Why do people hate vegetarians/vegans so much?
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Think about it, if we are right, they are wrong. not just wrong but also bad. That's something anyone would get defensive about easily.It's just something that I''ve wondered. Like what do we do that makes them hate us so much? why are they meat obsessed? and always insulting us? If you now please tell me it's something I really want to know
Also it's cool to hate vegetarians (specially vegans) Just like how people hate Star Wars prequels coz god dammit those movies were good.
My take on it is that it is societies brainwashing vs the persons internal beliefs. This leads to cognitive dissonance.
Since childhood people are taught that farm animals are there to serve us and eating meat is the normal thing to do.
Either consciously or subconsciously people know that other creatures have to die for them to enjoy their meat, the idea of killing other creatures might bother them. Many people try to rationalize this as necessary as they've been taught.
A person that has two opposing view points will be stressed out. This is cognitive dissonance.
The entire concept of veganism/vegetarianism brings back this stress and challenges their views. People do not remember what you exactly say, instead they remember how you made them feel.
If you say you are vegan and that makes them uncomfortable because of their conflicting beliefs, they will project those negative feelings to you instead. You might not have done anything, but the fact that you are vegan makes them uneasy and they will blame you for it.
Reinforcing my belief, consider when a person asks if you are a vegan and you reply yes. But then you follow up with "I do it for health reasons." Chances are you will not get such a negative response from them, because it has nothing to do with the death of animals and it does not trigger their cognitive dissonance.
Since childhood people are taught that farm animals are there to serve us and eating meat is the normal thing to do.
Either consciously or subconsciously people know that other creatures have to die for them to enjoy their meat, the idea of killing other creatures might bother them. Many people try to rationalize this as necessary as they've been taught.
A person that has two opposing view points will be stressed out. This is cognitive dissonance.
The entire concept of veganism/vegetarianism brings back this stress and challenges their views. People do not remember what you exactly say, instead they remember how you made them feel.
If you say you are vegan and that makes them uncomfortable because of their conflicting beliefs, they will project those negative feelings to you instead. You might not have done anything, but the fact that you are vegan makes them uneasy and they will blame you for it.
Reinforcing my belief, consider when a person asks if you are a vegan and you reply yes. But then you follow up with "I do it for health reasons." Chances are you will not get such a negative response from them, because it has nothing to do with the death of animals and it does not trigger their cognitive dissonance.
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First, I don't think all non-veg*ns hate veg*ns. The expression of hatred we hear from some probably has many reasons. They can't justify their own lifestyle by themselves, and depend on others to prop them up- to tell them they're right- like artificial crutches; when they perceive someone who appears to do otherwise, they feel threatened, and so strike out, as a defensive measure. Then too, I'm sorry to say, I think a few people are just mean and nasty; they take pleasure in doing what they know is wrong, and enjoy causing pain. But I think they're a minority. People want to be told what to do, and will follow the path of least resistance; for generations, industry and government have been telling them to eat meat- and made it easy for them to do so- so they've come to believe it's the right thing to do; when presented with an alternative, they become confused, and again, take a defensive posture. I think they act out of fear, because they haven't yet learned how to think for themselves.
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yes, I have been a bit preachy....I think I have cast the first stone a bit too many times........:nigel:
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I do not find most vegetarians or vegans to be "preachy" or "condescending." I hear this quite frequently, though. Where is this happening, exactly?
It's more about the general idea that vegetarians want you to stop eating meat. It's like saying to americans you'll take away their guns. Look at how much hatred it causes.
Now matter how good your arguments are, people are often irrational and selfish or simply don't care about the way you feel about eating meat.
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They *hate* vegans because we are challenging their culture and traditions and insulting indirectly their mom and how she fed them! That's a huge deal, that's like breaking a big chunk of who they are. People don't like change, especially if it asks them to make efforts. Especially if it alienate them from their family members. Some will be glad that they finally have their eyes open, others will be frustrated and feel guilty and humans will retaliate more often then admit and try to change.
Personally bringing my veggie burgers and buns to a BBQ is no big deal, but some people thinks it's a hassle and insulting the host... same for Christmas supper etc. I remind everyone in my family that having a great time together is more important then what I have in my plate. It's a constant battle but I keep my smile on and shrugs my shoulders at them instead of arguing. In the end I'm the winner.
Personally bringing my veggie burgers and buns to a BBQ is no big deal, but some people thinks it's a hassle and insulting the host... same for Christmas supper etc. I remind everyone in my family that having a great time together is more important then what I have in my plate. It's a constant battle but I keep my smile on and shrugs my shoulders at them instead of arguing. In the end I'm the winner.
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I think that the reason why people hate vegans and claim that the lifestyle is unhealthy and wrong is because today's society is so brain washed into believing that everything that scientists say is right.Therefore we forget who we are as individuals and our principles in life in favor of follow how things are dictated by higher authority .Apparently if you're different you are looked down on by your family,your colleges,your peers,and all of society .I think thats why so many people are afraid of becoming vegan.They dont want to be different they want to blend in with the crowd.
