is the word 'vegan' a taboo?

[Moe2Love]

I was chatting with a fellow student on campus, and we were discussing food, the fast food industry and such and she brought up a point that kind of underlies every raw foodist beliefs: "We should begin eating more natural". I agreed with her, and we started have a perfectly good conversation about organic and such. But then I said something along the lines of "vegans have it the right way" and she suddenly seemed not so into the conversation. I eventually ended up changing the subject because the conversation was dead.

Has anyone else ever encountered something like this? I use the word vegan because it's something people seem to understand more easily than raw, but I may be wrong about this. Does it seem like the word 'vegan' has a generally negative connotation?

[Aleesha Sattva]

i guess if they have a negative reaction to it... then it's their stuff. i have people surrounding me who cherish the word.

[Revvell]

I have no idea. I would have asked the person I was having the conversation with.

Imo, people have no idea what vegetarian is, much less vegan. Here in SoCal, people think chicken and fish are part of a vegetarian food program. Can't even think about what people consider vegan means... :duh ... although, if it ever comes up in conversation, I'd ask.

[modernmonkey]

I think there is a big difference between following a vegan diet and being a vegan. There may be the misunderstanding.

[Stina]

There's a huge popular vegan website where there is a campaign amongst their people to go to other websites and bait people, ridicule them, use hostility or farce.........whatever is necessary to asset their superiority. With marketing like that, you can't blame people for getting turned off from this movement.
I'm active at another sweet board where people insist they aren't vegan, but plant based.
I'm vegan in the broad sense of the word and just don't care to get caught up in the debates. I'm too busy being healthy and happy!

[Bananna]

instead of saying 'vegans have it right' ...maybe say minimal to no meat is probably best and then reference the Asian diet/health. ...gotta make a bridge sometimes...and not cling too strongly to any opinions...in my opinion. (but maybe I'm wrong, haha -see how it works? lol)

[miaculpa]

I tell people that I am a 'recovering carnivore' :)

[Aleesha Sattva]

:LOL: that's priceless!

[green goddess]

Sometimes people are uncomfortable with labels. I can say I eat whole foods, natural foods, even living foods, but if I describe myself as a 'raw foodist', that seems to get the most chance of a negative reaction. Some people have the idea of 'vegan' as being zealously healthy, a little bit 'holier-than-thou', and become a little judgemental. This is what I've noticed, anyway. I try now to stay away from labels! :)

[rawintexas]

Although I find it hard to believe, many people I run into don't really understand vegetarian, vegan, raw....when my son first became a vegetarian, people where like "what does that include? Does he eat eggs? What about seafood?"...and then you had different types of vegetarians (ovo lacto, etc.) to confuse them further, and they wanted to know the 'why' of his decision (health, ethical)....then I went along with him into vegetarianism and then I went further to vegan diet, and now heading to high raw.

Sometimes I feel that some people know their own diets are horrible for them and it's a defensive measure that they respond with somewhat negative feedback. In my son's case, most people worried over his ability to continue playing football (now at the college level) without eating any animal products. Of course, he's maintained a low body fat weight of 240 muscular pounds for years now.

So I would say responses are either un-knowledgable or defensive.

[miaculpa]

I like meat... I even like raw meat. However, I don't think it's good for me to eat things with a face. I respect and admire those who can stick to their guns when it comes to their diet. Being an unabashed gourmand, I am only good at fasting and my bouts of raw. I endeavor to be 'clean' of meat completely, one day. Hopefully, now that I am clearing up my iodine deficiencies, the anemia that plagues me (and subsequent 'blood lust' associated with my meat cravings, which were usually around the time of my menses) will be resolved and I can happily STAY on my raw/mostly raw desired lifestyle.

I think that the meat industry (and food industry AND big pharma) in the USA are trying to kill us, plain and simple. I don't WANT to gain a zillion lbs or get sick from consuming all the drugs and steroids in our meat. The way I look at it, they've poisoned our food supply. When I live abroad (which I've done half my adult life), I don't feel as unhealthy eating a 'normal' diet as I do when I live in the USA. The bottom line for me is that if I am going to live a healthy life in this country, I *cannot* put things into myself that are poisonous.

The world is changing and I must change with it to survive and thrive. Being raw isn't bad at all... we are naturally herbivores. I believe this. I just pretend that I'm trying to be a 'good' vampire and act accordingly.

