Am I the only person here who feels like they are playing a game when it comes to non-veggies (aka meat eaters)? It is like there is some invisible point system. From what I have worked out it works like this (ME=meat-eater, VG=veggie). If the ME can get the VG to consume meat knowingly then GAME OVER or 10,000 points if VG still wants to play. If the ME can sneak meat into the food of VG then 100 points. If the VG can convince the ME to try something without meat in it, then 200 points. ... half points on the above if the ME resists for at least 20 minutes ... quarter points if the ME resists and it is a food that wouldn't normally need meat in it (pasta). I think there might be points for pestering also. The worst thing about this is that recently I went through a tough time with money. I could not afford to buy food and had to eat what my mother bought. She made sure the whole house was stocked with meat so I ended up eating some. After the money troubles ended, I get this comment, "Why is there all this vegetarian food in the house again?" "Because I don't like to eat meat." "Oh, I thought you were over that." ARG! Anyone else feel like it might be a game? What rules did I miss and can you figure out the point system... because I am lost.
Oh, and there must be some sort of points for the ME if they try the veggie food and HATE it... and points for the VG if the ME admits the food is edible. I think my sister must know all these rules because she plays by them constantly.
i swear you're right... there must be a rule book out there somewhere. i've had meat thrown at me before, how many points for that?
no one has ever thrown meat at me yet.... altho i did go to my mother in laws house and well, she didnt know i was now veggie. until 2 hours before we got there and she had made ham and bean soup and asked me if i just wanted to pick the ham outta it. it was with the best intentions though. she did have fruit and cheese and bread for me. haha.
Hmm, I don't know how many points to assign for any of these things. I was just guessing myself on the above. But having meat thrown at you... that has to be worth at least 500-600 points. The picking meat out comment... that means they tried to sneak it but got caught. If you eat it anyway (after removing the meat) they get half points for effort... 50 points. Repeating articles... even in the face of overwhelming contrary evidence... 50 points. Repeating articles and insisting there is no contrary evidence... 150 points. Insisting the articles must be right because the VG isn't is perfect shape (I am a large guy not obese -- anymore -- but that is another thing)... 300 points. Hmm, if a ME gets food poisoning then converts to VG... -50 points to the ME team. But I would warn the new VG that improper handling can cause it no matter what you eat. Wash your hands before tossing a salad (unless in the bedroom). Again, I think the points are relative... but there must be some hidden rulebook out there. I like the older of my two sisters (she is halfway to veg. anyway)... she at least had a sense of humor. At the start I was always making sure that my food was vegetarian. So I was on the way to the store with her and I'm like, "I need to remember to pick up some vegetarian mountain dew." (I don't eat animals... it doesn't mean I always eat healthy. ) Then, at the same time we both said, "Yeah, wouldn't want the ones with meat particles." Note: avoiding meat particles was a big thing... because my mom was trying to pull the "you can pick it out trick". Wow, that last paragraph is a mess to read. BTW: 100 posts... finally.
Ok, I'll start off by saying that the "tossing the salad" thing made me laugh REALLY hard. So are any points gained if a ME gets food poisoning but doesn't convert? How about if they get food poisoning and admit that it is from meat instead of blaming it on something else?
this post was really really funny to me, because although i have never thought of it that way, it's absolutely true. the "just pick the pepperonies off", thing makes me nuts. then people act like you are a spaz if you won't do it. my stepdad fries everything in bacon grease, which grosses me the hell out. also, although i don't eat meat, my diet is pretty awful ( i've always been a wierd picky eater, with an eating disorder). people always want to quiz me on why if i am a vegetarian, do i eat junk food, and no tofu. i have to explain that i try to avoid meat because of my love of animals, but that i am not a health nut. finally, like pretty much every vegetarian, i try to to avoid leather, etc, as much as i can, but i don't always. people always want to know why i won't eat a hamburger, but i'm wearing leather boots. many times, if i am wearing leather shoes or whatever, they were given to me as a gift. i used to feel bad about this aspect of things, but one of my friends put it in perspective for me. he said " the whole vegetarian thing is your own set of rules. you can make them or break them however you want. you don't owe anyone an explanation, and you aren't a hypocrite, just because you don't subscribe to the whole vegetarian/vegan set of ideas.it's not all or nothing." it made me feel better, because it's true. i shouldn't have to spend so much time explaining my choices. i don't go up to meat eating strangers and demand to know their whole philosophical veiwpoint on meat eating. i don't point out their inconsistancies, because, frankly i don't see it as my job to convert anyone. my husband is a meat eater, and i don't give him any grief, in fact i cook for him. when we have children, they will probably eat meat, and that's ok. i think that it's an individual choice. you forgot one aspect of the game, by the way.....the part where very militant vegans make mere vegtarians feel bad for not being as "good". how many points do they get for that? (not everyone does this, of course, but some people do...they feel you must either be a meat eater, or a vegan, no gray area.)
you forgot one aspect of the game, by the way.....the part where very militant vegans make mere vegtarians feel bad for not being as "good". how many points do they get for that? (not everyone does this, of course, but some people do...they feel you must either be a meat eater, or a vegan, no gray area.) Yeah, I've expected that and it sucks.
Okay, strict vegans making someone who is not a strict vegan feel bad is a technical foul. When we get around to having a penalty box they will have to spend time in it. It is not like I don't understand where they are coming from but each person has to live with their own choices. It is much better for the world if a person cuts down or eliminates animals from their lifestyle. I think the vegans really want to encourage the vegetarians to just go the rest of the way. But what they forget is that they are presenting an all or nothing view. Frankly, when I have to start worrying about honey and silk -- I'll just stop calling myself a vegetarian. I'll still avoid meat but if I am going to be hassled about how I live my life because of a title I have adopted then I am not going to do it. I technically use the title pescatarian a lot. Because I still eat fish... like once a month but I still love fish. It also stops people from haggling me most of the time. That said... 99% of all the vegetarians I have met, even some strict vegans, do not hassle me about how I eat. They encourage me to do as much as I feel I can. But I have met one or two of the people you talked about.
ericf- you're right. thankfully most vegans aren't that way. but when the occasional one is, it always takes me by surprise. i feel like we are all on the same team, so to speak. i have noticed that there are certain groups of people that seem apt to that sort of devisiveness...vegetarians, attachment parent advocates, and feminists, and devoutly religious people all come to mind. for the most part everyone gets along, but there are always a few people who feel like you have to buy into the entire set of philosophies, OR ELSE. life isn't an either/or proposition, most people know that. poop on those who don't.
