If you're a non-vegan vegetarian, are you a hypocrite?

Question

Vegetarians who are pro-animal rights, but who continue to eat dairy, eggs, or fish seem like they're hypocrtires. If you eat cheese, eggs, and fish, you support the dairy, egg, and fish industry which is really no different than the slaughter industry. Chickens used to produce eggs and cows used to produce milk and fish caught or farm-raised ultimately lead to their demise and the demise of the environment. In order to become a true vegetarian, is veganism the only way to go?

Answer 1

I agree, veganism is the way to go for people who care about animal suffering. Egg-laying hens are some of the most abused creatures on the planet. I once went to a lecture on vegetarianism and the speaker said that as far as suffering is concerned, it's much better to eat steak than to eat eggs.

Eggs:
http://goveg.com/factoryFarming_chickens_egg.asp

Milk:
http://goveg.com/factoryFarming_Cows_Dairy.asp

Still, vegetarians have a very positive impact so let's not condemn them. I was vegetarian for over five years before I even became aware that egg production involves animal cruelty. Few people make the jump from meat-eater to vegan overnight. Vegetarianism is a good step.

Answer 2

I know that alot of vegans themselves were vegetarians before taking the next leap into veganism, myself included. I think that vegetarians are doing a good job to have stopped eating meat [fish obviously included] in the first place, but when they are fully aware of the mistreatment of animals in the egg and dairy industry, then yes they would be hypocritical. I have a few chickens in the backyard who are the most spoilt and well looked after chickens I know of. Although I don't really like eggs, I will still on occasion eat the ones from my chickens only. Because I know that they genuinely come from free range chooks. Going vegan or vegetarian is a very personal decision, I think we all need a bit more education on the egg and dairy industry to fully understand what's really going on and how the animals are being treated. For me it comes down to the fact that if you support the dairy industry you therefore are supporting the meat industry, because of the sale of cows who can no longer give milk which end up at the slaughterhouse.

Answer 3

As a vegan, yes I do think they're hypocrites if they're vegetarian for animal rights. I think they're just as bad as omnivores since cows for the dairy industry are kept alive longer in horrible living conditions not to mention the dairy industry directly contributes to the veal industry. Also, egg laying hens, even if they're marked free range or organic aren't always treated as nice and cruelty free as you'd think they should be.I think that most of those vegetarians are just very ignorant about what goes on and some may even choose to stay ignorant for their own selfish reasons like they love cheese and what not. If you're really for animal rights, then yes, veganism is the only way to go.

By the way, there's no such thing as a fish eating vegetarian. Those people are just desperate for a title. Correct term would be pescetarian but it's not really necessary. Fish are animals too despite whatever some people choose to believe.

Answer 4

Would people who know nothing about what they're talking about shutup?

Yes, it is hypocritical to care about Animal Rights and be a non-vegan vegetarian. It makes the person a welfarist - but if you cared about someone's welfare you would not dominate and use them. There is absolutely no excuse for milk - it directly supports the veal industry. How do you people think the cows come to give milk? They are forceably impregnated - raped - to keep them continually pregnant and lactating.

If you can adopt "your" own chickens and collect the eggs when ethically suitable to do so, or have a similiar small arrangement then that is up to you.

BUT there is no nutritional need for animal products. There is no need to eat them.

I was vegetarian for a few months before I became vegan and doubt I'd have been able to jump straight in to veganism. I respect vegetarians so far as they do something, but if you are educated about Animal Rights it is time to give yourself a talking to.

It's not hard -- it's fun! Best decision I ever made, love it.

Must add though that there is no such thing as a veg who eats fish or anything like it. People who eat chicken and fish have no claim to an interest in Animal Rights - vote this thumbs down - I could care less. You know it's the truth.

Answer 5

Personally all of the vegans' rants just sort of solidified my belief that many vegans are holier-than-thou.

I'm a lacto-ovo vegetarian and I find it quite insulting that you would call me a hypocrite. I live in a manner that agrees with my personal views. I do not believe that an animal should live its life constantly suffering only to die horribly in the end.

My goal for farming is not to have the meat industry abolished because I know it will never happen. I prefer to have goals that are obtainable and realistic. My goal for the meat industry is to have animals raised in a humane manner and environment, where they can live as naturally as possible. It's true that living in an enclosed environment is by no means natural generally speaking, but it IS true that there are going to be animals that are just going to be raised like that. Thus, I want them to live in the best conditions possible.

