Very nasty "Trick"

Limerick91

As a person who loves meat, I find that a very cruel trick.

Like other people have said these people would not be considered friends in my book

I wonder how these people would treat somebody who was coeliac at a dinner party

Getwellsoon

That's awful Especially that they ALL sat there and said nothing. I really couldn't do that, just sit there and watch someone do something so cruel. The people who sat by and knew about it are as bad as the person who did it. The worst part is the whole disrespecting you and your beliefs. I wouldn't mind if someone added dairy to a meal they'd made and didn't realise it, even though I actually feel sick after having milk/cheese, I wouldn't hold it against someone if it was an accident, but playing a cruel trick like this is so SO bad.

cocoa

Do vegetarianism and/or veganism fall under 'beliefs'? I mean, is it just 'belief that xyz is wrong'? Thought that was a bit weird, would've classed it a life choice myself but anywho...

I'd try to avoid being friends with anyone who finds pleasure in making / forcing / tricking others into doing things they do not want to do, for any reason. If they can't find pleasure in something positive then I can't find motivation to associate with them...

Whispered

It is a life choice. The reason the choice is made is because of one belief or another. Like most life choices really.

OP, I hope your friend is ok. I'd be very very upset, both because of the eating meat thing, but I don't know how I would react if my "friends" treated me like that. It's so cruel.

henryporter

One very drunken/jelly legs night someone convinced me that some hot dog stand was vegetarian....and I was starving... and I ate it Was so sick and sickened.

I did exactly the same thing when I was a young lad, just starting out on my vegetarian quest - cured me rightly off meat of any kind ever again.

On the original point, I think it's one of the most despicable things ever done - get rid of those friends and surround yourself with like-minded individuals.

You could also invite the culprits around for one last laxitive laden supper:eek:

ztoical

cocoa wrote: »

Do vegetarianism and/or veganism fall under 'beliefs'? I mean, is it just 'belief that xyz is wrong'? Thought that was a bit weird, would've classed it a life choice myself but anywho...

People's reasons for being vegetarian/vegan are very varied, it's not one group like some people like to see it. People can be vegetarian due to religious beliefs, health reasons, their own personal ethics etc etc Not everyone is vegetarian/vegan because of a belief that xyz is wrong. Saying something is a life choice as different to a belief is a very blurred line IMO, I would see someones choice of religion being a lifestyle choice and no different.

Slaphead07

cocoa wrote: »

Do vegetarianism and/or veganism fall under 'beliefs'? ....... Thought that was a bit weird, would've classed it a life choice myself but anywho......

helena.ryan wrote: »

It is a life choice. The reason the choice is made is because of one belief or another. Like most life choices really.

I don't see it at as a 'life choice' at all. I couldn't eat meat even if I did want to. The phrase "life choice" (or worse again "lifestyle choice") reduces what is a deeply held ethical conviction to something like a fashion accessory.

Whispered

I think for me anyway it is a life choice. I mean, at one stage I chose to stop eating meat. I chose to stop eating it because of very deep seated beliefs. Almost every aspect of my life points me towards a vegetarian diet. From my spiritual beliefs, to how I spend my free time. The fact that I chose to stop, doesn't for me make it any less of an ethical conviction.

I know what you mean about how it sounds, it does sound like it reduces the reasons, but it is, for most, a choice they make in their lives for whatever reason. Be that ethical, spiritual, cultural or the more teenage "fashionable" reasons. But for me personally, the choice to stop eating meat, was a choice.

cocoa

Slaphead07 wrote: »

I don't see it at as a 'life choice' at all. I couldn't eat meat even if I did want to. The phrase "life choice" (or worse again "lifestyle choice") reduces what is a deeply held ethical conviction to something like a fashion accessory.

I'd disagree. While it may be (due to) a deeply held ethical conviction for some, the definition of vegetarianism does not include the motivations for it. A vegetarian simply doesn't eat meat, for whatever reason, whether they want to or not, whether they love or hate animals, whether they follow this code of ethics, or that one.

I've seen people get insulted at people for thinking because a person is / does one thing, they think or do another thing. To say that all vegetarians or vegans have a certain belief or conviction seems similar to me.

smegmar

how many of them were there involved in this trick.

because I know a few very angry veggies that would be happy to pay them a visit on your behalf. I'm sure most of the posters in the thread would come too. we could force feed them anything you can think of.

sweet-rasmus

Joking is fun and all, but boards.ie does not promote violence. You have all been warned.

Slaphead07

cocoa wrote: »

...the definition of vegetarianism does not include the motivations for it.

What definition is this again? I missed that memo.

cocoa wrote: »

...To say that all vegetarians or vegans have a certain belief or conviction seems similar to me.

who said that?

cocoa

Slaphead07 wrote: »

What definition is this again? I missed that memo.

