are a vegetarian or vegan, unless they happened to be really obnoxious about it? If they are obnoxious about it, my opinion is that they are an obnoxious person, which really doesn't have much to do with their diet.
I don't want to be around people who have a missionary complex, but I don't often run into veggies that go to great lengths to try to convert the world (except for the humaniacs and I dislike those people intensely, but for their control issues and not for what they eat)
I know a couple that actually loves their chickens but they also eat them which I couldn't do -- I can't eat an animal I knew. Their reasoning -- they despise the meat industry that treats animals horribly, they keep chickens caged their whole lives and butcher them mercilessly.
So this couple has returned to the old family farm way. You raise your chickens, they enjoy the sunshine, they pick insects from the ground, they grow up happy -- even though their lives will be short, it's all natural and friendly. The death is quick -- the chicken never knows what happened. Quicker than nature would do -- a hawk or eagle might rip the chicken up while it's stilll alive.
I really don't give a whatsit about their choices, people can lead the life they want, as long as they don't impose their views on others or make out that meat eaters are any less moral etc.... and all that bullcrap.
Why shouldn't vegetarians and vegans express their moral disapprobation with those who slaughter and consume animals? Why is that "bullcrap"?
Some vegans and vegetarians (I'm a recent vegetarian) need a public relations lesson on not making a negative impression on others.
Other vegetarians usually ask how long I've been a vegetarian, asked in a way to show superiority. And a vegan called me a hypocrite for not eating meat by choice yet I'll have ranch dressing (which has egg and milk in it) with vegetables. Guess that makes me an animal hater!
Milk? Than it's against being a "vegan" law for a mom to nurse her baby? That's directed to vegans, NOT what you said.
I've been vegetarian for over 25 years, and it is much easier these days than it was when I began. Back then there was absolutely nothing other than salads and pasta that you could order in a restaurant--now there are a plethora of meatless choices everywhere you go. And like anything else, eating vegetarian becomes habit once you've done it for a while. You have your favorite recipes and food choices that you go to again and again, just like a meat eater.
My daughter went vegan about a year ago, and also cut out most processed foods. Now that is an undertaking, because she makes just about everything she eats from scratch. I've been tempted to try it, but it just seems like too much work.
Who has time to make everything from scratch? I try and buy/use primarily organic foods and just trust the labels, but that's a different issue than eating vegetarian/vegan - I prefer the organic/free range meats (and dairy/eggs) as well.
As far as restaurants, there are still plenty where it would be difficult to eat strictly vegetarian or especially vegan. I've seen more vegetarian and vegan options as well, but they're still virtually non-existent at some places.
I wouldn't completely cut out meat because I like it and because there are health benefits from eating it that are difficult to replicate. I can't at all imagine cutting out eggs and dairy as well. But, for those who are able to do it, more power to you.
I don't really care what they do. The only time I call them uppity or arrogant is when they post about slaughter houses, as if I didn't already know about them. You do your diet your way, I'll do my diet my way, and we all live peacefully. You get up in my face about what I eat, I'm going to bring out the big guns.
And sure enough....
Quote:
Originally Posted by aquietpath
I have a lot of respect for vegetarians and vegans. It takes a lot of determination and a whole lot of prep work to prepare meat free dishes. My goal is to eliminate all meat from my diet, but I'm not finding it easy. I'm finding it a lot of work!
Those that succeed can sometimes be overly critical of meat eaters, and I think it makes the person eating meat defensive.
I find that a lot more meat eaters attack vegans/vegetarians choices quite harshly. Any time a thread on vegetarianism crops up, the meat eaters chime in and will post derogatory comments. This baffles me, since vegans aren't hurting anyone, but meat eaters are contributing to the suffering and death of other living creatures. I guess the bottom line is some people care and some don't.
This is the uppity arrogance I was referring to in my post. And this is the kind of vegan/vegetarian that makes me go out and buy a pound of meat to eat.
As someone else mentioned, some vegans/vegetarians could use a course in Public Relations because telling a meat eater that they "don't care" about animals, is NOT how you get anyone to listen to what you have to say. It does the polar opposite of what you're trying to do. So congratulations, I'm now going to go downstairs and cook up some of the chicken I got.
The more vegans/vegetarians have their snotty, holier than thou attitude, the longer I'm going to eat meat. When vegans/vegetarians want to get off of their high horses...oh wait, I guess it can't be a horse, it would have to be their bean stalk, and stop stating that people who eat meat don't care about animals, then I'll start paying attention to anything that is said.
By the way, while you will find meat eaters who will make other dishes for their vegetarian guests, I wonder how many vegetarians will make meat dishes for their meat eating guests? I'm going to bet it's zero.
No one is advocating "pushing" their food choices on someone else. That IS obnoxious. However, there is nothing wrong with educating someone, then letting them make their own choice. Case in point: veal. After the way most calves were raised for veal was revealed, demand for that particular meat dropped. Same with the fur trade. Nothing wrong with a little exposure and education. Scolding or haranguing someone on their food choices is unpleasant, not matter which side someone takes - meat eaters or vegetarians.
Because of animal products in pretty much everything, it is extremely difficult to be a strict vegan. I still have to give them my respect and admiration for their efforts.
It is a basic fact that some people DO care and some people DO NOT. While there may degrees of caring, it is either one or the other.
ONLY IF ASKED. Otherwise, you're just trying to disguise what you're really doing and thinking that nobody notices, which is never the case.
Caring for how animals are treated and being a vegetarian aren't mutually exclusive in any way. I have raised a lot of my own food/meat in the past and I continue to do so today, I care about every animal I own and I have nothing but respect for them. My animals are all treated very well, that's the whole point of raising your own meat and knowing that they're quality animals.
This. And in addition, I work daily in animal rescue and with animals on the ranch. But apparently I don't care about animals if I acknowledge that we all have our own places in the ecosystem and my job is to make sure they have the best possible life from birth to death (including the occasional beer and back rub) on their way to fulfilling theirs.
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