Vegetarians: how do you tolerate other people eating meat?

Question

I really have to fight the urge to say "it's wrong!" when I'm out with family and friends who aren't vegetarians/vegans, but obviously this doesn't help my social relationships. how do you compromise your love for these people with your beliefs that what they're doing is utterly incorrect? how do you tolerate their behavior if it goes against your values??

Answer 1

i have been a veggie for about five months and I think about the fact that you can live without murdering animals every time that someone asks me why i decided to be a vegitarian.  I feel your pain on that.  Honestly I don't think that there is a way to control that feeling to tell them that they are wrong for eating meat when they don't have to.  I also know that I am enlightened in the way that I choose alternative foods to meat not just because of that reason but also because I am a fiend for vegetables, fruits, nuts, berries, bread, beans, and the occasional ice cream.  Sorry vegans.  Anyway, we eat this way because our high energy bodies require a more high energy food and that is that.  Look at the lifestyles of most americans and then realize that most of the things people eat are disgusting.   What I am trying to say is that you can't expect people to eat the way that you do, but you can relish in the fact that you are better than they are.  Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha.

Answer 2

Just because you choose to follow a course of life doesn't mean you have the right to force others to. Everyone has their own set of values, and it is generally accepted in society that we should keep these values to ourselves when in public.

I personally think being vegetarian is crazy. Humans have been eating meet forever. However, I respect my friends who are vegetarian and do not try to convert them to my meat-eating ways. Doing so would be very inconsiderate and selfish on my part. On the other side of the spectrum, my vegetarian friends never try to get me to stop eating meat.

Answer 3

You say you don't want to force anyone to change but you sure sound like someone who would outlaw meat-eating if you could rule the world.

If you truly love your family and friends you will respect them for who they are and respect the choices they make, even as you expect them to respect your choices.

The world needs more tolerance and respect, not more reasons to divide us from each other.

Answer 4

I've been a vegetarian for only a little over a year.  but honestly, I have no problem with people eating meat, as long as they don't try to force it on me.  It's their choice, just as not eating it is mine!

Answer 5

Have you ever thought that you may be offending people that believe eating vegtables is wrong?  Why are you "right" and other people are "wrong"? You need to be more tolerant of people.

Answer 6

I get what you mean. Only me and my sister a vegetarians in my family (though they don't eat any cow). I've told them that its wrong and that didn't really  do much good, but they gave up eating mars candy, KFC, caged eggs, and most pig, after I told them about the corruption in animal testing and torture that was forced for these prodcuts. Just because your family eats meat doesn't mean they don't believe in animal rights. Go to www.peta.org or www.peta2.com and inform them about the horrible treatment of the animals and hopefully they'll stop eating those products. Maybe if they realize that giving up something for a good cause isn't so hard they'll start to give up other meat products. And remeber to tell them that if they ever are afraid off turning because of "low protien"; that soy, tofu, beans, rice, and eggs can easily replace meat and give them plenty of protien and amino acids.

Answer 7

lol you just got to live and let live

let the people do what they want

sometimes people dont see what you see

so you got to go on and do you thing and let then do theres

but its good that you feel so strong about it

Answer 8

When my partner is eating hotdogs, I like to remind him they are made out of testicles.

Other than that, I dont make a deal out of it. It doesnt bother me, as long as noone tries to tell me that being a vegetarian is wrong.

Answer 9

ignore it but can someone please look at my question beause i really need an answer it would help me so much if u did so just click on my avatar, scroll down , look through my ?s and it is the 1st one thank you soooooooo much 2 any body who listened 2 me!

Answer 10

With anything, what you do speaks so much louder than what you say.  I would continue to lead by example, and if you are asked about your convictions,  have a brief, non confrontational statement practiced; ie.  "It's better for the environment, and I feel healthier in body and spirit when I stick to a plant based diet."  not  "Because unfeeling people like YOU keep poor innocent chickens stuffed in cages choking on their own excrement........etc. etc. etc."  People don't like being told they're wrong, especially in supposed social/fun situations. 

I have friends with different beliefs about swearing, dressing, religion, and other things that we can agree to disagree about in order to maintain our friendship.  If the people you mention are really good friends, I would hope you can agree to respect each other's eating choices for the sake of your friendships.  If you simply cannot accept this, I would try to find a community of like-minded people with whom to associate, maybe a local natural foods store has a cooking class or a Veg social group of some sort.

