• recklessengagement@lemmy.world
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    2 months ago

    Until I joined Lemmy I had no idea how militant vegans could be. I sorta just assumed they were a different brand of vegetarian.

    I’m not opposed to their ideaology in any way, but after reading the comments on a few posts that found their way into my feed… I had to block their communities. It didn’t seem likely that I’d be reading any productive discourse there.

    • Mediocre_Bard@lemmy.world
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      2 months ago

      I was vegan for 8 years and during that time I didn’t talk to anyone about it other than to say, “I don’t eat that.”

      I say that to say this - vegans are insufferable and a large reason why I quit the community and went back to omnivore. Even after 8 years, other vegans were still ‘more vegan’ and would nitpick the dumbest stuff.

      “Bro, did you eat a date? That killed a bee or something. Not cool.”

      Shut up with that. Let me eat my damn fruit.

      I was healthier though. But, to be fair, I was younger.

      • ShaggySnacks@lemmy.myserv.one
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        2 months ago

        "Bro, did you eat a date? That killed a bee or something. Not cool.”

        I’m a level 5 vegan. I won’t eat anything that casts a shadow.

        • tetris11@lemmy.ml
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          2 months ago

          I’m a level 2 proto-vegan, though it’s functionally equivalent to a level 8 in normal terms I think.

          Anyway, our food is cultivated in an open source orchard (the genomes are all fully sequenced) using plea bargains with the surrounding woodland, where we encourage feral animals to aerate and urinate on the soil and we sensually assist in the procreation of the plant reproduction taking a 1%-5% crop yield over what the flies do not touch.

      • volvoxvsmarla
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        2 months ago

        You know what, it’s so much easier to say you’re an omnivore and end up eating meat once a year than to say you are a vegan who makes an exception about once a year. The first label would earn you a “wait so you’re basically vegan?!” vs “you’re not vegan then and you’re a dirty cheater”.

      • Teppichbrand@feddit.org
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        2 months ago

        As you might have experienced, it’s pretty hard to be vegan in a carnist world. People talk about animal abuse all the time, they confront you all the time, make fun of you. Most don’t want to talk about it, they want to shut you up. The hate and ignorance is strong and different people react diffrently to that situation. Some stay quiet, like yourself, some get vocal. Some debate, some get angry. Calling vegans insufferable is like calling gays insufferable, or feminists. Some might be. We have recognized a major injustice and we want to change it.

        “Bro, did you eat a date? That killed a bee or something. Not cool.”

        That’s rage bait and you made it up. Why would anyone say that?

        • VelvetStorm@lemmy.world
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          2 months ago

          Hey bud you really need to get off the cross. You just compared your eating preferences which are 100% a choice to someone being born homosexual and not wanting to be killed for it or being born/transitioning to a woman and wanting the same basic human rights as the other half of our species. Honestly you need to just shut up and think about that for a hot second.

          • Teppichbrand@feddit.org
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            2 months ago

            I oppose racism, sexism, trans- and homophobia. And I oppose speciesism as well. It’s the same system: One group considers another group as less valuable and exploits, abuses or fights them.
            You just draw the line at you own species.
            Animals are innocent, vulnerable and easy to abuse because they don’t have a voice and don’t understand the situation we put them in. If they were human children or mentally disabled humans, we would protect them from harm because of who they are. Instead, we do the most horrible things to them, we take their freedom, their babies, their lifes. In factories, on an industrial scale. Because a pig is just a pig, right?

            EDIT: Please reply, don’t just silently downvote. What’s your refutation?

            • LaVacaMariposa@mander.xyz
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              2 months ago

              What are you talking about? Don’t you also draw a line when you choose to eat plants? I don’t think they would agree to that. Untill humans develop the ability to photosynthesize, we are going to have to eat other species, there’s no way around it.

              • DarthFrodo@lemmy.world
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                2 months ago

                Don’t you also draw a line when you choose to eat plants?

