Why do so many people criticise vegans?

[trunch]

I'm a meat eater!

However, I don't understand why people criticise vegans so much.

They aren't hurting me and are trying to save animals and the environment.

What's wrong with that?

Surely people should be more critical of me because animals are killed for me to eat?

I'm a little confused... do wine drinkers think they are superior than those who drink vodka and coke?? I mean yeah there's people who will tell you there's notes of oak etc but in general I don't think wine drinkers consider themselves superior alcohol consumers.
I also said SOME - I know plenty of vegan who don't have a superiority complex and plenty of other people in other walks of life who do. But this thread was about veganism - not which group of people do you find most annoying in the world.

I once got 'your not one of those vegans are you?' when literally all I'd done was order the parsnip soup. The amount of people with a chip on their shoulder about it is actually nuts.

The whole time I was trying to go vegan I had people telling me I needed to eat meat, continually offering it and even putting it on my plate like 'just eat a little'.
It was genuinely exhausting. Glad to be off the wagon in some ways just so as not to have to listen to people banging on about what they think I should eat.

I've never however, ever, been told by a veggie or a vegan in a restaurant or anywhere, that I need to stop eating meat or dairy, had them roll their eyes when I order something they don't like or been treated to a conversation about my choices that I didn't wish to engage in. Ever. And I have a fair few veggie friends and at least one vegan. I've found they appreciate it when I'm trying but no way would they ever do the shit the 'meat fanatics' do.

The ironic 'how do you know if someone is vegan...' line, is funny because you can count on someone to say it - and thats THEM bringing up the topic in order to start bitching at you.

Surely apple phones are vegan? 😁

They aren't, though. Why do you profess to be vegan, if you're not? Vegans don't use tech.

It is "Because you WANT to"? Is there a little foot stamp in there too? You have a phone because you want one and you can't cope without one. Picking and choosing which elements of being vegan suit you, rather than which ones are actually vegan.

Ridiculous.

It's been multiple people. Many of them.

I was vegetarian for twenty years before I became disabled and had to start eating meat. I don't recall ever taking any interest in what other people chose to eat. It's weird.

What an odd comment.

So any vegan who uses a phone isn't a vegan?

By that reasoning vegans would all have to live in a hut in the woods made of firewood and eat berries.

Vegan is the ideology ideal of minimising harm and death to animals - where possible. Unfortunately, using a phone is a necessity for many people. For their jobs etc.

Some vegans might be better at it than others but it doesn't mean people who use phones aren't vegan xD

So, as I said. Picking and choosing what elements they choose to because they don't want to give them up, while at the same time, being all sanctimonious and abusing disabled people for needing animal products to stay alive. Again, ridiculous.

Vegans drink water too! Don’t they know that’s a fish’s home?!

Because of the definition of veganism, which in case your memory is short, I gave to you earlier in the thread above?

"Veganism is a philosophy and way of living which seeks to exclude—as far as is possible and practicable—all forms of exploitation of, and cruelty to, animals for food, clothing or any other purpose; and by extension, promotes the development and use of animal-free alternatives for the benefit of animals, humans and the environment. In dietary terms it denotes the practice of dispensing with all products derived wholly or partly from animals."

Again, as I said upthread, the key words being "as far as is POSSIBLE and PRACTICABLE".

It is entirely impractical for a vegan not to have a phone these days, therefore they still meet the official definition of veganism.

Pick and choose?! Vegans can’t just opt out of society. All they/we can do is make reasonable adjustments to optional parts of life, whilst still having to participate in modern society, meanwhile being criticised by people unwilling to make those same adjustments themselves (where possible)

As for some people needing animal products, veganism has no issue with that. See the vegan definition in a previous post or on the vegan society website. Ideally people who don’t need to eat meat wouldn’t, so that those who do can do so with minimal harm to animals and the environment. I’m sorry you encountered some horrible vegans. But some people are just horrible.

It's not sanctimonious to want to do right by animals. It's a nice thing. I'm sorry if some weirdos 'abused' you for not being vegan because you aren't able to, but thats going to be a very small percentage of oddballs. It's like blaming Muslims for terrorism. You get nutters everywhere.

You're choosing to ignore the comments I made earlier about your accusation of ableism. I"m sorry that you experienced the ableist comments, but they do not reflect either the definition of veganism (as provided to you earlier) or the views of the majority of vegans. You just happened to meet some idiots.

Poss wine drinking not a good comparison as both being vegan and cycling are good for the planet

I mean if the vegans ate their phones... then maybe you have a point @Mikiamo 😂

Because most of them are self righteous knobs who like to virtue signal and act superior and criticise to hell any and all meat eaters like we are the devil himself. They aren’t doing it because they care about animals they are doing it because it’s the in thing at the minute and it makes them feel like they are better than everyone else. They are the vegan equivalent of the Bible bashers that stand on the street shouting at people about Jesus. Someone people like to use anything as a stick to beat people with because they aren’t doing the same thing before too long they will all find something else to act high and mighty about.

I’m convinced that the more someone hates vegans the fewer they actually know in real life.

and @macaroniandcheeze the more they are likely to be one of those types that likes to start on vegans, completely unprovoked, giving them abuse.

How many times have you actually experienced what you've described?

Sorry but it's bullshit. I've never met a vegan like you describe. I mean im sure they exist but they're not representative of all vegans. I've seen vegan activist take things too far but that's not the same thing.

It's you that's being a zealot to be so judgey of people who are, largely, simply trying to do right by animals. It's you thats prejudiced.

You sound rather angry, perhaps too much red meat...

What is ridiculous is putting forward perfect as the enemy of good. Anyone who participates in modern society, and most of us don't have a choice, will struggle to live a 100% vegan lifestyle. Why would you sneer at people who are managing 90%? Even 50%, with a few vegan days a week is better than none at all, so why would you want to scrutinise people for failure, rather than acknowledge their success? Seems rather mean spirited to me.

Well said @5128gap

Reading back through the thread, the some of the comments and hatred towards vegans reminds me of the frothing at mouth types that frequent the comments section of the Daily Mail.

Being vegan is not a measure of success in any way, shape or form to me. I couldn't care less what people choose to put in their mouths. Not eating animals doesn't make a person any better than anyone else. If most vegans weren't ableist, they wouldn't even be on my radar.

The majority vegans aren't ableist. Yet again you ignored my posts pointing out to you the official definition of veganism, provided twice above.

Seems like you have some deeply ingrained prejudice here. Tarring all vegans with the same brush based on the behaviour of one or two random twats.

Vegans are not all exactly the same. There are people of all types, opinions and different views. We are not a homogenous mass.

You wouldn't judge a race of people based on the behaviour of a couple. So why are you happy to do it to vegans? Prejudice?

But you seem determined to ignore the facts, and spout this prejudiced nonsense.

No, but some people have different values from you. I believe that a vegan lifestyle is healthier, better for the environment and for animal welfare. So for me, every step I and other people can take closer to that is a success. If a person decides to have three vegan days a week I would be applauding that, not belittling them because its not seven days a week. I don't understand the ableist comment I'm afraid. I've not heard any ableism associated with veganism.

I wonder if the answer to the OP is mostly due to misconceptions then?