How many of you know people who do love animals, and have learned about the meat industry...yet they still choose to ignore it and do nothing to change or help. This thread is inspired by my family. Of course I was a meateater as well - no hypocricy intended- but the very day I started thinking about where meat actually comes from and associating it with that, I started to research factory farming and such, and made the decision to stop eating meat. Then I started to talk to my family about it and even gave them booklets I ordered showing some of the realitys of the meat industry and asked them to read it, hoping that if they didn't stop eating meat, that they would atleast consider it. Infact, I told them quite a few things that should have peaked their interest, considering they are animal lovers and what I consider to be caring people. They refused to read the information, and would stop me everytime I would talk about it because, in my mother's words, "I'm not going to stop eating meat so I don't wanna hear about it" Me: So you are going to ignore the issue because you like the taste of meat? Mom: "yup" That just frustrates me to no end. Not the fact that they wont go veg, but that they won't read the facts or consider the possibilities all because they love the taste of a ham sandwich....not for health reasons.....they just like the taste of meat. Perhaps this is more of a rant than anything......and I know some will say "its their choice, fuck off", but I think it's everyone's responsilbilty to atleast know the facts and look for ways to help this world, including every living thing. Now, for someone who is totally apathetic and doesnt give a shit about anything related to this, then I guess I can understand more than someone who loves animals and cares about things. Can any of you relate? I know it's a bit seemingly immature of me not to just accept it for what it is...but I care about the issue so much, that it is hard for me to understand that kind of reasoning.....that's just how I cannot help feeling about it.
people are like that. one of the hardest lessons of life is that we can't change everyone, no matter how much good will is involved in the decision.
Oh, sure. I've been veg for about 8 1/2 years now, and every once in a while I'm just struck by how insane the whole concept of meat consumption is. Especially when you look at people and you just know that they aren't evil or stupid, but they reach for this bloody bit of severed flesh and think it's just dandy. The thing I've found is that you just can't shake them from their denial by showing them reality and expecting them to accept it. All you can do is answer their questions with a helpful attitude, provide sources of info if they indicate that they might like that, and eventually they may wake up and admit the consequences of their actions to themselves. Then again, maybe not. But I think that a genuine interest in what you're doing is a good sign. In the mean time, live, let live, and learn to be such a great cook that everyone will start using your delicious veg*n recipes.
i've also found that focusing more on the positive through being postive is also proven to be helpful.
I've experienced a fair amount of ignorance and assholishness in my days of being vegetarian & vegan. People simply won't take it upon themselves to even read the facts, because they don't want to know that those facts exist. They'd frankly would rather remain ignorant to the practices of the meat industry so they can continue consuming meat, rather than becoming veggie because it really is easier to be an omnivore than anything else. They don't want to go out of their way for five minutes in the supermarket to find a meat alternative. They don't want to drive an extra ten minutes to go to the health food store. They don't want to give up the taste of rotting petrified flesh and blood. They don't want to know that they're contributing to something so horrible and disgusting. But some people really are willing to take it upon themselves to attempt to at least make their diet more cruelty-free. My boyfriend decided to research factory farming on his own after I showed him the Meet Your Meat video. All of a sudden one day he called me up and started preaching to me about the meat industry and how horrible it was, what they do to animals, etc... etc... Which was odd, because I'm the one whose the vegetarian, not him, and I knew all those facts already. Yet, he doesn't even want to give up meat. He even admits its because of the taste, and says that he only disagrees with what they do to the animals/how they treat them, not the actual killing of them. But he promises, and I really feel that he will do it, because he feels really strongly about it, that once he moves out of his parents house at 18 (his family's diet strongly revolves around factory-farmed meat), he'll only buy organic and free range dead animals. He turns 18 this coming august. So we'll soon find out...
hate to pop your bubble, but parents are his excuse. his actions TODAY speak his intentions. as for the apathy, eating is emotional. If we don't eat, we don't survive. Food may well be the first socialization of the human as a species and as an individual. Look at how babies react when they eat at the table WITH the family, versus the one-on-one with mom. We first cooperated as a species to acquire food: communal hunting, herding and cropping. That's pretty strong DNA memory. to attack what someone eats is to attack them...how do you feel when people make fun of your choices? It is far better to "convert" the captive with good cooking and understanding of the meat addiction, so to speak. I hear so much on this board about how people don't want to be preached TO but they will preach AT with the drop of a ..er...napkin. Obviously it isn't working. How do we as vegans and vegetarians, spread the gospel without turning into crusaders and jihadists?