                I think there’s a reasonable distinction here. You would presumably also draw a line between a conscious human and a brain dead human that won’t ever be conscious again. As far as we can reasonably tell, consciousness requires a brain. Dogs and pigs have brains, so maybe we shouldn’t torture and kill them on factory farms. We can also see them suffering and measure their physical reaction to it.

                Of course there’s a possibility that plants have some kind of consciousness too, but 1. that’s speculation and 2. there’s no way around farming them, as you have said yourself:

                Untill humans develop the ability to photosynthesize, we are going to have to eat other species, there’s no way around it.

                Farming animals will always require far more plant deaths than growing plants for human consumption. These animals have to grow for months before being slaughtered and literally eat tons of animal feed in that time.

                Therefore, plant-based food minimizes both animal suffering and deaths as well as plant deaths.

                I’m not convinced that plant deaths are an ethical issue in of themselves, but farming has environmental implications so it makes sense to minimize the food that needs to be grown and make the farming as environmentally friendly as reasonably possible.

                • commie@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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                  2 months ago

                  the vast majority of plant matter fed to animals is waste product. they eat parts of plants that people can’t or won’t eat. so those plants are killed first for us, then the animals. and the point of the plant objection is not the amount of suffering, but the fact that no one cares if plants are killed, and only vegetarians and vegans care if animals are killed

                  • Teppichbrand@feddit.org
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                    2 months ago

                    This is wrong. Nearly all (source) of the soy the Amazonas gets destroyed for is animal feed. We give about one third of the global grain we produce to animals, we could end global hunger if we’d give it to humans. Plus we could reforest vast regions, so we don’t die, as a species. Go vegan please.

              • Teppichbrand@feddit.org
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                2 months ago

                PLANTS HAVE FEELINGS TOO
                is #22 on the Vegan Bullshit Bingo:

                No, they do not. There is no serious study to suggest that they do. Plants do not have a brain or central nervous system. At most, they respond to stimuli. If you really care that much about the welfare of plants, you should go vegan, since many more plants “die” for animal feeding. Do you feel bad while mowing your lawn? And would you rather rescue a potted plant than a dog from a burning house? Is docking pig tails the same as branch trimming to you? Question upon question…

                • commie@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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                  2 months ago

                  If you really care that much about the welfare of plants, you should go vegan, since many more plants “die” for animal feeding.

                  the point is that they don’t care about the welfare of plants and you don’t either. tehy also eat animals. i think you can put it together.

            • Smoogs@lemmy.world
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              2 months ago

              You are not the animals.

              At best you’re a shitty white knight for the animals. You’re not even an ally if this is how you conduct yourself.

          • DarthFrodo@lemmy.world
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            2 months ago

            You just compared your eating preferences which are 100% a choice to someone being born homosexual and not wanting to be killed for it

            All the animals on factory farms didn’t choose to be born there and don’t want to be killed either.

            It’s not about the sensitivities of humans, but the insane suffering of animals in this system of oppression.

            • VelvetStorm@lemmy.world
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              2 months ago

              If all yall got off the crosses we could donate all the wood and nails to Habitat for Humanity.

            • Smoogs@lemmy.world
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              2 months ago

              You’re not the animals. You’re not even a good spokesperson for the animals.

              You don’t give a shit about the animals. You’re just a pathetic histrionic giving into your tendencies here to tank a conversation for a hit.

              • DarthFrodo@lemmy.world
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                2 months ago

                You’re not the animals.

                I literally wrote that this isn’t about me/humans, so yes, obviously.

                There are many groups that are suffering and that I’m not part of, and I still care about what’s happening to them and want the suffering to end. It seems like most lemmy users share that sentiment when it comes to oppressed humans, so I really don’t get what’s so hard to understand about that when I extend it to animals.

                You might have the opinion that factory farming isn’t a social justice issue, fine. Me having a different opinion doesn’t negatively affect you in any way. Why are you so pissed at me just because I see it differently?

