Guest guest Posted July 28, 2004 Report Share Posted July 28, 2004 In a message dated 7/28/2004 10:29:16 AM Pacific Daylight Time, dj01 writes: Hi, all. My husband, a vegetarian for 14 years, and I were having a discussion about films the other night and I mentioned my need, as a new vegan (and fairly new vegetarian) to watch animal rights/veganism videos such as "Peaceful Kingdom" and "Eating" and to read about the subjects. I said I know he feels he "already knows" about the abuses, health issues, etc. and so I thought he'd be upset at seeing such things when he comes into the room when I'm watching the videos. He said it didn't bother him but I know he's said so in the past. I feel like some kind of freak having to keep my momentum up by doing this but let's face it, when you're the only vegan around and still feel the need to buy dairy (although organic) for your family (they request it, not me!), it's hard! In addition to this, I have a good friend who just beat breast cancer and was given the info about eating less or no meat or dairy products, buying organic ingredients, etc. and simply won't follow these guidelines. She can't understand my veganism and I can't understand why she won't do it! We don't fight or even really discuss it but I just get tired of having to bite my tongue every time she orders a steak or eats a cheesecake!I'm joining a vegan potluck group near me and I am very excited about being surrounded by like-minded people for once! I guess my question here is whether anyone else has felt this frustrated. When people complain about health problems or say they're eating "light" and still eat chicken and dairy, I just want to spout out info at them. There's such a danger in getting too "preachy" or "politically-correct" or "fanatical" and I don't want that. Argh! yes, of course we allll feel this way. I have friends who actually give me guff for being vegan. My thought process is: i will never get down on my friends for not being vegan as long as they dont get down on me for being vegan. and to my close friends i just ask that they allow me to educate them. because a lot of what we know is what they dont see. so i have asked my close friends to just let me have an hour with them in which i can educate them, all have said yes. it is a lonely battle though. i am lucky to have amazing doctors who, as long as i assure them i take a multi and a calcium supplement, they are very supportive of me being vegan. and my wonderful boyfriend has been vegan longer than i have. beign in groups like these and the vegan pot luck thing is what will keep you going. have fun with it, even if your all by yourself. heart,jen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 28, 2004 Report Share Posted July 28, 2004 Hi, all. My husband, a vegetarian for 14 years, and I were having a discussion about films the other night and I mentioned my need, as a new vegan (and fairly new vegetarian) to watch animal rights/veganism videos such as " Peaceful Kingdom " and " Eating " and to read about the subjects. I said I know he feels he " already knows " about the abuses, health issues, etc. and so I thought he'd be upset at seeing such things when he comes into the room when I'm watching the videos. He said it didn't bother him but I know he's said so in the past. I feel like some kind of freak having to keep my momentum up by doing this but let's face it, when you're the only vegan around and still feel the need to buy dairy (although organic) for your family (they request it, not me!), it's hard! In addition to this, I have a good friend who just beat breast cancer and was given the info about eating less or no meat or dairy products, buying organic ingredients, etc. and simply won't follow these guidelines. She can't understand my veganism and I can't understand why she won't do it! We don't fight or even really discuss it but I just get tired of having to bite my tongue every time she orders a steak or eats a cheesecake! I'm joining a vegan potluck group near me and I am very excited about being surrounded by like-minded people for once! I guess my question here is whether anyone else has felt this frustrated. When people complain about health problems or say they're eating " light " and still eat chicken and dairy, I just want to spout out info at them. There's such a danger in getting too " preachy " or " politically-correct " or " fanatical " and I don't want that. Argh! