My closest friend is an "animal lover". She loves her dog and cats, and she wants to become a veterinarian. Just one thing: she eats meat. (I remember once, in English last year, we were reading a poem out loud about some disturbed little kids hurting their pets, and my friend blurted out "That's cruelty to animals!" I wanted to reply, "Eating meat is cruelty to animals," but for some reason I didn't.) I mentioned to her that she ought to become a vegetarian if she's so against cruelty to animals, and she said she wishes she could, but that sometimes she craves meat and just "has" to have it (though I did introduce her to some tofu, and she said she'd be willing to take on that). It really bothers me to think that she says how much she loves animals and hates animal abuse, yet "can't" become a vegetarian because she craves meat. It's like that saying, "Why do you love animals called pets, but eat animals called dinner?" Does anyone have any advice on how to deal with this? My friend agreed sometime to go vegetarian for a day, and I promised to fix her a Boca burger (the vegan kind... yum!) next time she's at my house. How can I convince her to give up meat when the only thing holding her back is taste?
don't take this the wrong way, but worry about yourself. if it matters that much to her, ultimately she'll stop eating meat. if she's around you, introduce her to vegetarian foods that you enjoy and perhaps she someday may give up meat.
Right on, Ryan! I guess some people just have a fascist mentality where they have to shove their views down other people's throats. They are intolerant of people who don't do what they do. Now excuse me, I am off to go cook up a steak for myself.
Hi She-Elf. Don't despair. For better or for worse, what I refer to as "I-love-my-dog animal loving" is the most common and acceptable way for people to show concern for animals in our society. Whole magazines (like those whose titles involve the word "...Fancy") and cable channels (like Animal Planet, which rages against the abuse of dogs in between ads for burgers and fried chicken) are devoted to this type of interest in animals. It is no wonder that people feel completely validated as animal lovers if they are attentive to their dog and hang up kitten calendars, while ignoring just about every other species. From the viewpoint of many industries, this is a good thing. Keeping people focued only on a limited number of dogs and cats (while, interestingly, ignoring controversial situations involving dogs and cats--like pound seizure, lab use, or laws that would restrict certain practices pet owners can engage in) means that those industries can do all sorts of things to animals without garnering too much mainstream attention or concern. So, popular media and advertising reflect and validate this mentality, as do individuals who do not want to make any changes. It's easier that way. So, considering this, it shouldn't be too hard to understand why people think the way your friend does. One thing I've noticed about many "I love my dog animal lovers" is that they need a higher level of denial than people who don't care about or like animals. These are the people who screech, "ooh, don't tell me that!" or "change the channel!" as soon as animal abuse is even implied. Because of this strong mental blocking, which they may have been practicing since they learned where meat and other products comes from, they do not respond to graphic pictures or descriptions. They block it out and push it away brfore it even sinks in. If you want your friend to explore vegetarian foods, appeal to her stomach. Prepare her tasty vegetarian meals. Enjoy a BBQ with Boca Burgers and Smart Dogs, etc. Let her discover for herself she doesn't have to eat the creatures she says she loves.
well..it's her choice and oppinion Elf. You may not agree with it but you will only alienate her of you continue to bombast her with your ideals. I know a zillion vegans and vegetarians...and they all never say a word to omnivorous people.and likewise...I have never seen them accosted for their lifestyle choices. I'm sure they may encounter some jerks but I think that most of the "horror" stories I read on the net where the poor vegan gets attacked by a snarling,foaming mass of dissenters is a bunch of hooey. Hooey made-up to look like a martyr. I wanna buy those people a giant wooden cross and nails, so that everytime they claim they are being attacked, they can nail themselves to the it. I am a raw-foodist right now and plan on being one for a few months more...maybe longer if we can afford the expensive costs here in Cleveland during the rough winters.Meat and cookable foods are simply cheaper during the winter in snowey states.When I go to parties or BBQs...and decline the cooked foods and nibble the salads and crudites..I never get accosted. I have been asked..and the replies I get to my explaination are usually..."hey that's cool." Your friend seems to think that she IS helping animals by properly caring for her companion animals and wanting to be a vet. And she is helping animals. even the small things count and are important. She just isnt helping those particular animals YOU want her to help. Cows, chickens, pigs, ect. When I was an omni...yeah I ate certain animals but I also donated money,supplies,and time to my local SPCA. I did likewise for animal sanctuaries and rehab centers. I belong to the Cousteau Society which focuses primarily on helping the plight of sharks. I adopted a dolpin and still send whatever money I can spare to the society that fights for dolphin protection. I am an animal-welfare activist...and that includes the welfare of livestock critters. I donate to my states wildlife conservation society...a group which has brought back to Ohio in healthy numbers, the black-footed hare and the river otter. I also am a member of Amnesty International and plan on going to law school to become a human-rights lawyer. I dont want a damn medal or Nobel prize.I dont even care if people are impressed or not impressed...I dont think I'm doing any more then what the average person can do. All I ask is that people get off their high horses and quit telling others how they should live and spend their time, what they should eat, what they should care about. and in my experiance, many of the outspoken vegans/vegetarians/animal people seem to care more about cows,chickens,pigs,dogs,cats...then they do about our less cute and personifiable creatures. When I was looking for a shark group..I was shocked by how many chicken-liberation groups there were compared to the amount of shark-saving groups. To me....saving sharks is more important then saving chickens right now. Our shark species are depleting and will only get worse to do the destruction of oceans,over-fishing of their food sources, and the horrible shark-finning industry. But people seem to care more about chickens then sharks...I guess because you can have chickens for pets and they can be cute...but sharks eat people and have a bad image..so hardly anyone cares if they are being exploited. Leave your friend alone...atleast she cares about something other then just herself.
Well yes, I suppose I can't go around trying to shove my views down people's throats. I've had experience with that and I try not to. With this situation, it's not like I'm hounding my friend day and night to give up meat; I've only mentioned the idea to her once. I wasn't trying to aggressively change her ideals, I was simply trying to find a passive way to affect her view on meat. And I was venting on some hypocrisy that annoyed me. Even though we all are hypocritical in some way. So thank you for being so critical. Some of it was necessary. But some of it was set in a high-and-mighty, "I'm perfect", condemning tone of voice.
I understand how frustrating it can be sometimes. My mom, for instance, loves animals too and I have mentioned the veggie thing to her but she wont ever even consider it. Actually one time she refused to read an article I had about some factory farming abuse becasue she wanted to have meat for dinner. The most we can do is worry about ourselves and educate others whenever possible. I order some books and videos from Peta from time to time and when I am done with them I donate them to the local library. Hopefully the things I have done have affected some people's views. And trust me, I really have to remind myself not to shove it down people's throats sometimes. When we are passionate about something its easy to get carried away. But I also know how important it is that I dont do that. It wont help at all. You know Peta will send you a free (bi- monthly I think) magazine called Animal Times that always recounts stories of factory farming abuse. Maybe you could share that with your friend.
well I apologise...I didnt intend to be "high and mighty" I was simply being blunt and honest. I dont like sugar-coating. It's condescending to sugar-coat. When someone does that...it's like saying.."I'm sorry..I would be frank..but you are just fragile child with a delicate psyche." I didnt want to treat you like a child..because you arent a child.
My family have the we loved animals but don't mind eating them mentality. It pisses me off no end, but what can you do. I don't try and convert them outright, but will make comments by way of explaining my beliefs. Just little things like how I won't buy products tested on animals but I love Branwen [our rabbit] and don't want to suppourt people harming her fellow creatures. Ultimatly I've had to back off a bit. They'll come round if/when they're ready. Until then I'm not going to beat myself up over it.
