Top 50: Comments from non-vegans

[ellaminnowpea]

I constantly get asked if I'm "allowed" to eat this or that.

I can... physically. I can eat anything I want, but I won't. It's because I don't WANT to!! :satisfied:

[sugarmouse]

I can... physically. I can eat anything I want, but I won't. It's because I don't WANT to!! :satisfied:

I get that allt time aswell lol
'Can you eat this?!'
I usually say 'Yes, I can eat owt I put in me gob and swallow':rolleyes:

[Hemlock]

Oh yeah those avocado abbatiors are notorious for abuse...

Seriously....they're doing halal avacado now:smile:

[violet7]

hello! i'm new here and i love this forum!:)
i have to laugh at comments in this topic every time i look at them=P but people really say these things... haha =D

[sugarmouse]

'People wont stop eating animals just 'cause you dont':undecided: that ones graced my presence couple tmes recently

[Agatha]

i was sort of dating a boy for about three weeks there who told me (in a nicer turn of phrase) veganism was pointless cos i alone couldn't change the world. pffffff. well that didn't last long! bloody omnivores!

and today i had a conversation with a colleague who is *convinced* vegans aren't allowed to breastfeed. what??? where do thee myths come from?! where is the LOGIC in that idea? huh!

[violet7]

i was sort of dating a boy for about three weeks there who told me (in a nicer turn of phrase) veganism was pointless cos i alone couldn't change the world. pffffff. well that didn't last long! bloody omnivores!

and today i had a conversation with a colleague who is *convinced* vegans aren't allowed to breastfeed. what??? where do thee myths come from?! where is the LOGIC in that idea? huh!

...they are just stupid, selfish and live in their world in which nothing else is important... there is no other explanation:dizzy:.

[Edeline]

The life of a human is more precious than the life of an animal - the animals I eat aren’t important for me!

A conversation me and my partner (MrW) had last night:

MrW: I'm cooking some chicken. Do you want some?
Me: No, I'm a vegan now, remember? I don't eat chicken.
MrW: Don't be so stupid. Why won't you eat chicken?
Me: Because it's an animal, and I don't want to contribute to another creature's suffering.
MrW: For goodness sake, it's a chicken! Who cares if it suffered?! It's just an animal!

What do you say to something like that? I mean, how can you argue for the vegan cause when the person that you are arguing with knows the facts about animal abuse, about the pain and suffering that goes into every portion of meat that he eats, but simply doesn't care??? :(

[sugarmouse]

like that? I mean, how can you argue for the vegan cause when the person that you are arguing with knows the facts about animal abuse, about the pain and suffering that goes into every portion of meat that he eats, but simply [I]doesn't care??? :(

Most folk think like that IMO:(
It helsp me to think badly of them. But obviously when this person is soclose to you it is so much more difficult.
I would try to talk to him about it..express and try to understand why he feels such aw ay and get a proper conversation going.Either he will see your point of view, or he wont care.

[harpy]

MrW: For goodness sake, it's a chicken! Who cares if it suffered?! It's just an animal!

What do you say to something like that? I mean, how can you argue for the vegan cause when the person that you are arguing with knows the facts about animal abuse, about the pain and suffering that goes into every portion of meat that he eats, but simply doesn't care??? :(

Would he care if it was a cat or a dog suffering? If so then you could ask why he regards a hen so differently.

Of course, you don't have to argue the point at all. He doesn't sound much like a potential convert at the moment, but he may come around later.

[Haniska]

I wonder what cases qualify for his sympathy. English speaking?

[puffin]

Most folk think like that IMO:(
It helsp me to think badly of them. But obviously when this person is soclose to you it is so much more difficult.



I have to agree, i have heard this so many times, most people couldn't give a crap or pretend to and then dont do anything about it. It must be difficult being with someone with that kind of attitude but if you were a omni when you met then it is a lot harder to say anything.

[rxseeeyse]

okay dunno the answer about plants and feeling...I checked it out google, and some say plants feel some say they dont...they just feel in a different way than human.

[Maître]

Nevermind.

