I’ve always seen food as more of an experience than a necessity, what I’d consume would reflect my mood, atmosphere and self reflections at the time, I can’t remember a time when I ate because I had to eat, I’d eat when I wanted to eat. While this has never come to mind in the past it is a predominant thought at the moment as I have decided to become a vegan.

While my reasons for doing so are unclear at the moment, I have had conversations with many people, telling me what they think veganism is, mostly in a negative fashion. What surprised me most was how much of hostility a simple diet change would incite such passion, not only with like minded people, but with the opposers that wanted to share their views all of a sudden.

It’s not surprising, change has always made masses uncomfortable, even to extreme levels. The issue I have is that nothing is said as long as everybody stands to conform, but as soon as somebody speaks, or acts out of line it is noted and brought to discussion in a pessimistic manor, while these are issues that I may elaborate on in future posts, for now, I just wanted to share my bewilderment at the stigma that comes along with changing a simple aspect of an individuals life.

On the other hand, looking through popular vegan websites and forums, I can see that this reaction from the general populous has caused vegans to be overly defensive and retaliate toward the people that have caused them to feel isolated. They treat meat eaters with such disdain to the point where they’ve become overly aggressive themselves, calling other people things such as “corpse eater” which in itself isn’t exactly incorrect, but does have a certain implication of a passive aggressive nature to the issue at hand.

While I do plan on using this forum as a means for me to discuss, and vent on my new lifestyle choice, it seems that so far nothing has come of it, and I like the people that I’ve been discussing, are stuck on the larger topic at hand, rather than going along with my new self. Will there ever be a time where individualism is truly accepted?

COWS ARE MADE FOR EATING!
Best of luck to ya. I have no issue with people who decided to go this rout. Sure isn't for me but probably healthier. Yeah the hardcore types are pretty annoying.

I'm pretty sure no one gives a shit what anyone else eats as long as they aren't using it as a pedestal to claim their false superiority.

I didn't personally kill the animal I'm eating, so why let it go to waste? It's delicious!

" I'm pretty sure no one gives a shit what anyone else eats as long as they aren't using it as a pedestal to claim their false superiority. "

Dude, I don't hate vegans. I hate people who don't respect individuality and judge lifestyle choices. I think it's fair to assume most vegans choose veganism on moral grounds; they think that eating meat is wrong. When people think they have the moral high-ground, they are prone to thinking it is okay to push that morality on others. The animosity stems from this: meat eaters want to be left alone. 
 
So if you leave people alone, treat veganism as YOUR obligation, and no one else's, then you shouldn't have any problem. 

It's not the change or that people have animosity towards vegans, it's that people don't care what you eat and get tired of fucking vegan morons constantly wanting to tell everyone else that they're vegans. No one cares, eat what you want, be well and Cocktoe is an asshole. Same goes for peoples sexuality, just shut up about it and people won't care.

If cows didn't want to be eaten they would have developed some sort of natural poison like other things have, or they would stop being delicious. Its their fault really.

" If cows didn't want to be eaten they would have developed some sort of natural poison like other things have, or they would stop being delicious. Its their fault really. "

I hate food. I eat when I'm hungry and it's nearly always a chore.

" I'm pretty sure no one gives a shit what anyone else eats as long as they aren't using it as a pedestal to claim their false superiority. "

While my reasons for doing so are unclear at the moment...

I'm annoyed by people that try to convert me into becoming vegan or vegetarian but not if someone wants to just up and do it.

I have nothing against Vegans or Vegetarians. In fact, in this rather meat-focused society (and I am a meat eater), I find your convictions (as long as you carry them out) to be rather noble. I don't understand why anyone would have a negative reaction towards anyone choosing the vegan lifestyle (except maybe butchers and diary farmers).  
 
As long as you don't try to ban animal research, which is vital, believe me - my colleagues use animals in their research, and there is no other way to get some of the data they need, and it is useful. I myself have only ever worked on Bacteria and Yeast Cells, as well as HeLa cultures, but I know first hand how important animal research is to the development of better drugs and the expansion of our understanding of genetics and molecular biology.  
 
I agree that maybe we don't need to eat animals nearly as much as we do (or at all for that matter, but I'm no dietician or nutritionist). I certainly don't agree with keeping animals in zoos. But for the advancement of biological science, we need to use animals in our experiments.  
 
As long as you don't oppose us on our use of lab-rats, zebra fish, drosophila and the occasional monkey, I have no problem with Vegans. And most vegans are fine and nice enough - there were even some in the first lab I worked in. So maybe I should say that I have no problem if you're a Vegan, just as long as you aren't one of those PETA or "Animal Liberation" nutjobs.