AN ENCOUNTER WITH AN EXTREME VEGAN
I rarely get into online fights much less instigate a word war behind the keyboard with a stranger. I comment on pronouncements that I feel strongly about. However, I never try to impose my beliefs with other people because I am a firm believer of "to each his own" and everyone is entitled to their opinion.
Imagine my shock when a complete stranger who lives several thousand miles away from me left a scathing comment in one of my Instagram photos. Here's the IG post:
If you click on the Instagram photo above and read the comments, you could see how this stranger even managed to shove to my face this hashtag: #itsnotfooditsviolence. I responded to her that she should respect my choice but she said that she won't respect my choice because she's the voice of the silenced. I was dumbfounded! How could she impose her beliefs to me when in fact we don't even know each other and besides she's not the one who's paying for my meals?
I'm posting her profile - the lady who disrespected me and my cooking and my choice to advance her cause and to be the voice of the "lechon" I have eaten in the past and in my future. Yes, she did not manage to change my diet preference because she was too offensive and I do not deserve to be ridiculed the way she did. It might be no biggie for you but I felt attacked.
She even had the guts to say "we will not allow humans like you to continue to oppress others just for your selfish palatable pleasure". Oh c'mon, how can you convince other people to convert to veganism when you ridicule instead of encourage, when you attack instead of educate, when you disrespect instead of listen? I'm not sure if she even thinks about the balance of the ecosystem every time she lectures people and shoves down her belief and practices down people's throats.
She can eat her vegan meats, I'd order or cook and eat my beef/pork/fish dish anytime I want. And yes, I am not answerable to anyone because I have my own choice. If you can't handle my choice then so be it. Once she's tired being on her pedestal of her higher moral ground, I can share my meat recipes to her. Maybe I should tag her in my photos?
I think what I have an issue with is her having the holier than thou attitude about her being vegan. In the same way that she defines everyone that is not vegan as selfish meat-eating and cruel individuals and she feels that it is her holy duty to spread to the world that veganism is the way to go.
I hope Miss @angdc_vegan reads this and THIS and I hope she realizes how annoying she is! And oh to celebrate my first ever online hater, I will be dining in an all-you-can-eat meat Japanese shabu-shabu restaurant this weekend. So exciting!
I'm posting her profile - the lady who disrespected me and my cooking and my choice to advance her cause and to be the voice of the "lechon" I have eaten in the past and in my future. Yes, she did not manage to change my diet preference because she was too offensive and I do not deserve to be ridiculed the way she did. It might be no biggie for you but I felt attacked.
She even had the guts to say "we will not allow humans like you to continue to oppress others just for your selfish palatable pleasure". Oh c'mon, how can you convince other people to convert to veganism when you ridicule instead of encourage, when you attack instead of educate, when you disrespect instead of listen? I'm not sure if she even thinks about the balance of the ecosystem every time she lectures people and shoves down her belief and practices down people's throats.
She can eat her vegan meats, I'd order or cook and eat my beef/pork/fish dish anytime I want. And yes, I am not answerable to anyone because I have my own choice. If you can't handle my choice then so be it. Once she's tired being on her pedestal of her higher moral ground, I can share my meat recipes to her. Maybe I should tag her in my photos?
I think what I have an issue with is her having the holier than thou attitude about her being vegan. In the same way that she defines everyone that is not vegan as selfish meat-eating and cruel individuals and she feels that it is her holy duty to spread to the world that veganism is the way to go.
I hope Miss @angdc_vegan reads this and THIS and I hope she realizes how annoying she is! And oh to celebrate my first ever online hater, I will be dining in an all-you-can-eat meat Japanese shabu-shabu restaurant this weekend. So exciting!
This is sad! I am a vegetarian too and I've never ridiculed anyone's food preferences. Sadly, I've faced some attacks on my food preferences as well. Everyone is entitled to share their opinions and even preach it, but attacking and abusing is not right!!
ReplyDeleteWow! My jaws dropped when I read what he said. As a stranger who doesn't know him personally, I will never be a vegan if that's what he does to those who eat meat. I don't know they can be so aggressive like that.
ReplyDeleteShe must be a real advocate of what she truly believes in. The same thing that we believe in the cause we are ready to fight for. She prefers to be too vocal. Too sad, though, she was too vocal to the point of being too insensitive.
ReplyDeleteI don't think there's anything wrong with eating meat. Animals eat other animals, and humans are animals, so as far as I'm concerned we have as much right to eat other animals as a fox or a lion does. I don't think there's anything wrong with abstaining from meat either. But I find it frustrating when people are so judgmental and inappropriate as this woman was. Good for you for standing up to her.
ReplyDeleteWhat is her problem? Hahaha. I just don't get why others just continue on hating on others? Others think that they're smarter than others and it's just disappointing. It's just each person's choice. Isn't it?
ReplyDeleteHow funny she is! Voice of silenced...
ReplyDeleteWhat food you wish to have is your choice, how can anyone object or ridicule or condemn is beyond my understanding. Unless of course somebody turns a cannibal :D
I would like to say, it's good for her to voice out what she believes in and her real advocacy. Although I admire her for that, I am as well disappointed the way she attacks you, we definitely have our own food preference and definitely have our own advocacy, but I guess she should listen and educate people in a manner people deserves, and you deserve to be treated well, I have nothing against your post and no violence as well.
ReplyDeleteWell I love your celebratory technique for the first hater! YUM YUM for shabu shabu. You know she might be going around doing this to people left and right, you are just one of the bunch for her. But I understand how that can make you feel, It feels gross. Go get that shabu shabu!
ReplyDeleteSome people needs to learn courtesy in commenting! We have our opinions and personal choices. I also don't like pushing my choices to other people as I believe we have our own. But dang! That commentor is just absolutely weird. I mean I always see lots of haters online most especially in politics but hey, this is food we're talking about. This is the first time I see someone ridicule someone because of food choices.
ReplyDeleteshe's full of hatred, she is pitiful. Let's just wish her well, that she might soon be logical and not emotional
ReplyDeleteThat's one of the consequence of social web, we felt close even though we're miles apart. And even though we are strangers, we got illusion that we can just speak up to anyone our thoughts because of the democratic space we have.
ReplyDeleteSad