Is this why people hate vegetarianism?

Question

Most people who criticize vegetarianism do so because they've been brought up on a steady diet of
burgers
fries
mashed potatoes
turkey
gravy
steak
fried chicken

since childhood. American (European) culinary customs are the same as they were 500 years ago. The media encourages this as well. You never see ads for tofu or curry on Thanksgiving. In the cold dark European winters, meat, cabbage and potatoes were the only foods available.
But old habits die hard. People visualize vegetarianism from their own narrow view of what vegetarian foods THEY ate - potatoes and salad, and therefore conclude it is unhealthy and tasteless.

Am I right?

How do we educate them that there is a world outside these food items?

Answer 1

make them a vegie burger, or a vegetarian lasagna. just don't tell them what it is, until after they have devoured it!! that really opened my eyes to vegetarian foods. (though I am still a die hard carnivore!!)

Answer 2

It's not even that you're vegetarian or vegan, its that you're different to them. Some people just can't seem to handle that... 'I'm going to die one day so why not enjoy what tastes good while I can?' I can't believe how selfish you are Michael. Well why not have some fun beating up people you don't agree with? And support criminals by taking drugs? And drive the most pollutive car you want to while you're at it? After all, once you're dead its not YOUR problem. Sorry, but I cannot accept your point of view. Its people like you that assume problems like global warming, over-population etc cannot be solved, so decide to make it worse and 'live it up' while you still can, leaving a huge mess for the next generation, like me. Please take the time to think about that. SwanFox - You're another one of those people that only see the extreme end of things, in this case veg*ns that complain or seem to have something against meat eaters. 90% of veg*ns don't annoy meat-eaters with their opinions, and will only say something if they're asked. The fact that your answer got lots of thumbs down is because you say veg*ns complain or annoy meat eaters, not because they can't face the truth or whatever. Edit: SwanFox, you most likely met those vegans because they spoke up. Think of all the people that you could meet, how many could be vegan, and how many don't say anything about it because they don't force their views upon others? There are a lot more than you realise. You could point out the same thing about omnivores - there are a few hateful people that are against veg*ns. That doesn't mean that those few 'bad apples spoil the bunch' as you say. Otherwise I'd have the right to hate all omnivores, which is stupid, don't you agree? Trolls will be trolls, whether veg*n or omnivore, and you can't do much about it.

Answer 3

"Is this why people hate vegetarianism?
Most people who criticize vegetarianism do so because they've been brought up on a steady diet of..."

I don't hate vegetarianism. If you are willing to put the time and effort into being veg*n, more power to you. What I dislike about SOME veg*ns are the ones that feel they just have to get on their moral high horse and tell me how wrong I am and how right they are.

"How do we educate them that there is a world outside these food items?"

Humbly. Don't try and act superior to me and my fellow omni's because you think you are making a more moral decision then we are. People tend to stop listening when the "teacher" gets all preachy and high 'n mighty.

Answer 4

No.

Well what we eat on Christmas is governed by tradition, yes, but what we eat the rest of the year isn't; it's based on taste and personal preference. We eat many things now that we wouldn't have done 500 odd years ago: pizza, chinnese food, pasta, turkey, etc. That people haven't all moves to a veggie diet is because they don't want to, not because they're stuck in tradition.
The thing is, you assume everyone who doesn't agree with your point of view on meat must be unneducated or ignorant about the diet, or else why wouldn't they agree with you? You can't accept that most people know there is a world outside meat but still like to eat it. Get a life.

Answer 5

Potato's aren't meat.

But yes, people are reluctant to change from what they have grown accustomed to and what they are comfortable with.European culinary customs are not the same as they were 500 years ago. We eat a lot more meat these days than we used to. 500 years ago, meat was a luxury, not a staple food. As the years have passed, this idea of meat being something to strive to obtain stuck with us, even as availability increased. People still wanted the meat, but now it was easy to get, and so we learned to eat it often. Attitudes go through continuous change. Due to environmental, social, and medical concerns more and more people are eating less meat, and more vegetables. Don't worry, people already know that there is a world outside of chicken fried steak.

Answer 6

I think you are partly right. Old habits do die hard. I think the fanaticism that vegetarians show for the way they eat is a bit off putting to a lot of people. We as people tend to be extremists when we find something that appeals to us or changes our whole outlook and we can't wait to share with others. Not everyone thinks the same. Most don't share the all or nothing mentality.

Also remember, many of the foods you mentioned are known as "comfort foods" they actually bring us comfort during stressful times. The memory of mom and home cooking or with family during the holidays or whatever. The taste of meat with the fat is sometimes an over powering lure, just as addictive as any drug. I believe that we hold on to weight for protection and many of the foods mentioned will cause weight gain. ergo, we eat for comfort and protection.

