Can vegetarians and meat eaters get along?

Question

I have been reading ALOT of posts about vegetarianism, and it seems to me, that meat eaters and vegans just seem to not get along. Is it possible to be friends with the opposite eating preference? When you become friends with someone do you take into account what they eat?? I just think it's dumb.

Answer 1

I have family members and friends that are vegetarians and we get along just fine. We pretty much leave out the meat from any meal they join us for as a courtesy. We respect each others choices. There are no hate fests going on here. It really depends on the people. Some people are extremists and if you don't agree with them it's ON.

Answer 2

Yes, vegetarians and meat eaters can get along. My grandma is a vegetarian and I'm not. Its also matters on what kind of vegetarian they are,there one where they don't eat pork and another one is that they don't eat any thing that comes from a animal. But say you go out to eat at any place they alwayss have food for people that don't eat meat and if he or she is coming to your house alway make a salad.

Answer 3

KitKat and Matt H. hit the nail right on the head.
This isn't really reality. The avatars make it easy
for people to say things about one another's
views and diets that would not be said face to
face. I too get along with meat eaters just fine.
I would not try to date a meat eater because
it wouldn't work out. Both our different lifestyles
would cramp the other's.
However I've not dropped or loss any of my old
friends from my pre-vegetarian days.

Answer 4

Of course, ia the only vegy in my family, and i have many friends that are meat eaters, vegans, vegys, pescatarians, etc.
It does not matter, the thing that is so annoying on here is that it is the vegy/vegan section, right? And so alot of vegys hang around here to help people with recipes, etc. Then meat eaters come along and take the mick out out of us and disrespect our opinions, and a fight starts.
We wind each other upo i guess.
I can be friends with anyone, as long as they respect my opinion. However, i do get a better impression an d a higher opinion of them if they are vegy. etc.

Answer 5

That is a good question. Most of my friends are are meat-eaters and they are ok with the fact that I'm a vegetarian. When it starts getting bad is when the meat-eater starts criticizing the vegetarian for not eating meat saying stuff like "wtf, you don't eat meat, i can't do that". It makes you feel uncomfortable. It is better when you are around veggies because they understand how they feel about animals and just very easy talk to.

Answer 6

I am civil to people who eat meat, I can be friends with them, and all that stuff. But we see the world in ways that are not compatible. Meat eaters see no problem in killing close to 50 billion animals worldwide for no their reason then because they like the taste of flesh. Wile I have no problem having friend who eat meat, I would never date a meat eater because it just would not work out.

I don't hate these people, there are many societal reasons for their behavior. If we lived in a world that did not commodify and exploit animals most would not eat them. I don't see it as so much of a character flaw as I do an upholding of the status-quo.

When it comes to non-food issues we can get along, but otherwise, I don't think we can.

Answer 7

They can!

My best friend in the whole wide world is a vegetarian, and me and my family are definite meat eaters. We have barbeques all the time, and we just make her stuff she can eat. And I have a sister who is also in and out of being a vegetarian. It's cool. I kinda want to try it myself, but I really like steak!

Answer 8

I think that sometimes vegetarians get a little carried away with their self-righteousness, it can be a bit much. That being said, meat-eaters can be a stubborn bunch, unwilling to admit that there is anything wrong with a meat-heavy diet.

At the very least, everyone should agree that factory-farmed meat is VERY bad for the environment and completely unsustainable. The amount of vegetable matter, water, and fossil fuels required to raise 1 cow is shocking, let alone the millions upon millions of cattle, pigs, chickens, etc. required to satiate North America's appetite for meat.

It's like everything else, maybe a bit of moderation would go a long way.

Answer 9

I'm not vegan, I'm vegetarian (just to be sure that's clear). I've got no problem with what folks eat both in here and out in the real world (elaboration later).I don't think I've ever slammed a meat eater unless they slammed me first. I live in the 'middle of nowhere' beef country and I doubt there's another veggie within 50 miles (at least). I was pleasantly surprised to find that they don't hassle me (I expected it) and they were surprised to find that I won't hassle them (they expected it). I've lived my whole life around meat eaters and almost all my friends are 'meaties'. Heck, I married a meatie and raised two kids! I don't pay attention to what other folks eat (elaboration below) as long as they don't pick on me or try to make me eat things that aren't allowed on a vegetarian diet!

(elaboration)
What I *DO* pay attention to is their honesty. That gets to who's eating habits I *do* pay attention to. I will always slam anyone that isn't a vegetarian but claims to be one or uses any term that confuses the meaties about what a vegetarian is and what we eat! If you claim to be a demi-, semi-, flexi-, avia-, pesca-, pisci- and attach the suffix -arian to the prefix I'm going to bash you because folks think you represent what real vegetarians are. If you eat ANY animals from land, sea or air and claim to be vegetarian I'll nail you to the wall every chance I get (verbally! I don't do physical violence, *ever*) until you stop lying to the world and yourself.
Make sense?

Answer 10

Do you take into account someones beliefs when you choose your friends ? I have family and friends that are meat eaters and I Love them , but they are very respectful of my lifestyle ..I realize that you can not understand what it is to a vegetarian (who is for moral reasons) to see someone eating meat ..you do not just see the neatly wrapped up burger..you see and feel the pain and suffering the cow went through ... to many it is murder..to slaughter a helpless animal.....as if you saw someone beating a dog or cat with a hammer......would you want to be friends with them.....the difference is we realize that many people do not know what factory farming is and are brought up to believe eating meat is OK..... and they eat animals out of ignorance of the truth ..... it is not like I want pasta and you want a salad ..that would be dumb.....you need to understand this is a very strong belief and not about food ......