I attempted the vegan diet for 3 months and found that I did not have the discipline or even the money to maintain such a diet. Now that I will be going off to college I'm REALLY not going to be able to have a vegan diet. My food choices are limited, there's no fridge in my dorm where I can keep specially purchased vegan items. I'm limited to my school's cafetarias. My family is poor (really).

Your definition of "true vegetarian" is a person who doesn't consume any animal products. Meanwhile, most people are correct in believing that a true vegetarian is one who doesn't eat any dead animal. Despite what the dairy and egg industries can result in, a basic vegetarian is not eating those "results" (ie veal calves, etc...). Thus they still remain a vegetarian.

I'm very pro-environment and I understand the effects that factory farms can have on the environment.

In the end it IS difficult to not be able to maintain a vegan diet while understanding that a vegan diet is the only way to ensure one does not contribute to farmed animals' suffering. However, I am still content knowing that I'm not eating animals that were basically tortured their entire lives and then murdered for human consumption.

I think we should encourage more people to be vegetarians and not scare others off by having vegans complain that vegetarians are hypocrites. My view is that many vegans and vegetarians are basically in the same boat. They don't like how animals are treated and they don't like how farming affects the environment. Instead of vegans turning around and attacking vegetarians, shouldn't both parties just work towards one of the common causes of being a vegetarian (to end farmed animals' suffering)? Plus witnessing a lot of vegans call vegetarians hypocrites can really turn people off of becoming vegan.

Answer 6

Not all vegetarians necessarily support animal rights. Some do it for religious purposes or some just don't like eating animals. Buying eggs isn't the same as slaughtering an animal to some people. If someone's a vegetarian for the purposes of not supporting the treatment of animals, then I would say it is somewhat hypocritical of eating eggs or milk. It all depends on their purposes.

Answer 7

What is it that you have against the dairy industry? I have seen fish farms where the fish are in a pool packed so tight you could walk across it. I have seen chicken farms where the chickens are kept in a small cage for its entire life. But a dairy farm is different. The animals are very valuable and can not be easily replaced. Cows are well cared for and are allowed to graze in open fields except for when they are being milked. It is a totally different life than that of the chickens or fish.

The environmental issue - give me a break. This is the worst argument ever. A cow has a lot less environmental impact than a human. People should stop driving gas-guzzling vehicles, recycle, stop building new, larger houses for smaller families, and many other things to help the environment. The cows are not the ones that are causing the problems.

Moonbloss: Have you ever been to a dairy farm? It is obvious from your statements that you really have no idea what dairy farming is about and are just spewing PETA propaganda. Cows are not "raped". They are sometimes artificially inseminated. The word "rape" is simply used to conjure negative images. Cows are not kept "continually pregnant" because they don't produce milk while they are pregnant. They produce milk after the calf is born. They continue to give milk as long as they are milked regularly. If you are going to criticize people, you should at least know what you are talking about.

Answer 8

It is sooooo boring hearing people call other people hypocrites when they are trying to make changes for the better in their lives. Shut up and get on with trying to make your own existence perfect. Be happy that other people are at least trying and rather than criticise them why don't you try encouraging them? Sure it would be great if the whole world went vegan overnight - I share your perspectives - but it's not going to happen that way.

It will take a very long time for market demand forces to put factory farming big business eventually out of business - that is the ultimate dream - and the only way that is going to ever possibly happen is if the population make it happen. And I can tell you that all the regular people are not going to feel very encouraged to make gradual and long lasting changes in their lives when there are vego-fanatics on the sidelines berating them for being hypocrites every step of the way!

So just back down, Sir Righteous!

Answer 9

well yeah
i'm vegetarian but i don't really display any sort of label, i am doing what i can for now being a 13 year old child
(yeah yeah you think i am only in it for pride but i am definetley going vegan when i get older)
i know i am a hypocrite apparently, i don't drink milk much, but i eat cheese and yogurt because my mom wouldnt know what to feed me except salad every night, and she doesnt want to pay extra money for soy milk.

yes, to become a true vegetarian is to become vegan
there are no excuses for me even though i stated them anyway.
i dont eat fish though.
just no meat.

Answer 10

a "vegetarian" that eats fish is a hypocrite of course. they are just into vegetarianism for the label, and that sickens me.

eagleclaw006, eggs are not meat. they would only be classified as meat if the eggs are fertilized, and the ones you buy in super markets are not.