Can Meat Eaters be Easy to Offend?

[KingsGambit_v1legacy]

I have no idea who is the subject of the OP. I've never met anyone who's been "offended" by jokes about their diet, carnivore or vegetarian. TBH, anyone who gets so easily offended are probably the same types of knobends that need "safe spaces" and post shit to facebook like "Share if you agree life is for living".

I have friends of various races, religions, diets and sexual orientations and poking friendly fun at each other is par for the course. I'm not as quick to make the jokes as most of my friends but I give about as good as I get it. I love them all dearly and quite often they'll make jokes at their own expense. I'm not offended when I'm teased about my pronunciation of certain words, my faith, my looks or whatever. It's because I'm not a moron who has to be offended by everything.

If your offended by a joke about your diet, the problem is you, not the joke. Lighten up and get a thicker skin, have a little self-respect and confidence for heaven's sake. Unless your family are devoutly religious, no one else cares what you eat (tho a husband/wife is entitled to tell you if you're getting podgy or clogging up your arteries).

 

[Ihateregistering1]

Interestingly though, I've found that meat eaters can be really easy to offend. I've seen many take criticisms of the meat industry very personally, which often results in lashing out. Accusations of aggression on the part of vegans, desperate proclamations of how "tough" they are or how humans have "evolved to eat meat".

You've pretty much answered your own question here: the meat eaters don't react until they are criticized.

With vegans and vegetarians (stereotypically), they point out the fact that they are vegan or vegetarian without any sort of prompting, usually as a means of pointing out how wonderful and 'progressive' they are.

Like I said, this is all based upon wildly broad comical stereotypes, but there is a difference between "people who tell you about their choices because they want to show off" and "people who don't even mention their choices unless they get criticized for them".

 

[OldNewNewOld]

You can't name a single large group of people that doesn't have people that are ridiculously easy to offend (unless you make a group where all members have the same characteristic of not being easily offended).
SO yeah, there is a part of the "meat eaters" that are easily offended. There is also a part of the vegan group that is easily offended. And the feminists and anti feminists and every other group. What's the point?

Are there people that are "triggered" by vegetarians and make constant jabs at them? Yes. But there is also a loud group of vegetarians that are the spitting image of the stereotypes. Those people are the web comic "artists". They paint themselves as the reasonable human while sticking every single possible logical fallacy onto an imaginary opposition to make their point. Both side.

I eat pretty much everything. I understand vegetarians, not really vegans,but okay. Their life their choices. But I do get annoyed when someone starts telling me that I'm a horrible human for eating meat while the same person ends up eating fish which is as meat as a cow no matter what everyone says.

There is a cooking show I like watching. 5 random people make diner. One for each working day, Monday to Friday. The worst episodes were almost always on Mondays when there was a vegetarian. They would apply to the show, not say they are vegetarian and then get offended and make a scene when they come on Monday and diner has meat in it. What did you expect? When applying the show administration asks is there anything you don't eat or if you have any allergies and informs the other participants about you. So you come, lie about your eating habits, ruin the dinner, lower their score for what?

So as you can see, the other side can be also unreasonable. From my experience, a lot worse.

 

[Saltyk]

If meat is murder, murder is delicious. I mean eat a steak. You can taste the suffering. It really adds to the flavor.

Yes, these are things I have said. Mostly as a joke. If you can't take a joke, the problem is with you. Not with the person telling the joke (99% of the time, anyway).

Also, the few vegans I have had the displeasure to encounter were pushy liars who said whatever they thought you wanted them to say to get what they wanted. At a concert once, there were vegans trying to get people to sign a petition to ban the slaughter of pigs or something. They were giving out DVDs if you did and claimed they were DVDs with music videos. So a few of my friends signed the petition simply for the DVD. The next day, at my house we decided to pop the DVD in and watch the music videos.

