To hate the - why can people not manage without meat for a day?

[jennymanara]

I have a vegan friend who is a bit extreme about it, also have several vegan friends who are not. But this one friend pushes for everything to be meat free. Barbecues together, meals at someone's house, weekends away. Her favourite saying around this is that she can not understand how on earth people can't manage not to have one day, or one meal, or one weekend without meat. My answer is always that the occasion is supposed to be fun, and that means people eating what they want to eat. She always says it is pretty sad if people can not have fun without eating a dead animal.

Blimey- I missed the “making them cry or puke” line. If I didn't know better, I might be tempted to think that all omnivores are arseholes. Then I remembered that people are arseholes regardless of dietary preference. So some vegans are arseholes, some omnivores are. Nothing to do with what they eat. Despite appearances to the contrary on this and other recent threads.

And sometimes a vegan that's being an arsehole will meet an omnivore that has no qualms about turning around and giving it straight back.

And that's when the fight started. . .

Of course we can manage, in the same way that a non-meat eater could manage with just a can of peas. But most of us don't want to just manage. We want to eat something we like. I like meat and will not go meat free because I don't like veggie food. A BBQ, holiday, meal out etc is not going to be enjoyable if the food is crap. So what would be the point in going? Veggies/vegan people don't get to monopolise and force others to not enjoy their food because of their beliefs.

How can anyone say they don’t like vegetarian food? Do they eat meat for every meal every day?

I eat carrots, peas, sweet corn, potatoes. There are no other vegetables I can eat. I cannot eat beans/pulses. I'm allergic to soy, nuts, mushrooms, and quorn. So actually, I can very easily say I don't like veggie food. I always look at veggie options on menus/in recipe books and have never found something I like (unless it's a jacket potato with cheese).

I like most fruits though. Does that count as liking veggie food?

I like non-meat based food. I also like meat based food. I eat what I like of each, at each meal of each day. Simple, really.

I think that when participating in a conversation about veganism in real life, I'm very careful of other people's feelings. However I am honest and upfront and will back all of my assertions up with evidence if requested.

I think it’s quite important to remember that the people I’m interacting with online are humans with feelings, and that my words may have an impact, just like in real life. And it is also important to me to examine my motivation for posting. Am I trying to influence another, or to make myself feel good?

The ‘chewing dead flesh’ users are clearly in the latter basket. Which, fine, if that’s how they get their entertainment. I think less of them as they clearly actually don’t give a shit about animals or the environment, or they’d be trying to influence instead.

I am open about caring more about humans than animals, taken as a whole, though I care about both. I think radically reducing the amount and type of meat eaten in society is important, though I am fallible and am not vegetarian myself, though I have reduced my household’s meat consumption a lot. I work hard to influence others to do the same. I get pissed off when stupid emotive language hardens people into entrenched positions and their aversion to reducing meat consumption becomes about the people who have called them and their eating inflammatory names.

And I do think being exact about language is important. Otherwise you have failed the ‘honest’ test.

I have vegetarian and vegan friends, along with other friends who have food allergies or other dietary restrictions. We all get along just fine. I have occasionally encountered vegans who are self-righteous twats and that's when I'll bring out the colonialism/exploitation/other science stuff and school the silly sods not to start a fight they can't finish.
My superpower is the ability to upset people quite badly with a smile on my face, but don't worry, I use it wisely...

Veganism isn't a belief - it's a choice to avoid harming/using animals for our own gain/pleasure etc. It is a response to facts, there is no belief required.

As I said before it is upsetting to see people you like and otherwise find to be nice, normal people engaging in animal abuse for the sake of a sausage. Therefore it's sometimes nice for events to be vegan only so you don't have to spend the whole event trying not to be sick/ re-evaluating all your friendships whilst trying to have a good time.

No vegan on this thread has used more inflammatory language than others talking about how they are off to marinate a bit of animal. And calling vegan food 'rabbit food' lol.

And no, I wouldn't be 'cool' with it being a live animal, but I'm not cool with you having paid someone to rear them and slaughter them either.

