This is interesting because I'm going to a BBQ today and made tomato bowls as my contribution. The way I deal with people who don't understand about my dietary and lifestyle choices is to show them what I like about it. I will sometimes get into the reasons why I'm raw, if asked. I'll sometimes get into the nutritional aspect of it and why I don't eat meat. But mostly I share a raw dish that I love and show the person that I'm not just eating salads all day. I show them that raw foods can be totally delicious as well as healthy.

The way I feel is if they can't accept my being raw then it's really not MY problem. It's THEIRS. I try not to let the discussion become heated because I don't want to fight with anyone over my choices. There have been a few times where I'll hold up my hand and say, "Hey, let's just agree to disagree on this." Then I'll change the topic or walk away.

I think the biggest thing is to accept that there are people who, no matter what you say to them, will feel a certain way about their dietary choices. The best thing to do with those people is to let them do what they're going to do and ask that they accept that you won't agree with them. If they're truly a friend then they'll be OK with that.

*hugs and blessings*
Jayelle

Panchito, I think I understand what you mean. I have done an occasional speech fast for an entire day and I say nothing all day but will write something down for someone if they really feel too weirded out with me being silent. The thing that always occurs to me during those fasts is how I think I have something to contribute to the conversations around me but since I'm not talking, things go along perfectly well without my opinion and my thoughts flow along inside me, never uttered and without any consequence.

Sometimes when meat eaters ask me why I'm a veg, I just day "you don't want to know" and say nothing more and that's the end of it. If they press, I tell them why. As for debate, it doesn't need to be egocentric though it certainly can go that way.

At the risk of waning philosophical, I'll say this. My personal view is that ego is what it is. I have an ego - and an id and a superego I know ego has a bad conotation, so does the word selfish. I don't personally view either in an entirely negative light. In my world, too much or too little of anything tends to imbalance. For me, the trick is walking well on the proverbial tight rope.

Perhaps "waning" philosophically is better than waxing philosphically but "waxing" is what I meant to say...maybe a freudian slip!

LuckyRawVegan Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Every time I go to a social event like a BBQ or a
> party, I get asked questions why I don't eat meat.
> I have a been a vegetarian all my life, I am 20. I
> became a vegan 2 years ago and now recently I am
> raw.
>
> I don't mind people asking me a few questions but
> then you get one idiot who doesn't understand and
> ignorant to that fact you don't eat meat. I always
> come across them. They starting asking 'where do
> you get your protein and vitamins from', 'it's
> natural to eat meat' , 'it's natural to eat cooked
> food' , ' do you have to take supplements', 'why
> don't you eat meat?' 'why don't you eat meat?' why
> don't you eat meat?'.
>
> Then they start to get all aggressive and violent.
> I am not intimidated or scared of these people and
> I do try to prove my point but you can just never
> win a an argument with idiots that are so ignorant
> and I just end up telling them to @#$%& off and
> walk away.
>
> I just wanted to know how other people get their
> point across about why you don't eat meat.
> Thanks.

Why do you hang out with idiot's? laughs

<< What do you say to people who dont't agree with you not eating meat>>

you break out into a big genuine smile... as bright as the sun

you give them a big ole hug... as much as they can stand

and you say

THANK YOU!!! for your curiosity, your concern, and for being so interestingly different than me

and then, they smile back and say " you're welcome!!"

in a hearty manner

and then its all good

and it doesn't much matter WHAT you say... if you feel this way

@LuckyRawVegan, From my experience, the same people who get argumentative/angry about a person not eating meat are generally the same people who have poor personalities in other aspects too. I think it could be a different topic that is challenging for them, and they would feel the need to dominate and get agressive. Anyway, I read a book once called "Living Among Meat Eaters." It has advice for exactly what you're talking about.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/16/2012 09:32PM by RawPlease.

Rawplease,
Well, when it comes to food the conflict can go both ways. I am sorry to say that I have observed some less than ideal behavior on behalf of vegans. But I think you are correct it could be a function of personality faults which have little to do with food. But these can cross over to be expressed at the table.

We are not supposed to talk about meat on this forum

No one has ever gotten aggressive, or even moderately perturbed, by the fact that i dont eat meat. In fact none of my aquaitance even know that i,m raw unless i choose to tell them. My conversations go...

Sad eater, "is that all you,re eating?"

Me, "yep, this salad is delicious!"

I told my Dad last week about my diet becuz i visited him & stayed at his house. I just said that i eat mostly raw fruit & veggies now and would he mind if i went to the grocery store to buy some produce. The closest thing he had in the house to a veggie was an old jar of pickles. I told him how great i feel eating raw and that was the end of it untill 3 days later. As i was eating my sprouts and he his breaded microwave chicken he asked where i get my protien? I pointed to my sprouts and grinned, "the same place a buffalo gets protien." (He's been around buffalo on the farm so he could relate to that example) That opened the door for a friendly conversation - he said he always thought he needed meat protien to build muscle but now that he's 70 & not as active he might not need so much. I could see the wheels turning. I left him with fresh produce in the fridge, so hopefully some of it will accidentally fall into his mouth. Thats all i can do... he has to make his own desicions in his own time.

I think its great when the door opens!

That's some pretty clean thinking la_veronique! Very nice.

About two weeks ago, one person I work with, when she heard I don't eat meat, said she could never live without eating meat and then asked me why I don't and so I told her the basics.

She came to work last week and said she hasn't eaten any meat since we talked. She said she feels so much better and no longer has that heavy feeling! It's like a whole new reality for her.

I'm very impressed by the attitude you all take to the many inquiries regarding the reasons for the absence of animal products, and especially meat in your diets, and to the many more such debates where you generally conduct yourselves honourably.

You obviously are of the conviction that your choice is the right one which will serve you well throughout your very long and prosperous lives.

As I've already mentioned, I'm always quite happy to spend the time to talk to genuinely interested people about my own vegen lifestyle dietry choices. Unless however, their motives are less than honourable. In which case I excuse myself with as much graciousness as possible.

Nevertheless, with regards to the many years that I've been a member of this community, I've never met so many people on this forum with the intelligence and fortitude of conviction then any I've met elsewhere..ever. Thank you, and I truly hope that I enjoy many more such friendships in the years to come.

jalan xxx

jalanutan Wrote:

>
> Nevertheless, with regards to the many years that
> I've been a member of this community, I've never
> met so many people on this forum with the
> intelligence and fortitude of conviction then any
> I've met elsewhere..ever. Thank you, and I truly
> hope that I enjoy many more such friendships in
> the years to come.
>
I have to agree jalanutan. The other day I was telling someone at work that eating 100% raw really isn't hard to do if you really want to and her comment was, "yes, but you're an enigma".

And I thought to myself of all the people I know on this board who do it and enjoy it with all their heart and take much happiness and pleasure from it. They just do it. And I wondered what separates them from the mainstream. I really don't know people elsewhere with this degree of resolve and intelligence. Tapping into the comments of each of you is, for me, the support and community that I need and thrive on in order to remain focused.

Thanks!

Raw4ever,
An enigma? I guess that makes sense because most people don't think about it.

Most people do not know you don't need meat to be healthy