PETA propaganda. Nothing but videos telling us how the slaughter of animals is wrong. Or how the circus is wrong. And hey, a few of the videos actually did show legitimate animal abuse, like someone kicking an animal. But plenty of the videos were flat out lies. One claimed that people skinned sheep alive for their wool. It showed this, but it was obviously an old video at some mountain village. Here's the thing, NO ONE WOULD SKIN A SHEEP FOR IT'S WOOL AS WOOL GROWS BACK. Plus, the wool can be detrimental to the animals heath at times. Sheering the wool is actually beneficial to the animal.

After watching several videos showing animal slaughter, we realized we were hungry. So we ordered pizza. Meat lover's.

Let's be honest, PETA does not help with the image of vegans. They do want to ban animal testing, animal assistants for disabled people, and pets to name a few things. Not to mention, they offered financial support to domestic terrorists.

Anyway, I have no problem with slaughtering animals for consumption. I would probably have a hard time doing it myself, but it doesn't bother me at all that it happens. At a Christmas party/bonfire with friends last night, someone asked if we could slaughter animals (one of my friends has family that owns and slaughters cows and we could hear them mooing) and we all pretty much agreed that we could and that we would eat the meat afterwards.

If you do, that's not my problem. And as long as you don't make your problem into my problem, we don't have a problem.

 

[Naraka]

Well, it seems like the OP isn't too interested in arguing for their point, except in a few posts with a selected few in this thread. Was this whole thread just a really backhanded way to express your angst OP, not really an invitation to a discussion?

 

[Orga777]

As an omnivore, I rarely get offended by what people choose to, or not to, eat. What bothers me, and only because its happened before on many occasions, is people who get up in my shit about what I choose to eat. Rattle off your factoids, and why you're against meat and such, but the mere act of getting up in my face about my life choices is something I define as "being an asshole." That overall is offensive to me, period. Doesn't matter the topic, when someone jumps up in my shit, and gets preachy about something I'm doing I will inevitably take offense to it.
I don't like others trying to run my life, acting as if I'm unaware of what I'm doing. I understand consequences, I understand a lot of things in life and I take offense towards people who think they know me well enough to assume I don't.
Do I know everything? No, but I also didn't ask you to "educate" me either. If I wanted to know what you thought, I'd ask. No, not ever vegan is like this, nor vegetarian, etc. But there have been a significant amount of them in my life that have decided it was OK to jump my shit over a steak (which I eat on very rare occasions, mostly I'm not a red meat fan having grown up on a mostly tropical fish diet).
Its rude as hell to insert yourself into someone else's shit like that.
Enjoy life your own way, just don't hurt others in the process. And don't be a dick.

This is all kinds of true. People need to shut up and butt out of other people's business more often. People are just more self-important these days...

Also, as long as meat (or ANY type of food for that matter) tastes good, I will eat it. Sorry, folks. I like freaking scrapple, and I know what that is made of. As long as it is good, though, I don't give a damn. XP

 

[Dizchu]

Well, it seems like the OP isn't too interested in arguing for their point, except in a few posts with a selected few in this thread. Was this whole thread just a really backhanded way to express your angst OP, not really an invitation to a discussion?

Arguing? I asked a question. Others in this thread have recognised the sort of behaviour I described and I was wondering what the mentality behind it is. I responded to people who directly confronted me so I could settle a few misunderstandings. I wanted people to entertain the idea and see how people would react to it, or if they had any input of their own.

I didn't respond to you because I didn't know what to respond to. A lot of people in the thread have tried to divert the conversation to be about animal welfare when that is not what I'm interested in discussing (because let's face it, it is such an incendiary topic that really touches people's nerves). I'm not interested in that, I know how those discussions go. What I was wondering was why those discussions get so personal. This is a forum topic, not an "ask me anything".

I don't care if you personally eat meat and I'm not sure how many times I need to repeat this. Think of this like me testing the waters, trying to get a sample of reactions.

Look, sorry if I made an assumption about a certain behaviour I have come across frequently that, as some have pointed out, may just be the result of me involving myself in animal welfare discussions on social media. Just because I don't respond to posts doesn't mean I don't read them. I've kept an eye on what you've been saying, chill.

