Know any good techniques to argue for vegetarianism??

Okay, so I've been veggie for only three months. And I absolutely love it! So, I am new at arguing for my stance on animal rights. Today, someone totally started arguing with me about why I'm a vegetarian. Ok, well my number one reason is because I love the animals. Then comes the environment, and health and so forth. So this guy wasn't at all interested in hearing about why I'm a veggie, he just wanted to argue about why he thinks it's okay to raise animals just to kill them and eat them. I tried my best to give facts and stuff that I've learned, but he didn't want to hear of any of it. It was like he was attacking me. I ended up telling him how ignorant he was, and when it was all said and done, I felt bad that I didn't do a better job. Any one have any thoughts, tips, examples on this issue?? I am constantly having to explain my stance to my family (especially my little bro...he can sure be a punk), and lots of other people who don't understand the animal rights position. I guess I'll get better with time.

Peace and Love

 

I dont have any really good advice on your stituation but I can tell you that you are doing right by learning as much as you can. go to you library and see if they have this book called : So Your Going Vegetarian. this booked helped me alot it had explained to me reasons, different types of vegetarians, so on and so forth. Some people are just hard headed and dont want to hear reasoning or anything.but explaining your choice to your family should be easy. It's healthier, it's beeter for the enviroment, it's your choice and beleif that naimals shouldn't be killed for our food.

 

I avoid the vegan - meat eater arguement like the plague, same goes for an abortion arguement. I feel what I do is right for me, what you do is right for you in both situations and have never understood why people argue over it.

 

yeah, i agree. its your choice what does it matter to him? if he was really interested he would listen and ask serious questions. he's probably just defending his inner guilt but its still good to be educated and think things through for yourself

 

Hehe not to be rude, but if you must ask for techniques to argue for something, perhaps you should not be arguing it?

 

Educate yourself.....read read read! It can only do good things.

 

Good advice, rather than trying to find a technique of arguing, just research... The ability to argue well will come with the increased knowledge of the subject.

 

noo i disagree, i believe im quite informed to argue my beliefs of being a vego.However i dont argue anymore,because i dont feel the need to explain or justify my life choices to anyone but myself. Its up to you, but i dont see the need to argue with people, its more satisfying to give them a big beautiful smile, and walk off, say "i respect your beliefs, why dont you respect mine,,, have a beautiful day" It will feel better, at least try it once. Vibes.

 

Totally agree

Thought when I did fight it out these proved useful....

FAQs with of course answers.
hedweb.com/arfaq/arpage.htm

This one has answers that cover various angles (e.g scientific, religious) for suitable occasions.
animalvegfaq.tripod.com

Stats on pretty much every angle
vegsource.com/how_to_win.htm

 

Right, exactly^^. It's not about being the better "arguer" or being right really. I think what it's about is informing others about the issue as best we can and hopefully, maybe, they will see things in a different light. Knowledge is power.

 

Aye, nothing works best than lots of research. But, some basic philosophy might work. Next time, maybe try saying this ...

"... Wait, okay. So ... you call yourselves human, right? The best species on this planet? Yet, you KILL animals for food en masse. Think about that. Isn't there some part in your brain that recognizes the world "KILL?" Kill means, it's never coming back. Kill means pain, kill means death. Animals feel the whole range of emotions too, just because they can't talk like us doesn't mean animal cruelty is okay. Even our own government provides laws that protect the rights of animals, and yet you don't fail to realize, these laws are being violated by major corporations LIKE TRAFFIC LAWS. Worse yet, you're HUMAN. We have sent rockets into space, we have refridgeration units in our homes, we have harnessed the god-like power of electricity for our own direction, so why the heck are we still eating ANIMALS? It's been proven and is recommended by almost every single doctor that a vegetarian diet, let alone a vegan diet, is good for the body and soul.

But, you still eat meat, simply because it's an addiction you can't break. It's easily as unhealthy as doing a drug, parallel to marijuana or alcohol! And despite the fact that you use the word "KILL" less passionately than you use the word "DOLLAR," you call yourselves human? I'm concluding that you aren't human, you're just barbarians stuck in an old, obsolete mindset, and you need to wake up and smell the Coffee of Truth."



.... Right, well that's what I would say, at least to my parents and little sister. Granted, I have never gotten along with them by any means ... maybe you would want to dumb down the above, if you use it ... but that has worked for me plenty of times, questioning their humanity.

I am never afraid to state the truth. People who eat meat are inhuman. You shouldn't be either.

 

Okay, well a lot of people mistook my question like I was asking how to argue for vegetarianism. Obviously I picked the wrong words for the title of my thread. Basically, I just wanted to hear what everyone thought about the situation, or anyone's advice on it. Most of all I want to get involved and be active in my choice for vegetarianism, and do my best to promote the philosophy/lifestyle. I know I don't have to explain myself to anyone, but I want to. I know that it's about the research, which I've done. I just want to know what everyone else thinks, or if anyone else actually attempts to argue their point when challenged. I guess not many people are actual "activists". Or I guess my "activist" attitude will die out, maybe it's just because I'm new and am so thrilled about my choice.


