Why am I a vegetarian again?

Lately I've really been driven into the vegetarian lifestyle (having to deny meat offered by friends and all that). I've basically really been put out there that I'm a vegetarian and it's kind of weird. In my phase where I was switching I was repulsed by meat and I just followed my feelings. Now that I havn't eaten meat for a few months and have no desire to (the first two weeks I had two cravings for meat, so I ate meat and was done). The thing now is that I'm not really actively repulsed by meat; I have to really think about what meat is to make me realize why I don't eat it.

The main thing here is that all I really did was follow my feelings when it came to becoming a vegetarian. My development as a vegetarian was exponential and started about 8 months ago as a mild interest in a vegetarian diet. A few months ago it concluded with my becoming a full-blown vegetarian, but I didn't really do anything besides follow my (very strong) feelings. I think the thing that is getting me is that there was basically no logical thought in this decision.

Yeah so I guess I'm wondering if anything else has felt like this before or has any comments? I am VERY happy that I am a vegetarian and would never go back, but the no logic all feelings thing kinda caught/catches me off guard and the fact that I didn't even have to try to become a vegetarian...like I was just swept up by this wind and that was that. Either way I'm just a little confused and I don't know any vegetarians in real life to talk to about this and I would appreciate some input.

thanks much

brad

 

Sorry, I can't really say I've ever felt that way but I think I understand where you're coming from. Does the smell of meat not bother you? If you ate it, your body would probably reject it, not that I'm suggesting you try it! What made you go veggie in the first place? Was it health? Maybe you should look up some of the effects eating meat has on your colon. Was it an issue of ethics? Watch one of those horrible videos. I saw one recently for the first time in years and it gave me a second wind, made me even more determined than before, if that's possible.


It's easy to get too used to something you've been doing for a long time so just remind yourself of why you started it in the first place and be proud, damnit!


The average British meat eater consumes, in the course of their lifetime, 5 cattle, 20 pigs, 29 sheep and lambs, 780 chickens, 46 turkeys, 18 ducks, 7 rabbits, 1, geese and half-a-tonne of fish. That is a lot of lives saved. Just as importantly, the best advertisement for vegetarianism is a healthy and happy vegetarian: if you turn veggie you will be able to influence others to become part of the movement towards a more compassionate and rational world.
(Taken from the Viva! website.)

 

I put a lot of thought behind my decision to go veggie, and eventually vegan, though, I can understand your present feelings, because as it becomes more of a lifestyle to you, it isn't something you really have to think about anymore... it's just normal to you.

If you really want to find a reason you went veggie, try writing down what you were feeling when you went veggie. You say you just went with your feelings, so you must have been feeling something negative towards animal products that drove you to the point of avoiding them. To me, it seems as if you know why you went veggie by the fact that you stated "When I think about where it comes from, then I rememeber why I don't eat meat"

Clearly, you do not enjoy the fact that it comes from a once living creature. But regardless, you do not HAVE to have a reason... if you are comfortable with the way you live, and it suits you well, you don't need any more detailed reason than that. If you're approached with questions on why you are veggie, you can simply just say it is just how you like things. There doesn't need to be an ultimate underlying animal rights reason or health reason.

I know many people who went veggie simply because they just didn't care for meat. They didn't like the taste or anything, so they just eliminated it from their diet, period. There isnt anything wrong with it...there is no right or wrong reason to become veggie, it's a personal choice.

I have grown "numb" to the lifestyle change I experienced a few years ago when I went veggie. I am not as repulsed by meat anymore, because it is simply just not even an option. I don't see it as food, but I don't see it as repulsive either... [unless I think about where it came from, like you] I just don't pay attention at all, really. Being veggie has just become normal to me. When I first went veggie, because it was new to me, and I had to pay attention to what I ate, and what not, it was almost like taking on a new persona... I was changing a big part of my life, and it felt super important to me. I talked about it a lot, researched it alot, a lot more than I do now. Now because it has come just a normal way to live for me, it doesn't seem as WHOA THIS IS WHO I AM NOW! lol you know what I mean?

Whether or not it may sound like a big deal, a lifestyle change that relates to your eating habits IS a big deal. The things we eat, and how we live that way is part of our culture as a community and as a person. When you learn about other countries, food is ALWAYS mentioned somewhere along the lines... food is a big deal to humans.

