This is a post from Apron Strings this past May. It’s not a recipe, but I didn’t want to lose it when I delete that blog.
Lori sent me a Slate article about being a herbivore this morning, and I love it!
The meat of the article (get it??) is about the relationship between herbivores and omnivores at the table, and there are some really great bits about that. I like how the article underscores that most herbivores aren’t watching you eat your hamburger and also silently marking you down as a horrible, disgusting person. It goes on to sort of ask the same courtesy from omnis. Here is my favorite quote:
Finally, grant me one more cordial request: Please don’t try to convince us that being vegetarian is somehow wrong. If you’re concerned for my health, that’s very nice, though you can rest assured that I’m in shipshape. If you want to have an amiable tête-à-tête about vegetarianism, that’s great. But if you insist on being the aggressive blowhard who takes meatlessness as a personal insult and rails about what fools we all are, you’re only going to persuade me that you’re a dickhead.
Can I get an amen? How many vegetarians/vegans have had a meal ruined by a moment like this? And the argument that one time one herbivore railed on them at one meal strikes me as awfully judgemental. Do you have such a low opinion of me that you feel the need to get in the first blow? That’s awfully insulting.
Anyways, I hope all that didn’t come across as preachy. Food is something I care a lot about. I love to cook and to eat. Feeding my friends is one of the ways I show them I love them, you know?
I think reactions like the ones the author describes are not limited to food stuff. Folks are threatened by things they don’t agree with or don’t understand. I’m sure I’m as guilty of this as anyone else when faced with things that just make no sense to me at all. Maybe I need to work on my ability to “agree to disagree.”
2 Responses to Herbivore’s Dilemma
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It’s often also reverse. Vegetarians making drama about people who eat meat.
We should respect each other. You can not force anyone to change or act as you want.
Oh, I totally agree! It’s a two way street. I guess this is more from the veggie perspective because that’s how I choose to eat.