What do you say when people ask...
I went veg about two weeks ago and at work here people know that I used to be omni. So they often ask why I went veg. When it comes down to it I am not sure why I started, I just started because it seemed like a good idea and something new and interesting to try, but I stay with it because of the environment and for the animals...and because the www.vegweb recipes are so delicious.
But I can't tell people that I am veg to help the environment and to help stop animal cruelty, they will think I am a little crazy especially sines the general population believes (wrongly I think) that "food animals" are treated humanely. So when I say that I want to help end animal cruelty they will argue with me.
So I just say that I started out of curiosity, for something new to try and I stick with it because it makes me feel better. But what do you all say?
I just state the trifecta - health, ethics, and the environment. Maybe I'm just lucky enough to where most of the people I talk to don't question whether or not the animals are treated cruelly (or maybe they just don't want to ask).
"because it suits me."
I've never been asked why so I've never had to explain. I likely wouldn't explain anyway, my stock answer to what I consider to be nosy or irrelevant questions is "because it seemed like the thing to do at the time". :)
It's not that I don't like it when people ask me WHY I do what I do, but I do sometimes find it to be a bit awkward. Like I don't go up to a meat eater and say "Hey, sooo why do you eat meat?" It's just a choice and I think it's great that people are interested as to my reasons, but what I don't like is that after I tell them, they have to make a joke about it, or ask me in this order "So you don't eat meat...but do you eat chicken....what about fish...how about bacon...really...what about burgers?" It's like NOOOO I don't eat any of that, ahhhhh, hehe. But I usually say health, ethical, and environment as well, sometimes it depends on who im talking to, I may just keep it short and say health or something like that, so they get off my case.
"because it suits me."
That is a great one! Non-confrontational, but also explaining at the same time! I think I'll use that one too--not that I don't love to have animal rights fights with people but it gets old after awhile!
Also, Nutdragon--I love your icon! I giggle every time I see that kitty, what is his/her name??
"Life's too short to make others shorter."
Well, you might say something like what I said when I first went veg about a year ago:
I told ppl that I started off in the hopes that it would be healthier for me, and while reading up on proper vegetarian nutrition and recipe ideas, I came across a great deal of information about the conditions of farm animals and workers...as well as how disgusting and cruel the factory farms in America are for both the animals being slaughtered and the people who work there. You can say that after you really took a good look into what the meat industry is really like, you didn't want to be a part of that process anymore.
Now I also add that after being veg for a while, I tasted some meat (chicken)...and it didn't taste like the chicken I remembered. My tastes adjusted to not eating flesh and now meat smells and tastes really gross. (You can say the same for dairy and eggs, if you don't eat them...I go back and forth on having them in my diet, so they don't gross me out yet.)
I just state the trifecta - health, ethics, and the environment. Maybe I'm just lucky enough to where most of the people I talk to don't question whether or not the animals are treated cruelly (or maybe they just don't want to ask).
Agreed. I keep it short too. If they are honestly curious I have to problems sharing my reasoning and logic, but if they are looking for a fight I give concise vague answers. You will find some people are curious to educate themselves and others just want to prove you are wrong. A personal choice that makes my life easier. I leave it at that.
pretty basic:
"I know I couldn't kill an animal to eat it, so I don't eat it."
This makes people who wouldn't hunt but do eat meat think a bit too!
"because it suits me."
That is a great one! Non-confrontational, but also explaining at the same time!
That's what I say (because in my case it happens to be true): "I prefer fruit and vegetables to meats and fish. It's a personal choice."
No matter what reasons you adduce to a non-veg*n in Spain you are going to have an argument on your hands because they LOVE to debate. So just saying "That's my choice" gives them no ground. Even so, I hear "that's not healthy" --particularly from overweight, unhealthy women here--and I just change the subject. Like they would know, yeah? :P
"because it suits me."
That is a great one! Non-confrontational, but also explaining at the same time! I think I'll use that one too--not that I don't love to have animal rights fights with people but it gets old after awhile!
Also, Nutdragon--I love your icon! I giggle every time I see that kitty, what is his/her name??
Agreed, arguing does get old after a while. The thing is, I've been a veg for over 11 years now and I used to like to take the bait and spar a bit about what I eat (or didn't eat), but I'm over that now. Honestly, after so many years the reasons "why" I am a veg have changed. And they continue to. Since there really is only a few things we don't eat, I have a reason for each. And I don't demand to know why someone is eating that Big Mac, so lay off my veggie burger, mmmK?
But for me, I kind of had to go through that, to help reinforce why I was doing what I was doing for the reasons I was doing it. In the end, that's what I came to...it just suits me.
Thanks for noticing my Ansel, the perfect kitty. He's my lover boy (and will go to town on a toffuti cutie) ;D
I just state that the meat processing industry is inuhumane and extremely disgusting and leave it like that, the how do you live without eating meat is such a stupid question
If someone is genuinely interested, I'll talk to them about my veggieness.
If they're just trying to be @$$holes my standard line is... "I just like to be difficult" and then I walk away.
K^2
"I just like to be difficult" and then I walk away.
K^2
Nice!!! Usually I say I don't think it's healthy to eat meat and dairy, and I never really liked it anyway then they usually say they usually eat chicken & drink skim milk, at which point I drop it, not wanting to argue. If they really seem interested I'll talk it over with them. If some one is asking to be nosey/difficult, I think I might ask them why they eat meat? But that hasn't come up for me yet.
When an omni asks that question, they want to reassure themselves that even though you're veg*n, there's no reason for THEM to have to go veg -- there's no reason to worry that there might be something harmful about omnivorism, oh no... and when you respond by telling them that omnivorism = animal suffering and damage to the environment, they argue with you to try to give themselves that reassurance that omnivorism is harmless.
When you instead tell them you just do it because it's your own personal preference, or that you're "just being difficult", they don't argue with you... because you just gave them that reassurance yourself. :'(
"i was raised catholic and i have alot of guilt issues"
:)
I say I do it first because I feel sorry for the animals and second health I think it's healthier.
But if you really don't want to get into a full blown discussion with them say it's tastier.
"i was raised catholic and i have alot of guilt issues"
:)
Ha! I like!
I just say it's because I don't support unethical companies and for health reasons.
Everyone who knows me thinks I'm weird anyway because I will research the farm that put the label on my apple to see if they're a sustainable and ethical company. So, they expect me to have all kinds of reasons.
For me, I just say "It feels right". It's like a religion or belief. Some just feels "right" to others, and that's my eating style.
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