''Vegetarians'' that eat fish....a contradiction!!?!


Question: The Vegetarian Society (which has a lot of authority) defines a vegetarian as one who does NOT consume meat, flesh or any by-product of slaughter.
Fish is an animal that suffers pain. A vegetarian therefore avoids fish. It is a contradiction to call yourself a vegetarian, and consume fish.

Maybe some people are desperate for a label, huh?
What do you think? :-)


Answers: The Vegetarian Society (which has a lot of authority) defines a vegetarian as one who does NOT consume meat, flesh or any by-product of slaughter.
Fish is an animal that suffers pain. A vegetarian therefore avoids fish. It is a contradiction to call yourself a vegetarian, and consume fish.

Maybe some people are desperate for a label, huh?
What do you think? :-)

Vegetarians do not eat fish.

See my profile for links to the 3 largest organisations on vegetarian issues, and what they have to say about this fishy subject.

Compared to that body of opinion, anyone that says they are veggie and eat fish are clearly wrong

We have definitions so we can communicate. Using words incorrectly hampers that communication.

Someone from India would say i was wrong if i said they were from Ireland, wouldn't they ? So why is defending the word vegetarians so strange ?

Some want a label, some don't know the true definition, some just don't care. I think its best to give someone the benefit of the doubt first time they make that mistake because they genuinely might not know the real definition.

If they continue to call themselves a veggie once they know the real definition, you are quite entitled to call them a Farblertyangbat. After all, it would then be open season on the English language, wouldn't it ?

Note this is not a critcism of anyone that restricts thier meat intake to fish. It's nothing to do with that, its just to do with using the word vegetarian incorrectly because it causes confusion amongst vegetarians, meat-eaters and give people plenty of annumition to call veggies hypocrites

EDIT: Clockwork, to make such derogatory comments and assumptions about people you have never met, have no clue about what they do with thier lives, or what contribution they make to society is a tad stupid.

Is calling a black person "white" trivial ? Just because it doesn't matter to you there is no need to throw insults around

your answer here seems to hint you have an issue with chicken eating vegetarians. Why, its just a "label" according to you, surely it doesn't matter, why did you bother writing about such trivial matters ?
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;...

While looking up "vegetarian" in the dictionary, please take the time to look up "hypocrisy"

Yes it is an absolute contradiction and it drives me nuts to see uneducated people banter about the term vegetarian and they simply don't understand what it means. It's so frustrating it makes me really annoyed some times. Check out my profile, look at what I answered before this question... I cant believe it, and she calls me disabled =(

I completely agree with you Michael. If people feel they can't follow the English language correctly... then the whole language is up for debate any one can use any word they like in what ever context.

Personally I believe the same.
However these people only apply this idea to the likes of red meat and the products of those animals.

This has been the nth time this question or issue has been raised. You have answered and asked this question many timers yourself. What's your point then?

If people want to call themselves something, why does it bother you so much even if they are wrong? What's it to you? Does it diminish in any way your being a vegetarian if they do that? You remind of a neighborhood gossip. An expert in
everybody else's business yet you can't even tell your own father that you can't eat fish. You should deal with that serious communication gap with your own parents before you stick your nose into other people's affairs.

wht the change of nick Scottie? Your old account got deleted?

I am veg. 99%. I eat eggs, fish, meat etc. once a while / in party etc. I am not non-veg.

Some people are ignorant and actually believe that. It is ok though, they just need to know the truth. We shouldn't get all up in arms about something like that, just when we hear someone say they are a vegetarian and they eat fish then kindly correct them.

I want to give Michael two (maybe three) thumb-up for hitting the nail on the head so succinctly.

I just really irks vegetarian's when people suggest it's okay to eat fish on a vegetarian diet. If you eat fish you are not Vegetarian, end of...

If you eat fish you are pescetarian, you are only going to ruffle feathers (and cause confusion) if you insist on calling yourself Vegetarian.

maybe people who eat fish and not meat are wannabe vegetarians but just cant seem to give fish up!
perhaps they feel stuck in the middle of veggie and meateaters!
they obviously dont see fish as a meat/flesh!
other than that i dont know!! :(

say it with me...
FISH IS NOT A VEGETABLE!!!

It's like calling yourself a Democrat, even though you have always voted, and always will vote, Republican. The only way you will ever be a Democrat is if you get some common sense and stop voting Republican.

It's like calling yourself an Atheist, even though you go to church every Sunday to pray and fellowship (Christian jargon word meaning to mix and associate) with Christians. The only way you will ever be an Atheist is if you stop going to church, and stop praying to an imaginary being.

It's like calling yourself French, even though you, your parents, grandparents, great grandparents and great great grandparents were all born in Greenland. The only way you will ever be French is if you move there and take up French citizenship.

Pescatarians, no matter how often, how loudly, or how emphatically they call themselves vegetarians, will only ever be wannabe vegetarians. The only way they will ever be vegetarians, in this lifetime, is if they permanently stop eating fish (and all other animals).

I am a vegetarian and I don't eat fish. Fish feel pain.

People who eat fish are not making any sacrifices in diet. Vegetarianism is all about sacrifice.

No it is not a contradiction. Flex vegans and veg are eating fish and seafood every day. Scallops have no nerve sensation so how is eating scallops different then eating plants? None, so if vegetarians want to include a healthy protein option such as fish and seafood to their diet they can do it, the name is pesicatarian. It is an official title and is in line with being a flex vegan. All of the benefits of a healthy veg diet without the awkward social stigmas the diet places on you.

I think it is a contradiction, unless somebody consumes fish without being aware of it





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