                • Smoogs@lemmy.world
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                  2 months ago

                  You jumped in on a conversation where a person compared veganism as if it’s a persecution comparable to the LBGTQ.

                  Veganism is A diet choice. That’s all it is. That is all you’re doing here.

                  This is not you living as a member of the LBGTQ.

                  You are not a suffragette.

                  There will be no pivoting off of it here today and play shitty white knight for the animals.

        • davepleasebehave@lemmy.world
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          2 months ago

          he is confused with figs. which are pollinated by wasps. and some vegans choose to eat them and some don’t. it’s really not that controversial.

        • Smoogs@lemmy.world
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          2 months ago

          What in the actual fuck. You are comparing yourself to LBGTQ and what they’ve had to endure???

          You think your struggle is anything like feminism???

          Maybe throw in some slavery there. Ya know, get all your basis of inappropriate covered.

          Might as well go whole ass with the bullshit you’re pulling here.

          you are choosing a lifestyle. Not even that. You’re choosing what you consume. That’s it. You are not persecuted for something that is NOT a choice you made. You are NOT being persecute for what appearance you were born into.

          It is a far cry from being watched out for and spotted and then targetted to how vegans target others.

          Stop appropriating an actual minority group that had to defend their rights just to live with the same rights as others.

          You talk like you’re the actual cow getting slaughtered for burgers.

          you’re not that cow either.

          And you’re not even a good spokesperson for that cow. At best you’re just a shitty white knight. You don’t even care about cows that are getting slaughtered cuz you wouldn’t tank a conversation so badly as you had if you actually gave a fuck and wasn’t just stroking off to your own ego for picking dumb fights with shit ideals about your grandeur. Worst ally ever.

    • Ilovethebomb
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      2 months ago

      Between them and Linux evangelicals, this place can be pretty annoying at times.

    • AccountMaker@slrpnk.net
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      2 months ago

      Exactly my experience. I often heard stories of vegans being like that, but I never ever saw it so I thought it was just made up to belittle vegans.

      Then I joined lemmy and found out that I’m apparently in favour of massacres, slavery and rape because I consume meat/milk/eggs from time to time.

      I imagine the vast majority of vegans just go about their lives and resprectfully discuss the ethics of animal consumption when the topic comes up, but these loud militant members really make vegans look bad and they sure as hell make it so that even less people consider going vegan

      • Machinist@lemmy.world
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        2 months ago

        Yes, them calling me a rapist totally made we want to be like them and adopt their ideology.

        Their strain of it appears to be poison religion like fundamentalist Christianity or Islam. A fanatic is a fanatic, whatever paint they’re dipped in. Guess they’re just trying to fill a hole in themselves.

      • MindTraveller@lemmy.ca
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        2 months ago

        I’m curious. You eat meat, but you’re not in favour of massacres. Alright, explain it to me.

        • VelvetStorm@lemmy.world
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          2 months ago

          I’m not in favor of it, but I’m not going to stop eating meat. The second lab grown meat is available to people in my economic tier I’ll switch exclusively to that.

          • JovialMicrobial
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            2 months ago

            I’m really hoping that lab grown meat will be available soon. I have a weird genetic issue where my body doesn’t like to absorb certain vitamins from food so I get basically nothing from raw veggies, negligible amounts from cooked veggies, and a tiny bit more from meat, eggs and dairy.

            I take prescription vitamins, but according to my Dr I need to eat meat/animal products with them or risk going into a deficiency again… the last time I was deficient I had seizures and serious neurological issues.

            I hate the meat industry and factory farming, but also want my brain to function and to not have seizures.

            Lab grown meat will solve this dilemma for me.

            • Bo7a@lemmy.ca
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              2 months ago

              I also have severe malabsorption and can’t process most veg at all. I have been told hundreds of times that I am lying, and that I don’t need to eat meat. To some of these people it is better for us to suffer than to eat meat, while they claim to subscribe to a philosophy of reducing suffering.