Fair point, I have been labouring under the assumption that a vegetarian is a person who does not eat meat. A definition which I did not look up previously, but, after a quick web search (not reliable evidence, I know, but when they all agree...) it seems to be about right...

Slaphead07 wrote: »

who said that?

Ok, upon re-reading it seems I've made some unfair assumptions and we have some fundamental differences of opinion, which is fine.

Slaphead07 wrote: »

I don't see it at as a 'life choice' at all. I couldn't eat meat even if I did want to. The phrase "life choice" (or worse again "lifestyle choice") reduces what is a deeply held ethical conviction to something like a fashion accessory.

Here, it seems I mistakenly read "I don't see it as a 'life choice'" (for me?) as "I don't see it as a 'life choice'" (for anyone). For this I apologise. I would still be of the opinion that vegetarianism, i.e., 'not eating meat', is a choice. It could have any reason, from a personal code of ethics, to wanting to be cool, to wanting to be healthy, to simply disliking meat, to anything else you can think of. I would say that no matter how deep or shallow the reasons, the choice is still just a choice and nothing more as a result of its motivation. But that's just my opinion and I apologise if I came across as argumentative or disagreeable. I also apologise for jumping to conclusions and misunderstanding things =(

tatli_lokma

I would suggest that your friend 'pretend' all is now well, and that they overreacted. as a gesture to show no hard feelings lets all meet up for a drink? I'll even get the first round in!

Cue vast quantities of eye drops in their drinky poos (pun intended!)! stay long enough to see them swally it down, then tell them all what you had just done and wished them a pleasant evening in the bog with a ring of fire! Then leave them to it!
that would be my plan anyway.

Actually just to even things out a bit, I would possibly video them running to the loo on my phone and youtube it (making sure you give us the link!). I'm sure we could even arrange for several boardsies to be present to laugh and giggle along at the moment of revelation, just to make sure they got the message!:p

Enjoy your drinky 'poos'!

Certi Layla!!

O my god that is outlandish behaviour, my jaw nearly hit the floor when i read that. TBH the other friends seem like psycho's like who does that?? terrible act. revenge is called on here, she/he should do something to degrade there believes and i bet they wouldnt think it was half as funny. i think the ones that went along with it are as bad as the person who done it. you should back the vegan friend here if theyd do it to her theyl do it 2 u:eek:

Crumble Froo

for the 'lifestyle choice' thing... don't forget the people who actually aren't able to eat meat (without suffering life threatening consequences). if someone'd done this to my lil sister, they coulda triggered an asthma attack.

Magenta

I have no experience of being vegetarian (I browse this forum because I find you all an interesting bunch!) but I have similar experience with my friends.

I am terrified of needles/blood/etc and have passed out several times in the past over seeing, hearing about, or experiencing, needles/cuts/etc.
My friends think it's hilarious to talk about disgusting things in front of me and it doesn't matter how many times I ask them to stop, they'll keep talking about it.
They put on Trainspotting once without telling me it's about an IV drug user.
I had the same experience with some co workers in an office once, I had to leave the room because I was starting to feel weak. They insisted on talking about needles. I should have let myself pass out and then sued the bastards but my fear of passing out (and perhaps banging my head) is almost as bad as my fear of needles/blood!

I know it's not the exact same issue as what you had OP but I do understand completely how inconsiderate people can be.

ButterflyGirl23

What is the update of this Rondolfus? Have they apologiesed? Has she talked to them since?
I have to say I got an awful fright when I read that story. I just couldn't believe that "friends" could be capable of such a cruel thing.

Elliemental

Rondolfus wrote: »

A friend of mine held a dinner party recently. Thankfully I couldn't attend. Anyway another friend of mine (who is vegan) did attend and had a very cruel trick played on her. The host thought it would be hilarious to "slip" meat product into what he said was a vegan friendly dish...

Apparently most of the other guests knew what was happening and stayed quiet until after the meal was eaten. Everybody had a great laugh at my vegans friends expense, who not surprisingly stormed out.

I am extremely angry with the people involved. People who I thought were good friends but now Im not so sure.

Has anyone else had this experience???

Surley this is highly unusual???

This is such a petty, cruel thing to do to someone, but unfortunatly, I can`t say that I`m surprised.
There seems to be a lot of open hostility towards vegetarianism/veganism out there these days. I think a lot of meat eaters feel, in some way, threatened by veggies. I don`t know if anyone else has noticed this?

Thoushaltnot

Crumble Froo wrote: »

for the 'lifestyle choice' thing... don't forget the people who actually aren't able to eat meat (without suffering life threatening consequences). if someone'd done this to my lil sister, they coulda triggered an asthma attack.

