Do real life long vegetarians get offended by the 14 year old fad of it ?

Eric Cartman

just a question, im meat eater and nobody will ever change me but of everyone ive ever come into contact with whos vegetarian i can think of 1 who didnt stop when they got to college, most of the time ive seen it as something 14 year olds do to rebel against the parents or get stuck in to some animal rights hippy guy. do real vegetarians get offended by being labled in with the same group as these 14 year old teens who just do it for a short time till they grow up

flikflak

If someone choses to change their diet then no it does not bother me. What does bother me if someone calls themselves something they are not.

So even if they were a vegetarian - a vegetarian society defined vegetarian that is - and they live as one for a while then decide for whatever reason to switch back then thats their business. As long as they didnt go round telling people they were a veggie when they were eating fish and chicken then thats fine.

Inglorious

I suppose it depends on their reason for becoming vegetarian. If it's for ethical reasons (i.e. objecting to eating animals) then I highly doubt the stereotyped opinions of others would matter to them. Such people don't become vegetarian to seem rebellious or other aesthetic reasons.

Even so, what's wrong with becoming a vegetarian at 14 and then giving it up come college? At least they had a go. I much prefer that attitude to the old rehashed "I love my meat, I do. I could never hack eating like a rabbit" notion.
As for becoming vegetarian to get stuck into a hippy guy; hell, I've heard of people doing far worse to get stuck into the opposite sex.

But, as flikflak said, it does get pretty annoying when people masquerade as being vegetarian and then eat chicken/fish. If people stopped doing this then maybe I wouldn't get asked "but do you eat fish?" every time I tell someone I'm a veggie.

Tar.Aldarion

Don't really care, they can eat what they want,c call themselves what they want for their reasons. It's less animals being eaten which is a bonus.

kittex

I wouldn't associate being a vegetarian with teen fads. I associate it more with health, the 60's and Buddhism etc.

Yes, many teens try it out but then they also try out other things like drink. People don't laugh at 30 year olds for having a pint going "ha ha, people do that in their teens". :rolleyes:

nasher

I actually became a veggie in college..I think more people are turning veggie in their late teens rather than 14 year olds. I say its great if kids decide to turn veggie even if it is to rebel for a year or two. Its opening them up to considering doing it long term. At least its something and they are giving it a try. If one out of every ten actually keep it on then its still makes a difference.

Censorsh!t

I get offended when people think it's just a fad I'm going through, because so many teenagers are just going through a fad.
I'm not really bothered at all thpugh by the people who are just doing it to rebel or be extreme, or to be different. It's just when I am associated with them, that's what pisses me off

SpiceLMF

I actually became a vegeterian around when I was 9 or 10 years old. To be honest, I was going through a bit of a hippy phase then and had probably just learned what a vegeterian was... but I've never particularly liked meat and I think I was pretty saddened to find that pigs which I loved so much were my bacon! So when I was eating at my dad's house I announced I was a vegeterian. He was sure it was a phase which made me even more resistant to eating meat.

So I guess I started for fairly stupid reasons and was too bull-headed to back down. My mother was very supportive and as the years went on it just became natural. I became involved in animal rights and environmental organizations and saw how animals were kept and slaughtered and how unhealthy for the world/myself meat could potentially be.

Now I'm a year out of college and as much as my boyfriend's mother hopes I'll change.. I can't imagine eating meat and have been trying to move away from dairy also (as I think I'm a bit lactose intolerant). Perhaps it is because I started so long but I never look at a menu in a restaurant and say "oh damnit, i wish i could have that!"... I don't miss meat and I think I'm better off without it.

As for other young vegeterians/vegans... they can do what they want. I had a few friends that were temporary veggies but it's their choice what they eat, just like it's mine. I do wish though that people wouldn't think this is a "phase". I've been a vegeterian for over 12 years now which is over half of my life. I don't plan on going back anytime soon.

bythewoods

I wouldn't see that as insulting in the least.
I became a vegetarian when i was about 13-14 and everyone thought it was just a phase.
Unless you're raised as a veggie, you're going to have to start at some age!
Years later and I'd never go back to eating meat.