As for eating potatoes and salad and thinking of it as tasteless, thats completely untrue in my opinion as I love both. I went meatless for three months and I ate LOTS of salad and loved it. That and potatoes and rice and all sorts of things. As for tofu... sorry yuk! I had it and didn't like it- talk about tasteless. Someone told me it absorbs the taste of wat it was cooked with, um for me, no.

I think the reason you never see ads with tofu or curry (smells awful to me by the way) for Thanksgiving is very much because of tradition. Trust me when I say, the Pilgrims did not eat either and Thanksgiving is about what they ate. You just don't mess with peoples traditions. It is partly media but with holidays, I think peoples love of tradition fuels the media in this particular case.

As for educating people about what else is available, not everyone wants to be educated. There are many who are perfectly happy living and eating as they are. These people cannot be swayed away from their way of life and that is fine. The only thing you can do is to put the information out there so that it is available for those who go searching for it. So there you have it, my opinion on your question.

Answer 7

I once had someone snap at me when a friend announced me as a vegetarian. She said "Whyyyy is that? Are you going to preach to me about how bad I am for eating meat!!?" I was completely taken aback. My mother has been a vegetarian for most of her life and I've been a vegetarian ever since I was 10. My mom always taught me not to be angry at others for eating meat. It wasn't my place to preach to them or tell them what to do. I am a vegetarian because I know it's better for me, I love animals, it's economically better for our environment, along with even more reasons.
I truly think that if people were taught about the benefits of vegetarianism they would be more understanding. It's like anything... people are going to remain closed minded about it if they don't know the facts. I think vegetarians have the reputation of being hippies and such (not that that's a bad thing) but others have a bad view or a stereotypical view about it. That girl that snapped at me had a stereotypical idea in her head of what i was 'supposed' to be... a preachy hippie who wanted to convert the world. I would just like the world to be educated on the subject.

THIS IS AN INTERESTING ARTICLE from a few days ago.
Kids with high IQs grow up to be vegetarians
http://health.yahoo.com/news/170005;_ylt=Ar0jfBmeU1ChT3MmcszYXz0Yu7cF

Answer 8

I think one reason some are have a problem with vegeterianism, is because of how difficult and expensive it is to maintain that kind of a diet. And that diet comes easier for those who have more information about what to eat to make sure your body gets all that it needs for full health, and info on where to find all those important veggie elements. It also comes easier for those with lots of money, like higher than low-middle class.

I think its no coincidence that the rich are usually more thin and healthier looking, and the poor are usually overweight or unhealthy looking. With money comes more opportunity and easier access to knowledge. The poor and low-middle class aren't as fortunate and it's more difficult to obtain that. Most importantly, it's more difficult to add that to your daily life because of all the hard work you must do for jobs, and the more tough responsibilities you may have. Where as a person with money doesn't have to work as hard if they're wealthy enough, and generally has more time to fit that lifestyle in their daily life.

And when Vegans say to those poeple, "come on, change your life and be like me", they make it sound easy, and ignorantly don't realise that they have a different life.

Also, it's easy to say "ah, those who don;t want to be vegans are lazy and foolish, and closed minded, etc", but thats discrimination against those who aren't vegan. Everyone who isn't a vegan is stupid. And it's funny how many vegans are usually the type to be against discrimination, yet they discriminate.

Answer 9

I was raised on all the foods you mentioned, yet I am now a vegetarian. It is because I was raised on them and realized how unhealthy it was that I changed my habits.

I think you are right...it is ignorance. I am not saying people are stupid, I am saying they are uneduated and unaware of the truth. It is amazing that people think vegetarians live on "rabbit food". I try very hard to expose the people around me to the different foods and recipes that I use, although I never make anyone feel bad for eating foods that I choose to not consume. I don't care what other people put into their bodies, but I do care what goes into mine. In fact, I loved the different menus that were available when I started looking into vegetarianism.

Answer 10

Part of the reason happens to be that they just like their meat. Part of it is that they don't like other people telling them what and what they shouldn't eat, after all, this is America. But there is another less obvious reason, and it dwells more in the unconscious, and that is that people often view vegetarians as "liberal, hippy, tree hugging, loving animals more than people, volvo driving, pro environment and therefore anti big business, and anti-conservative, and therefore anti redneck, anti NRA, anti cowboy hat wearing, etc. and it goes on and on.

There is a subliminal and somtimes conscious association people have with certain words, and when they think vegetarian, a group of associations are encoded in their brains. Thats why there is more to it than just a civilized difference of opinion on food taste.

Answer 11

i belive your right.

i was raised on those list of things but i'm now the only vegetarian in my family.

peta offers free items (yeah, peta is a bit crazy, but hey, they really do help!!!!) that can educate others. also, fill yourself with facts and tell them to everyone you know. write your fave fake meat or soy milk provider and tell them you would love for them to have a comercal on tv

luck!