[Bearshark]

My boyfriend seems to have a number of these comments on the go at any time!! He's painfully contradictory, "I'd love to become vegan but it's too hard because theres too much to have to watch out for, I love animals and I hate the way they are treated for us but I just love the taste of meat, I wouldn't be able to stop eating it! I feel that eating meat is wrong but it raises too many ethical issues for me. Don't you just miss eating this?" (While eating kfc chicken off the bone with his fingers dripping with grease).
How on earth do you respond to that?! Lol

[kikifromscotland]

"How do you expect to ever get married?" This struck me as a rather odd question, so I asked her exactly what she meant. Apparently, she saw my lifestyle as so extreme that there would be no way that I could find a girl that would ever put up with it.

Yes there are people who think like that, including a bunch of my boyfriend's colleagues (whom I've never met) who told him to dump me after he told them I'd gone vegan. Apparently they were experts on me and our relationship, despite having never met me and only knowing my bf a few months, and were able to see that my veganism made me so weird and difficult that I was clearly an unsuitable girlfriend for anyone. This actually made me upset which is stupid, my bf told me this as if it was a joke and is clearly not planning to take their advice, but having people I have never even met being so against me based on the fact that I try to live my life with compassion really makes everything feel a bit hopeless. Even though he said it was just a joke, I hate that he works with the kind of people who find that funny.

[colleengirl95]

My friend actually told me that I'm killing innocent plants. Well i understand why'd she say that... she just wants to tease me again.

[Cricket24]

I recently visited my aunt in NYC and she started getting rather impatient and frustrated that I couldn't find vegan bread in the tiny corner shop. She eventually just said, "what would happen if you had a little bit of dairy? Would you shrivel up and die?" I was very disappointed in her for saying that. Especially since that whole side of the family is very into animal rights, etc. She had even just told me that she was pretty much vegetarian because she didn't eat much meat. But in the five days we were there, she ate meat at least two or three times.

When we found a vegan restaurant, she kept saying how she didn't like vegan food because it was gray/colorless. Then when we were waiting for my take-home box of leftovers, she kept calling it "slop." All in all, I felt like she was rather insensitive. I can understand that *she* might think that I went a little far in becoming vegan, or that she might not personally like the food, but she didn't have to verbalize it every time I ate something. I'm sure she was trying to be funny, but it wasn't, and it was unnecessary.

When people find out about my eating habits, they usually say, "I could never give up meat, it's too tasty!" That response annoys me, but it's not something I feel the need to defend myself against. It's the responses like, "if you want to ride your bike everywhere, you need protein, so you should eat meat." I don't want to sound preachy, so I usually just politely disagree and change the subject. (Or I'm not confident enough if my ability to remember facts and figures to back me up.) Then later I regret not throwing out some facts to correct some of their misconceptions. Eh. The people closest to me generally let me be, so that's good. I'm sure some vegetarians/vegans have it worse.

I'm thankful that my parents are understanding (or just don't care) and that my boyfriend is vegetarian (90% vegan). It's also useful that I attend a college with a vegetarian co-op (with vegan options) so I get a variety of food. If I had to rely on the dining hall, I'd be eating white rice and pasta every day. I never eat there, but I still have to pay for the meal plan.

I like coming to this forum for reassurance that there are healthy, proud, and intelligent people who feel the same way I do. Sorry for the lengthy post...

[Kimberlily1983]

I recently visited my aunt in NYC and she started getting rather impatient and frustrated that I couldn't find vegan bread in the tiny corner shop. She eventually just said, "what would happen if you had a little bit of dairy? Would you shrivel up and die?" I was very disappointed in her for saying that. Especially since that whole side of the family is very into animal rights, etc. She had even just told me that she was pretty much vegetarian because she didn't eat much meat. But in the five days we were there, she ate meat at least two or three times.

When we found a vegan restaurant, she kept saying how she didn't like vegan food because it was gray/colorless. Then when we were waiting for my take-home box of leftovers, she kept calling it "slop." All in all, I felt like she was rather insensitive. I can understand that *she* might think that I went a little far in becoming vegan, or that she might not personally like the food, but she didn't have to verbalize it every time I ate something. I'm sure she was trying to be funny, but it wasn't, and it was unnecessary.