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 28, 2004 Report Share Posted July 28, 2004 I've dealt with this too, and as I posted before will be dealing with it more when I make the move to Bowling Green, KY. A longtime vegan and AR activist recommended I read this book - Living Among Meat Eaters by Carol Adams. I too would recommended giving it a try (local library should have it).. left me full of knowledge on how to talk about veganism with meat eaters. I watch videos all the time.. and make my partner watch them too I also leave my copy of Peaceable Kingdom at friend's houses, and then later ask them if they got a chance to check it out Best of luck! xoTara , xjenisveganx@a... wrote: > > > In a message dated 7/28/2004 10:29:16 AM Pacific Daylight Time, > dj01@e... writes: > > Hi, all. My husband, a vegetarian for 14 years, and I were having a > discussion about films the other night and I mentioned my need, as a > new vegan (and fairly new vegetarian) to watch animal rights/veganism > videos such as " Peaceful Kingdom " and " Eating " and to read about the > subjects. I said I know he feels he " already knows " about the > abuses, health issues, etc. and so I thought he'd be upset at seeing > such things when he comes into the room when I'm watching the > videos. He said it didn't bother him but I know he's said so in the > past. I feel like some kind of freak having to keep my momentum up > by doing this but let's face it, when you're the only vegan around > and still feel the need to buy dairy (although organic) for your > family (they request it, not me!), it's hard! > > In addition to this, I have a good friend who just beat breast cancer > and was given the info about eating less or no meat or dairy > products, buying organic ingredients, etc. and simply won't follow > these guidelines. She can't understand my veganism and I can't > understand why she won't do it! We don't fight or even really > discuss it but I just get tired of having to bite my tongue every > time she orders a steak or eats a cheesecake! > > I'm joining a vegan potluck group near me and I am very excited about > being surrounded by like-minded people for once! > > I guess my question here is whether anyone else has felt this > frustrated. When people complain about health problems or say they're > eating " light " and still eat chicken and dairy, I just want to spout > out info at them. There's such a danger in getting too " preachy " > or " politically-correct " or " fanatical " and I don't want that. Argh! > > > yes, of course we allll feel this way. I have friends who actually give me > guff for being vegan. My thought process is: i will never get down on my > friends for not being vegan as long as they dont get down on me for being vegan. > and to my close friends i just ask that they allow me to educate them. because > a lot of what we know is what they dont see. so i have asked my close friends > to just let me have an hour with them in which i can educate them, all have > said yes. > it is a lonely battle though. i am lucky to have amazing doctors who, as > long as i assure them i take a multi and a calcium supplement, they are very > supportive of me being vegan. and my wonderful boyfriend has been vegan longer > than i have. > > beign in groups like these and the vegan pot luck thing is what will keep > you going. have fun with it, even if your all by yourself. > > heart, > jen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 28, 2004 Report Share Posted July 28, 2004 veganism sure CAN be lonely. yes, yes, YES, i've felt that way, too! i try to relate to the world on a really superficial level by being personable and informative and imparting facts pertaining to the meat-eater's health, but.... the make-up of humans who don't care that they cause this tremendous amount of death and suffering is so foreign to me that i can do no more than put up a semblance of understanding for them. i don't get it, and it is very lonely. i guess all you can do is to continue being knowledgeable and as persuasive you feel you can be without harming your relationships. i hate that you have to worry about being "too preachy" or "fanatical" ...vegans get a lot of mocking that focuses on our being "crazy" or obsessive or crackpots or silly, but other "fanatics" fighting for the same happiness of other young humans in undeveloped countries are extolled for their unrelenting compassion. i doubt abolitionist fighters were patronized for being anything more "kooky" than a nuisance and real threat to the opposing side. most of society has this warped view of veganism, like it's laughable or freaky in its implausibility or something. again, i fail to comprehend. several animated series portray vegans as flighty and unstable, and the band NOFX (not alone, i'm sure) has frequently alluded to veganism in a ridiculous light. i'm really very inclined to not give a hoot about my appearance to others, but, because of my being vegan, i feel compelled to appear respectable and credible at all times to all people in efforts to retard the movement of this ridiculous concept of vegans, as if being my silly self would only harm the animals who're targeted for human consumption. maybe the one faction of the bruit that i'm guilty of is obsession, but it's much of the time all i can think about. empathy is definitely condemning if the compassionate are in no situation to enact any real change. i'm sorry to become so off-topic. i'm sure you all understand the need to let it out, though. you're a very nice group of people and i'd like to have the time to post more often; though i'm always reading.