So when you change it up...initially it's going to be a shock, it's going to feel different, and YOU'RE going to feel different, but as you make it your way of living, rather than it just being a change... it's going to grow on you.

There is nothing wrong with that.

It's just like... I love art. But I cant find a ryhme or reason why I love art so much, really...I just always have. And I don't feel the need to find an underlying reason why I do. Dig?

 

You followed your instincts. That's awesome! I've gone back & forth with vegetarianism my whole life. For the past three years I've been vegan. I didn't mean to go down this path, nor did I ever think I could or would ever want to, but I did and I love it! My instincts told me it was the right choice for me to make, so I migrated towards it. Now I maintain it because I love it and I love animals and the planet and I know too much about the whole industry to ever go back, but intially it was this feeling inside that propelled me towards it.We so often get caught up in the 'why' of things (and I'm a BIG 'why' person... drives me crazy not to know the why of things) that we forget that sometimes our instincts speak volumes over our so called rational thinking process. Your instincts are telling you that a veg diet is more your style, as they did me. You don't have to have a solid reason for it, it's just the way you wish to be. Don't analyze it, don't dissect it, just go with it and accept it. I think it's great! In my most humble opinion you're heading down the right path, and that's all that matters!

 

The smell of meat usually doesn't bother me, but if I ate any I would probably throw up.

Apples+Oranjes I think you kinda get what I'm saying...but it seems weird to me that I would become "numb" to the fact that I dislike eating meat after two months of it!

I think I almost feel like with this vegetarian business that I am trying to hold what is right and true in the world so hard, but it isn't doing anything (and this flows into all aspects of my life lately, not just my diet). I think this relates to what shuttfly said, "Now I maintain it because I love it and I love animals and the planet and I know too much about the whole industry to ever go back..." It's like I have such a huge responsibility now. I usually feel very strong about what I think is right and this is one thing that I feel like I almost "know" that it's right...you know? I'm like a lone ranger...

I was thinking as I biked here (I'm at the campus library) and to add onto what i said before, it was like this wind just swept me up, almost without me knowing, and sent me to a completely foreign place which I guess I'm fine with but I don't understand what the reason is (The "why", i guess). It just feels like there is such a huge reason outside of myself...but it just isn't coming to me...like I'm striving toward something and now I made a step and nothing changed; what gives? you know?

drumminmama I think you're very right too. I was hanging out with one of my friends recently, who I only had met earlier this year. He eventually found out, but I was just trying to explain to him this complex which I'm explaining to you guys, where I don't really understand what propelled me to become a vegetarian. He thought it was weird, which I agreed with.

But as for following feelings and accepting them without reason, I play guitar and LOVE it, though I have never even thought of explaining why; it just feels right. There is something different about this.

I think one thing that may be bothering me too is the fact that now that I am completely in the veg world, I feel disconnected from everyone else - in a bad way, not a "hah! i'm a vegetarian" way. I dunno maybe it's just a major step in my life and I'm having trouble adjusting.

All in all I am very proud to be a vegetarian, though...

I dunno...it's been a crazy summer. I'm sure all the other weirdness isn't helping this situation. But anyway, I hope this post wasn't too disjointed.

brad

edit: I thought i'd just mention that although I'm "very proud to be a vegetarian" it's only my inner feelings and I don't do it for respect or to be different or any of that jazz.

 

One of the things about being vegetarian is sometimes it can be frustrating, because though we as individuals are working to do what's "right" we see that the majority of the world still isn't right, and it sometimes seems near impossible, if not flat out impossible to change anything.

I don't know if this relates at all to what you are trying to say... but my point is, sometimes it feels that even though we have done all this, it isn't doing anything.

All you can do to overcome this is remember that you personally are making compassionate, wise decisions, and being a better person as an individual does make a difference. You may be one person, but for every person that ever feels how you do, changes things even if it's just a little.

I think for people who really want to make a difference, it can get tiring at times, because it is a difficult task.

I think most of us on this entire board are idealists, and idealists are wonderful people, but I think we often become frustrated and dissatisfied with the rest of the world because sometimes it seems like our voice just isn't loud enough. That's how I feel anyway.

