Have you ever been able to convert sb into vegetarianism?
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Hi, I've been a vegetarian for about 4 years, and a lacto vegetarian for 1,5 months. I have some friends and I'm trying to tell them animals are suffering and eating meat is not good for health. But so far, I haven't been able to coax any one of them into vegetarianism. They're always rejecting it by nonsense counterarguments such as: 'You imprison plants and kill them, too, then do not eat plants'. The most surprising thing that happened to me is I made my mother watch 'Earthlings' to change her mind. And I watched it together with her. It was terrible. At first, she felt bad and didn't want to talk about the issue, but the other day she started to say (like before) that I'm unhealthy since I do not eat meat. Is there a problem with people? Or with me? Have you ever succeeded in persuading somebody? Thanks for your comments and suggestions, I really want to persuade my friends and my family.
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No...not even myself
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Personally, I never tried to convert someone. To me, it's everybody's own choice to become veggie or not. They don't try to make me eat meat, I don't try to make them become veggie. If they want to become veggie, it has to come from their heart.
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I think it comes down to how you were raised. If your parents were always pushing meat down your throat as a kid, you might strongly believe that you need it to live. Psychologically, this could be almost impossible to get over, or make the choice to be a vegetarian the simplist thing in the world. As a small child I could not eat meat. I don't know why except that if I tried to swollow it I would gag and have to spit it out. I hid the meat under the rim of my plate and ate everything else. My parents yelled at me every meal to eat my meat. I remember one dinner my dad lost his patience and was going to smack me one if I spit out my meat. So I wound up throwing up all over the table!
ops: They pretty much gave up after that 
. I wonder if people have trouble converting because such a big deal is made of it. When you think about the whole issue of food and dining, its a big part of the family scene and the social scene. Lots of pressure and lots of room to screw up no matter how you try to do right. For some people one meatless day is the best they can do. Have friends over and feed them your best vegi food but don't make a big deal of it. When they are full point out how the whole meal was meatless maybe that will help. -
I have never tried to convert anyone else to go veggie. I came to my decision to go veggie because of my own medical issues.
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maccascruff:
I have never tried to convert anyone else to go veggie. I came to my decision to go veggie because of my own medical issues.
Please go on Maccascruff: Did you get better, feel better, look better?
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I think medical issues is enough...thats a bit personal Anyway, best thing to do is not force people. If they ask you why you are veggie just give them a series of arguments and argue them well without getting angry. If they cant accept you being veggie then thats just ignorance. You can tell people or educate them about meat reduction, but really they need to come to the decision themselves.
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DCBeatle64:
I think medical issues is enough...thats a bit personal Anyway, best thing to do is not force people. If they ask you why you are veggie just give them a series of arguments and argue them well without getting angry. If they cant accept you being veggie then thats just ignorance. You can tell people or educate them about meat reduction, but really they need to come to the decision themselves.
Sorry DCBeatle64, did not mean to pry. I'm just an old nurse so I talk about medical issues all the time and am not the least bit sensitive about it any more. Here's an example: I have hot flashes from menopause and eating vegetarian really seems to help control them! I mean apart from the source of soy and tofu, its seems to me that eating meat makes them worse.
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Someone asked me recently if I had more energy from being a vegan and I said no!
Frankly, I became a vegetarian at 14, I don`t know if I have more energy or not,but it`s not my reason for being veggie/vegan anyway. -
nanorama:
DCBeatle64:
I think medical issues is enough...thats a bit personal Anyway, best thing to do is not force people. If they ask you why you are veggie just give them a series of arguments and argue them well without getting angry. If they cant accept you being veggie then thats just ignorance. You can tell people or educate them about meat reduction, but really they need to come to the decision themselves.
Sorry DCBeatle64, did not mean to pry. I'm just an old nurse so I talk about medical issues all the time and am not the least bit sensitive about it any more. Here's an example: I have hot flashes from menopause and eating vegetarian really seems to help control them! I mean apart from the source of soy and tofu, its seems to me that eating meat makes them worse.
And it's not so personal if you can help someone else with your experiences.