When people find out about my eating habits, they usually say, "I could never give up meat, it's too tasty!" That response annoys me, but it's not something I feel the need to defend myself against. It's the responses like, "if you want to ride your bike everywhere, you need protein, so you should eat meat." I don't want to sound preachy, so I usually just politely disagree and change the subject. (Or I'm not confident enough if my ability to remember facts and figures to back me up.) Then later I regret not throwing out some facts to correct some of their misconceptions. Eh. The people closest to me generally let me be, so that's good. I'm sure some vegetarians/vegans have it worse.

I'm thankful that my parents are understanding (or just don't care) and that my boyfriend is vegetarian (90% vegan). It's also useful that I attend a college with a vegetarian co-op (with vegan options) so I get a variety of food. If I had to rely on the dining hall, I'd be eating white rice and pasta every day. I never eat there, but I still have to pay for the meal plan.

I like coming to this forum for reassurance that there are healthy, proud, and intelligent people who feel the same way I do. Sorry for the lengthy post...

Yes, it's frustrating. In my experience, most people have not been too bad. There does seem to be increasing awareness that people are getting less ignorant on these matters, are catching up to the nutritional science behind plant-based diets. It's a slow process, though, unfortunately...

It's so strange that she thinks your food is gray. I would have said it's closer to the opposite: meat is red or brownish or beige, and boring until you put vegetables, fruits, etc. (in other words, vegan food!) on top, beside it. I'm in a Facebook recipe group with some family members, and all of their food pictures and recipes are pretty close to useless for me, as they're all meat-centered. I'm pretty much only in it to post my own recipes and hopefully inspire them to try new things. I mention this because a lot of their meals are relatively blah looking next to mine (hope I'm not sounding TOO arrogant here, haha): lots of muted colors: no greens, yellows, reds, oranges, etc. Most of my meals tend to be very colorful, which is of course because it's all plant-based. :)

It sucks that your aunt was so insensitive... I hope she learns from your example, sees how much healthier this change makes you, etc. :) And ugh, I hear you, I do wish people would call themselves what they are: it would be okay if she called herself a semi-vegetarian, I think. And people who eat fish are not vegetarian! But oh, well, I suppose it shows that people want to associate themselves with plant-based diets more, as opposed to rejecting them outright.

I've found that all the reading I've been doing has helped me a bit in remembering things I can say when people make claims about protein, etc. I've been rereading my book Becoming Vegetarian by Vesanto Melina and Brenda Davis, which covers - and emphasizes, actually - vegan nutrition. Not saying I can handle these perfectly, either (and who says we should have to? We're not dietitians, just regular people educating ourselves!), but I do find it helps. :)

[RhegHimself]

One of the most common responses that i get is "i would go Veggie/Vegan but i dont have the will power" which is pretty sad, But its fun to reverse it and ask them questions about their diet, like do they know whats in their medicines/cosmetics/wines ans sweets etc?

[earthling]

I've heard many of those responses, and in particular have had the following:

"Isn't being a vegan really hard work?" (accompanied by pitying look)
"I don't eat much meat." (usually a lie)
"I couldn't live without cheese/[insert animal product here]!" (so, if production of this product stopped for any reason, you'd kill yourself? Really?)
"Animal rights? But whatever next? Where do you draw the line?!" (as though I was advocating for giving rocks the right to vote)
"But plants feel pain! Bet you hadn't thought of that had you?" (actually people have been saying this to me since I was ten years old)
"I really love vegan food" (good, good) "but I just like having the choice to eat meat." (d'oh - because vegans hate choice apparently)
"I think humans are more important than animals." (humans ARE animals)
"If there was a human being and a dog trapped in a burning building, who would you save first?" (sigh)
"Not everyone can go vegan." (that's as maybe but CAN YOU?)
"I can't cook." (umm, tried learning?)
"But I don't like beans/nuts/[insert vegan food of choice here]." (as though this particular food is the only thing that vegans eat)
"Vegan food is so expensive." (no it isn't!)
"Vegans are elitist." (as opposed to people who think other species of beings exist purely for their pleasure?)
"Meat is tasty!" (so?)
"Why do you hate humans so much?" (I don't, but I'm starting to hate YOU... :D)
"But I eat vegetables as well as meat." (oh I'm sorry, pardon me, that's wonderfully balanced and reasonable of you...)
"The meat I eat has come from happy animals who were killed humanely." (orly? How would YOU like to be humanely killed?)
"Animals are resources for us to use." (no smart answer for this one, it's just... maddening)
"How dare you lower humans to the status of animals!" (I'm not, I'm *raising* the status of... oh never mind)

