In regards to eating meat

[Diana]

So the question is: WHY do they perceive vegetarians as having a 'self-proclaimed superior point of view'?

I can understand if the vegetarian is preaching at them. But in most cases, we haven't done that at all. All we did was order the veggie burger.

Here are some possibilities:

1. They've been preached at before, and now are stereotyping all vegetarians, to the point that they're expecting preaching and are preempting it...lumping them all in together as having a 'self-proclaimed superior point of view.'

2. They are feeling guilt because, as Diana pointed out, they really are aware of the suffering of animals and are choosing to contribute to it anyway. But rather than confront their own guilt, they use the vegetarian as a scapegoat.

3. They really do think vegetarianism is a 'superior' lifestyle, but are too weak-willed to do it themselves, so they're jealous of those who do it. And when people are jealous, they say hurtful things.

I will add two to this list:

4) They are good people who mean well, but they are overwhelmed with all that has to be done in this modern-day life. Considering the topic of responsible diet is just too much for them on top of everything else, especially since certain food producers make it so easy to eat "irresponsibly," and advertising lies to the public all the time.

So they know consciously that they would be wise to pay attention, but they keep it at bay. When faced with a vegetarian, it brings the subject to the surface, and they feel their own sense of irresponsibility.

5) They know something at the subconscious level, which has not become conscious yet. We most likely all keep parts of ourselves "asleep" until we can handle them.

For instance, we may keep certain past (parallel, multidimensional) life memories at bay due to the fact that we could not handle what we have done. Another instance: we may have had childhood traumas which were encapsulated and kept frozen because we could not deal with them, yet they trigger us nonetheless.

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I've not had a single vegan friend who didn't make some snide remark at least once as I was eating meat.

I guess you don't have very nice friends.

On the inverse, I know many meat-eaters who are so kind as to ask if their eating meat at a meal bothers me. I'm not sure what they would say if I said "yes," as I never have. But it is kind and sensitive for them to ask.