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 vegan, I'm raising my children vegan also. DH isn't. I don't tell anyone how to live their lives, I just do what I feel is right. Even though I have very strong views about eating meat or products from an animal, I believe if most thought it would make a genuine difference they would stop consuming animal products, as the majority love animals regardless whether they eat them or not. Were also conditioned to believe that the only way we can get protein/b12/iron/calcium ect is through animals.

'Sanctimonious' - that's the word I was looking for..

In my experience people who are genuinely comfortable eating meat are not the ones who have an issue with vegans though.
Same as drinkers v teetotallers. Drinkers who are comfortable with their own drinking habits don’t give a shit what anyone else drinks 😆. The ones who deep down know they have a problem, they tend to be the ones with a lot to say to teetotallers!

You also have to admit some meat eaters are up their own holes, like the ones going on the vegan board to make comments about bacon sandwiches or the ones I’ve described who called me preachy for ordering a vegan meal. Some people are just cunts.

This moral superiority thing is precisely why people get annoyed.
Human beings evolved to eat meat and fish and its far easier to eat a nutritionally complete diet when including meat and fish.
Its absolutely fine for you to choose not to eat animal products, and its also fine for other people to want to eat them.
You aren't a better person for it, and they aren't a worse person, you are each just making different choices based on your own lives, circumstances, and preferences.

Of course not. But I am answering the question about why people object to vegans being vegans. It’s easy to understand why someone would dislike a vandal, whatever their diet 🤷‍♀️.

It’s interesting that you say much of the farmed animal suffering isn’t true in the UK. Where have you got this information from?

ALL of the footage in LAND OF HOPE AND GLORY is filmed in the UK. I’ll see if I can find link.

@00psInamechangedagain Agreed. The largest study of its kind, carried out by Oxford University says going vegan is the single biggest thing any individual can do to help the environment.

https://www.countryliving.com/uk/create/food-and-drink/a21018712/meat-dairy-impact-environment-study/

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/jul/20/vegan-diet-cuts-environmental-damage-climate-heating-emissions-study

Because some of them are pretty preachy and annoying. I know 2 who always ask me how I feel if I order a meat main. If I feel bad for animals. Etc.

Impossible to get b12 ? You know mushrooms have b12 in and nutritional yeast is high in b12 right? Also, since going vegan 7 years ago, my calcium and iron levels have shot up into the healthy range.

Here is the link..animal farming filmed in the UK.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7214598/

I think it's because deep down they know that you can not reconcile loving animals and treating them the way that we treat them. And I think most people do love animals they just have cognitive dissonance when it comes to meat, and vegans kind of hold a mirror up to that. I think it's really because they feel shame.

Because they are a pain in the posterior.

I go for a coffee with my vegan friend.

I say flat white and a toasted tea cake please. Done.

To the hapless 16 year old with a Saturday job she says what plant milks have you got and what's that cake made from and can I read the label and can you check this and that with the chef.

I'm back at the table and finished mine before she arrives. I used to wait with her but my coffee went cold.

While numerous studies highlight the environmental benefits of vegan diets, several criticisms and considerations have been raised:

Resource-Intensive Plant-Based Foods: Certain vegan staples, such as almond milk, have been criticized for their substantial environmental footprints. Almond cultivation requires significant water resources, leading to concerns about water scarcity in regions where they are grown. Additionally, the production of some processed vegan alternatives can involve considerable energy and resource inputs, potentially diminishing their environmental advantages.
The Times

Nutritional and Environmental Trade-offs: Research from Loma Linda University suggests that the environmental benefits of vegetarian and vegan diets heavily depend on the specific foods included. For instance, replacing beef with a larger quantity of dairy may result in minimal environmental benefit. Similarly, consuming out-of-season fruits or vegetables cultivated in energy-intensive greenhouses could offset anticipated reductions in greenhouse gas emissions.
Wikipedia

Critiques of Environmental Impact Estimates: The documentary Cowspiracy has been criticized for asserting that animal agriculture is the primary source of greenhouse gas emissions. Critics argue that such claims may overestimate the sector's impact, with some studies indicating that livestock contribute approximately 15% of global greenhouse gas emissions, rather than the higher percentages sometimes cited.
Wikipedia

Potential Misinterpretation of Data: Some analyses suggest that adopting a vegetarian or "healthy" diet could inadvertently increase environmental impacts due to the resources required to produce certain plant-based foods. For example, a study from Carnegie Mellon University found that diets emphasizing fruits, vegetables, dairy, and seafood could lead to higher energy consumption, water use, and greenhouse gas emissions compared to diets with lower quantities of these foods.
Wikipedia

But I don’t feel shame or guilt. I don’t love animals. They’re good for entertainment and food and company, and that’s what we breed them for. I think it’s perfectly okay to kill animals in order to eat them. I don’t believe that domesticated animals have complex emotions or are capable of reason.

I don’t want vegans to come and tell me I should feel differently because it’s tedious and boring to listen to when I have no intention of changing my mind. Just as I feel the same way about people trying to convince me to take up any lifestyle or religion I’ve no interest in.

They'll probably get to 8 minutes and say it is staged, even though the filming is over many areas in the UK. What a fucking hard watch that was. I don't know why I watched it because I'd been vegan for years 😭.

What would you say about someone who had a nut allergy and wanted to check ingredients? Or to a muslim who wanted to check it was Halal? Or to a Hindu who didn't eat meat?

Would they be a "pain in the posterior" as well?

Yes @Bollocksmorelike - you are on to something there I think. My DH and DC still ate meat and dairy whilst I was vegan but never really made a big deal about it. Both DC have had periods of being veggie when they were younger. I do think people are often more flexible these days and not so obsessed with eating meat every day. My family were fairly open minded and we still eat a variety of vegan dishes that I cook.

@roota - yes that may be true but as I said a vegan diet isn't possible for everyone. It is not as black and white as some vegans suggest. I think this is what is irritating to many people. Life for many of us is more complicated and we don't make our choices in a vacuum. If you want to be vegan, and it suits you then crack on. But please also acknowledge the fact that others don't (for whatever reason).

The amount of people on this thread proving their genuine unprovoked disdain for vegans and veggies is mad.

Which is the attitude that makes people dislike vegans

As the saying goes ....
" How do you know someone's vegan? "
"Oh don't worry they'll tell you".

They may not have complex emotions or be capable of reasoning, but let me tell you that mammals do have very similar central nervous systems. They have nociceptors and can therefore feel noxious stimuli. That is a fact!

I kimd of admire vegans for their commitment, wonder if some of them manage to achieve a balanced diet

I respect their choice but would like a little more appreciation / respect that I've catered a separate meal for them when I'm hosting. It's extra work and shouldn't be taken for granted IMHO

@Kenway01 for starters, here's the data on environmental impact of all milks, including almond, the evidence speaks for itself.

not that I would promote almond above oat milk, for example. But compared to dairy the evidence is clear.