I will point out one thing though.

Most people eat meat, so if 6+ billion people are all one way, then they're not "Easy to offend" by definition, they're normal.

Err... statistically most people are religious (to narrow it down more, Christian). Does this mean that Christians can't be offended easily?

 

[Naraka]

Well, it seems like the OP isn't too interested in arguing for their point, except in a few posts with a selected few in this thread. Was this whole thread just a really backhanded way to express your angst OP, not really an invitation to a discussion?

Arguing? I asked a question. Others in this thread have recognised the sort of behaviour I described and I was wondering what the mentality behind it is. I responded to people who directly confronted me so I could settle a few misunderstandings. I wanted people to entertain the idea and see how people would react to it, or if they had any input of their own.

I didn't respond to you because I didn't know what to respond to. A lot of people in the thread have tried to divert the conversation to be about animal welfare when that is not what I'm interested in discussing (because let's face it, it is such an incendiary topic that really touches people's nerves). I'm not interested in that, I know how those discussions go. What I was wondering was why those discussions get so personal. This is a forum topic, not an "ask me anything".

I don't care if you personally eat meat and I'm not sure how many times I need to repeat this. Think of this like me testing the waters, trying to get a sample of reactions.

Look, sorry if I made an assumption about a certain behaviour I have come across frequently that, as some have pointed out, may just be the result of me involving myself in animal welfare discussions on social media. Just because I don't respond to posts doesn't mean I don't read them. I've kept an eye on what you've been saying, chill.

I will point out one thing though.

Most people eat meat, so if 6+ billion people are all one way, then they're not "Easy to offend" by definition, they're normal.

Err... statistically most people are religious (to narrow it down more, Christian). Does this mean that Christians can't be offended easily?

Easy to offend has to exist on a scale in which it is "Easy-Normal-Hard" or some variation. By definition, normal is most people. Try not being inherently contradictory, and I won't have a problem with it. Your analogy changing "Religious" to "A minority sect of religious people" is weak sauce.

 

[NPC009]

Bit late to party, but I'll give it a shot: thanks to all sorts of stereotypes, meat-eaters expect vegetarians/vegans to launch a rant to force their ideas on them. Instead of waiting for the attack, they go for a preemptive strike. Maybe. Maybe it's just people being uncomfortable around people with other lifestyles. Or maybe they launch a preemptive assault because they are uncomfortable with other lifestyles and can't imagine other people not minding not everyone is exactly like them.

I get the 'dumb treehugger' treatment once in a while. I have a light complexion and some people like to assume I'm pale because I'm anemic. They use that reason for why I should be eating meat, like they are, and they get to feel good about themselves for being smarter than me. Jokes on them, though. I'm a blood donor and you aren't allowed to donate if your hb levels are too low.

 

[Rahkshi500]

Probably because some accusations levied at those who eat meat tend to fall upon the same thoughts as murder or killing, like calling those who eat meat along the lines of a killer or murderer, almost in the same way as if they killed another human, even if the person eating the meat didn't kill the animal first. Also again pointing towards an arrogant mindset among some vegans and vegetarians who believe that there way of eating is better, therefore everyone else should be the same as them and if anyone dares not follow their way of life, then they're treated like the scum of the earth.

For me personally, I'll gladly stop eating conventional meat once vitro meat becomes a successful, healthy, delicious, and accessible across the country, if not the whole world.

 

[Sampler]

Okay before you accuse me of shoving my views down anyone's throats, this is not an argument about animal rights. As far as this thread goes, I don't care whether you eat animals or not.

We all know the jokes about vegans. "How do you know if someone's vegan? They'll tell you!" We've all seen the stereotype about vegans and vegetarians being smug, we've seen jokes at their expense because "we didn't get to the top of the food chain just to eat grass".

