So, as we all know being raw is the best lifestyle on Earth. For those who follow the lifestyle set forth by Doug Graham, success is extremely evident everywhere you look. However, for the people who are unaware of this lifestyle and its benefits, we all know how they feel about this lifestyle. Of course, we've all been in that awkward situation where you're eating a 13 banana smoothie and everyone in the room starts staring (at the minimum) or starts questioning you, or someoe who knows what you're doing and really hates it-so they get a violent tone. When They make it seem like because you're doing this lifestyle you think you're better than them or threatening them. And you're just like "Hold on dude, I won't FORCE you out of your comfort zone of eating corpses"(although I'd like to). But you all get the drift, right?
So, when I think of this it greatly pisses me off how WE'RE the ones considered out-casts or 'weird' so to speak.
As you can imagine, I'm thinking of the day when those eating meat will be considered the "out-casts" that everyone talks about behind thier backs or accuses for being self-righteous.
*** Sorry for being negative Nancy everyone, my mother, in particular is always making these comments or accusations towards me and sometimes (like today, obviously) it gets under my skin. For those of you who deal with the same things I applaude you for continuing on this journey despite this. If any of you have suggestions on how to get through this non-violently, please share. Thanks All!
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The problem is many meat-eaters think that by the way we eat (vegan), we inherently think that there is something wrong with the way the eat, which is true otherwise we wouldn't be vegan. They probably feel deep down that the way they eat might not be healthy, and they don't want to realize it. So they get defensive about it and often go on the attack even when we are just sitting there doing nothing but eating fruit.
If you want a good theory on why people are not vegan, check on Melanie Joy's speech about Carnism on facebook. I highly doubt most people suspect they are unhealthy due to a vegan diet, I've met people that still didn't even know what a vegan IS let alone any possible health benefits other then noticing I'm extremely thin and happen to also be vegan.
Thank you for suggesting Melanie Joy's speech:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=7vWbV9FPo_Q
I'm not sure if I made myself clear in my earlier post. I meant that meat-eaters take offense at vegans because vegans think there is something wrong with eating meat. Meat eaters are in denial and feel offended simply by someone being vegan and so they go on the offensive and attack the poor vegan who is merely sitting there quietly eating fruit.
Obviously the most important thing is not to let it get under your skin. When I get questions from strangers about my diet I see it as an opportunity, not a annoyance. I try to educate people. So when people ask me why I'm eating tons of fruit, I'm like "oh well I'm a vegan and in order to get all the vitamins and stuff I need I like to eat lots of fruit and vegetables". I try to answer other questions the best I can. When it comes to personal relationships it is a little more difficult because in lots of negative/abusive/whatever kind of relationships people can use food as a control mechanism. My brother is really unsupportive of me eating a 80/10/10 style diet, so after lots of different posts where he left negative comments on my G+ account I privately messaged him and was, like, dude whats going on, why are you acting so negative, is there like something happening in your life you need to talk about? It turned out he was taking his frustrations about his girlfriend, school etc out on me/the world. After that his negative comments stopped. So you also need to take into consideration whats going on in people's lives when they lash out at you and offer them the support you may not be receiving.
Great observation Pixie. You certainly felt that one about your bro spontaneously. My experience with strangers asking about my eating habits has been positive; with my family and close friends, I have come to some conclusion that their attacks come from 1) they feel threatened that you are leaving the cultural center and 2) they are feeling deep-seated, spiritual anxiety about their own living habits that they don't want to come to terms with. We're thinking, it's just food, but food is such a powerful survival mechanism that we feel it on so many different emotional levels. Peace!
I think it's really easy to think that way, but I also think that people who are in a good place mentally, physically and emotionally do not attack people and with family and friends there should never, ever be a reason why they should personally attack you, especially if their perceptions are based on false data. I think most of us are used to negative relationships and negative feedback, but a real relationship should be based on mutual trust and understanding; you should be facilitating each other's grow. So rather then seeing the topic of conversation as the issue, what I usually find is the issue is some underlying cause, not just when it comes to veganism but also anytime I'm criticized in a relationship or work environment. Plus like 99% of people are probably tired, constipated, dehydrated and malnorished, I try to take that into consideration as well.
I understand how you feel. I work in a particularly politically conservative environment where they don't care about Earth, the animals, or what their diet does to their body. These guys are middle-aged, gun-toting carnivores. I stick out because I'm a young (22), "hippie" vegan and they make fun of that at least once a day.
You just have to be comfortable with being the "weird" one. I actually say "Thank you!" every time someone says I'm weird :)
The fact is, we're labeled "weird" because we are better informed, more caring, and have more will-power than our carnivorous counterparts. The more "off" you are from them, the more you're on the opposite spectrum from those violent, carnivorous, unhealthy, overweight (usually), artery-clogged "people"
Take care and I hope you can deal with this better soon :)
Oh, someone who was anorexic told me too that it would be wrong what i do and he would know how it is if someone is anorexic. He told me i shouldn't promote it and girls would be animated to loose weight which are already thin enough......
He meant, that it would be a flush diet, because you eat it and it takes not long until its digested, so the nutritions wouldn't be absorbed if it goes so fast.
How can i argument against this point with facts ????
I think it really just comes with time. I still become very passionate and angry in that situation, especially when I see how unhealthy my loved ones are and know that if they just became vegan it would help them considerably! (*note, obviously 811 would be the most ideal, but we must have realistic expectations of change and even vegan pushes the limits of others*)
All I can do is be an example. If they engage me in conversation about it, I speak my truth. I don't know if links are okay, but I viewed the youtube video called "From Excuse-itarian to Vegan" By Colleen Patrick-Goudreau. In this video she states how to deal with this, and explains that if she explains "her truth" to somebody and they have a negative reaction then that is theirs to deal with, not yours (hers). Basically a "I don't want any part of that" attitude. Those feelings belong to the person who is feeling them and they need to take responsibility for that.
After 26 years of taking responsibility for the feelings of everybody around me, I'm finally coming around to understanding and accepting that the negativity of others is not in any way my fault or my responsibility.
I totally agree that we think it's what we do the real deal and the rest just don't get it. It may even be fairly impossible not to feel this sometimes, but there are many things other than food. Food does matter, and even more when it comes to violating animal rights, but things are not so simple. Some of us ate meat just years, months or even days ago, but now we became vegan and that's what has to be done. I think we all have to be tolerant regardless what we think is right. I really don't like people who lecture or evangelize, no matter whether it's my dogma they are spreading. It just misses the point.
And I often feel really offended when I get criticized, be it for what I eat or for whatever reason. And I am certain that those commentaries wouldn't irritate me that much if I had a more tolerant attitude towards myself and the rest. I feel the anger that arises in me in reaction to disapprovals of my eating behavior is already in me and that criticism just makes it explode. They are not right, but we still have to grow within until we don't need constant social approval.
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