Talking to meat eaters?!
Answers: i always find that when i tell people im a vegetarian, they get all defensive as if im insulting them. they always say stuff like well you need meat to liva and , animals will still die weathe you eat it or not. i dont try and inflict my views on them so why do they on me?? does anyone know a way to tell people your a vegetarian without this happen??
I know what you mean. people say i will DIE?!
you should say "animals shouldn't have to die and be abused so that people can stuff there faces".
it seems they get defensive because it's something they can't do, or perhaps they don't understand it.
Either way, it probably eats them up inside that you have some sort of control on your diet that they don't have.
don't tell them, its none of their business anyway.
I think it's great you're a begetarian. Just don;t let other peoples opinions on your lifestyle bother you. After all - it IS your lifestyle. Some people can be insenstive, but remember - you DON'T need meat to live, etc. And it really is a personal choice.
I rarely mention it.
Honestly, some 90% of the population eats meat so you have to talk to meat eaters. You don't have to discuss your diet with all of them, though. I personally have not had anyone ever (in real life I mean, not here!) give me lip about being vegetarian and I've talked to a LOT of meat eaters in the last 21 years. I wonder how you're telling them and in what context... You really only need to tell people when it's relevant or when you think they will be receptive to the idea. And you don't have to argue with the naysayers. If they say something "innocently" ignorant, you can gently point out where they are in error. Like if someone says, "Well, you need meat to live," you can ask them if they know that a huge segment of the Indian population has been vegetarian for generations. If they are being ignorant and hostile, though, sometimes a blank stare before you walk away is just the ticket. You haven't engaged them quite on their level, but they probably won't try to bait you again.
Such people are boneheads. Boneheads have a strong tendency to let words fall out of their heads without thinking.
So, how can you inform someone that you are a vegetarian when it is necessary without getting such an imbecilic response? Perhaps something along the line of, "I'm a vegetarian. Deal with that issue on your own. Now, hush up."
By telling them you are a vegetarian you have made them think about their own diet in a way they haven't before so they become defensive and try to justify themselves. They do it subconsciously and don't realize they are hurting your feelings.
Why don't you explain to them how they are wrong?
You need to eat meat to live
.... well tell that to nearly the whole population of india who have been living healthily on a veg diet for centuries. Or ask them why vegs on average live a few years longer than omnivores and are at a 40% less risk of contracting the most common cancers?
Animals will die whether you eat them or not
...if there is less demand for meat then they will eventually start producing less and less animals will have to be killed. Or just say you don't see them as food. Thousands of humans die everyday... they died anyway so by their reasoning we should eat them too right?
I don't force my views on anyone. If someone asks me about being a vegan then I'll tell them and if they start getting defensive then they shouldn't have asked in the first place. They eat meat because of the taste and that's fine but that is the only argument they have for eating meat. Any other excuse they use can be refuted so if they bring them up then do so.
i don't think you need to advertise that you are a vegg unless it is nessasary because it you sat across me at the dinner table and ate only veggie i would not think anything of it. but if you sat across form me and i ate a med rare steak would you.
Are you new to being a vegetarian? I use to feel this way at the beginning too. After awhile, you will feel better about it and not feel so bad when they start confronting you (which will happen in any given social setting in my experience). I don't think of it as them inflicting their views on me, because I use to have those views as I was not born a vegan and had to learn to become one. I just inform them of my thoughts on why I decided to become one, and any other info they might want to learn too. If you have nothing in your thoughts to explain why, then just say it was a personal choice and leave it as that. Then just let humor take over after that and smile graciously to the insults/comments that follow.
I love jenny84's reasoning if animals will die anyways, and humans die everyday, then by your reasoning we should be eating humans. Very nice comeback and reasoning. I shall use that one for future reference!
my friends know but thats about it. The conversation never comes up unless im eating over at someones house which usually is a friend or relative but if the topic does come up with other people i dont say im a vegetarian i just say i dont eat meat
Tell them to get over themselves. I am not personally a vegetarian, but my cousin is, and whenever we have family gatherings, I always hear them talk that way to her. Its rediculous. You're right, you can live whatever lifestyle you choose and shouldnt have to worry about people inflicting their lifestyle on you?
The same thing always happens to me, I always just try to ingnore them, because they inflict THEIR views on me. I think the best thing to do is not to tell people who are arrogant, that your vegetarian. Arrogant people tend to insult you, or make fun of you, so it's best not to tell people who don't respect you or your views.
Dont tell them
no matter how you do it- they interpret it as a personal attack on them.
Nope. If they're going to say things like that, they're going to say them regardless. Just tell them you don't like meat, and leave it at that.
Generally the only time I mention that I'm vegetarian now is when food is involved and I need to tell the preparer- and even then only when I absolutely have to mention it.
You do have to understand though, those people telling you that you need meat probably truly do believe that because it's what we've been taught all of our lives. They don't understand vegetarianism, and most of the time it's not going to be worth the effort to try to explain your reasons.