Interestingly though, I've found that meat eaters can be really easy to offend. I've seen many take criticisms of the meat industry very personally, which often results in lashing out. Accusations of aggression on the part of vegans, desperate proclamations of how "tough" they are or how humans have "evolved to eat meat". Because they are the majority group they tend to have a lot of support. Which just makes me wonder, if they have such strength in numbers and they honestly believe what they're doing is morally/ethically okay then why do they have such knee-jerk, emotional reactions?

Again, not judging meat eaters here. I'm just curious about why many of them are quick to get defensive if they're the vast majority.

Vegans would get angry, if they had the energy to get worked up...

 

[K12]

I'm a vegetarian and I have occassionally gotten a few "you think you're better than me" type reactions but they aren't that common. People don't like being moralised to and sometimes take a pre-emptive approach in the assumption that you're going to do that. I get the piss taken out of me fairly often for being a vegetarian but its usually in a friendly way.

Having said that I don't usually bring up my vegetarianism unless it's relevant and I never argue that other people should be vegetarians, I generally take the stance that it's much easier than you might expect and it does some. My way of spreading vegetarianism is just learning how to cook good veggie food and offering to make it for people. Maybe a more direct approach would attract more aggressive defense.

There's a fairly predictable experiential bias in play here. You always see more bad behaviour from people you disagree with because the ones you agree with won't see any need to argue with you and hence display their bad behaviour. You're only going to be able to tell that someone is easily offended if you say something that offends them. I don't think I've ever met an arrogant Christian-harassing Atheist but if I did how would I tell since I and most of my friends are Atheists so when the subject comes up there's no one for them to harass?

 

[Dizchu]

Hmm, interestingly from what I've seen, most of the replies that have had the same observations I have had are from vegans and vegetarians, while meat eaters have a hard time believing such attitudes exist in the first place. So basically it's a clash of worldviews, the status quo vs. what could possibly be regarded as a counterculture.

I'm not accusing anyone of ignorance, it is the nature of having a position that goes against what is generally accepted as "normal". It's an "outside-looking-in" situation.

Easy to offend has to exist on a scale in which it is "Easy-Normal-Hard" or some variation. By definition, normal is most people. Try not being inherently contradictory, and I won't have a problem with it. Your analogy changing "Religious" to "A minority sect of religious people" is weak sauce.

I mean "easy" as in they're the vast majority of the population, their lifestyles are under no threat (well, certainly not from vegans) and they pretty much represent "mainstream" sensibilities. Much like Christians in the USA, who amusingly think that criticism of their religious institutions are a direct attack on them. Of course, "not all Christians" just like "not all meat eaters". But you have these two majority groups who "call the shots", and somehow feel threatened by criticism. Not of themselves but of systems they take for granted.

I understand that meat is a big part of many people's lives but so's oil, and people don't get nearly as worked up over the environmental concerns of fossil fuel consumption. Many people have electronic devices or clothes that were made in foreign factories with poor working conditions, yet they don't lash out when the nature of sweatshops are revealed. There's even popular condemnation of hunting. But meat is sacred, criticism of that industry is transgressive, "dangerous".

Personal attacks are shitty yeah, the blame isn't on any individual because it's the nature of capitalism. People want more meat than ever, they want it as fast and as often as possible. That demand has to be met and corners must be cut to do so. But why do people equate criticism of that system with a personal attack on themselves? Because personally I think a lot of meat eaters also feel incredibly uncomfortable with the system.

 

[JamesStone]

I'm getting a "Why does everybody hate Nintendo?" waft from this, where fans complain of an opposition that simply isn't there.

Wait this is a thing? First time I've ever heard of it.

Are you telling me you've never seen a response like "mmm bacon is delicious" or "my food eats your food" when vegans say something publicly? I mean I suppose it's not something you see in open conversation often outside the internet, but look at any comments section on articles or videos that criticise the meat industry and you'll see this behaviour.

Jokes. You're seriously complaining about jokes in a thread titled "are X easy to offend". You do realize the inherent hypocrisy of it, do you not? No one's that innocent.

