Zwanz of Never wrote:
> "Delenn" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>>Zwanz of Never wrote:
>>
>>
>>>"Delenn" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>>
>>>>My experience with vegetarians is that very few of them are actually
>>>>vegetarian for ethical or religious reasons. I'm not saying it isn't
>>>>possible, but a better guess is that it seemed fashionable or healthy to
>>>>them, or they're just really picky eaters that enjoy being a pain in the
>>>>ass and/or controlling food in obsessive ways.
>>>
>>>
>>>lol, love how you can stereotype a group of very diverse people into
>>>something that satisfies your own need for self-worth.
>>
>>How is my need for self-worth related to why people become vegetarian?
>>
>>Now I'm wondering - why is the OP vegetarian? Religion, perceived health
>>benefits or because he just doesn't like a lot of foods and builds rules
>>around them and spends a lot of effort and energy controlling exactly what
>>minute ingredients are in his food?
>
>
> Your categories are limited. Many vegetarians become so because of their
> compassion towards animals.
I agree. I put those in the "ethics" category, generally, although
sometimes they fall into the "fashionable" category when it's not a
well-thought-out way of life. I.e., they won't flesh but they'll abuse
their dog.
>
>>Ever try to go out to dinner with a vegan? Tons of fun. I've had the
>
>
> all vegetarians are not vegans - vegans are extreme vegetarians.
I know. I use that example for two reasons: one is that it highlights
my point that sometimes people choose vegetarianism because of
underlying mental health issues and because the vegetarians I know best
are vegan. The other vegetarians wandered into fish and [organic]
poultry eating when the rubber met the road of trying to balance ethics
and health and eat without it being a constant big deal. I know quite a
lot of people who won't eat anything with eyelashes but would happily
scarf down a lobster. I consider this a normal healthy relationship
with food.
We *all* have to balance a bunch of considerations, including our
perception of the damage we do the environment, the cost, the
availability and the nutritional bang for the buck.
>>experience of attempting to serve meals to vegans as well as attempting to
>>go out to restaurants with vegans. The ones I know are vegan mostly
>
>
> The ones you know aren't necessarily representative of the total
> vegan/vegetarian population. Should I judge all blacks, asians, etc. based
> on the select few that I happen to be friends with?
I'm not judging anyone, I'm saying that there are various types of
vegetarians. Do you refute this?
>
>
>>because they hate nearly every food and that way they can vet everything
>>to see if it suits before they will put it in their mouths... and I assure
>>you they aren't just looking for animal products. One person I know
>>intimately hates nearly all vegetables, dislikes the feel of oil, and
>>doesn't use herbs or spices. She lives on baked potatoes with soy sauce.
>>It certainly isn't for ethics or religion, though she claims it's for
>>health.
>
>
> I think this is more a function of your friend's personality...there are
> these types of people who eat meat too...
>
>>I'm not saying that all vegetarians are like that, but I know enough of
>>them who are vegetarian because of food control issues that I suspect it's
>>a mild form of mental illness.
>
> Probably is some mental illness dealing with food control - but to put this
> on all vegetarians is extreme.
I'm not putting it on all vegetarians. Some are vegetarian because of
ethics or religious precepts. Some are vegetarian because they believe
it is healthier. But some are vegetarians because they don't like food
and/or need to control food carefully. Where's the argument in this?
The point in this thread is for the OP to lay vegetarianism on the table
as an option if there isn't a particular reason he needs to be one. If
he comes back and says he's a vegetarian because he doesn't want to harm
the scallops then we can all shrug and move along. If he comes back and
says he's a vegetarian because he was raised a kosher Jewish/Hindu and
can't eat pork or shellfish or beef then we'll bring up the subject of
lamb. If he says he's a vegetarian because he believes animal products
are poor choices for health then we can argue the point.
But if he comes back and says he can't eat meat because he never has
before and is sure it's bad for him and he can't imagine trying
something new then we'll have other suggestions.
See, the point here is that the guy came here asking how to get more
protein. I think why he's a vegetarian when he wants to get more
protein is a pretty good question.
Delenn
