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I wanted to cut meat for environmental purposes, so I've started only eating it on holidays - turkey on Thanksgiving, fish on Christmas Eve, a burger/barbecue o

I wanted to cut meat for environmental purposes, so I've started only eating it on holidays - turkey on Thanksgiving, fish on Christmas Eve, a burger/barbecue on 4th of July, buffalo wings on my birthday. I don't describe myself with the "V" word, and usually just say I "avoid eating meat". People are usually critical when I opt for vegetarian options, and then completely lighten up when I describe that I do eat meat. It's strange how defensive people get about eating meat, and how quickly they lighten up just because I eat meat 5 times a year.

falcolas 10y ago
> It's strange how defensive people get about eating meat Not so strange, when you have been the repeated recipient of either the "meat is murder" or "I'm obviously better than you because I don't eat meat" comments from militant vegetarians. Basically, there's prejudice and justification on both sides of the divide, and it's too easy to respond to the constant hate with your own hate.
- overthought77 10y ago
  And on the flip side "You avoid meat? That's unAmerican. You some pansy vegeunamerican?" As if their blood is anymore red white and blue. See how easy it was to flip your reasoning. Which probably means it's BS. Ego masturbation is not restricted to one side of the political divide. Suspect, as usual, the answer lies more in advertising a cultural wide meat fetish. Ham on every table, rare steak on every working mans plate, than people being offended at all those pretentious vegans they deal with all day every day
- btschaegg 10y ago
  I'm sure those militant people exist, but I've yet to encounter one. I can speak from the other side though. After someone realizes that I don't eat meat, I usually (as in way too often) get follow up questions about the reasons etc. I'm not sure if this is because of attempted "small talk" or other reasons, but after a while, I just got tired of it. I generally try to avoid long follow-up discussions on the topic, because I simply don't think it's worthy of attention (at least in this context).
jmnicolas 10y ago
Because a lot of vegans are just asses and won't let you enjoy meat without trying to make you feel guilty about it. Whatever float your boat as long as you don't tell me what to do / what to eat / what to think. Once a vegan asked me if I enjoyed eating "dead animals". I asked him if he preferred I'd eat them alive which put an end to the conversation.
smsm42 10y ago
> It's strange how defensive people get about eating meat Maybe it's not about eating meat but about sanctimonious folks that feel it necessary to call those around them names and denigrate them because they do not follow the person's favorite fad. Once people learn you are not one of those, nobody has a problem with your food choices per se. That said, I've never felt defensive around people I know that choose to eat vegetarian or vegan (yes, I enjoy meat, if you didn't guess :). But they never felt the need to somehow make a debate out of it either. If people respect each other's choices and accept them without judgmental attitude, there's no place for contention and defensiveness does not arise.
- __derek__ 10y ago
  > sanctimonious folks that feel it necessary to call those around them names and denigrate them because they do not follow the person's favorite fad I hope you stopped to appreciate the irony of that statement when you wrote it.
  - smsm42 10y ago
    If you think than being non-judgmental and polite is a fad and commenting on somebody's behavior after the fact is the same as giving uninvited insistent advice to random people, then yes. Otherwise, no. Today, literally an hour ago, long after I wrote the above comment, I've read a complaint from one of my friends online, that their online community was invaded by preachy vegans (the community has nothing to do with nutritional advice and didn't initiate the discussion on the topic) who proceeded to lecture everybody about how they should give up meat immediately and how they should feel bad if they don't do so. And from what she is saying, it's not the first time it happens in that community. That's exactly what I am talking about. I think commenting on how this looks like is not the same as what those vegan activists were doing. Not even close.
podiki 10y ago
I'm not sure why people get defensive, but my guess it at least has a little to do with that most people recognize that at the very least animals had to directly die for the food (they would be uncomfortable with doing that themselves, or seeing it up close), and that there is a growing awareness of the many negative effects of animal products (environment, over antibiotic usage, poor working conditions, ...). They suddenly feel the need to defend their "decision," when really most people do not really take an active role in deciding that they will eat animal products. (This is by design by the industry, romanticizing animal agriculture and hiding the reality of how that food is produced.)

falcolas 10y ago

> It's strange how defensive people get about eating meat Not so strange, when you have been the repeated recipient of either the "meat is murder" or "I'm obviously better than you because I don't eat meat" comments from militant vegetarians. Basically, there's prejudice and justification on both sides of the divide, and it's too easy to respond to the constant hate with your own hate.

overthought77 10y ago
And on the flip side "You avoid meat? That's unAmerican. You some pansy vegeunamerican?" As if their blood is anymore red white and blue. See how easy it was to flip your reasoning. Which probably means it's BS. Ego masturbation is not restricted to one side of the political divide. Suspect, as usual, the answer lies more in advertising a cultural wide meat fetish. Ham on every table, rare steak on every working mans plate, than people being offended at all those pretentious vegans they deal with all day every day
btschaegg 10y ago
I'm sure those militant people exist, but I've yet to encounter one. I can speak from the other side though. After someone realizes that I don't eat meat, I usually (as in way too often) get follow up questions about the reasons etc. I'm not sure if this is because of attempted "small talk" or other reasons, but after a while, I just got tired of it. I generally try to avoid long follow-up discussions on the topic, because I simply don't think it's worthy of attention (at least in this context).

jmnicolas 10y ago

Because a lot of vegans are just asses and won't let you enjoy meat without trying to make you feel guilty about it. Whatever float your boat as long as you don't tell me what to do / what to eat / what to think. Once a vegan asked me if I enjoyed eating "dead animals". I asked him if he preferred I'd eat them alive which put an end to the conversation.

smsm42 10y ago

> It's strange how defensive people get about eating meat Maybe it's not about eating meat but about sanctimonious folks that feel it necessary to call those around them names and denigrate them because they do not follow the person's favorite fad. Once people learn you are not one of those, nobody has a problem with your food choices per se. That said, I've never felt defensive around people I know that choose to eat vegetarian or vegan (yes, I enjoy meat, if you didn't guess :). But they never felt the need to somehow make a debate out of it either. If people respect each other's choices and accept them without judgmental attitude, there's no place for contention and defensiveness does not arise.

__derek__ 10y ago
> sanctimonious folks that feel it necessary to call those around them names and denigrate them because they do not follow the person's favorite fad I hope you stopped to appreciate the irony of that statement when you wrote it.
- smsm42 10y ago
  If you think than being non-judgmental and polite is a fad and commenting on somebody's behavior after the fact is the same as giving uninvited insistent advice to random people, then yes. Otherwise, no. Today, literally an hour ago, long after I wrote the above comment, I've read a complaint from one of my friends online, that their online community was invaded by preachy vegans (the community has nothing to do with nutritional advice and didn't initiate the discussion on the topic) who proceeded to lecture everybody about how they should give up meat immediately and how they should feel bad if they don't do so. And from what she is saying, it's not the first time it happens in that community. That's exactly what I am talking about. I think commenting on how this looks like is not the same as what those vegan activists were doing. Not even close.

podiki 10y ago

I'm not sure why people get defensive, but my guess it at least has a little to do with that most people recognize that at the very least animals had to directly die for the food (they would be uncomfortable with doing that themselves, or seeing it up close), and that there is a growing awareness of the many negative effects of animal products (environment, over antibiotic usage, poor working conditions, ...). They suddenly feel the need to defend their "decision," when really most people do not really take an active role in deciding that they will eat animal products. (This is by design by the industry, romanticizing animal agriculture and hiding the reality of how that food is produced.)