:)

[miaculpa]

Sometimes people are uncomfortable with labels. I can say I eat whole foods, natural foods, even living foods, but if I describe myself as a 'raw foodist', that seems to get the most chance of a negative reaction. Some people have the idea of 'vegan' as being zealously healthy, a little bit 'holier-than-thou', and become a little judgemental. This is what I've noticed, anyway. I try now to stay away from labels! :)

Just tell 'em that you eat raw because lookin' this good takes a lot of work and sacrifices, then smile in their faces nicely. :)

I sold out the maple syrup at my local health food store the first year I started on the MC/raw because I became the shining example. There's NO BETTER billboard advertising for raw than being able to fit into a size 3/4 jeans after being a bigger size, lemme tell ya :)

EVERYBODY I know wants/desires to look better. I find that more people 'get it' if you break it down to terms of health and vanity, unfortunately (or fortunately). If they think you're going to knife them in the eye because they eat steaks and you don't... well, things don't go quite as well.

[Reesh]

I'm kind of a mind-my-own business kind of lady, so I only discuss it when asked about it. Co-workers ask me at lunch and I am happy to explain, but I don't want to impose on them. They are content eating what they want, and I'm content eating what I want.

[Namaste Mama]

I think mainstream people see Vegans as the crazy PETA people who throw red paint on people wearing fur. Not that PETA is a bad thing, I just don't think its fair to attack people for their beliefs, no matter how different they are from ours. I believe Karma deals with people who wear fur, LOL!

[RawSar]

But then I said something along the lines of "vegans have it the right way" and she suddenly seemed not so into the conversation. I eventually ended up changing the subject because the conversation was dead.


Clearly she is not vegan which means you just told her she has it the wrong way. I think you may have offended her.

[Shels]

I think it's often the labels that create disputes and alienate people. However, they do simplify things. If I don't feel like getting into a huge explanation about my lifestyle, I often just say I'm vegan.

[margoss]

Some people just can't comprehend not consuming some sort of animals products.
Ya'll will love this...I had a man come to my door last week. He worked for a company that delivers meats to your house. He asked me if liked to get good quality meat at a good price. I replied...."No, I don't..I'm vegetarian." He said, " you don't eat steak? with that look on his face...well, we have chicken & fish." Said that I don't eat any meat at all. He said...well, ok, but I've never of anything like that. You could just tell me you don't want any meat. ha!!!!!

[Shels]

Ah, that's so funny.
I know, it's like no matter what you tell them they still go down the line... "So, no red meat? Then you eat chicken, right? Oh. So, no meat at all? What about fish?"
Seriously people. XD

[RawBogan]

I think the labels ARE confusing. We(alternative eaters), whatever our label are in a pretty tiny minority so I think it's way too much for the bulk of the population to be up to date on our definitions. I cut them plenty of slack. They've got plenty of other stuff to think about albeit on depleted nutrition and grim prospects regarding the negative health effects of what they ingest.

I like the positive ones suggested such as "I'm doing a no meat or dairy experiment". I'm actually using that one and the instant reaction is vastly better. One of curiosity sometimes rather than the end of conversation or a pregnant pause.

[Raw Angel Mom]

When i first became vegetarian before a raw vegan, i encounter people's reaction like you etc... I then understood that people wants to eat their food at peace and not feeling threaten by me. When i got that, i would come up with a joke such, i promise i won't judge you if you eat french fries, lol... I would just find some skill to cope with that. I would just say, i just don't like meat as some don't like broccoli. Once people understood that it was a choice and i wasn't trying to change them, they came around. Later on, i would sometime encourage people to buy organic meat because it was a better quality food for them. I hate using the word food when talking about meat.

As for Dairy, it is so addictive and many just don't want to give that up. It doesn't hurt the animal and it is so good. Not everyone know that unless dairy is organic, the cow may have suffered greatly for being given hormone to make her produce more milk. I have seen picture not pretty.

I will never recommend a DVD unless i know someone is trying to be vegan, because people don't want to be pressure to change. When you are inspiring other, you are planting the seed.

When you said that to her, you basically told her that her choices were wrong (Not intentionally of course but this is how she received the message). What you could have said is that since doing vegan you notice some positive change in you. This inspire versus criticize. I know you didn't mean it this way and you probably assumed that she was vegan from where the conversation was leading. You should read 12 steps to raw food, she gives good tips on how to cope with family and friend.

All the best

[Reesh]

I think many people have encountered a pushy vegan, just as most have encountered a pushy [insert label here]. The best we can do is lead by positive example and yes yes yes-- explain but in the least judgmental and intrusive manner as others have stated above.

Has anyone encountered vegans judging other vegans? Haha it reminds me of the vegan police from Scott Pilgrim vs. the World. :D
http://images.wikia.com/scottpilgrim/images/4/47/Vegan_Police_Movie.jpg

[mcster]

I think the last few posts hit the nail in the head. People are threatened by things that are foreign to them. Furthermore, many see vegans as pushy, condescending and judgmental because many of them are extremist animal rights activists that love to preach about animal suffering and use disturbing images to try and get their point across. Their heart and intentions are commendable and in the right place but their actions are poorly thought out and counterproductive, giving all vegans a bad rap IMO. I know if I was a meat eater, I'd be offended and disturbed by people like that and they would further entrench the idea that I should continue to eat meat and be "normal" instead of turning a kooky vegan. :).

