Why do vegans think they are morally superior to other people? Even vegetarians in some cases?

Question

Why is this? Why do some of you claim a lofty moral high ground regarding your dietary choices and the "ethics" that go along with it?

What's so wrong about milk, eggs, honey and cheese? What's so terrible about bone char? They are just making use of the whole animal. That's being wise and respectful of the animal's sacrifice. I agree with you on the fur if it's just for fur or leather. But, if my husband or dad kills a deer or bear, and we use all the meat down to the bladders and bones, what's so wrong with processing the hides and making blankets?

Are you better than the Inuit, Tlingit, Chinook, Eskimo...etc whose diets are largely meat? What would you suggest to these people? To go vegan? In a traditional environment for their culture, how could they survive in such a harsh climate on such a diet? Where would they grow vegetables? How could they self-sustain without meat? Are they wrong as all of hell in your opinion for their culture?

Just curious.

Elizabeth: You must be a spoiled little rich brat. Some people have no choice but to hunt and live off the land. Would you like a packet of Splenda with that steaming hot mug of reality, dear?

Mike: LOL!!!

Scotch: Wow, your psychoanalysis fell short a few notches. I guess curiousity makes me "guilty". Nope. I have no guilt whatsoever about my meat consumption, nor do I try to push my beliefs off on other people.

Conscientious: Easy tiger, you know what they say about assumptions...

PS) I know 3 vegans. Two are family members. All of them are condescending and preachy.

Dear Michael: My folks are ranchers. I grew up eating meat. My family raises all types of animals. I used the Northern Natives as examples, not execptions. So by your logic, they are the only humans entitled to eat meat? LOL. No wonder it's so hard to take you seriously. You allow your moral high horse to do all the talking, not rational thoughts. Sorry, I find it hard to take anything you say seriously. And no, 3 of anything doesn't make anything truth...you are correct. A poster asked if I knew any vegans and I answered. I think you are just playing stupid because you could easily trackback and see why I wrote that. Now, as to the vegans I don't know personally with preachy behavior, wow. Look on this very board. Look on You Tube. Look on the Internet. I have enough to base my query on without your sanctimony and approval.

Thank you for not eating meat, sir. It keeps the prices lower for people who need it.

Al l...Why do you people see everything as an attack on your precious way of life? Just because I disagree doesn't mean I am your enemy. This logic escapes me. I would still save your life if I had to, and I see you as no less (or more) human than me or any other. Jesus Christ.

Jenasaur...Thanks for that entertaining vitriole. I hope you feel better now. Thanks for making my point for me. Thank you very much. Now people have an example of what caliber of people exactly I am referring to.

Thanks again.

Answer 1

I beleive it is for the same reason people who say they are doing something to "save the environment" and "reduce global warming" act morally superior. Overall these people view humans as a problem on this planet.

P.S. Scotch: If I ate only fruit for a week, I'd let go of something, but not what you mean.

Answer 2

honestly as a vegetarian i am ashamed sometimes how my fellow vegan/vegetarians discriminate against non vegans/vegetarians. personally i feel its a personal choice whether you think another person choice is humanly wrong or just dumb it is still their choice. I almost look at it as religion you don't go around discussing or criticize someone else's religion so don't do it on their diet choice no matter their reasoning behind. i am very proud of being a vegetarian and i'm always open to discuss my choice on it to anyone who asks but i would never tell someone that they are wrong for not feeling the same way i do. I feel i live my life my way and you live your life your way and as long and there is not reason for battering or ridicule from either sides. i hope this helps gives you a perspective that not all vegans/vegetarians are totally stuck into our own ideas

Answer 3

So I suppose we are all supposed to give up our morals and ethical values because you just went on a rant. Right now all your question does is display that you believe you are morally superior to vegetarians. Live and let live and stop trying to press your beliefs on others. What are you so threatened by? Why do you feel you need to post this? You are not 'just curious" because in actuality there are vegetarians in those areas of the world and you can find that out by doing some basic research on the internet. Your real motives behind this are to simply provoke people. Give it up and press on with your life. No one is holding a gun to your head and you still have free will.

I could care less if you would save my life. That has no stance in this particular situation and is therefore irrelevant. Don't try to humanize your already insulting rant. You've already made it apparent that you have no care or concern for those whose morals oppose yours or should I say lack of morals.