Thanks to those who actually gave good advice.

Peace and Love

 

Heh ... well it's good to hear that you have the mindset of an activist, and promoting the philosophy/lifestyle is ALWAYS a good thing. Just keep in mind ... there are good times to promote it (like a veggie rally or when you are talking to your friend about it), and bad times to promote it (like when you're in a fast food restaurant). Your ability to promote the lifestyle is highly dependent on how well you can identify and communicate with others ... and since most of us can't identify or communicate well with the masses ... that's quite tricky. But, that's part of being a minority, I suppose.

Whenever I get the chance, though, I always promote it. Just don't overdo it and you should be just fine!

 

As I stated on another thread, if you were stuck in the middle of nowhere, and hadn't eaten for a few days, I'm confident that all your ideals would very quickly evaporate, and killing an animal would seem VERY natural and necessary. It's one thing to have ideals when we're living in a warm house with a belly full of warm food, but try presenting your ideals to an Australian Aborigine (for example) who hasn't tasted food for a week.

Incorrect.
While a vegetarian diet is much more healthy than the typical western, CRAP diet (waffles for breakfast, JEEZUZ!!), it's by no means the perfect, natural eating plan -- this would include animal products.

It's one thing to choose a vegetarian diet for ethical reasons, but if you believe this then I'm worried about you. This is simply not true.

Is that possible?:H

Hmmmmm.......interesting

 

I used to eat meat, because I was raised in the USA with an all American diet. When I became vegetarian, I analysed why I liked meat back when...1. texture 2. smoke flavor 3. seasonings So, I began eating meat alternatives (Garden Burger Portabella my faves) and some of the canned Worthington/Loma Linda (now soaring in price) . When I ate meat, I had all the "classic" arguments..."Well, I didn't kill the animals " (No sweet stuff but you DO pay someone else to...) I saw films of slaughter houses...I heard pigs being slaughtered next door to me...forget it...I will never intentionally harm another animal, just for the trip thru my alimentary canal....and so the meat fibres can lodge in my teeth and get trapped under my gums...who needs to eat urea, and waste products, gristle, veins, snouts, etc. ?? Good lord...and the money saved enables me to buy Tiramisu, and cannolis...people use the "What if you were starving?" argument..I always tell them to point out the number of starving people in the USA....I am still waiting on that one. Meat protein is hard on the kidneys....too. I don't bother trying to convert the antagonistic blood eaters, because they are a waste of time. But, I will share my diet regimen with people who may be considering the change. People say "Vegetarians are pale" "Vegetarians are sickly" "Vegetarians all die from not eating meat protein" B- 12....death death....I am 57, and I feel healthier now than I did in my 20s. I have saved thousands of dollars by giving up meat, and fish. Animals are more fun alive, and cows especially so. They give, and give.
http://www.iscowp.org/

 

well you've got all the right points, but there's nothing you can do; that guy doesn't want to listen, he's just trying to be annoying

 

That is true. However ... you and I and the rest of the world are not stuck in the middle of nowhere with nothing to eat for several days, are we?

Survival of the fittest above all else. But when that isn't necessary ... the moral thing to do is to extend rights to that which you can, is it not?

My statement was not incorrect. I didn't claim it was the "perfect, natural eating plan," you put those words into my mouth.

I said that it is good for the body and soul. And it is. No other diet has been discovered or suggested that is healthier for the body than a vegan diet (and you can go to webmd.com or wherever you need to to verify the accuracy of that statement), and a vegan diet promotes morality, sensibility, and good-heartedness; thus, it is good for the proverbial "soul." I never said it was perfect, nor did I say it was natural (that is, instinctive). But it is certainly better.

Okay, allow me to rephrase. It's not physically addictive. That being said, neither is happiness. But we all pursue it, do we not?

There are many people who, despite the fact that they know the "right" thing to do is to respect animal rights (and who would argue with that?), make no effort whatsoever to cease eating meat, stating reasons such as, "because it's better-tasting!"

If you actually look on our very own vegetarian board here on the Hip Forums, there is a recent post that starts out by saying, "What are your reasons for staying away from the good stuff?" Certainly this is a prime example of someone who seeks only to make their lives marginally better/easier at the expense of the suffering and lives of animals. Which, at least in my mind, makes them no more of a good person than Adolf Hitler, which is why I have no respect for someone who eats meat for that reason alone.

 

Being a vegetarian isn't about being "right." It's about being happy and feeling the best about a major life decision that affects more individuals than you could imagine.

 

Now, I'm sorry to sound like a "flamer", but this is so wrong that it's dangerous.If you've never met an anaemic vegan, then you musn't know ANY vegans at all.

The only way a vegan diet can be anywhere near healthy is when it's heavily supplemented. I can post links to a bazillion journal articles, but I learnt long ago that this is pointless, as they just dismissed by "hardcore" vegies and vegans. I'm worried about people such as yourself, so I beg you to at least pop some iron and B12.

While your citing links to "proof", I'd like to see some scientific journal articles which conculde that veganism promotes "morality, sensibility, and good-heartedness".