"so why did you go vegan?"
Posted by hiimkelsi on Mar 28, 2007 · Member since Sep 2004 · 2297 posts
im living in an international dorm and everyone eats a lot of meat. last night while i ate my curry, i watched a girl gut two fish. every time people find out that im vegan they ask "so why did you go vegan?". i have been going through the animal rights thing and then people usually just get really defensive and make a lot of "but..." statements. i really dont enjoy arguing, but i want to make a statement. so i have been thinking of just saying something totally ridiculous like "because it makes me taste better" or "i dont like eating menstruation or breast milk". ill have to give it a shot and see what people say.
what do you say when people ask you?
Perhaps we should counter with, "So why do you eat meat?" and smile inquiringly. Doubt many people would get the point, though. :P
honestly, while i've tried every tactic that's been mentioned so far, i've recently found the best response (to sensible, at least moderately educated people) to be this simple sentence.
ummm, what she said. actually I don't consider myself a vegan, but I'm darn close. and I wish I'd caught this thread earlier...
rachandra, very well said. Freaking brilliant, actually. I hope you don't mind some plagiarism.
nutdragon, i'd be thrilled. i have yet to see anyone successfully argue their way out of it... the least you'll get is a sheepish "but it tastes SO good," which, as we all know, can easily be countered with a plate full of vegan brownies.
honestly though, i was watching jon stewart last night, and he had on that ridiculous comic... dennis miller i think? who was going on and on about how "you can't seriously believe that this building will be underwater in 25 years, do you, do you??" freaking idiot... i really wish jon had taken him up on that. only an idiot would be able to make a joke like that and think he was being clever. boo to close-minded right-wing freaks...
I get the 'Jesus ate fish!' thing a lot, too. One reply I've used is, 'and John the Baptist ate locusts. So what?'
from what i have learned, after the flood (with Noah), we were permitted to eat "clean" animals. in the case of fish, this means the fish has to have scales AND fins. no shirmp or lobster (the cockroaches of the sea and no fins), no catfish (no scales), etc. Jesus did not eat any of that, he ate "clean" fish that had both scales and fins.
fiona
i think when people ask that question, you have to try to sense where they are coming from.
if they really want to know, give them a taste of your philosophy.
if they are asking it just to ridicule your answer, and you can sense that, why not turn the tables on them?
in either case, when someone asks "why did you go vegan?", ask them "why do you ask?" then you will find out their motive for asking you and you can make sure that you don't waste your breath on someone who just wants to make you out to be a weird-o.
fiona
"Becoming vegan is so far the best, easiest, and most do-able way to signifigantly affect the immenent threat of global warming and the wide-spread destruction and pollution of the globe." (only more grammatically correct, and maybe a few stats thrown in... see below)
That is very close to a quote by Sir Paul McCartney and I think makes the same point (as reposted from Farm Sanctuary's Veg For Life magazine):
"If anyone wants to save the planet, all they have to do is just stop eating meat. That's the single most important thing you could do. It's staggering when you think about it. Vegetarianism takes care of so many things in one shot: Ecology, famine,cruelty."
. the least you'll get is a sheepish "but it tastes SO good," which, as we all know, can easily be countered with a plate full of vegan brownies.
Will's latest reply to the "but it tasets so good" arguement:
So does anti-freeze. Mmmmm, sweet and oh-so-good for you...try some...
. the least you'll get is a sheepish "but it tastes SO good," which, as we all know, can easily be countered with a plate full of vegan brownies.
Will's latest reply to the "but it tasets so good" arguement:
So does anti-freeze. Mmmmm, sweet and oh-so-good for you...try some...
;D ;D That made me laugh so hard I nearly pee'd my pants!!!! ;D :D
I say "I couldn't handle the guilt anymore". That's generally all I need to say, and people don't get angry or defensive at that statement because everyone understands guilt.
I just tell people that I am vegan b/c of the horrible and cruel ways that farm animals are treated. It is why I became a veggie at first, and then became vegan. Most around here (in Gawga) don't get it. My friends respect do respect it to a point. As I have said before in previous posts, my best friend told me once that he thinks I must have "incredible willpower" to not eat meat and dairy any longer (he knew me when I did eat that cr*p). I told him that me taking a "bite" out of his arm would be just as appealing to me as chomping into a steak (or any rotting flesh for that matter). When you just get to the point that biting into flesh, or eating cheese, or eggs, or drinking milk grosses you out, there is no "will power" involved any longer. It just grosses you out. It's told him it's easy, there in no willpower involved at all.
I also remember telling him that he should think about locking his cats up in tiny cages for a few years and he should feed them lots of junk and fill them with growth hormones and antibiotics. When they get really fat and look like they are "ripe" he should drag them out of their cages, slaughter them, and throw them on his grill. What is the difference between his cats, a cow, or a pig, or a chicken? Is there a difference? I personally don't think there is. They all have feelings and all want to live free of pain and suffering. Who was it that decided what animals are OK to eat, and which ones should be pets and are off limits? i hope it wasn't the bible!.....maybe it's just me...I guess I'm still an ANGRY VEGAN!
-dave
VERY WELL SAID !!!!!!
DEPENDING ON HOW SINCERE THE PEOPLE ARE, I EITHER SAY "IT IS BECAUSE I HAVE CONSCIOUS, AND AM NOT BRAINWASHED LIKE MOST SOCIETY" OR I TRY TO EXPLAIN WHY MEAT EATING IS REALLY UNNECESSARY....
BUT MOST PEOPLE WHO ASK ARE NOT SINCERE, AND THEY JUST TRY TO ATTACK - WITH THEIR STUPID UNEDUCATED COMMENTS, HOWEVER I HAVE READ ENOUGH ABOUT THIS SUBJECT THAT I ALWAYS SHOOT THOSE DOWN, AND PROVE THEM WRONG... :)
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