Am I a hypocrite?
So here's the story... where I work, there are alot of hunters and we always seem to end up in what I would consider friendly debates about animal rights and vegetarianism. But there is this one specific guy who will not stop baiting me and always trys to criticize me. He calls me a hypocrite and says I have no right to talk about vegetarianism/veganism. This is why. Last year when I first started out vegan, I was doing alright, but slipped and ate meat a couple of times. I have now been a complete vegan for over 7 months. Now, I am not the one who is always bringing up the subject, but when asked questions about why I am a vegan, I answer that I feel strongly about not harming animals. The only problem is that this guy keeps saying that I am a hypocrite because I slipped last year. I told him that we are all human and just because I was weak for a moment doesn't make me a hypocrite, but he insists that I am and that I have no right to even talk about it. Is he right? Can I really advocate something if at one point I couldn't stick to it myself?
He is 100% wrong. Let's do an analogy.
Suppose you used to be a smoker. You attempted to quit a year ago but struggled. Now you have been free from cigarettes for 7 months. Are you a hypocrite if you say that smoking is a bad idea? According to him, yes. Since when are we eternally held accountable for things we did a year ago? Almost all vegans were, at some point, not vegan. Because the culture we live in is not vegan.
That's a very poor attempt at debate on his part. My response to him would be that, "This is so important to me that I didn't let one or two slip-ups stop me. Now I don't even have to try--veganism is so natural and easy to me."
You would be a hypocrite if you called yourself vegan but still allowed yourself to consume animal products. You've stop doing that. Your actions are now consistent with your beliefs. I have a sneaking suspicion that deep down, his aren't, which is why he is turning outward and attacking you.
If he keeps baiting you, just tell him that he knows your stance and you are not really interested in discussing it anymore. It's your choice, not his. He can do what he wants, but you're vegan anyway!
Thanks KMK, This guy is really bugging me, and sadly I am not a very good debater and always feel stupid with nothing to say. Maybe I should run all of his stupid ideas by you and then give him your answers!LOL. Oh bythe way, the idiot actually says that vegetarians are the ones ruining the rain forrest because of all the soy fields...um yah ok.
Thanks KMK, This guy is really bugging me, and sadly I am not a very good debater and always feel stupid with nothing to say. Maybe I should run all of his stupid ideas by you and then give him your answers!LOL. Oh bythe way, the idiot actually says that vegetarians are the ones ruining the rain forrest because of all the soy fields...um yah ok.
:-D
yep, KMK's analogy seems pretty right-on for this situation. and it surely sounds like he's not entirely secure in his own beliefs/actions, so he's probably taking it out on you because he sees you as an "easy target."
Heck, I think a lot of us had a similar transitional period when we first made the decision to stop eating animals...I know that I skirted around vegetarianism for a good many years (and especially a few months near the end) before actually giving up meat; it was just my circumstances that enabled/encouraged me to still "cave in" to eating meat while I was trying to give it up. Veganism was the same for me, too...SO many times did I give in to a group pizza night just to suffer the intestinal upset that would come from eating cheese, then to suffer the self-imposed guilt of having done that after telling myself that I'm "so serious about veganism this time..."
again, to reiterate KMK's comment--just make it known that you stand solid with your beliefs now, and his snide remarks will not deter you from sticking to them.
Hypocrisy is the act of preaching a certain belief or way of life, but not, in fact, holding these same virtues oneself. (wikipedia)
Several months ago you waffled in your beliefs and ate a bit of meat. I would concede that perhaps that could be viewed as hypocritical behavior at that time, but that time has past. For a brief moment, you wavered in your convictions, but not any more. You are only hypocrite if you continue to preach one thing and practice another.
It sounds like this guy is an opinionated jerk that likes to rock people's boats. Tell him that if he'd like to engage you in a friendly debate over this topic in the future, he'll have to extract his head from his ass first.
http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/aa276/46rebbel/butthead.jpg
tell him he's a jackass either way. even if you did eat meat occasionally now, you're still upholding your beliefs and helping the environment/animals. every bit helps. what's he doing? i hate it when omnis try to be the vegan police.
and yes, growing soy is a reason for brazilian rainforest deforestation, but so is coffee and sugar in other places in south america. oh, and cattle ranching accounts for about 60%-70% of the deforestation (according to some websites and such), so soy is the lesser of at least 2 evils.
Are you kidding me? This guy is ridiculous! Everyone else who commented has basically spoken my points as well, but I just thought it was worth mentioning that no, you're not a hypocrite. Forget the few times you slipped up when you first started out and focus on the 7 incredible months you've been meat free. You're a vegan now, tried and true!
When my mom converted to vegetarianism, she slipped up and ate meat once at Applebee's. I knew that she was in the process of converting, so I didn't think of her as being a hypocrite at all. I simply though of her as TRYING to make it from point A to point B, which she's at now.
Making a lifestyle change doesn't happen overnight, which this jerk obviously doesn't know. Buy him a tape recorder for Christmas. When he asks what it's for, tell him it's so he can listen to himself talk all he wants because that's apparently the only reason he opens his mouth and tries to start a conversation he's already worn out.
and yes, growing soy is a reason for brazilian rainforest deforestation, but so is coffee and sugar in other places in south america. oh, and cattle ranching accounts for about 60%-70% of the deforestation (according to some websites and such), so soy is the lesser of at least 2 evils.
Not to mention that most of that soy is being grown to feed the cattle.
This guy is the kind of asshat (see Storm's graphic illustration) who would fault a cow for not having the long neck of a giraffe.
We're all on our own paths, and you have nothing to explain or justify to anyone else on the planet. Does this man feel he has to justify himself to you? Thought not.
Disraeli said it best: Never complain, never explain.
Not to mention that most of that soy is being grown to feed the cattle.
Yah, that's what I said! Thanks everyone for the positive responses, i don't feel so bad now. :)
Oh, and on a funny note, I did kinda get him back today because as usual he was trying to irritate me, and started talking about how we are doing all the deer a favor by shooting them, because isn't it nicer to shoot them before they get run over by cars? I mean if we didn't kill them there would be an over population! I was like ok then , let me go get my gun, cuz I think I should shoot you in the head before you get into a car accident or something...just trying to be nice ;)
Good comeback! ;)b I wish I was that quick-witted. I never have good comebacks. His comment reminds me of that Southpark episode where the hunter says "if we don't shoot them, they will die" ::)