Also, if you're basing your evaluation of responses by the comment secions of the Internet, anything and anyone can be easy to offend. Big surprise, the loud minority who feels the need to complain in a written manner about something like the meat industry might, just might be sensitive about that particular topic.

So essentially, you made a gross assumption based on overevaluating a small response by a vocal minority and memetic jokes. Here is your problem.

 

[Naraka]

Hmm, interestingly from what I've seen, most of the replies that have had the same observations I have had are from vegans and vegetarians, while meat eaters have a hard time believing such attitudes exist in the first place. So basically it's a clash of worldviews, the status quo vs. what could possibly be regarded as a counterculture.

I'm not accusing anyone of ignorance, it is the nature of having a position that goes against what is generally accepted as "normal". It's an "outside-looking-in" situation.

Easy to offend has to exist on a scale in which it is "Easy-Normal-Hard" or some variation. By definition, normal is most people. Try not being inherently contradictory, and I won't have a problem with it. Your analogy changing "Religious" to "A minority sect of religious people" is weak sauce.

I mean "easy" as in they're the vast majority of the population, their lifestyles are under no threat (well, certainly not from vegans) and they pretty much represent "mainstream" sensibilities. Much like Christians in the USA, who amusingly think that criticism of their religious institutions are a direct attack on them. Of course, "not all Christians" just like "not all meat eaters". But you have these two majority groups who "call the shots", and somehow feel threatened by criticism. Not of themselves but of systems they take for granted.

I understand that meat is a big part of many people's lives but so's oil, and people don't get nearly as worked up over the environmental concerns of fossil fuel consumption. Many people have electronic devices or clothes that were made in foreign factories with poor working conditions, yet they don't lash out when the nature of sweatshops are revealed. There's even popular condemnation of hunting. But meat is sacred, criticism of that industry is transgressive, "dangerous".

Personal attacks are shitty yeah, the blame isn't on any individual because it's the nature of capitalism. People want more meat than ever, they want it as fast and as often as possible. That demand has to be met and corners must be cut to do so. But why do people equate criticism of that system with a personal attack on themselves? Because personally I think a lot of meat eaters also feel incredibly uncomfortable with the system.

So you mean "Easy" as shorthand for three paragraphs of bitter ranting, and you wonder if people other than yourself are thin skinned?

Fix your own home buddy.

I'm getting a "Why does everybody hate Nintendo?" waft from this, where fans complain of an opposition that simply isn't there.

Wait this is a thing? First time I've ever heard of it.

Are you telling me you've never seen a response like "mmm bacon is delicious" or "my food eats your food" when vegans say something publicly? I mean I suppose it's not something you see in open conversation often outside the internet, but look at any comments section on articles or videos that criticise the meat industry and you'll see this behaviour.

Jokes. You're seriously complaining about jokes in a thread titled "are X easy to offend". You do realize the inherent hypocrisy of it, do you not? No one's that innocent.

Also, if you're basing your evaluation of responses by the comment secions of the Internet, anything and anyone can be easy to offend. Big surprise, the loud minority who feels the need to complain in a written manner about something like the meat industry might, just might be sensitive about that particular topic.

So essentially, you made a gross assumption based on overevaluating a small response by a vocal minority and memetic jokes. Here is your problem.

I think it's simpler, based on the OP's responses and OP post, they just wanted to start some predictable shit. This seems to be the normal mode of discourse for loudly self-proclaimed vegans.

 

[PapaGreg096]

As long as you are no Vegan Gains or that ***** who eats 50 bananas a day then we are cool

 

[Areloch]

Can a number of people from a group that *literally* contains billions of people be easily offended.



Why yes. Yes, they could.

If you were asking if MOST of them are easily offended, that's a much more specific and interesting question. That said, I would say no.

 

[K12]

Most people eat meat, so if 6+ billion people are all one way, then they're not "Easy to offend" by definition, they're normal.

People on the majority can't be easy to offend by definition...

I think a few pages in your dictionary must have got stuck together.