~brii >"wibberbie" <dj01 > > > Veganism sure can be lonely >Wed, 28 Jul 2004 16:19:32 -0000 > >Hi, all. My husband, a vegetarian for 14 years, and I were having a >discussion about films the other night and I mentioned my need, as a >new vegan (and fairly new vegetarian) to watch animal rights/veganism >videos such as "Peaceful Kingdom" and "Eating" and to read about the >subjects. I said I know he feels he "already knows" about the >abuses, health issues, etc. and so I thought he'd be upset at seeing >such things when he comes into the room when I'm watching the >videos. He said it didn't bother him but I know he's said so in the >past. I feel like some kind of freak having to keep my momentum up >by doing this but let's face it, when you're the only vegan around >and still feel the need to buy dairy (although organic) for your >family (they request it, not me!), it's hard! > >In addition to this, I have a good friend who just beat breast cancer >and was given the info about eating less or no meat or dairy >products, buying organic ingredients, etc. and simply won't follow >these guidelines. She can't understand my veganism and I can't >understand why she won't do it! We don't fight or even really >discuss it but I just get tired of having to bite my tongue every >time she orders a steak or eats a cheesecake! > >I'm joining a vegan potluck group near me and I am very excited about >being surrounded by like-minded people for once! > >I guess my question here is whether anyone else has felt this >frustrated. When people complain about health problems or say they're >eating "light" and still eat chicken and dairy, I just want to spout >out info at them. There's such a danger in getting too "preachy" >or "politically-correct" or "fanatical" and I don't want that. Argh! > > > > Don’t just search. Find. Check out the new MSN Search! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 30, 2004 Report Share Posted July 30, 2004 Just bumping this up. , " wibberbie " <dj01@e...> wrote: > Hi, all. My husband, a vegetarian for 14 years, and I were having a > discussion about films the other night and I mentioned my need, as a > new vegan (and fairly new vegetarian) to watch animal rights/veganism > videos such as " Peaceful Kingdom " and " Eating " and to read about the > subjects. I said I know he feels he " already knows " about the > abuses, health issues, etc. and so I thought he'd be upset at seeing > such things when he comes into the room when I'm watching the > videos. He said it didn't bother him but I know he's said so in the > past. I feel like some kind of freak having to keep my momentum up > by doing this but let's face it, when you're the only vegan around > and still feel the need to buy dairy (although organic) for your > family (they request it, not me!), it's hard! > > In addition to this, I have a good friend who just beat breast cancer > and was given the info about eating less or no meat or dairy > products, buying organic ingredients, etc. and simply won't follow > these guidelines. She can't understand my veganism and I can't > understand why she won't do it! We don't fight or even really > discuss it but I just get tired of having to bite my tongue every > time she orders a steak or eats a cheesecake! > > I'm joining a vegan potluck group near me and I am very excited about > being surrounded by like-minded people for once! > > I guess my question here is whether anyone else has felt this > frustrated. When people complain about health problems or say they're > eating " light " and still eat chicken and dairy, I just want to spout > out info at them. There's such a danger in getting too " preachy " > or " politically-correct " or " fanatical " and I don't want that. Argh! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 30, 2004 Report Share Posted July 30, 2004 Hi Wibberbie I must admit that I hate to watch animal rights films now. I still have them in my mind from the first time I saw them. If you feel the need though, go ahead, but I do understand your husband's point of view. In England there is a Vegan camp, I think for two weeks, possible in Devon, but what puts me off going is the fact that they have animal rights films, and talks. Now to my mind that is not a pleasant holiday, but it would be nice to be with lots of other vegans/vegetarians. I do feel frustrated when people have health problems and don't do anything about it (mind you, I should lose some weight!). There does seem to be a very big connection between meat and dairy and breast cancer, and I really understand your frustration wtih your friend. It's strange really - sometimes you can take other people's apathy in your stride, and other times you find it really irritating. Jo > Just bumping this up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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