Rex Posted November 13, 2006 Share Posted November 13, 2006 It's a really typical question. I'd like to know if you guys can help me out with answers. Usually when people ask me I have so much to tell but I don't know how to put it together. I hope you guys can help me come up with some really nice educative answers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flanders77 Posted November 13, 2006 Share Posted November 13, 2006 My answer really depends on who is asking and how.If it is serious curiosity I explain some aspects of veganism (health, ethics, compassion etc.). When I have the feeling the person is not really interested but only wants to steal my time with prejudices I usually say: Thinking made me become a vegan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
offense74 Posted November 13, 2006 Share Posted November 13, 2006 Remember, you are not the one who should explain.There are no rational reasons for eating animal products (you can take b-12 and vitamin D in pill form). Noone wins. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kathryn Posted November 13, 2006 Share Posted November 13, 2006 I hear what you're saying about wanting a succinct, convincing reason, because there are so many factors that play into it, especially as you continue on your veg*n path. But for why you became vegan, just tell the truth. Each of us has our own reasons. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JW Posted November 13, 2006 Share Posted November 13, 2006 I usually tell them that it was for health and ethical reasons.People usually leave it at that or if they are interested, will ask further questions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Odidnetne Posted November 13, 2006 Share Posted November 13, 2006 It depends on how much time I have. I normally say that I cut beef & soda out of my diet in 2003, and kept cutting out more and more, and kept feeling better and better, so there was no reason not to go vegan with my new found energy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
9nines Posted November 13, 2006 Share Posted November 13, 2006 (edited) Remember, you are not the one who should explain.There are no rational reasons for eating animal products (you can take b-12 and vitamin D in pill form). Noone wins. Just to clarify, I am pretty sure there is no material amount of Vitamin D in animal products. So we are on par. I know it is supplemented into diary (not there originally.) So if one is not getting it from the sun, one must get it from supplements, no matter one’s diet. Edited November 14, 2006 by 9nines Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Posted November 13, 2006 Share Posted November 13, 2006 I normally ask them if they want the long answer or the short answer, to tell how interested they are. Then if they say 'short answer' then I just say it's because I don't like cruelty to animals. If they want the long answer, then I tell them how I went vegetarian and then how I went vegan, explain what was happening in my life at the time, and then explain my current mindset and some of the choices in my life at the moment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rex Posted November 18, 2006 Author Share Posted November 18, 2006 thanks for the help, now I know how not to waste my time even though I think is good to educate some close-minded people out there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michelle Posted December 4, 2006 Share Posted December 4, 2006 I normally ask them if they want the long answer or the short answer, to tell how interested they are. Then if they say 'short answer' then I just say it's because I don't like cruelty to animals. If they want the long answer, then I tell them how I went vegetarian and then how I went vegan, explain what was happening in my life at the time, and then explain my current mindset and some of the choices in my life at the moment. Thanks, Richard. I've now used this advice a few times. If the person is just making polite conversation and not that interested, they are satisfied with my short answer, which is that I became vegan for health reasons, but remain vegan for both health and ethical reasons. If they are truly interested, the short answer usually prompts them to ask for a longer answer, and generally spawns a good discussion. Maybe I'm weird, but I really don't understand the concept of making polite conversation. Talking should be the sharing of ideas, not just idle jaw-flapping. If I ask a question, it's because I genuinely want to know the answer. If I don't want to discuss a topic, I think of something else to talk about and ask about that. I don't get why someone would ask a question and not want a complete (in this case, long) answer... but, whatever. I'll just give the short answer until they ask for the long one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Posted December 4, 2006 Share Posted December 4, 2006 Maybe I'm weird, but I really don't understand the concept of making polite conversation. Talking should be the sharing of ideas, not just idle jaw-flapping. If I ask a question, it's because I genuinely want to know the answer. If I don't want to discuss a topic, I think of something else to talk about and ask about that. I don't get why someone would ask a question and not want a complete (in this case, long) answer... but, whatever. I'll just give the short answer until they ask for the long one. Yeah... I don't like it either. I have got better at it over the years, to just go along rather than abruptly end people's conversation who are just trying to be friendly. But I don't see the point of talking about stuff that neither person is really interested in. Maybe it helps some people relax, like an ice-breaker or whatever, rather than going from silence to deep-conversation. I don't mind doing that though, it makes sense to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fudgam Posted December 7, 2006 Share Posted December 7, 2006 I say "I started reading about animals rights and it all makes sense." Its usually followed by "Ooooooooooo. Ok" Then thats it. Not akward or anything. People usually dont ask much more after that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loveliberate Posted December 11, 2006 Share Posted December 11, 2006 If they are wanting to know my personal story, I say something to the effect of: I got started due to positive peer pressure from punk & hippi type folks that I admired. It kept getting better from there! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sydneyvegan Posted December 12, 2006 Share Posted December 12, 2006 I killed a chicken....It was horrible, I was shaking and sweating and felt sick.I knew from that point on that I would be veg for the rest of my life... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andesuma Posted January 26, 2007 Share Posted January 26, 2007 I say... (loudly)"BECAUSE I'M NOT AN EFFIN' HYPOCRITE!" hah..no, not really... But generally when people ask me this question, I try and stick with thebasics and say something to the extent of...(within about 30 seconds because that's general when they tune out..) "Well..I was raised vegetarian, I was taught as a small child to respect alllife on this planet... , at the age of 10, My grandmother, after years of struggling with diabetes and chemotherapy from ovarian cancer, shedied of cancer. After I looked into it, did my research, now knowing the strong link between animal products and cancer, I went vegan. I went vegan for health reasons, I remain vegan for ethical reasons." Something like that. Anyhow.... the difficult question really is..when people ask you "SOoOoo... why did you go raw vegan?? you don't eat ANY cooked FOOD??!! " Still haven't come up with a really good one, general if I say somethingclever like, " Because it's what humans ate before disease existed" , or..it's what humans were meant to consume, I get a blank stare.So..... I guess I can just ramble off about enzymes.. "Well you see... there are these things called enzymes that all livingcreatures have, there are metabolic enzymes and digestive enzymes, now,as we age....."blah blah blah blah. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warriorsoul28 Posted January 26, 2007 Share Posted January 26, 2007 i say:"because I hate plants"... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xdarthveganx Posted January 26, 2007 Share Posted January 26, 2007 I tell them its because I refuse to support the slaughter of 47 billion animals a year and the destruction of our entire planet purely based on the selfish desires of taste, which in the end will cause me to die from heart disease anyways. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andgbr Posted January 26, 2007 Share Posted January 26, 2007 My answer really depends on who is asking and how.If it is serious curiosity I explain some aspects of veganism (health, ethics, compassion etc.). When I have the feeling the person is not really interested but only wants to steal my time with prejudices I usually say: Thinking made me become a vegan. I do almost the same thing, depends on the person, if he/she is interested i will try to explain the whole thing, if not, i just tell them that i was born like that, rejecting animal products. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xdarthveganx Posted January 26, 2007 Share Posted January 26, 2007 i say:"because I hate plants"... haha now that is funny. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Please sign in to comment
You will be able to leave a comment after signing in
Sign In Now