Page 7 | To be sick of people thinking vegetarian eat fish

Dearaugust · 2025-01-20T13:52:48+00:00

Also, people who eat fish but not meat calling themselves vegetarian! When people find out I’m vegetarian, a lot of people ask me if I eat fish. If I ate fish, then I wouldn’t be vegetarian! It wasn’t a big deal really, but an incident has happened recently where I was choosing a meal for a wedding and there was only meat options and a “none of these due to dietary preferences” option. So I ticked that. The person then contacted DH (it’s his friend who is getting married) and he explained I’m vegetarian. A few days later she said not to worry, they have sorted a fish meal for me. So he’s now had to go back to her again saying I don’t eat fish. What a faff! I honestly thought it was common knowledge that vegetarians don’t eat fish. But apparently not because i get asked it a lot.

OhcantthInkofaname · 20/01/2025 18:15

I'm mostly pescatarian. I constantly get asked if that means I eat only certain vegetables!!!

ErrolTheDragon · 20/01/2025 18:15

@TempestTost - but the OP was complaining about being told she'd be getting fish when she'd asked for vegetarian at a wedding.

ErrolTheDragon · 20/01/2025 18:12

Plants don't have brains though. So how are they sentient? You can't have cognitive behaviour without a brain.

Sentient isn't the same thing as cognitive ability/consciousness, it's having senses. It's probably as widely misused as 'vegetarian' but perhaps a matter for Pedants' Corner.

ThatGreatMember · 20/01/2025 18:11

Cynic17 · 20/01/2025 14:18

Well, I have friends who say they're vegetarian who do eat fish, so what do you want me to do? It's a simple question, easily answered, and then everyone is happy and moves on. Not a big deal.

Tell them they are idiots?

TempestTost · 20/01/2025 18:09

ErrolTheDragon · 20/01/2025 17:53

Wouldn't you be at all bothered if you turned up at an event and couldn't eat the meal even though you'd been asked about dietary requirements and correctly provided it?

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Well yes, that could be annoying, though I wouldn't really expect it at a commercial place, that seems exceedingly unlikely, and it seems like it's probably uncommon even among social events.

Of course exceedingly unlikely things like this happen but IMO aren't worth worrying about outside of the moment.

Greyish2025 · 20/01/2025 18:08

Nameychangington · 20/01/2025 18:04

Plants don't have brains though. So how are they sentient? You can't have cognitive behaviour without a brain.

As soon as parsnips start wandering around/ mooing, I'll stop eating them.

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I think there are researchers out there that would argue that plants are sentient though

littleburn · 20/01/2025 18:05

Housewife2010 · 20/01/2025 17:11

If a pescetarian doesn't want to describe themselves as such, why don't they just say that they don't eat meat?

I often say 'I don't eat meat, but fish is fine'. However many people assume that means I'm a vegetarian!

Nameychangington · 20/01/2025 18:04

Greyish2025 · 20/01/2025 17:58

Thanks for the reply but….

Several researchers argue that plants might be sentient. They do so on the grounds that plants exhibit cognitive behaviour similar to that of sentient organisms and that they possess a vascular system which is functionally equivalent to the animal nervous system

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Plants don't have brains though. So how are they sentient? You can't have cognitive behaviour without a brain.

As soon as parsnips start wandering around/ mooing, I'll stop eating them.

StripyShirt · 20/01/2025 18:03

Jk987 · 20/01/2025 14:10

I don't think labels are needed. Eat whatever you choose. You can be mostly vegan but have an egg sandwich now and then if you want.

I'm with you re labels in general, but sometimes it's a useful shorthand.

ZiaMcnab · 20/01/2025 18:03

Greyish2025 · 20/01/2025 17:58

Thanks for the reply but….

Several researchers argue that plants might be sentient. They do so on the grounds that plants exhibit cognitive behaviour similar to that of sentient organisms and that they possess a vascular system which is functionally equivalent to the animal nervous system

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Plants don't have a central nervous system, though, which makes them a completely different type of organism than animals.

This argument against vegetarianism from omnivores is so boring and based on such bad faith. Assuming you eat cows, pigs etc @Greyish2025 would you eat a dog? If not, why not?

StripyShirt · 20/01/2025 18:01

Most people don't know or care.

I'm vegan and never expect people to know anything, unless they are in the catering trade.

The 'fish eating vegetarians' don't help either - the dietary equivalent of those non smokers that used to smoke S*lk Cut 😃

Greyish2025 · 20/01/2025 17:58

Nameychangington · 20/01/2025 17:53

They're not sentient.

Though fruitarians believe that potatoes scream when pulled out of the ground, like that plant in Harry Potter, and only eat things the plant has freely given - like apples that have fallen on the ground. For obvious reasons, fruitarianism isn't recommended.