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I have found very few people who "hate" veg*ns. Those that do are generally not worth bothering about.
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From my experience, *most* don't "hate" vegans. I think very few omnis genuinely dislike vegans and genuinely feel it's unhealthy (not that they aren't out there, my family is full of them). The average omni though either fear being attacked for their dietary choices and go in to defense mode OR they feel uncomfortable with their own dietary choices and the fact they have done nothing to change it so they try to bring down people who are confident and did make positive changes.
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People don't like criticism in general; when confronted with a vegan or vegetarian they often feel critiqued for their choice of eating meat. It confronts them with the less pleasant parts of their personality, which many people try to repress.
We all like to think of ourselves as nice, caring, ''good'' people. Seeing someone who doesn't eat meat confronts many people with their own hypocrisy; and most people don't like that. They like to tell themselves that they 'love'' animals but still 'need' their meat on the plate in the evening because it's 'healthy''. People love to believe their own lies.
I think that's why being vegetarian or vegan warrants so much anger in others, they don't want to know. They want to keep their illusions about themselves.
We all like to think of ourselves as nice, caring, ''good'' people. Seeing someone who doesn't eat meat confronts many people with their own hypocrisy; and most people don't like that. They like to tell themselves that they 'love'' animals but still 'need' their meat on the plate in the evening because it's 'healthy''. People love to believe their own lies.
I think that's why being vegetarian or vegan warrants so much anger in others, they don't want to know. They want to keep their illusions about themselves.
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It's not something I've experienced - i.e. I've had very few bad reactions (and the ones I have had were incredibly trivial and mild). Most people are neutral (probably like 95% of people) and some people are positive to it. Maybe .1% of people I've met have been negative about veg*ism.
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We all have it in our instinct, to be omnivore. In fact what is being omnivore, is to get through the easiest way, for to refuel, with energy. We don't salivate to meat, itself. We salivate to it's power of transforming itself, and faster, and lasting longer, into a greater amount of pure energy. We salivate to all this kind of food.
Is just only a few of us have the power to control some instincts, in there inside our mind. With the reason that we don't need anymore that much energy to exist. Because with the civilization came the more easy life.
We, vegetarians/vegans, have our 'incompetencies' too, in some other instinctual beliefs that we maybe support and they are wrong/useless, we only don't know it yet, as we can't see it, as the omnivore people can't see it is so obvious unnecessary remaining stuck within the ape inside of us just forever.
Is hard to change ourselves, for all of us, and in this case is not their fault. Is just.. evolution. It takes time, for some less, for others more.
In the end we all humans will evolve, into artificial intelligence bodies, most certain, it is impossible to avoid that, so we humans won't have much of this inner confrontation about how to provide energy to recharge our batteries. But until then.. We create rules, to support life, equally. Rice rule!..
Is just only a few of us have the power to control some instincts, in there inside our mind. With the reason that we don't need anymore that much energy to exist. Because with the civilization came the more easy life.
We, vegetarians/vegans, have our 'incompetencies' too, in some other instinctual beliefs that we maybe support and they are wrong/useless, we only don't know it yet, as we can't see it, as the omnivore people can't see it is so obvious unnecessary remaining stuck within the ape inside of us just forever.
Is hard to change ourselves, for all of us, and in this case is not their fault. Is just.. evolution. It takes time, for some less, for others more.
In the end we all humans will evolve, into artificial intelligence bodies, most certain, it is impossible to avoid that, so we humans won't have much of this inner confrontation about how to provide energy to recharge our batteries. But until then.. We create rules, to support life, equally. Rice rule!..
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cris gabi, I like that you talk about evolution. Too many stay stuck on what we are supposed to be, our prehistoric ancestors etc. to make a point against or for veg*nism, often forgetting that if today it's possible to be healthy on a plant based diet because of science and import/export, then we CAN evolved into something that will stop destroying our planet and make living beings suffer. Stop being the Earth's cancer as I see humanity! Who cares if our primitive ancestors ate insects or not, if scavenging then hunting then agriculture became part of many cultures. We are evolved home sapiens sapiens, we can do so much to repair the harm we have done like now! Let us evolve a step further since we are so proud of our evolution.
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I just can't have anything to add here, you are totally right, and is exactly what I believe in, too. I'm so glad that are more people thinking this way, because for too many times I got so tired after all these years trying making a point for animals, for nature, for our descendants, that they need this planet too, within the future, is not all about us here, even the people around are looking at me as I need to go check for some psychiatric help when they hear. 'The man' can be so selfish, is scary how selfish we human are. And not always in a constructive way, at all.
Thank you, Marjoram.
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^^^^ This.
I have gotten "dirty looks" from people when they find out I am vegan and ask why. They only started doing this when I started replying "for the animals". Although this is anecdotal as before I was a vegetarian for health reasons, then went vegan so the only comparison is "Are you vegetarian for yadda yadda" "Health" and "Are your vegan for yadda yadda" "animals".
Still, I think you hit the nail on the head.
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