Why do Vegans find people who eat meat unpleasant to be around?

Question

Can't Vegans and meat eaters just get along?

Answer 1

We don't hate meat eaters as a rule, just the ones who are always like,
"Mmmmmmmmmmm steak"
"Huh huh, I am a member of PETA, people eating tasty animals"
"But GOD said we are supposed to eat meat!"
"I didn't fight my way to the top of the food chain to eat vegetables!"
"Vegetarians are anemic, pale, sickly and lacking in protein"
"I know nothing about nutrition, so I am going to assume my diet is great and yours is killing you"
"All the many many vegans I know throw people's burgers on the floor and call them murderers"
"All the vegans I know -insert stereotype here even though this person has never met a vegan"
"Vegetarians eat fish, I know because I met someone who pretended he was veg while eating fish"

OR
Veggie - "Hey YA!, what is a great vegetable recipe?"
Meatie - "STEAK"

But, um, yeah. I just don't like those meat eaters I get along with all the other meat eaters just fine. I guess I would have to since vegetarians only make up around 3% of the population.
:)

Answer 2

No meat eaters are not unpleasant.
I don't have one vegan friend... I wouldn't mind having one... but it's just that the only people I'm around are meat-eaters. My boyfriend is a meat-eater... we've been together for a while. So I don't have a problem with meat eaters.

Edit: After reading some responses, I'd also have to add that a lot of meat-eaters really could care less about us, or our feelings in general towards meat. Sometimes they even try to wave it in my face... or say things like, "MmMm cow!" when they eat a burger. That is ignorant and I have no problem being just as ignorant back.
So as a rule... if they start it... I will not sit back as they make fun of me/ tell me how to live... but if it isn't brought up (my friends and family do not bring the subject up)... I will not mention my feeling towards their diet.
Plus everyone knows that if they try to "convert" me that they will end up with more then they asked for... meaning I know more about my diet then they even will and I don't take s h i t from nobody.
:]

Answer 3

I want even talk about internet trolls because it' s not reality.

In real life I do as much as I can to be affable with people who have traditional diets. As a rule I don't talk about my own. They don't however have any consideration for me, particularly where I work. For five days in a row someone cooked sausage and eggs on a GeorgeForeman grill in the break room. Knowing that the smell nauseates me the person still will not take time to fumigate the room, and clean the counters that the stuff sits on. I or someone else has go clean the grease up and spray to get the odor out. At other times I have heard managers joking around about bull fights, eating burgers made out of cows private parts, bragging about shooting at other people's pets or laying poison out for them.
One lady will often cook fish in the microwave and not even bother to clean the residue out. A lot of people have the attitude, " Don't like what I do. Tough. I don't care about how it effects you". It's not just an issue of meat/ versus non-meat it's an issue of showing consideration for your fellow man.

Now flip the script. If I left bean paste, or curried kidney bean residue someone would say, " Oh, vegetarians are so nasty".

Sorry for ranting, but well, you asked.

Answer 4

Wow... your avitar looks angry.

I'm not a vegan so I can't tell you why if that is the case at all. Most don't like trolls, I can tell you that. I can also give you a my view as a vegetarian... no one likes someone who waves meat in their face and says something stupid like, "Are you sure you don't want a bite?" It's bothersome. Also, I have noticed that meat eaters have a distinct smell when they sweat that is unpleasant... It smells like grease to me...
When a meat eater pokes at a vegetarian or vegan about meat or just keeps on and keeps on... it is only funny to the meat eater... why can't they get that. Especially to those who have chosen their lifestyle for reasons that are moral toward animals.. it then becomes offensive and meat eaters don't understand with a remark made like, "What's the big deal?" It is a big deal to them... a very big deal.
I am the only vegetarian in my family and it will be hard at Thanksgiving when I have to take all the razzing that my brothers and sisters give me not including the rest of my family. I am the youngest of nine children and have nephews and neices that are older than me... so I'm sure that I will have them to "play" with as well. It's almost as if I feel as if I should have cards made that say something like, "I am a vegetarian... I do not eat meat of any kind... fish is meat, no I don't eat it. If you have questions concerning what I do not eat, let me clear it up so we can move on... If it has animal in it in any way... I do not eat it. Yes I know what has animal in it and it doesn't matter if it has just a "little bit" I still do not eat it. I do not eat animal crackers but others do; please do not ask me. I am not on a diet to lose weight... yes, I know I don't need to lose any. Please do not think it is funny to try to sneak me anything with meat... I will become very angry and we will have an immediate problem. I get plenty of protein, I can probably lift more weight than you... I have more energy than I know what to do with. I can run for miles. I do not have a vitamin deficit of any kind and I already know how to get my nutrients... even if you don't think it is possible. Please do not wave meat at me and smile... I will knock it off your fork and go wash my hands... it's provoking even if you think it isn't. The smell of meat doesn't make me throw up, nor does seeing you eat it... It is just not a pleasant smell. Please do not ask me if I have checked the ingredients of what I am eating... Yes... I have already looked into it before I ever thought about putting it in my mouth. No, I do not get tired of the taste of vegetables... I love them and they taste so clean it is a pleasure to eat them.... yes... just them. Please do not treat me like a case study, and I will not react like I am being treated that way. If you wish to have a discussion about what I eat, I will be happy to tell you and discuss it... but remember when speaking to me about it... I am not a circus show. I am offering this information to you because there isn't any snide joke that I have not heard many times and that makes them all old news to me... and I will respond accordingly."

Now, this would make for a long card and few would read it all the way through... but it is this information that I wish people knew BEFORE they started this path and then became offended because I grew tired of it and told them so.
Does that help you understand at all?
Hope it helps.

Answer 5

95% of the people i'm around are meat-eaters, and i have absolutely no problem with them. we can be buddies, go shopping, drink a beer... hell, we can even go out to eat!

the only meat-eaters i don't want to be around are the ones that like to tease me about being a vegan. i mean, come on... do they really think they're going to persuade me when they say something like, "even little amounts of cheese would be good for you because of the protein"?

or check this out... my own supervisor asked me this a couple of weeks ago: "if eating meat is so bad, then why do all the grocery stores sell it? why is it being served in all the restaurants?" okkkaaay, they also sell pharmaceutical drugs (which have made people sicker), foods loaded with preservatives and high fructose syrup (which make people unhealthy), and mcdonald's. do i follow society's path or my own?

::end rant::

:)

Answer 6

Vegans are not alone in displaying bad attitudes towards others who live and eat differently from them.

Its quite simple really. People who happen to be extreme in their behavior and that goes for all sorts, are very intolerant of others. Ask yourself why wars will go on for eternity and you may find your answer.

Answer 7

I have family members who still eat meat and we still enjoy being around each other. These are the people I spend the majority of my time with.

Answer 8

Well imagine that you ran into a group of cannibals. Would you not be nervous and perhpas a little preachy as to why its wrong to eat other humans? That is how vegans feel about meat eaters. People who feel so strongly that eating animals is morally wrong, have a hard time being okay with someone who thinks its okay.

Answer 9

I have no problems with meat-eaters as long as they're not trying to serve as my nutritionist or throw meat in my face.

Answer 10

I don't find all meat eaters unpleasant, just those who shove their views on me, like certain trollers on Yahoo! Answers who shall remain nameless.