Do you think I am a hypocrite?

Question

I am a vegetarian. I have not eaten meat for almost 6 months. I am vegetarian for ethical reasons. I think its wrong to kill other animate, living objects just so we can eat their corpses.

I also work at Wendys. I mostly work the fryer (I fry Chicken Nuggets and French Fries). I also sometimes work grill, where I cook the raw hamburger to the junior and single patties. So, do you think I am a hypocrite?

I looked for a job not in fast food for months but couldn't find any jobs. Then I got this one.

Answer 1

Hi! Haven't seen in V&V in a long time. You are NOT a hypocrite but you are in a kind of, sort of hypocritical situation! Way back in the day I did my stint in burger joints (they weren't called fast food back then) owned by relatives. I finally got determined enough to find ANY other job after friends came up with this line:
"A vegetarian running a burger joint is like a nun running a whorehouse" (no offense meant to anyone!)

That analogy worked for me! I ditched working for family and took a job as a night janitor until I could find a better job. I'll tell you that your health will improve a few weeks after quitting! You don't realize when your doing it how all those nasty fumes and grease mess with your body!!!

You'll also find that other employers will look upon you more favorably now that you're employed. Dust off and update your resume and go pound some doors in your spare time!

Good luck!

Answer 2

Yes, you are a hypocrite.

Had you said "I think it is wrong to kill other animals just so *I* can eat their corpses." Then you would not be a hypocrite. In this case, you choose not to eat animals, but you believe others are ethically free to choose otherwise.

However, you extend that judgment to others (the *we* in your statement.) So, you believe it is unethical for anyone to eat meat (a belief I share.)
Are you that far off from an ethical vegetarian who works in a slaughterhouse, or an ethical vegetarian that raises cattle for slaughter? Would you find those people to be hypocritical? I suspect you would.

Obviously your employment is not consistent with your ethics, the next question to ask is if it is justified. Do you think the hypothetical vegetarian slaughterhouse worker is justified, how about the rancher? I am answering you with questions because these are judgments you will have to make for yourself.

I do not believe that you *need* this job to survive, but I will assume that is the case for the advice I give to you. Spend any free time that you have working towards getting a job more congruent with your ethics. This may mean improving your typing skills so you can get an office job via a temp agency, or it may mean looking for other opportunities such as starting your own business. Here's one idea, offer a cat box scooping/cleaning service.

If an action is unethical, it is still unethical if you get paid to perform it.

Answer 3

If you sit down to eat meat, you do not kill the animal any more than if you work at the fast food place frying the meat. You may argue that when you go to the store to buy meat, you are funding killers of meat. But when you work at your job, you are doing the same thing, but on a much grander scale. You are contributing to the enormous funding of animal killers when you do your job and bring such huge money to your employer. So, yes, you are a hypocrite big time.

Answer 4

I've been there! I once had to work at Burger King as a vegetarian and although I never had to work the grill or anything I still felt like you. I know how hard it is to find any job when being a high schooler in a small town. Just keep a look out for job opening and ask for applications from places that aren't advertising.

Answer 5

Only Allah (swt) knows who's a hypocrite and who is not. He knows what is in our hearts. Also, its not our job to judge each other on that, only advise. How can someone who calls others hypocrites be so sure that he is free from hypocrisy himself? Salaams

Answer 6

I don't think you're a hypocrite. If that was the only job available, you had to find a way to make some money. You can't get by on your looks, you know. Besides, you aren't encouraging people to eat meat - just giving them what they order. If it bothers you, keep looking for a better job - something will come along eventually. But until then, rest assured that sometimes we all have to do things we don't like to survive.

Answer 7

It is kind of ironic, but no I personally don't think you are a hypocrit. I know how it is trying to find a job, it sucks. You have to take whatever you can get sometimes, If you really need the money. But maybe just for sh*ts and giggles you could slip some vegetarian liturature in with the "junior western bacon che"(jack black)... lol. maybe not you might get fired.

Answer 8

No, you are not a hypocrite. Vegetarians need jobs just as much as anyone else. I'm sure there are lots of vegetarians (like me) who eat meatless items at fast food restaurants. You aren't eating the meat, so you aren't a hypocrite.

Answer 9

Let me just say, you have to make a living. I am glad for you that you have a job. One could say that Wendy's will do well whether you are employed or unemployed, that you are not causing anyone to do the wrong thing by being employed there.

BUT... If your conscience bothers you, try another job. Subway and Taco Bell have more vegetarian choices.

Answer 10

No, I do not think you are a hypocrite. Jobs are hard to come by so you have to do what you have to do. I think you should continue to look for a job that is not in the food industry though just so that you can keep your options open. I haven't had red meat in over 15 years and when I first gave it up it was because I felt bad for the cows but I didn't stop wearing leather shoes that made me a hypocrite. The reason I don't eat it now is that i genuinely do not like it but I still love a good pair of shoes.