I'm not sure how long you've been raw/vegan for but if you subscribe to the idea of karma and the "live and let live" philosophy, I've found that keeping my vegan diet private works best. There is one exception however. I turned raw for health and athletic performance and it's the most amazing thing I've ever done in my life. My body has transformed in a short period of time so the truth is self evident. I have no problem sharing my experience with people from that perspective, but you do really need to know your stuff before you engage in those discussions. Chances are you'll arouse a lot of questions. I know that my discussions about raw with a number of people have resulted in higher consumption of raw foods by both vegan and meat eaters alike. And that can only be positive.

[proteus]

I think that the meat industry (and food industry AND big pharma) in the USA are trying to kill us, plain and simple

almost but not quite. its the big pharma and its FDA arm that are trying to make us chronically ill so we constantly buy their meds. nobody wants you dead - just chronically ill, preferably with diabetes.

food companies would be happy to sell you healthy food but they are not allowed to do it by the FDA because that would cut into the profits of the drug companies who staff FDA with their people.

you can read about it in this book:

http://www.truthpublishing.com/naturalhealthsolutions_p/yprint-cat21391.htm

[Reesh]

almost but not quite. its the big pharma and its FDA arm that are trying to make us chronically ill so we constantly buy their meds. nobody wants you dead - just chronically ill, preferably with diabetes.

food companies would be happy to sell you healthy food but they are not allowed to do it by the FDA because that would cut into the profits of the drug companies who staff FDA with their people.

you can read about it in this book:

http://www.truthpublishing.com/naturalhealthsolutions_p/yprint-cat21391.htm

^This. Totally agree. It's shameful how little discussion of preventative care there is in this country. Corporate farce. Ugh.

[proteus]

It's shameful how little discussion of preventative care there is in this country. Corporate farce. Ugh.

when i first came to US from former soviet union i was shocked at this. in the USSR most people have never used any pills except vitamin C when in good health and aspirin when sick. nobody was given antibiotics unless he had almost a life threatening condition. instead people simply used common sense to avoid disease such as dressing warm in cold weather. instead of using pain medicine people simply tried to avoid injury, and if injured let it heal.

and then i came to use and every 5 seconds there is a commercial on tv for another pill mostly for pain. many commercials would show a person with injury and pain medication allowing them to ignore their injury and go and exercise. i thought to myself - are they out of their mind ? How do they expect the injury to heal if you keep re-injuring it ? Of course i was a kid then and naive - didn't realize that they do NOT want the injury to heal, that way they can keep selling you pain medicine forever.

american culture in general glorifies stupidity. everything that hurts you is a good thing in american culture. american football, basketball, skiing, martial arts - anything that will get you injured is good! and people in the gym brag about how many surgeries they had on each of their joints because it is "cool" to twist your ankle, or tear your rotator cuff or do anything that will make the doctors a couple thousand dollars from your health insurance. we don't have this self-mutilation culture by accident - it is all heavily promoted.

[Moe2Love]

this is the first time i've checked since i last posted, so i have a lot to answer to:

I think that's true, when people hear the word vegan they think of an "overzealous liberal", which is seen as a bad thing.

I just gave up meat dairy and eggs about 2 weeks ago, it started not just to be more healthy but because i saw a documentary video about the cruel treatment of animals. That's when I started identifying the word vegan, I never really considered 'raw' as 'vegan' before, i just felt like it is what it is. but 'vegan' is easier to describe if someone knows about it already.



Clearly she is not vegan which means you just told her she has it the wrong way. I think you may have offended her.

She was actually saying everything that supported the ideals of a raw foodist, like organic and natural foods and things like that. I think she knows her diet isn't ideal and wanted to improve it. i feel more strongly that the word 'vegan' had a somewhat negative connotation to her.

@Reesh haha i think about that often when I'm talking to other people about it. It's funny because sometimes all the benefits of going raw seems like it's a superpower
The advice on dealing with people questioning your alternative lifestyle is much appreciated, I feel like that'll help me as I'm entering social life.

[SmartyPants]

It could be a religious thing. The more conservative elements in my religion see vegetarians and vegans as liberals and they avoid all things liberal. There was actually a thread on one of their message boards encouraging people to eat meat just to stick it to the liberals. They are teaching their children to think this way.

I sat there munching on my carrots thinking: "at least I will out live them; then maybe we have a chance to save the children."


...And no, I didn't actually post that comment.

[Revvell]

I love all the conjectures. Why not ask the person who you're talking to and find out for sure? (I think I said this already) lol