I could go on... :rolleyes:

[rainbow]

The psychology of all this fascinates me. Although most of these comments seem like an attack on vegans, they are actually a form of self-defence, designed to rationalise one's own behaviour and defend choices which, if scrutinised, might be deemed unacceptable. We all need to believe that we are good, reasonable people in order to maintain self-esteem and live with ourselves every day. The reality behind animal products is so sickeningly cruel that many people simply cannot cope with the knowledge that they are in any way responsible for such atrocities. Denial, irrational justification, logical fallacies and, in some cases, aggressive rejection of the alternatives (as if to present meat consumption as a necessary evil) are all just expressions of cognitive dissonance, and the need to believe that their behaviour is acceptable, even in the face of contradictory evidence.
So one of the main differences between a meat eater and a vegan is the ability to use information as a driver for change, rather than retreating into the more psychologically comforting world of denial. If only meat-eaters realised how liberating it is to accept the truth, use it as a force for good and then live life with a clean conscience! But perhaps they think it is easier just to block it out of their minds. I just wish that the consequences of their denial were not so devastating.

[earthling]

I think you're right rainbow, and of course the meat eater has the comfort of knowing that he/she is 'normal' by our society's current standards, and that most other people think/behave as they do. In fact I think that most people simply don't question the values they were brought up with, so if veganism were the norm, those same people who are so hostile to us right now would probably be arguing *for* it.

Stanley Millgram, a psychologist, did a famous experiment in the 50s or 60s where he had his subjects give other people electric shocks on command. The shocks weren't real, of course, but the subjects didn't know this, and for authenticity there were actors on the other end screaming in 'pain', which the subjects could hear. Millgram found that astonishingly, most people gave more and more painful shocks to their 'victims', even up to near fatal level, even when they could hear the screaming, simply because they had been told to do so by an authority figure. This is somewhat chilling but shows the extent to which human beings do as they're told even when the thing they're doing is clearly cruel. No doubt Millgram's subjects saw themselves as nice people.

Add to this the fact that our society continually gives the message to people that eating meat is fine, natural and okay... and it's no wonder most people eat it, and see nothing wrong with it. The angry responses I think partly come from fear of having someone question 'normal' society and practices.

[Cricket24]

I was talking to an acquaintance and I found that he had developed a (hereditary?) heart condition that can be brought about by/worsened by a lot of caffeine. Since this guy lives on Mountain Dew, it was no surprise. When I as trying to gently suggest that he alter his eating habits, and maybe he would feel better, he said that food wouldn't make a difference, that it was only caffeine, and his doctor only told him "no caffeine" until his surgery. (Since when is that a reason to keep doing stupid things? Just because it might not be the cause of your biggest problem at the moment doesn't mean it's not still a problem!)

Then he made some remark along the lines of, "yeah, well everything is bad for you depending on who you're talking to. Half the things we use every day cause cancer in California!"

I forgot to mention that this is the same guy who, after reading a behind-the-meat-scenes-type book required for his college class, stopped eating meat because he felt bad for the way the animals were treated, but he ate it sometimes, and then he said he only ate organic. I'm pretty sure he just eats whatever now, and washes it down with a 2L of Mountain Dew. It's sad to see the sympathy wasted.

I used to be friends with him, but his attitude just got too annoying for me to want to deal with.

[RhegHimself]

Its hard to have sympathy when its self inflicted.