              • JovialMicrobial
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                2 months ago

                Yeah, it’s frustrating to say the least.

                If I went vegan I’d probably suffer a very slow, agonizing death from my brain going haywire and seize until I go into psychosis and die. If my body could take it I’d probably be a vegetarian and eat only local eggs and cheese, but it’s a bad idea according to my doctor. It sucks.

            • VelvetStorm@lemmy.world
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              2 months ago

              Dam, man, that sucks. Hey, quick question, if they made lab grown human meat, would you try it?

              • JovialMicrobial
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                2 months ago

                Absolutely! I’m hoping it’s available soon since it’s more ethical than my current options.

                Edit - missed the human part lmao. I would probably try it if it hurt no one and was offered to me

          • MindTraveller@lemmy.ca
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            2 months ago

            Ah, so you’re saying you don’t like it, but you find it an acceptable sacrifice to make in exchange for yummy food?

            • VelvetStorm@lemmy.world
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              2 months ago

              100% yes. I am fully aware that being vegan is, in my opinion, the more ethical option but I can and will continue to eat meat because 1 it’s cheap, it’s plentiful, I know how to and can cook with it well and because yes it tastes so fucking good. I don’t mean this as a 3edgy5me thing but fuck me I love a nice ribeye stake with butter and garlic cloves and a baked potato.

              • MindTraveller@lemmy.ca
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                2 months ago

                Okay, but you have to know about plant-based steaks and vegan butter. And of course you know about vegan garlic and vegan potato, because all garlic and potato is vegan. What’s the extra cost of a vegan steak compared to an animal steak in your area? In mine it’s around 3 dollars.

                • VelvetStorm@lemmy.world
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                  2 months ago

                  I have never seen a plant based stake at my local grocery stores. The next time I am there to pick out a stake, I will also look and ask specifically for a plant based one, and I will try it. But I have had other stuff like plant based burgers, and while they are ok, they just can’t hold up to the taste of a meat burger.

                • uranibaba@lemmy.world
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                  2 months ago

                  plant-based steaks

                  I’ve tried plenty of different plant based meat substitutes and so for, not one of them can hold a candle to the real taste. Like, it is not even close in my opinion. I can see the market for it, but plant based diet can be incredible when not trying to impersonate meat. Like lentils with curry. Not meat required and super tasty.

                  So would argue that meat substitutes are the wrong way to go if you want to eat tasty non meat stuff.

                  • HonorableScythe
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                    2 months ago

                    I’m not vegan but I eat plenty of incidentally vegan meals, and all of the best ones have been the ones that weren’t trying to imitate another food. They just can’t get the texture right and I’d rather not eat some squishy disc of beans and wheat while trying to convince myself it’s a burger. It’s not. I know it’s not and pretending doesn’t make it any more of one. Give me a good soup or curry or pasta dish instead.

                  • Tayb@lemmy.world
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                    2 months ago

                    Plant-based meat tastes like what vegans think meat tastes like. I’d much rather eat the vegan foods that are prepared without imitation ingredients.

    • Confused_Emus@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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      2 months ago

      I stick with Margaret Cho’s advice on vegans from her Assassin tour back in 2005:

      And especially, especially, don’t fuck with vegans. Do not look vegans in the eye. If you get into an argument with a vegan, say “I’m wrong” and run away as fast as you can. Do not fuck with vegans because they will fuck you up…BECAUSE THEY’RE HUNGRY.

    • JaggedRobotPubes@lemmy.world
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      2 months ago

      Vegans being annoying was a thing awhile ago, but they really chilled out. This is a smaller band of die-hards.

      “Chilling out” is of course a terrible metric when animal abuse is on the line but being good to animals would make you vegetarian, not vegan, and yet that was never where the righteousness was coming from.

    • Possibly linux@lemmy.zip
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      2 months ago

      I like how they expect everyone to share there ethical views. Fun fact: most people don’t.