If you feel this is right, and you think it might have a lot to do with the suffering of animals, maybe it would make you feel better to join an organization/volunteer group. I say this so often I feel redundant, but these sorts of things have done a world of good for my confidence, and it has satisfied my taste for trying to make things right. When I actually do something, aside from just being veg, I feel like "Okay, I am doing all that I can, so this is good" ---I feel less satisfied when I get lazy with the activism and volunteering.

On a more personal note, I found myself going vegan mostly because being veggie just wasn't *enough* for me. I had to do more. I'm starting to feel less enthused about my vegan lifestyle as if it still isn't enough and am highly considering trying out the fruitarian way. It sounds insane, a bit, but once I know I am doing everything I can, that's all I can do as one person, and that will make me happier.

I don't know if any of this makes sense, I kind of went off a bit... but yeah.

 

I am the exact same way.
Have been veg just over three years now, so it'd probably be impossible to keep firing on all cylinders that long anyway. Though it probably didn't take that long.
Feel much better for it actually. To have truly assimiliated that into who I really am; not desperately needing to prove myself by being a bastion of PETA propaganda [whole other rant/post I made about five minutes ago ]. I know what I'm doing and why. I no longer feel it's my personal responsibility to make the world change. Will do what I can, and be content with that.

Do agree with drumminmama too.

PS I found it quite interesting that you never explained why you adopted a vegetarian diet, but it seems people have automatically interpreted as being for ethical reasons. It's starting to bug me that people do make those assumptions, whether ultimatly true or not. Think it ends up alienating people. Makes no diffrence to me ethier way what peoples' reasons are; same ultimate result after all.

 

Sage, just to clarify, I had only drawn that conclusion because of what he said, not because I automatically think that everyone goes veggie for the animals.

I said that because he said when he thinks about where it came from it grosses him out... to me, that sounds as if, he doesn't think it's appealing that his "food" would come from a dead animal, otherwise.

I was careful not to make any assumptions, I was simply throwing out ideas and suggestions for the bloke.

I also mentioned that he did not need a reason to be veggie, as long as it felt right, as well as I included that I knew people who went veggie with no real reason, simply just because they didn't like meat.

Sometimes just the minor mention of an animal rights stance offends people; it shouldn't. I was exploring ideas.

If you are not referring to what I said, well, sorry... but it equally irritates ME when people get their undies in a bundle over this stuff.

 

Well I have to make this quick as I only have 3 minutes until the library closes!

but I was going to say, drumminmama, actually I thought of that before, but I forgot to mention it!

I didn't choose vegetarianism, it chose me.

And I think that is huge, and is making me wonder why. Like with my analogy with the wind. I think that may be it. Weird. Gotta go!

brad

 

I like that thought.
I think it makes a lot of sense.

Though I did seem to put a lot of thought behind my decision, I do feel in a way that it "chose me"... ever since I was little I had this desire to go veg, and it was always for the animals, but it was there ever since I can remember.

I know for some people, it's a concious decision, that is quite a process. I know some people who never really considered it before, try it out for the heck of it, and just stick with it.

But ever since I can remember I was asking my parents if I could veg, as a kid.

And even if your reason for going veg for animals, sometimes I think the whole passion for animal rights is just something that chooses you as well.

I've always had a passion for animals and animal rights. And it was never anything I really had to think about. It was just how I always felt.

 

Yeah, I agree.

The "scene" vegheads can be irritating, and tiring, but it's better than other trends, really.

However I've observed a lot of those scene veggies aren't even usually veggies, they are usually the ones who label themselves veggies and still consume fish or chicken.

that's irritating.

 

well, i can kinda relate...
i had many veg friends...and it always intrigued me...at one point in my life i was almost anti-veg..then at the end of the year last year i had strong feelings that i needed to get off the meat train..so i decided to try it for 1 week...i am going on 8 months now...and loving it..i really have not desire for meat either..the veg diet just worked for me...so i roll w/ it..

 

All right, it's been a while since I've posted here but I've been thinking about this for the past week or so. It seems like a part of this is the inconvenience of being a vegetarian. Two of my room-mates work at Dominos and like I said I don't know any vegetarians (or even people that limit meat intake), so I am always being offered meat. I think this led to my feeling of being disconnected from other people and all that.

About four months ago, when I was considering vegetarianism, I decided that I would not become a full blown vegetarian until after college, because I knew it would be tough, but two months later I ended up stopping eating meat, and it's just as tough as I imagined.

Yeah I dunno this is probably just something I need to work out on my own.

brad