Answer 4

You seem up for a fight! Maybe all that red meat has you feisty!
Its a shame that vegans/vegetarians you know or have come accross online have coloured your opinion so much! I dont think thats typical but I know what you are talking about.
I think some of 'us' are 'preachy' 'cos we see the benefits of a wholefood diet very clearly and see the industry of death with food very clearly. Its a different mind set .
Youre not from a city area and so are linked to the land but most people are far removed from where their food comes from and are blind to the reality of death.
I believe if most people saw how their sandwich filling was raised and killed then they would lose their appetite fairly fast!
There is no contention that a vegan and vegetarian diet is very healthful and no contention that a diet rich in red meat unhealthful (ask Oprah she took the texan ranchers to court and won on this topic).
Traditional cultures are what they are and the illnesses and diseases that all of our different cultures have are largely linked to diet and health.
The Irish only ate potatoes in the 1800's...why?Thats all they had 'cos the English sold the rest of the crop for money. If there was a 'subway' in 1840 in Ireland do you think they would have foregone a sandwich 'cos it wasnt their traditional diet? I dont think so...the native cultures eat what they eat 'cos they have to. End of. If they had a choice they would eat differently.
And yes dieticians do advise governments of diets of the populace..think about the caribbeans and the pacific islanders and the american diet!
Diets are encouraged to change, even of traditional peoples, it happens all the time, its happening today.Why? Because we are better informed.
I live in the Caribbean and its in the 80's today so maybe thats also why I am in a better mood than you (my baked potato and beans for lunch was fabulous!)

Answer 5

Very good questions! I can't wait to see some Vegan answers. I'm not a vegan, but its obvious to me that some of them fall into the same trap that many other people do. It just feels so good to the average human to look down on others. Some people have a hard time avoiding that. Its takes maturity to respect other beliefs systems and cultures. Alot of people would rather hate on people who are different from them.

Answer 6

I have been Vegan for 10 years and have never thought of myself as being superior to anybody else. I have never been preachy, in fact, most people I come into contact with on a regular basis (aka at work) have no idea I am Vegan.

I wouldn't suggest the Inuit or any other indigenous peoples go Vegan. They eat meat out of necessity...hunting WILD animals. We eat meat out of convenience, even though we can get by without it, and raise animals in factory farms, far from their natural habitats. It is a completly different story.

Come on people...lets live and let live. We all make different choices in out lives...make peace with that

Answer 7

iv personally never thought i am in any way "superior" to anybody else. in some ways i could see why people would say that vegetarians and vegans are more caring of others, but i just see it as a difference of interests, i think eating meat is wrong, but i also understand that i do things that other people would consider as wrong, so we're all equal really.

Answer 8

This is the same line of thinking as mine.....many cultures that survived and have been revered use animals in their daily lives. I think that vegan extremists (I know you're not all that way) forget that there are plenty of farmers who do treat their animals well. I do also think alot of vegans (myself included 10 years ago) do it as a bandwagon type thing and as an easy way to feel like they are on a higher social plateau.

Answer 9

3 vegans is not enough of a cross-section on which to base such sweepng statements.

How would you feel if i based my entire view on meat-eaters on 3 people ?

Its at the point of your definition of "wise and respectful" that views start to seperate.

To a vegan ( and vegetarian ), rearing and killing animals is neither wise nor respectful.

Generally vegans do not criticise people who's survival depends on meat. They are critical of people who support the western meat industry.

Every one in the western world can survive on a vegan or vegetarian diet so its pointless trying to drag "Inuit, Tlingit, Chinook, Eskimo" into it, they live a different life.

EDIT:
There is nothing related to "You allow your moral high horse to do all the talking, not rational thoughts" in my answer. You are reading stuff into my words that is not there. Just because i disagree with you, you assume i think I'm morally superior. thats a bit odd, where did i ever say that ?

I don't care if you don't take me seriously. Your phrasing does suggest YOU think you are better than us, thats a tad hypocrytical of you.

Answer 10

Where have you met the vegans you describe? I've never heard a vegan, on this forum or anywhere else, suggest that Inuits should go vegan,

Then again I don't often hear vegans claiming the moral high ground either; on this forum one of the things you read most often is the phrase 'I don't care what YOU eat...' .

I'm a vegan, and there are certainly people who I would consider my moral superiors who eat meat. There's more to morality than what you eat and wear.

You've based your opinion on what you ASSUME vegans think and feel.