I’m going to talk about what makes people angry at vegans, how they can be confused by veganism, and why you shouldn’t let others anger you into changing your diet.
The main reason that people dislike vegans is that they don’t understand them. For some, the concept of not eating meat or animal products is simply beyond comprehension!
Vegans believe that animals should not be raised for food. They also don’t eat meat, dairy, eggs, honey, or other animal products.
Some vegans even go as far as avoiding wearing leather shoes or using cosmetics tested on animals.
There are many reasons why some people become vegans. For example, some have seen horrible things happen to animals in factory farms and slaughterhouses.
There are others who want to save the planet from the destruction caused by industrial farming and animal agriculture.
And then there are those who simply choose to live a healthy life without harming any living creatures.
But despite all of these reasons, there are still people out there who get upset with vegans. Let’s take a look at why.
Denial
One reason why people may become angry towards vegans is the theory that they are in denial about the cruelty that animals face as a result of the meat trade, and are subsequently uncomfortable about it.
For these people, they are uncomfortable with the thought of what animals endure to bring meat to the table and so would rather not think about it altogether.
It is easier to be angry towards those leading change than to challenge your own behavior and thoughts.
For this reason, people who are uncomfortable with the truth behind how meat is brought to their plate would rather turn their inward feelings of discomfort towards those who choose to act on these thoughts and change their lifestyle.
People who claim to be animal lovers with several pets at home would never contemplate eating their own cat or dog but will still happily eat other animals.
Vegans believe that all animals are equal and none should sacrifice their lives or face cruelty to feed humans when other food sources are in abundance.
This can make people angry towards vegans as they feel they are being judged for eating one animal over the other.
In truth, what is the real difference? One life is a life after all.
Lack Of Knowledge And Awareness
Another reason why people get angry towards vegans can stem from a genuine misunderstanding around veganism and its importance to animal welfare and the environment.
Vegans feel strongly about their views and the veganism movement. After all, becoming vegan is a lifestyle choice that requires big change and conscious thought.
They are passionate about animals and the welfare of our Earth and look for the change we need to make to sustain the world around us.
As such, there are many peaceful protests and gatherings held each year to attempt to educate those who are not fully understanding veganism and the reasons behind why it is important.
However, in some very rare instances, these protests can become heated. Often due to the reactions of others who are angry with the message.
Some people will view the movement with tinted glasses and only see veganism through the very few protests that have been destructive and see vegans as loud and sanctimonious.
Instead of understanding that these protests happen to protect the silence of animals, they see a disruption to the norm.
This lack of knowledge behind the movement makes people angry and as such, they view vegans as loud, preachy, and self-important individuals as opposed to kind, caring, and compassionate souls.
People do not like to be told how they should live or what they should eat. They do not see the positive reasons for veganism, they see someone trying to tell them how to live their lives.
Diet Ignorance
Those who believe that strength stems from a protein strong diet and that meat is the biggest source of this, find it difficult to comprehend that vegans can also be strong and healthy.
There is a genuine belief by many that if you are vegan you must be frail and weak. How can you be strong and healthy without protein-rich meat?
Hearing that the world’s strongest man is vegan can be a cause of anger and aggravation for some.
There has long been a theory that to be healthy you need to have a diet rich in lean meat, eggs, and vegetables.
However, there are so many food sources that are protein-rich that are not animal-based. In fact, grains, beans, and lentils have higher sources of protein on a like-for-like basis than many animal-based products.
People tend not to like the realization that their long-stemmed beliefs around diet are not accurate. This in turn can lead to anger towards vegans. Especially as vegans are often the healthiest members of society.
Fear Of Change
For many people, the tradition of history and how we eat is ingrained in their beliefs.
The caveman diet or lifestyle is something that cannot be moved away from, no matter how much information is available to the benefits of veganism.
In general, humans are creatures of habit and become attached to the thought of a family roast, big vegan BBQ gatherings, or charcuterie tables.
The thought of hosting or attending one of these events without eating meat is frightening for many.
Seeing vegans enjoy these events without eating meat can make people angry towards them as they cannot understand how it is possible.
For those individuals who would like to become vegan but are afraid of the challenges, they can sometimes turn this inward fear of change into a wave of outward anger towards those who are living that change.
Final Thoughts
So, as you can see from this article, anger and hatred towards vegans are very real and actually more common than we may realize.
Miseducation, lack of understanding, and fear are often the root cause of this anger. However, denial and jealousy can also be to blame.
Whilst vegans strive for harmony and change, unfortunately, this is not the case for everyone, and anger towards veganism is still prevalent in society.
Hopefully one day in the future this will change. And in the words of John Lennon ‘the world will live as one’ – wouldn’t that be something!
Hi, my name is Brett White, and I have a passion for cooking, and following a raw diet. Eating raw has completely changed how I view food, and has led me down a much healthier and happier path in life over the last three years.
Through Addicted To Veggies, I want to share with you my favorite raw recipes. From brownie recipes, to recipes containing pumpkin, my site is full of delicious and wonderful options to consider.
