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Do Vegan/Vegetarians look down upon meat eaters?
I've seen it many times that meat eaters feel we "force our beliefs" on people or think we are better than everyone else because we don't consume meat.
But do we really look down upon meat eaters?
Are we superior because of our diet?
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Xiao Kang on -
I don't. I respect everyone. As long as they do not make fun of my diet, I don't like to debate with them, and never look down on them. I just feel sorry for their heartless, careless to animals life.
I never force my lifestyle to them, but for some friends who want to listen, I always try my best to tell them about the benefits of going vegetarian. I show them that I am very healthy without meat with the hope someday they will consider to go vegetarian, but not forcing them.
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Permalink Reply by Fruitfly on -
this is good and I hope all vegans or vegetarians can follow such an example of sharing views but not forcing.
about meat eater's being heartless, I am not sure about. I agree that most meat eaters are at least careless if not heartless about the life of the animal but I also respect and am thankful that some religious practices are able to acknowledge animals in prayer before they kill or consume them. typically, some Native American tribes would pray upon the power and honor of the animal they would hunt prior to hunting it and praise it for nourishing the tribe. they also use all parts of the animal so as not to waste any part, such as the bones and skin for jewlery, tools, or clothing. even in modern times, Muslims have a prayer to slaughter the beast that they consume which translates roughly as (if I kill you this time, you can kill me next).
my point is not to support the glories of killing animals, eating them and so forth but that in anything we do, whether eating meat or eating veggie, we should be conscious of the source. until just about 8 years ago, though vegetarian for about 8 years, I had no concept of how food grows in the ground and how it is taken care of and even brought to the stores until I lived in Oregon where there were a lot of organic farmers. once I realized the harm that comes to insects in the farming process, it opened up a whole new perspective of being conscious of decreasing harm to sentient life forms, whether they are mammals or not. that is why caring for the environment is just as important as being vegetarian if not even more, since the environment is the first place that at least modern mankind is harming life on the planet.
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Permalink Reply by Xiao Kang on
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sorry, i didn't mean they are heartless at all, i meant they are heartless to the animals they eat.
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Permalink Reply by Wayne Bond on -
Personally I have never had that complaint yet but I do feel sometimes that Vegans push their way of thinking too hard that it kinda puts me off a little, in that their way is absolutely right and there is only 1 right way. But that's maybe just how I took it and not how the message was intended. Also I probably will become Vegan anyway judging from the signs and feelings I'm getting from my body.
Do we look down upon meat eaters? Personally I don't, I think they are misguided and largely ignorant and mostly lazy (by our own nature we are lazy creatures). But to me it's not their fault, you grow up being taught that meat is normal and that is the way it stays for a huge percent of your life, so I can sympathize with the fact that it's very hard to change that or even want to change that. Eating meat is VERY convenient for humans and that is why most people eat meat I think, convenience.
Are we superior? Uhh should I feel bad to say YES!? Because I think we are in some ways, but I don't feel good about saying we are superior. I think we have a more peaceful existence in this world because animals don't die as a result of our actions, that in itself makes us superior, right? Is it wrong to think this way?
Also if you look at it scientifically .. it's been proven that vegetarians and vegans live longer and healthier lives, so that makes us superior to meat eaters.
But for some reason I don't like to even say them things. I think factually and morally I am correct but should these things even be said? Should I even be feeling guilty about it? Does that mean I am looking down upon meat eaters? lol
But honestly I don't look down upon people because of eating meat, people are allowed to make their own minds up and who am I to tell anyone they are wrong! I do think we live better though :P
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Permalink Reply by Lauren Woods on -
Hey Wayne, I follow a guy on Tumblr who is especially like this. He for instance doesn't believe you should talk to meat-eaters, have meat-eating friends, etc. I'm definitely not going to give up the people I love, I love them for a reason I know if they see things my why one day they'll turn everything around :)! But you can be your own brand, I hate that people try and pigeon-hole vegans and say, "Well if you don't believe THIS and THIS, you're not a "real" vegan". The specificity is moronic, if you're not using animal products, just cruelty-free, then really what you believe after that is up to you. It's like the people on here who were bashing vegans and others for eating tofu and soy- including members on this very thread. Trying to act like "purists" or some shit, out focus is the animals, not to be snobs. Really galls me! Because those kinds of attitudes turn people away.
But YES! I wish you luck on your journey, and good luck on being vegan one day xoxox
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Permalink Reply by Chiara Saccucci on
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They DO believe we look down on them.. but as I say, I am making a difference and don't need others to join in.
It is upsetting though when they are totally ignorant about facts, figures and data, and pretend to go about it like they are 'normal' and we're weird..
This is what makes me look down on them, the Resistence to understanding, not the fact they eat meat due to their ignorance..
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Permalink Reply by Jenii Stevenson on -
I dont.I also respect everyone.If they dont me," I do not give them the power to effect my life either or debate with them.Because,I will not lower myself to someone else's level of unkindness.
I never force what my personal beliefs are on people.It never works forcing things upon people at all, with unkindness.Instead of forcing our own will, we should use joy and ease to work this power.Because, it is about finding more ease,more flow,more kindness in EVERYTHING that we do.It is not done with unkindness,pressure or fear,because that never works.
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Permalink Reply by Lauren Woods on
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I always love to see your positive energy Jenii :)! This is very true, lead a positive live and others will be drawn to that. All the people I've helped "convert" lol came to ME, not the other way around- because they saw what a positive change it made.
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Permalink Reply by Xiao Kang on
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Jenii is a girl with a lot of positive energy, I learn a lot from all her posts.
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Permalink Reply by Lauren Woods on
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True that xoxo Now we just have to clone her, bring a positive flood ;)!
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Permalink Reply by Marion Rackliff Thurston on -
I tend to think about it like this: I choose to not eat meat, but if someone else wants to eat it, who am I to judge? I don't give any advise on diet, nor do I think everyone needs to eat like I do. The only time I say anything to anybody is when they pick apart my diet. Then I ask them if they would like to know how their dinner became dinner? If that doesn't end it, I tell them about factory farming, how the animals are treated and how they are slaughtered. Then I say my food doesn't contain anything like that. My food is all natural, healthy and I feel good. So why look down on me? If I feel good and I'm healthy they have no right to talk about how I eat. I don't force what I think down others throats, I don't think it's right.
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Permalink Reply by eMCee eNVee on -
Yeah, superior is a bit of a loaded word. But also consider: superior in what way? Certainly we have more empathy and are in better health (generally), but are we superior at killing? At causing environmental destruction? At perhaps cooking meat (lol)? I'm sure there are a whole slew of areas where meat eaters are superior to us.
Do I personally look down on meat eaters? No. Do I look down on what they do and their reasons for doing so? Hell yeah. Disrespect ideas, not individuals.
No, I don't look down on people even if I disagree and consider them enemies. All things deserve respect and understanding, especially your enemies. ;)
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