"ignorance is bliss" to so many people...and with that, it is mighty hard to spread the gospel, even with no more than some info and a positive, passive attitude. I wish people would be more interested in learning, and being proactive...whether that means they will choose vegan or meat. The goal here of course is to end the needless suffering and torture of precious animals. Unfortunatley, that's not of importance to alot of people.....apathy.
Actually, he can't really put forth any actions as he is a full time student. He has an electricity course which he takes for 7 hours a day, then he has a 1 hour break before he goes to his other school/"night school" for 4 hours. So, since hes a full-time student he can't get a job to buy his own food. Thus, he must eat what his parents buy, as they are the ones with the money.
This complaint is so common, the ever-resourceful Vegan Outreach has actually started producing a pamphlet especially for the "but meat is GOOOOOOOD!" set. It's called, "Even if You Like Meat", and encourages folks who think they'd die without Jimmy Dean to simply choose to eat less meat. I'm sure some people will still consider that a radical and impossible proposition, however. Here is a link to a downloadable brochure. http://www.veganoutreach.org/enewsletter/20041123.html
its sad really because of how many people feel that way too. even the most caring and loving people won't want to hear about the meat industry because it might marr their perfect image of where their hamburger came from. and it feels really awful to tell these people that its wrong to kill animals and it's horrible what goes on in slaughter houses because you feel like you're preaching to them, even if you aren't doing it in a preachy way, because a lot of the time their reaction to it is so defensive. i guess like everyone else has been saying, all you can really do is just cook well and try to show in a positive way what a veggi diet has done for you.
I agree with drumminmama & peacegal. Positive redirection is much more persuasive than telling someone why what they are doing is wrong. Also, lots of positive change comes in baby steps. For me, it took cutting down on meat-based dishes. Then, just eating poultry. I still haven't weaned myself off fish and dairy. I'll still eat eggs in premade foods, even if I don't use them at home. And, in defense of the meat-eaters... it's a huge change to make, especially if you're a serious foodie. I love to cook. And, I'll be perfectly honest... there are definitely times that I miss cooking with meat. Nothing in the veggie world will create the same pan juices you get from sauteeing lightly floured chicken breasts, for instance. A huge part of my repertoire is no longer available to me. Seitan Marsala just doesn't cut it. However, I've been able to add new foods and learn new techniques. And, no meat in the world makes a sauce like the one you get from simmering potatoes in coconut milk with curry powder and spinach.:sunglasse Help them discover pleasurable vegetarian foods, and they may eventually come around.
it always beffudles me as to how unappreciative some people can be on this matter. to make this world a better place requires sacrifice, and when in the presence of sacrifice, americans will just turn a blind eye. let others' ignorance empower you more. we are the ones making a sacrifice for a cause, and we are so much stronger for it, so go us
I very much agree. How some people do not see animals' suffering as a cause for great concern and proactivity, I will never understand. The situation is just completely out of control and horrific. But it gives me delight in knowing that the number of vegetarians and vegans is increasing..........and yes, go us!
we are increasing, and not as the next dietary fad, so keep up the encouragment, the words to your family were not in vain
Eating meat is such a large part of most people's lives that they simply find it difficult to imagine living a different way. I suspect that many people believe that it's actually beyond their ability to give up meat. In fact, I felt that way originally. When I went veggie, I was only planning to try if for a week to see if it was as difficult as I expect. I found it so easy that I never looked back. That was seventeen years ago. Never underestimate the role that fear plays in stopping people from changing their lifestyles though.
