Rude Comments

rofl

i think this kids seriously retarded
don't call yourself a vegetarian

 

I wouldn't call Zihger retarded, but I wouldn't say vegetarian either. I think what he's saying is that he would prefer to be vegetarian, if there was a less harmful way to go than to cause massive ecological changes to the area. In the (mid)western US, where the landscape is mostly arid grassland, meat is a more eco-conscious choice, in terms of animal life lost. By virtue of the landscape, altering it to support vegetarian choices would disrupt it far more ecologically than going with a species for meat with a similar ecological niche (large ruminant). With the great plains area, vegetarian means vast landscape alteration, irrigation, repeated plowing that could easily shift into the vicious evil of monoculture farming, let alone the idea of importing something from out of the country from somewhere like Bolivia or Brazil, where the rainforests are being clearcut.

Zihger, if I'm misrepresenting the clarification, please correct me, because I'd rather not speak for you. (especially not in error)

 

^thanks Born25YearstoLate That pretty much sums it up my thinking and where I am at right now.

AbomnibaleButman a lot of people think I am not a true vegetarian that could be.

But why do you call me retarded? For trying to have less impact on the environment? For trying to have conscious buying and eating habits?

Please give a little more information or are you just spouting out rude comments..

 

Thanks. Not being a mod, I didn't want to really get involved in this one, at least not more than I was.

 

I've gotten obnoxious stuff such as "I'm eating a Boca burger" when it's clearly a hamburger, or "Want some of my macaroni-and-squash?" when you can plainly see and smell that it's cheese. It's mocking my beliefs, and it doesn't take into account how hard it is to be a vegan teen in a meat-eating family. They don't understand why I look hurt when they do this.

 

people only eat meat cos everyone else does

 

Does it really matter what someone eats? If you don't like meat, don't eat meat. if you think tofu is disgusting, then don't eat tofu. It's all good until people bitch and fucking moan about everytime someone says something about their diet. Being from Hawaii, I know a lot of health nuts, and having family in the midwest and Montana, I know a lot of hardcore meat eaters. My view is that if it tastes good, eat it, period. My unlce basically only eats steak and potatoes, nothing else. He gets made fun of for not trying anything new and being close-minded. I also know a few vegetarians, and they obviously get ridiculed for not eating meat. It doesn't matter which side you are on, it's weird to people who aren't in the same boat. Don't fuck with someone becase they wont eat some things, but also don't get all up in arms if you get fucked with every once in a while. First reason: there are a lot of assholes in the world, so deal with it. Second reason: you did choose to do something that isn't in the mainstream, so you have to expect a certain degree of it, right or not. If you go walking down the street with no clothes on, don't get all pissy when people look at you like you are crazy. I find it crazy that people are so nuts about eating animals in the same way that a vegan finds it crazy that someone would eat a dead animal. Whatever way you look at it, be nice and deal with the assholes.

The Mushroom Man

 

agreed.

out of my business and off my plate, you can eat what you please. Past that, I don't give a damn, just don't try and force me into it.

odd, I feel the same way about religion..lol

 

Eww spinach. I'd eat a cat hamburger before I'd eat spinach.

 

The two best tools to avoid rudeness are:

1. <silence>

2. "No, thank you."

If someone says something rude and/or childish ("Ewwwwwwwwwwww") it is best to ignore them. Just don't respond. If they hound you, just say "I'd really rather not talk about my food right now," and change the subject.

If anyone offers you anything to eat, you don't need to eat it or give any explanations (that is simple western etiquette). Just say "No thank you."

My ex's grandmother kept offering me things at Christmas Eve dinner... chicken, more chicken, more chicken... after he had explained to her weeks in advance that I don't eat flesh from any animals. After my third "No, thank you" she gave an audible "Hmph." She was simply rude and I wasn't going to feed into it.

I never talk about my vegetarianism unless people ask polite questions about it. I will explain but not be defensive.

I have not encountered any rudeness in years and years. If you remain polite, other people usually will be also, and can only embarrass themselves with any rudeness.

 

My friends are always trying to make me eat meat and I think most of the time they're joking but sometimes it's not too funny, and then I have a cousin in a really tiny town full churches and butchers and farms who says things like I'm not welcome in my family because I don't eat meat and that hurts especially because he's not joking when he says it, but I just choose to ignore him and tell him the health benefits and that it's my choice not his and I never talk about him eating meat and I've been a vegetarian for a little over a year now.

 

unfortunately, we will not be accepted by everyone, and often, the ones we want to accept our choices most (friends and family) are the ones that're the worst about being close-minded.

After a while, you learn to be canny to people trying to 'slip in' the foods you can't (or won't) eat, and you learn to grow a thick skin and a good set of defenses agasint the stupid-assed statements.

 

"My friends are always trying to make me eat meat and I think most of the time they're joking but sometimes it's not too funny, and then I have a cousin in a really tiny town full churches and butchers and farms who says things like I'm not welcome in my family because I don't eat meat and that hurts especially because he's not joking when he says it, but I just choose to ignore him and tell him the health benefits and that it's my choice not his and I never talk about him eating meat and I've been a vegetarian for a little over a year now."

I know this isn't an etiquette forum, but my advice to you would be not to respond to those rude statements. Honestly, what other people eat is not their business in the SLIGHTEST. Commenting on what other people are eating is not a topic for polite conversation, is invasive, and clearly shows that the people are so insecure with their own lives that they want to control others (I think the whole bunch of churches is a clear indication of that.)

In any case, I don't think you should try to "defend" your choices, as A) it is pointless to try to talk to closed minded people about anything, however accurate and compelling your facts and arguments are, and B) going on the defensive only legitimizes their invasive statements.

The best thing to do is say, "I'm sure we have something more interesting to talk about," and when they surely persist, "I appreciate your concern but I really don't care to talk about what I'm eating." And further, "If you are really care about me you will respect my choices as I respect those of yours I disagree with. I don't want to make something as trivial as personal diet choices to affect our relationship." Finally, ignore them or just don't talk about it. I at one point simply got up and went home when my parents continued pestering me... worked like a charm... they dropped it, realizing that it was our relationship that was important, not what I was transferring from the serving plates to my dinner plate.

At the same time it is of utmost importance that you say nothing about other peoples food. I only talk about vegetarianism when people ask neutral questions in polite conversation, such as "What made you decide to be a vegetarian?" or "What kinds of foods to you eat at home?"

 

"AbomnibaleButman a lot of people think I am not a true vegetarian that could be.

But why do you call me retarded? For trying to have less impact on the environment? For trying to have conscious buying and eating habits?

Please give a little more information or are you just spouting out rude comments.."

I think that zihger is not a vegetarian. I also think his arguments are incorrect. I do not think he is retarded. It is possible to disagree with someone without calling him retarded.

I think someone may be correct on his terminology, and in calling self-proclaimed vegetarians omnivores, but incorrect in his etiquette, and perhaps might apologize should he wish to.

 

Yeah i get the comments and stuff, i have been making an effort over the last few months to change my diet and go vegetarian, i dont miss meat at all and feel much better

Of course i get stick for it, i was at a family dinner a last week and my dad and brother, thinking they were funny shoved their plates under my nose, any closer would have been up my nose! They dont seem to take it seriously and respect my choices, i am not the type to preach and i wont, but just as i am not going to shove my food on people i would like for them to do the same! i dont particularly like the smell (or anything about meat) now ive been off it for a few months, to be honest just looking at meat now makes me queasy!

--
Stewart