What is your strategy when convincing people to become vegan?

Question

How do you approach the meat eaters? How do you convince them to end their evil murderous ways? How do you deal with a carnivorous bully?

Answer 1

I was vegan for about five years - I've since changed my eating habits because my doctor and my family begged me. I don't think ONE thing can possibly work for all people. It was very unhealthy for me. I tried so hard to eat balanced meals, but I couldn't stop losing weight. At one point, at 5'8", I weighed 90 lbs.

I think that some people and some body types just can't BE vegan.

I also think that we should all let other people make these choices for themselves. Concentrate on what YOU are doing, what is best for YOU. Let other people decide what they want for themselves.

Answer 2

You don't deal with carnivorous bullys any more than you try to convince anyone that your lifestyle is better than theirs. After all, trying to convince someone of that IS what makes the "carnivorous bully" to begin with. If you will take the word vegan out of your original question and replace it with carnivore..... you will see what I mean.... It's the same thing.
The only thing you can hope for is that after spending enough time with a carnivore... they may choose to open their eyes on their own, maybe then and only then will they realize that you once had the lifestyle that they have and spark the connection, by them, that there was a good reason to explore otherwise.
Trying to convince someone that your lifestyle is better will always be met with hostility and you might as well be playing tennis against a wall...... you will never win no matter how hard you try.

Answer 3

I am a vegan not an evangelist. I find that the best way to reach people is by co-hosting potlucks, throwing Great
American Meat Out cookouts on July 4th, and distributing
information to anyone who approaches one of our display tables during an adopt a college Q&A. Never do I approach
people or call them murderers. Meat is like second hand
smoke. The average consumer does not kill his own meat.
There's no reason for me to resort to that type of name calling.

Other good tools are tee-shirts, bumper stickers, and labeled canvas bags. You'd be surprised to know how many
people approach a vegan in order to gain knowledge about
plant based protein, farming methods,etc.

I'm going to a chess tournament next week. I will wear a pro-
vegetarian tee. If I get first place my picture will appear in the
newspaper. People will stop me in public places and start to
ask questions about both subjects. You see? We don't have to preach and approach.

Answer 4

Most vegans do not approach meat eaters in that way and most do not try to convince anyone of anything. The only bullies are right here and we all know why people become bullies...they lack self esteem and misery loves company.

Answer 5

Hmmmmm, a handful of people now think they just *met* a "militant vegan" even though you are a meat eater asking a sarcastic question.

Sometimes I am so amazingly right about things it hurts.
;)

The best way to persuade anyone about your lifestyle is to be knowledgeable, healthy and happy. If people want to know they will come to you. If they don't want to know, then *gasp* you can just be around each other having a good time without discussing the difference in belief systems.

Answer 6

A murderer? My grandparents were murdered, one of my friends was murdered, and someone I know become a murderer. In that regard, you are truly clueless. You could start with understanding that the rest of the world is NOT required to think like you do.

Now here's 3 ways to convince them.

1. Tell them about the bacterial count on meat - its amazing - its why meat HAS to be heated to a certain temperature - to kill the bacteria.

2. Tell them that U.S. government studies have proven that it IS healthier and you will probably live longer and be less likely to develop cancer if you do.

3. Take them to a slaughter house and show them what goes on there.

If I become a vegan it will be for health reasons - saying that eating meat is murder is just ignorant from my point of view - morality has nothing to do with it for me, and millions of others. And don't you dare try to convince me not to eat fish - it contains chemicals necessary for proper brain function.

Answer 7

I don't deal with them or try to convert them. I don't give a fig what anyone else eats. Its my choice and decision to eat a vegetarian diet. Its not my mission in life to convert anyone else to my way of thinking. If they want to know the truth about meat, I will point them in the right direction, such as meetyourmeat.com or factoryfarming.org. Outside of that, what other choose to eat is none of my concern. As for carnivorous bullies? I simply avoid them-they are of no benefit to me, and nothing they have to say is relevant to how I choose to eat-its a non issue. I have no time for closed minded people who can only see their own viewpoint as valid.

Answer 8

Well i dont think you should approach them at all in the first place, just respect them for what they are doing. And vegan is a very large step, so try vegetarian first then work your way down. Tell them the harmful things factories do to animals such as slitting their throats. They dont have the right medical care also, if not any. No pain killers. Nothing. Just explain this to them, and they will understand. Ive turned one person vegetarian just by not eating meat. And she respects me so she respected my decision and joined me. Thats all it takes.

Answer 9

Why not just leave your thoughts an opinions to yourself.

I am intolerant because some things are just stupid (vegans)... but I am not going to walk up to you and "convince you to end your murderous ways"... (in reality... if everyone stopped eating meat more animals would die because of famine and disease [as a result of animal overpopulation] in nature than in slaughter houses... so in a sense you are a murderer...)

The "carnivorous bully" only pesters you because you are an easy target. You get mad, which is his goal. Just ignore him. walk away...

In a sense... you are being a "vegan bully" by bothering people with your way of life... Let people live the way they want to live...

Answer 10

why would you want to convince people to be vegan, cant you just live and let live, I mean our bodies were meant to eat meat but I don't go around trying to convince you to eat it if you don't want to eat meat, don't that just leaves more for me