Answer 11

It's wrong to change your feelings about people for what they eat either way, but know this, every negative word that comes out of your mouth does damage to the veg community and the animals.

People need to come to a realization on their own and every time someone says something rude about eating meat, they put a bad seed in the mind of others that can change the course of a possible future interest in vegetarianism.

Answer 12

i am a meat eater but you shouldnt fight about that b/c you cant make anyone do anything so and you can scare ppl away and u will end up with  out any friends

Answer 13

I do not tolerate other people eating meat. I only tolerate me eating meat.

Answer 14

How can you be so arrogant to think that your beliefs are SO right that you have the right to force them on others?

Answer 15

Well I really have to fight the urge to say "it's wrong" when I hear a vegetarian c**p on about how they are the almighty! Do everyone a favor and eat a steak.

Answer 16

I know that feeling. When I first went vegetarian I tried to tell others about why they shouldn't eat meat, and that only made people think that vegetarians should mind their own businness and are annoying. And I was annoying (and probably still are).

I found that thinking about the animals helped me not start saying "it's wrong". When you annoy people, you give a bad impression of vegetarians so the people you're talking to are even less likely to ever go vegetarian, so the animals will continue to suffer.

Just talk to people vegetarianism if they ask you about it.

Answer 17

They respect your decision, you should respect theirs.

Just be content that your doing what you believe is right, let everyone else make there own decisions.

As to your question:

Every time you get the urge, just imagine someone trying to tell you how eating meat it "right".

Hope i helped!!

<3

Answer 18

If they seem to be egging you on about the whole situation, explain how you feel, what seems so wrong about it and people will ask questions, but it will be much more relaxed then screaming OMG EWW!!! hahahaha so just say something like "you know i think meat is wrong" they will ask why and you can give your points. research is always nice. hehe.

good luck!

Answer 19

Over the years I have learnt that he best thing to do is to lead by example.  When I first became vegan, I got endless comments and questions.  Questions I never even though to ask myself (where do you get your protein from, what happens if, you will die without meat and dairy and eggs, and so on).  It was endless.  But, I kept going.  And eventually I didn't die.  I excelled at sports.  Nobody knew could keep up to me physically, so that helped a lot in shutting them up.  My acne disappeared.  I just looked and felt so much healthier.  As a result, everyone asks questions.  So, when they ask, I tell.  As a result, I end up educating a lot of people.  I just wait, and they ask and ask and ask and eventually they know all that I know.  Most people, co-workers, acquaintances, classmates, etc. will, in the end, totally understand that humans are actually fine on a vegan diet.  Not only that but are actually herbivores.  But most all choose to continue their lifestyle.  But, when their children or someone they know wants to become a vegetarian/vegan, they will not have any issues with it.  I never preach, because questions always come, people cannot resist asking.  I never tell anyone that I'm vegan.  It all starts with, "Hey, what are you eating?"  Everyone is usually eating junk-food, and I'm eating real food.  They are interested.  Most people around where I live have never actually eaten real food in their life.  What they normally eat, they think it's real food, but actually, it's mostly junk food.  They've never had millet, quinoa, or even wheat or barley, or pretty much anything at all that hasn't been processed and made into a 'product'.

So, lead by example.  Just because people eat meat or whatever does not make them bad people.  Most people have very good morals and values.  In N. America, food is a major ignorance.  The equivalent of not knowing the earth goes around the sun and not the other way around.

Answer 20

You're either very young or very intolerant and unless you chill out on this issue you're going to be viewed as obnoxious. There's nothing worse than someone unsolicited pontificating about their particular beliefs. My son's wife is a vegetarian, my son eats meat and so do their children. Luckily she's been able to achieve a balance that you are unable to.

Answer 21

Most vegetarians have an attitude that goes: "I'm not committing any sins by eating poor animals that have as much right to live as us...unlike YOU!" But seriously, think about it. We vegetarians cause as much harm by eating veggies: think about when farmers put so much pesticides and insectides to kill innocent organisms just so we can eat fresh vegetables...causing death to other organisms indirectly is inevitable!! But I admit I still get annoyed when someone near me heaps a big pile of mutton onto his plate.

Answer 22

I don't eat with meat or dairy-eaters. Eggs are OK, and a little easier to tolerate, but I would literally puke if I saw someone chug down a cheeseburger or drink milk... I just look away or pretend it's a faux item.

Answer 23

most of my friends are non-vegetarian but i dont think that i tolerate them wen they eat non-veg in front of me coz its theri wish to have what they want and it doesn't affects me