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Thanks for the reply but….

Several researchers argue that plants might be sentient. They do so on the grounds that plants exhibit cognitive behaviour similar to that of sentient organisms and that they possess a vascular system which is functionally equivalent to the animal nervous system

SometimesCalmPerson · 20/01/2025 17:57

canipetthatdawggg · 20/01/2025 17:48

What do you think we're doing to the cats? 😲

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Feeding them meat probably.

nam3c4ang3 · 20/01/2025 17:57

Most of my vegetarian friends eat fish 😂 - it’s so weird because they’re not vegetarians if they eat fish.

ILikeBiscuits · 20/01/2025 17:55

@Oreosareawful wrote I was just vegetarian until I was pregnant with my first child and the midwife was concerned I wasn't getting enough protein. She asked me to try some fish for the sake of me and my child as I'm not keen on pulses/tofu/beans which would be the protein substitute otherwise.

I think you should eat whatever you like.

If the protein substitutes would have been pulses/tofu/beans doesn’t that mean you were fundamentally vegan? Vegetarians can eat eggs and most cheeses (not the Parmesan which is made with animal rennet), all good sources of protein. Those, with nuts, are this vegetarian’s main sources of protein, as pulses and beans result in digestive turmoil. 😢

whatisforteamum · 20/01/2025 17:53

I was a vegetarian for 40 plus yrs now I say flexitarian.
I swing to whatever food I like and no discussion to be had.
Saves anyone worrying if I ate a marshmallow with pork gelatine in it.

ErrolTheDragon · 20/01/2025 17:53

TempestTost · 20/01/2025 17:46

I voted YABU.

It's not that you are wrong, but it's just not worth getting bothered by.

Wouldn't you be at all bothered if you turned up at an event and couldn't eat the meal even though you'd been asked about dietary requirements and correctly provided it?

Nameychangington · 20/01/2025 17:53

Greyish2025 · 20/01/2025 17:50

Why though? They are living things aswell?

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They're not sentient.

Though fruitarians believe that potatoes scream when pulled out of the ground, like that plant in Harry Potter, and only eat things the plant has freely given - like apples that have fallen on the ground. For obvious reasons, fruitarianism isn't recommended.

Greyish2025 · 20/01/2025 17:50

Nameychangington · 20/01/2025 17:47

You want fruitarians. Veggies and vegans don't give a shit about the senseless cruelty of slaughtering carrots and apples.

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Why though? They are living things aswell?

canipetthatdawggg · 20/01/2025 17:48

Flossflower · 20/01/2025 17:42

I am also fed up with people who call themselves vegetarian and keep cats.

What do you think we're doing to the cats? 😲

Nameychangington · 20/01/2025 17:47

Greyish2025 · 20/01/2025 17:43

How would you respond on the ever growing issue regarding cruelty to vegetables and the barbaric way in which they are savagely plucked from the earth and brutally slaughtered for the consumption of humans

Are there any vegetarians on here willing or able to comment on this?

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You want fruitarians. Veggies and vegans don't give a shit about the senseless cruelty of slaughtering carrots and apples.

TempestTost · 20/01/2025 17:46

I voted YABU.

It's not that you are wrong, but it's just not worth getting bothered by.

Yellowbananasarebetterthangreen · 20/01/2025 17:46

Ive been veggie for 30+ years and get asked this a lot "do you eat fish?" Well no...... I dont because Im veggie "Well my friend eats fish and she is veggie" Well she isnt a vegetarian then is she. She eats fish.

Its baffling but its been a regular occurrence for the whole time Ive been veggie - even in recent years with the wider knowledge and number of people becoming vegan.

Nameychangington · 20/01/2025 17:45

Flossflower · 20/01/2025 17:42

I am also fed up with people who call themselves vegetarian and keep cats.

Are they eating the cats?? If not, they're still vegetarians. What the cats eat is immaterial - I'm a vegetarian but keep meat eating children, does that make me not a vegetarian?

Some people on this thread have confusing ideas about what makes a vegetarian. It's just someone who doesn't eat bits of animals.

Greyish2025 · 20/01/2025 17:43

SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius · 20/01/2025 17:38

I don’t think it is the actual vegetarians who have caused this problem, though, @Greyish2025 - it’s the pescatarians fault, because they are incorrectly calling themselves vegetarians.

And the posters who have replied to you are correct to say that there are no vegetarians who eat fish - there are people who say they are vegetarians, but are not vegetarians, because fish is not a vegetable.

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How would you respond on the ever growing issue regarding cruelty to vegetables and the barbaric way in which they are savagely plucked from the earth and brutally slaughtered for the consumption of humans

Are there any vegetarians on here willing or able to comment on this?