I was just reading some stuff on FB between a vegan and some non-vegans that started a huge fight/debate. I didn't want to become involved, but I did want to formulate my thoughts about all of this. Both sides need to come to see things from the other's perspective. I think that if vegans didn't have to deal with so much teasing and harassment for their beliefs, they'd more than likely be far less militant about it. It's really just a defensive act. And I think if vegans realized that they only make non-vegans dig in their feet more by their proselytizing, they'd probably do it less.
I realized, that what a person eats, is extremely personal. It is a part of who they are. A part of their identity. Just like their religious stance, political beliefs, and sexuality are. And quite often, what a person eats is wrapped up in all of that. To put that into question is to question who a person is on every level.
I would compare militant vegans to conservative Christians who are devoted to ending abortion. Sounds strange, eh? But just because one group claims to be liberal doesn't make them so. The inability to see things from any other perspective is what makes a person liberal or not. To not be able to see something other than how you feel about it, in fact, makes you conservative. It's just what subject matter you pick that makes the difference. And both groups have taken their particular belief and turned it into their own religion, which makes them even more similar than not.
There are lots of ways of looking at the world, and the food we eat, and how it is produced. I cannot fathom being a vegan, but I never say never. I try to remain open to experiences and thoughts about food, because that is how I look at the world. But I can see now, that teasing a person because of what or how they eat, is wrong. And should be discouraged. You know, live and let live...or maybe Live and let eat??
I don't know that their reaction started out as a defense mechanism. Perhaps a few react that way because of it, but most got into it because of beliefs.
ReplyDeleteI think you're closer when you talk about them being like Fundamentalist Christians, who want to "save" everyone that believes differently than them.
Vegetarians and Vegans become so more often than not because they believe that eating meat is wrong. And so anyone who eats meat is wrong following that reasoning, and must be shown the "light." And very little will dissuade them from that idea, once they've got it. That's not to say that all of them are that way, just that once they are, it's usually a constant theme with them.
But then, I think it's a symptom of our culture here in the states right now. You *have* to either be one side or the other of any debate. And whichever side you're not on will attack you (in general) for being on the other. People in the US can't seem to stand people who don't see things exactly the way they do. And get very vicious about it because of it. :P
Just my two cents, anyway.
No, it makes total sense. I think people who act like that feel that veganism/vegetarianism is their religion. At least that's how they treat it. It consumes them.
ReplyDeleteAnd you're also right, it is like how politics is in this country. We're so polarized and the attitude is this "winner take all"/if you're not with us, you're against us one.
I just don't see how people who demand that we accept their take on an issue, cannot reciprocate.