@ReanimatedSGB complete nonsense - maybe these 'silly sods' let you think you win as you sound like it would upset you to think otherwise

@Boshmama well, you are as entitled to your worldview as any other tedious virtue-signaller, MLM hunbot, evangelist-for-your-imaginary-friend or ranting Brexiteer. But if you insist on trying to make every social event about you and your Big Thing, despite the fact that other people have heard it all before and still think you are a twat, and have no interest in buying what you are selling, you can't complain if people simply stop socialising with you.

No vegan on this thread has used more inflammatory language than others talking about how they are off to marinate a bit of animal.

Those chops were bloody delicious.

OP has said that there are vegan events where it's vegan only. If you seriously cannot deal with people who eat meat who you find nice until they have the temerity to eat meat around you, then you really need to do the other thing, don't you?

And personally, I really don't give a crap about what you're cool with or not. I really, really, don't care. I won't shame you for not eating meat, I will not be rude about you not eating meat, I will in fact profoundly respect your reasons for not eating meat, right up until the point you are rude, sanctimonious, and attempt to influence me into not eating meat.

@reanimatedsgb you sound like you have a superiority complex.

@reanimatedsgb you sound like you have a superiority complex.

Have you ever heard the saying 'physician, heal thyself?'

And no, I wouldn't be 'cool' with it being a live animal, but I'm not cool with you having paid someone to rear them and slaughter them either.

As I’ve said, that’s fine. You don’t like people eating meat. Cool.

But I assume you don’t talk about people eating ‘dead animals’,except to make yourself feel good/them bad?

@mbosnz did you read their comment? But thank you so much for your insight.

Yes, I did. And you're very welcome.

I don't have a superiority complex, kids. I am superior to most people. It must be all that lovely juicy tasty meat I eat...

So, what did you have for tea tonight Reanimated? Always looking for new ideas. . .

@ReanimatedSGB you remind me of my best friend.

I think there are a lot of people who seem to be over invested in what people eat.

If someone goes on and on about you eating meat it is not because they are vegan it is because they are a bore.

Just like if you are vegan and people constantly ask you how you live without bacon

I just had a BBQ this afternoon and served meat for everyone else and a vegan option for me. My friend baked a beautiful cherry pie and because there was butter in the pastry I didn't eat it. Most of my friends eat meat and I have never once commented on it and neither have I had anything but interested questions from my friends. If someone invites us over, I offer to bring something for me. I wouldn't expect the meal to be vegan.

It is depressing that this is the third thread in 3 days where people are complaining about vegans. The vast majority of us are nice normal people

@BertrandRussell

Good to see you again

I am anti the 'we should all be vegan' idea. My view is because:

• Even if you are obsessive about the exact content of your diet, B vitamins still need supplementing. Most people could not be that obsessive. I treated a young vegan woman who had beocme severely vitb12 deficient whilst at uni and suffered spinal cord damage which was permanent. Wheelchair for life which is so so sad.
• You can be perfectly healthy on a vegetarian diet. Veganism is not a magic key to a physiological utopia.
• I'm not convinced that veganism is the answer to saving the planet. I'm allfor people cutting back on meat/fish, reducing food miles, reducing packaging, recycling etc, but you don't need to be vegan to do any of this.
• Ditto choices around clothes etc relating to working conditions
• Strict diets of any type in young people significsntly increase the risk of eating disorders.

Sensible balanced diet - veggie or reduced meat/fish cooked healthily, lots of exercise, not smoking, minimise alcohol will be the best way forward i think.

Actually, tonight's tea was fried halloumi, couscous and roasted Mediterranean veg. Because DS is having a vegetarian phase again.

I won't shame you for not eating meat, I will not be rude about you not eating meat, I will in fact profoundly respect your reasons for not eating meat, right up until the point you are rude, sanctimonious, and attempt to influence me into not eating meat

How on earth could not eating meat (and thereby not killing any animals) be shameful? That's what I really don't understand - all these people saying I don't judge vegans for not eating meat so they shouldn't judge me. It's not the same - if it was dogs we were talking about the people who were saying eat and BBQ them would be called all kinds of names and definitely 'shamed'

Anyway - all I was saying is that I see the OPs friend's point. And no, I don't say 'dead animals' to make myself feel better - it's just how I view meat.