Hope you don't mind me asking but what's your sister's problem with meat? PM me if you prefer.

starbelgrade

Elliemental wrote: »

This is such a petty, cruel thing to do to someone, but unfortunatly, I can`t say that I`m surprised.
There seems to be a lot of open hostility towards vegetarianism/veganism out there these days. I think a lot of meat eaters feel, in some way, threatened by veggies. I don`t know if anyone else has noticed this?

I'm a meat eater - I don't see any reason at all why meat eaters would be threatened by veggies... that seems an absurd comment to make. Each to their own.

As for the "trick" played, posted by the OP - that would seem to counteract my argument, but even as a meat eater, I find it terrible that someone would have such disrespect.

I'm neither veggie, nor religious, but I would never knock someone for how they choose to live their lives (and I'm NOT equating vegetarianism / veganism to religion in any shape of form!!).

Elliemental

Threatened was a strong word, but sometimes I think meat eaters feel that vegetarians are going to lay some sort of guilt trip on them, and they want to get in first. (Maybe a lot of carnivores think all of us vegetarians are like Paul McCartney, or something).

starbelgrade

Elliemental wrote: »

(Maybe a lot of carnivores think all of us vegetarians are like Paul McCartney, or something).

Does vegetarianism make you play bass better?!!!

You might have a point though - as I said, I do eat meat, but I do also eat a lot of vegetarian meals. I had a few people round for dinner a couple of months ago & cooked a leek pie... one of them said that they didn't know that I was vegetarian. When I pointed out that I wasn't, another guest asked me, why then I hadn't cooked any meat?

Baffling. Then they were strangely surprised that they actually really enjoyed the food.

???

ztoical

Elliemental wrote: »

Maybe a lot of carnivores .

Am I the only one who dislikes the use of word carnivore? How many people out there really live on a diet of 100% meat/animal product? Most people who post here claiming to be carnivores are omnivores....someone might not eat alot of veggies/fruits but I seriously doubt so many are living on a diet of just meat and nothing but.

Rondolfus

ButterflyGirl23 wrote: »

What is the update of this Rondolfus? Have they apologiesed? Has she talked to them since?
I have to say I got an awful fright when I read that story. I just couldn't believe that "friends" could be capable of such a cruel thing.

Well as you can imagine it caused a big split in the group. The people involved in the prank apologised and bought the victim €500 voucher to bring her friends out for dinner and drinks at a vegan-friendly restaurant. I think its called "Juice". Anyway, she accepted the apology. Im not sure if she should have but she's more forgiving than me. She said they were all pretty drunk when it happened and didn't understand the seriousness of what they were doing.

TBH I doubt they'd do anything like that again. How many here would forgive them?

ButterflyGirl23

Rondolfus wrote: »

Well as you can imagine it caused a big split in the group. The people involved in the prank apologised and bought the victim €500 voucher to bring her friends out for dinner and drinks at a vegan-friendly restaurant. I think its called "Juice". Anyway, she accepted the apology. Im not sure if she should have but she's more forgiving than me. She said they were all pretty drunk when it happened and didn't understand the seriousness of what they were doing.

TBH I doubt they'd do anything like that again. How many here would forgive them?

Thanks for posting the update for this. I'm glad to hear that they did apologise and got her a present. Hopefully for their sakes they have realised how wrong they were and won't do it again.

I don't know if I would have forgiven them. I guess it would depend on how close I was too them. If I really felt that they were sorry and remorseful about it I probably would forgive them so that I could move on from it.

Elliemental

ztoical wrote: »

Am I the only one who dislikes the use of word carnivore? How many people out there really live on a diet of 100% meat/animal product? Most people who post here claiming to be carnivores are omnivores....someone might not eat alot of veggies/fruits but I seriously doubt so many are living on a diet of just meat and nothing but.

I do apologise for my laziness, I just didn`t want to keep referring to "meat-eaters".

starbelgrade wrote: »

Does vegetarianism make you play bass better?!!!

Ha! Ha! You must admit, sometimes McCartney`s vegetarianism can be a little overbearing at times. He even feeds his dogs a vegetarian diet, or something silly like that.

starbelgrade

Elliemental wrote: »

Ha! Ha! You must admit, sometimes McCartney`s vegetarianism can be a little overbearing at times. He even feeds his dogs a vegetarian diet, or something silly like that.

I'm surprised his dog doesn't eat him.

maameeo

wow i can not believe friends could do this to another friend!
im shocked!
iv had people say it to me as a joke before but i never seriously believe a friend would do it!
i would be very angry, it was totally disrespectful.
i actually feel sick at the thoughts of it, i probly would have got sick when i found out if it wer me

sorry it happened to your friend OP

ztoical

Elliemental wrote: »

I do apologise for my laziness, I just didn`t want to keep referring to "meat-eaters".

Sorry Elliemental, it's was meant more as a general comment and not aimed at yourself.