Respect for non-vegetarians?

Macha

Hello people,

I have a general question to ask.

I have a vegetarian/bordering on vegan boyfriend. Whenever we cook meals together, they are always vegetarian and sometimes vegan. I never even question that. But sometimes when we go out for dinner or Im not eating with him, I eat chicken or fish (dont eat other types of meat). Every time this happens, I get a huge lecture, which invariably turns into an argument. :mad:

I was wondering if you respect people who aren't vegetarian/vegan, or do you constantly try to make them see the "error of their ways"?

Plastic Scouser

taconnol wrote:

sometimes when we go out for dinner or Im not eating with him, I eat chicken or fish (dont eat other types of meat). Every time this happens, I get a huge lecture, which invariably turns into an argument. :mad:

I actually think that's a horrible thing to do and I would never lecture my friends or family about them eating meat.

I am a vegi and live with my boyfriend (who does not think a meal is a meal unless half of the plate is made up of meat!), yet I would never lecture him on what he should eat or expect him to change.

I wouldn't put up with it if I were you!

Peanut

taconnol wrote:

I was wondering if you respect people who aren't vegetarian/vegan, or do you constantly try to make them see the "error of their ways"?

Only if they start doing the same...

hamsterboy

That's crazy. That guy is practically forcing his beliefs down that girl's throat. I'm a vegan and can happily go out for a meal with friends and not give a s**te what they order. Not eating animal products is a personal choice, not something you should be shamed into doing. I don't agree with animal products but surely you have to consider that other people know what they're eating!

Tar.Aldarion

I respect them, if I didn't, I wouldn't be friends with them. I have never said a word about me being a vegetarian unless somebody has asked me a direct question. It's personal and is a decision for people to make on their own.
I will not guilt trip my friends even though I know I could, it's just wrong.

Hugh Hefner

To be honest, I'm usually to busy trying to get people to respect me, to care about making them see, "...the error of their ways." And if I wasn't, I still wouldn't.

Calina

taconnol wrote:

Hello people,

I have a general question to ask.

I have a vegetarian/bordering on vegan boyfriend. Whenever we cook meals together, they are always vegetarian and sometimes vegan. I never even question that. But sometimes when we go out for dinner or Im not eating with him, I eat chicken or fish (dont eat other types of meat). Every time this happens, I get a huge lecture, which invariably turns into an argument. :mad:

I was wondering if you respect people who aren't vegetarian/vegan, or do you constantly try to make them see the "error of their ways"?

If I may just comment (not a vegetarian/vegan myself)...this sounds more like control freakery than anything else.

desertheat

the only meat I eat is chicken, fish, & turkey.. I wouldn't touch red meat at all

pisslips

I'd eat a person if I had to. But I do see the moral conundrom.I mean imagine farming clones of people the way we do pigs.Anywho, your boyfriend is a closed-minded jerky.Sounds like he isn't tolerant and is self-centred.Anywho, I eat my fair share of red-meat(I don't see how it's worse than white-meat other than the cholesterol) but I like the taste,texture and I need the protein.I'm o.k. with the morals as i see it as a natural thing but the farming side of things is slightly disturbing. I mean Imagine if an animal were higher on the food chain(i.e. cleverer humans), imagine if they farmed all of us like pigs and lined us up in single foil to get killed.Animals aren't rational i gues but some do show some forms of intellagense.But then the fox eats the hare.

Nature Boy

Very good pisslips. Guess that settles it guys, we should all eat meat again.

Shabadu

Nature Boy, if you don't have anything to say apart from slightly flamey sarcasm, don't say it.

JaneHudson

This might be going off the point a bit but I find it really disgusting if someone is eating fish at the same table as me. I just think the smell and the slimey texture of the fish itself is nauseating. I also know some non-vegetarians who feel the same way. I would prefer to have someone smoking at my table than eating fish.
Being a vegetarian you can't go round preaching either. I just try and sit at the other end of the table or go somewhere else. You can't change people by nagging them and you will only come out looking like a crank.

Nature Boy

Shabadu wrote:

Nature Boy, if you don't have anything to say apart from slightly flamey sarcasm, don't say it.

Sorry guys. The only excuse I can give is that i'm pretty new to vegetarianism and i'm new to this forum. I just need to get used to what's not ok to say in the vegetarian world. Pisslips knows what (s)he is talking about and his/her post was valid but I suppose it's just part of my nature to be sarcastic.

I'll refrain from any lightheartedness/humour/wit/sarcasm on this forum in future.

Macha

Ok thanks guys,

phew, makes me feel better - I think ill show him this thread.hee hee

Shabadu

Nature Boy wrote:

Sorry guys. The only excuse I can give is that i'm pretty new to vegetarianism and i'm new to this forum. I just need to get used to what's not ok to say in the vegetarian world. Pisslips knows what (s)he is talking about and his/her post was valid but I suppose it's just part of my nature to be sarcastic.

I'll refrain from any lightheartedness/humour/wit/sarcasm on this forum in future.

Hey, I have no problem if ye all want to have a laugh or a bit of light teasing, I just don't want anyone's feelings hurt. Does that sound really mammyish? About the sarcasm, if someone is coming in posting 'all vegetarians are ****ing stupid' etc, you can feel free to let them have it with both barrells, just make sure you report their post too.

brianthebard

desertheat wrote:

the only meat I eat is chicken, fish, & turkey.. I wouldn't touch red meat at all

Why not?

shroomfox

I was wondering if you respect people who aren't vegetarian/vegan, or do you constantly try to make them see the "error of their ways"?