What's the big deal? Just like the hot flashes...something to consider. -
femaleanimal:
Someone asked me recently if I had more energy from being a vegan and I said no!
Frankly, I became a vegetarian at 14, I don`t know if I have more energy or not,but it`s not my reason for being veggie/vegan anyway.HAHAHA, I think thats funny! "Don't know if I have more energy or not"...good one. On the other subject (Hot flashes): Its all relative. I forget that there are people who do not like to talk about their health symptoms, I get so much of it all the time. As for me, I am private about things until I decide to spill it, which is usually when it is not so bad anymore. Why this is I don't know but I definitely do it this way all the time. Oh in case anyone is interested, I got better when I tried "the patch" in the winter and stayed on more meatfree days.
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Well, sort of. My best friend tried it for a while, though he gave up eventually, and another friend has become vegetarian a few months ago. I'd like to think I had some influence in it, because I occasionally discuss the issue (when asked about it) and most importantly, I live it and set an example that it's quite possible to do it and live well. The last point was important for me, too, back when I finally became vegetarian. I had seen my parents live like that for years, so I knew it was doable. So, I think the best thing is to just lead by example and discuss or explain your stance in a friendly manner (not always easy, I know, I've heard all the absurd counter-arguments) when you're prompted to do so. Trying hard to directly convert people usually leads to more resistance to the matter, not less. At least, that's my impression.
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I watched "Earthlings"....end of report.
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I was a veggie for 4 days once with out knowing and I rember having lodes of energy for thoes 4 days so I think I worked for me then so I might try longer some day but for now I'm doing Meat-Free Monday to make an impact for one day of my week
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Haven't persuaded anyone myself yet. I've had some friends try to persuade me in the past. You don't have to eat meat to be healthy. There are other foods rich in protein that you can eat in place of meat. In the next century I don't think we'll see human beings eating meat at all anymore.
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BeatleBarb:
I watched "Earthlings"....end of report.
Haven't watched "Earthlings" yet. Going to do that ASAP.
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BeatleBarb:
I watched "Earthlings"....end of report.
Amazing film.
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femaleanimal:
BeatleBarb:
I watched "Earthlings"....end of report.
Amazing film.
Watching it later on today.
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I dont try to change people into vegatarians as I think it is their choice, but if asked or provocked i will give my reasons. I still find it absurd that meat eaters find it repulsive to eat a horse or dog but are happy eating cows and sheep!
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The documentary, "Meat" (1976) by Frederick Wiseman was done for PBS television and is a straightforward look at a slaughterhouse. It is available on DVD from the zipporah films website. I didn't need a film, having spent time on a dairy farm which doubled as a meat producer. I remember afternoons in the country on the farm eating par-boiled prime beef, or trying to, at the dinner table while cattle roamed the pastures outside, and even when you did not look, you could still hear them. I have a question. Let's say that you learn that your family works in Hollywood and they never told you, always pretending to work "common jobs" but dropping hints along the way. Now, let's say they borrowed ideas and materials from you without your knowledge or consent and that, as far as you know, you have no connections to the industry. Okay, now let's say that they choose to haze you due to their 'borrowing' and that the object is to get you to work in their exclusive Closed Shop while maintaining a low profile in order to protect their privacy, but in hazing you, they first run you ragged and then let their powers of influence be known. At this time you are a wreck and cannot work, so you have no money. You live with them. And they make a point of forcing you to share their food, all of this unusual behavior due to their low profile lifestyle given their status in the industry and the money which they by all Rights owe you, and of course they insist that you eat meat. But when you confront them about their true occupations, they deny it (The Silence), and when you offer to join in, they deny it, and when you assert your rightful self, they become violent. And when you respond to their abuses with necessary force, or a normal understandable response to their rough treatments, they have you arrested instead. And then the cops and members of the local government are in their pockets given that this is Hollywood. What would you make of them? Would you want to work in the entertainment industry given the treatment and what about the forced eating of meat, or starve, because they broke you and they owe you, but you are not a member of their group officially sworn to secrecy like a Skull and Bones fraternity?
