[peachie]

i'm one of the only veg*ns in my high school. people always ask about it out of curiosity, and a lot of the time it's more like "why the heck would you do that?!". and when i try to support veganism, no one cares. because face it, people are narrowminded and don't care about what they put into themselves. i don't even want to convert anyone to veganism (though that would be amazing) but i just want to raise awareness and have people realize how great veganism is and how horrible eating animals is! any tips on how to do this and what to discuss/point out? i hate closemindedness

ugh.

 

[Tuffenoughtoroc]

Hmmm...I try all the time to get people to understand veg*ism at my high school, but being a country, midwestern school, there is little understanding. I did get my lunch table to go vegetarian for a week though! They fell off the wagon soon after, but at least they have a smidge of an idea what it's like.

 

[peace]

One good way is simply to be a good example. People don't like it if they feel like they're being "preached" to or someone is trying to "convert" them. However, if you serve as a good example, people won't always join you--but they may respect your motivations a little more.

 

[soilman]

You might want to send them to http://www.veganoutreach.org/ or order some printed lit from vegan outreach and set up a table with a sign, where people can pick up the literature, and where you are available to discuss the topic with them.

I agree that simply setting an example is the best thing to do. Live and live well.

 

[Aimra]

You can also get free leaflets and other stuff sent to you from peta. Search their site and the peta2 site for them. I think you have to sign up your e-mail to get stuff from peta2. I ordered it to hand out at the unversity I go to. Hope it comes soon! That way you'll have something to hand to people to show them why you feel the way you do.

 

[Aimra]

Or you can go HERE to print out the stuff yourself.

 

[epski]

Point out that all the cool college kids are doing it...

 

[Tuffenoughtoroc]

Quote:

Originally Posted by epski

Point out that all the cool college kids are doing it...

Done and...done.

 

[misq17]

Bring really good lunches. People are always asking for my food.

 

[Tuffenoughtoroc]

Tomorrow I am taking a whole-wheat cold vegan sandwich with soy deli "meat" and soy organic cheese. That'll make my lunch table go crazy!

 

[GanyGreenBean]

Good Luck! Other kids can be tough! That sounds good by the way.. add a tomato.. some mustard.. *drools*

 

[soilman]

In my estimation, the best way to get people to go veg, is to feed them for a week or so, without bothering to tell them that you are feeding them veganically. If they are delighted with the food, barely mention, in passing, that it has have been entirely vegan for quite a while now. Ther more money we have to feed selected victims this way, for a few weeks, the more converts we will get. I recommend we start a soup kitchen for the middle class, rich, and poor alike. This will take some money tho. I think it will work much better than handing them literature. Hand them food.

 

[soilman]

I recommend we get started on this right away. Buy a farm. Grow all the food veganistically. Feed people. And oh, by the way, no animals we killed to feed you, no animals were raised or killed, to feed the plants, that we used to feed you.

Buy all the farms and farm them all veganistically.

 

[soilman]

Take over food production, food preparation, and feeding.

You don't little a young child make food choices entirely by themselves. The adults that eat flesh have proven that they are immature in the area of self-innutrientalization. They need us mature adult vegans to take charge of the situation, of their innutrientaliation, for them, for their own good.

We need to have vegan farms with vegan markets and vegan restaurants, in a one-stop food provision places, and have these crop up all over the world.

 

[Fyvel]

Does your school have a newspaper? Maybe you could write a short article in it about veganism

 

[Tuffenoughtoroc]

Me and my sister actually write for our school newspaper, and have considered multiple times of writing a feature about veg*ism, but that idea was shut down by our publications teacher. She said it took up space and not enough people would read it. We are trying to find another way to get the idea approved.

GanyGreenBean, I took the vegan sandwich to lunch at school and all of my friends tried it, one of which absolutely loved it! I brought more the next day and shared it with my table. They are all going to go to the organics section at the grocery store and get some soy stuff for themselves. No, they are not converting to veg*ism, (unfortunately) but if I can at least help them to cut down the amount of meat they eat then great!

 

[mslinzyann]

When I was a vegan, I treated people's eating habits with respect and made it a non-issue; "you eat waht you like and I'll eat what I like". I was always willing to discuss why I was vegan and what the moral reasons were behind my lifestyle, but I did not do much prostelytizing. (I'm sure I spelled that wrong!) In the end, a lot of people asked me about vegetarianism and I would explain my reasoning to them, usually ending my discussion with 'this may not be the way you choose to eat, but its a meaningful choice in my life and I'm very happy to be vegan." A lot of people did tease me, but it was generally friendly teasing- and a lot of these same people who were there to tease me would tell me, when it was just the two of us, that they really respected and admired me for the choices I made, especially because they were so difficult. I believe many people are uncomfortable regarding the unfamiliar but when treated with respect (not accusing you of NOT treating them with respect, but....I think a lot of people are really turned off if they feel like you are preaching) and provided with an explaination, most people I dealt with were fairly accepting, if not necessarily admiring me.

 

[peachie]

live and let give is a good approach.

but the problem is, people never seem to want to let me live without trying to burn holes through my beliefs. so the natural response from me is to get into arguments and rant about veganism. next time i'll tell them to shut up and eat a burger - just don't complain to me when their health parallels that of phil margera.

 

[luv4all]

I went on camp and got veggie lassagne for dinner. Another friend of mine put herself down as veggie in the hope that the food would be better (it wasn't, but I don't mind camp food while she objects vehemently to it). So, she gave her portion to me, and one of my other friends asked if she could try it. She did, and liked it, so we split it

. I found that quite heartening. People seem to be willing to listen at my school, and accept veggie food as actual food and not necessarially disgusting. And some of the nicest people are commonly known as veggie, including some of the nicest teachers that you can't help but like.

I was also very happy when a meat eater said 'I didn't know you were vegetarian!'. When I said, 'I'm getting there,' her immediate reaction was: 'That's awesum!'

And I got my food early and got to cut in the line

Probabally the best way is to be seen enjoying your food and not treating it as a big chore. Then, people can see how happy it can make others, and will be more open to it. Don't force beliefs onto them, because that's when people will reject you.

 

[GanyGreenBean]

Thats awesome that people tried your sandwich!

People eat my vegan food in my classes too, some like it.. some complain.