No. To the second one.

Every time this happens, I get a huge lecture, which invariably turns into an argument.

Introduce me. I shall take this fellow on a whirlwind adventure through time where he will learn the error of his ways.

And if he doesn't, I'll poke him until he gives up. Nothing like a good poke to win an argument.

I find it interesting that you believe that a person would be a hypocrite for feeding their dog animal derived petfood, but at the same time is an intolerant wanker when they don't want to accept a GF that eats animals.Even though the dog or cat is a natural carnivore unlike the GF.

Generally I expect people to not judge me for being a veggie and so offer that respect in return, when it comes to the people i love, I let them know of my opinions generally, and then leave them to make up their minds..
The only time that will be different is when I have kids, because it is my duty to decide what values they follow in their early life until the are capable of making their own decision.

Shabadu

I find it interesting that you believe that a person would be a hypocrite for feeding their dog animal derived petfood, but at the same time is an intolerant wanker when they don't want to accept a GF that eats animals.Even though the dog or cat is a natural carnivore unlike the GF.

Humans choose to keep pets, and choose what to feed them. A human chooses what to feed themselves. You can't tell your partner what to eat, you can tell your pet. Also, humans were not designed as vegetarians, but as omnivores. That said, if some choose to live as a vegetarian, they can quite easily nowadays. Personal choice.

http://www.goveg.com/naturalhumandiet_physiology.asp here is an interesting biological comparison of herbivores,omnivore and carnivore.As you can see human anatomy suggests a natural herbivore, but for the purpose of this topic lets agree that at the least humans are omnivores,which means that they can survive and devolp perfectly well on a veg based diet as a meat one.
A cat is a natural carnivore, they weren't designed to survive on plants.
And just because you decide you own them and so they have to follow your rules does not mean that they agree!
And no matter how much you try and turn your cat in a veggie, it isn't going to stop little fluffy bringing you half its prey to show you how much it loves you.

Dogs have less complex nutritional needs and dogs raised on a veggie diet are much less aggressive and have greater health and longevity according to studies.

Sorry shabadhu and taconnel I got you to confuddled!

pisslips

desertheat wrote:

the only meat I eat is chicken, fish, & turkey.. I wouldn't touch red meat at all

http://davepics.com/Album/2003/12-18.Hawaii_HILX/Dolphin.jpg

The other white meat.

Catsmokinpot

Moonbaby wrote:

http://www.goveg.com/naturalhumandiet_physiology.asp here is an interesting biological comparison of herbivores,omnivore and carnivore.As you can see human anatomy suggests a natural herbivore, but for the purpose of this topic lets agree that at the least humans are omnivores,which means that they can survive and devolp perfectly well on a veg based diet as a meat one.
A cat is a natural carnivore, they weren't designed to survive on plants.
And just because you decide you own them and so they have to follow your rules does not mean that they agree!
And no matter how much you try and turn your cat in a veggie, it isn't going to stop little fluffy bringing you half its prey to show you how much it loves you.

Dogs have less complex nutritional needs and dogs raised on a veggie diet are much less aggressive and have greater health and longevity according to studies.

man im a vegetarian but i have to say i dont agree with ya, what that is there is vegy propaganda, for the right reasons but its wrong.

some studies show that eating meat actually contributed to the evolution of our brains and our intelligence.

http://www.beyondveg.com/billings-t/comp-anat/comp-anat-6a.shtml
this link here suggests that the model vegetarians use to compare humans with "true" meat eaters is flawed, have a good read.

im not vegy because we were supposed to be vegys, im a vegy because of what the meat industry its become. i dont believe for one second that we aren't omnivorous, thats a stupid idea.

i dont just believe this because of an internet webpage either, my mate studies human physiology + evolution in college

shroomfox

Moonbaby's page is a PETA-run website. Here is a simple rule for life:

Don't believe anything PETA say.

I'm veggie, but those guys are crazy Veggie-fascists who give vegetarianism and animal rights movements a bad name. There are some truths on that page, but there are far more reliable (and less biased) sources you can go to for answers.

Macha

shroomfox wrote:

Moonbaby's page is a PETA-run website. Here is a simple rule for life:

Don't believe anything PETA say.

I'm veggie, but those guys are crazy Veggie-fascists who give vegetarianism and animal rights movements a bad name. There are some truths on that page, but there are far more reliable (and less biased) sources you can go to for answers.

For example, shroomfox?

What makes you think they're fascist (genuine question)?

Tar.Aldarion

A quick google will show that they are bastards. Going up to children and calling their parents murderers etc. Sure I agree with their general principles but nobody has a right to put their beliefs on somebody else( although this happens all the time) and especially in that despicable way. The same beliefs that make them vegetarian should stop them from being terrorists, it's what stops me.
It takes away from what they say that is actually true. They have no credability and I feel sorry for the decent members.

Catsmokinpot

agreed. most of em are little hitlers

Samos

Likewise, I try to avoid any association with political and interest lobby groups, who tarnish the validity of my views by their actions. It's a shame that the extremism of a few people can discredit the genuine principles of so many others...