From: red_trek@drycas.club.cc.cmu.edu
Newsgroups: rec.food.veg
Subject: re: the term "vegetarian"
Date: 22 Aug 92 18:01:16 GMT
Organization: Carnegie Mellon Computer Club

Re: the term vegetarian --

In the past month, since I started to commit myself more
seriously to converting to a vegetarian lifestyle, I have
taken to describing myself to others as, alternatively,
a "semi-vegetarian" or "an aspiring vegetarian," with the 
additional clarification that "I still eat seafood sometimes"
or "I make an occassional exception for seafood."

I *could* be overily ambitious and just say "I'm a vegetarian."
But firstly that wouldn't be honest, because I have yet to
stave off the temptation of seafood on a full-time basis (I
cheat/indulge about two or three times a week, though I've
been known to go almsot a week without any meat at all). 
Secondly, sooner or later (with any given person who sees
me on a fairly frequent basis) I'm going to be eating seafood--
and if I say "I'm a vegetarian" [no qualifications attached]
then I eat seafood, then I'm  (a) perpetuating the belief
that vegetarians do generally eat seafood cuz seafood isn't
really meat anyway, thus setting up *real* vegetarians for the
sort of frustrating experiences described in earlier postings,
and  (b) setting *myself* up for future frustration when I do
stop eating seafood and thus become a real vegetarian.

No, I *don't* feel a particularly "noble" pat-on-the-back
sensation when I call myself "aspiring vegetarian" or any
such equivalent.  It's not something I do to "feel good" about
myself, it's simply my way of communicating.  Suppose I said
nothing at all about my eating habits?  Sooner or later, someone
would offer me some red meat.  "But I don't eat red meat any more."
   "Indulge! Forget your diet! It's a special occassion!" *sigh*;
and of course I'd face even more incomprehension if I say I'm 
not eating chicken or tuna fish any more, since there is "no reason"
for me not to eat them--they're perfectly healthy meats! (This
from my doctor, among others).   Whereas I can forestall the 
more tiresome of these encounters if I simply call myself an
"aspiring vegetarian."

I admit this isn't perfect either (at least in my case).  I told
one family that I still "made occassional exceptions for seafood"
and they took that as license to take me out to an all-seafood
restuarant, though I would have been perfectly happy (having had
seafood the night before) to eat vegetarian that night.

I'm afraid I forget the name of the person who suggested that
less-than-perfect "aspiring" vegetarians like myself simply wish
to applaud ourselves by saying "I'm a semi-vegetarian", but I'd
like to say that I felt bothered by the general tone of this passage.
It made me feel like I was somehow on a level less than even those
proudly self-declared "simple steak and potatoes men" for "pretending"
to be something I wasn't.  I'm trying to convert to a vegetarian
lifestyle primarily for heatlh reasons and for environmental reasons,
but I've heard enough of the ethical arguments to hear where you may
be coming from.  In the ethical world view, it's an evil to eat
meat, period--whether you do it once a year or three times a day, and
thus the merely semi-converted like me are lumped in with the 
carnivore-purists.

I don't feel comfortable being put in this group, however.  I'm
*not* a "carnivore purist" and I'm *not* trying to put myself on
a higher moral plane or what have you.  I'm just trying the best
I humanely can, as an ordinary, faulty human soul, to work my way
toward a more ecologically sound, healthier (and additionally
more ethical) lifestyle.  I'm in a transistory stage here.  That
means I must struggle to communicate just where I am on the 
continum between "real" vegetarianism and the three-slabs-of-steak-
a-day fanatics.  If I "shouldn't" call myself a semi- or aspiring
vegetarian, what *can* I call myself?

Please be patient with us aspiring vegetarians.  It can take years,
sometimes, to *really* transform one's eating habits.  For most people,
it has to happen gradually.  That's an unfortunate fact of life, but
there you are-- 98% of the population [entirely made up statistic]
are just not going to be greatly enthused by the idea of becoming 
vegetarians if they somehow get the notion they're expected to give
up meat overnight.  But introduce them to a few really great recipieces
(as rec.food.veg does excellently) and they may "just try them out",
like they'd try any other really good reciepice [okay, I'm a lousy
speler, so sue me :-) ]; then before they know it, they're eating
vegetarian one or two nights a week.  Now all of a sudden, the idea
of cutting red meat down from three times a week to two (for health
reasons, say) doesn't seem so overwhelming anymore -- after all,
they've already cut down from four or five times a week to three,
and almost didn't notice (cuz the rec.food.veg recipieces are that
good :-) ).  So, okay, they cut it down to two times a week, then
one.  Maybe THIS generation of said hypothetical family  only manages
(or are persuaded) to cut meat down to two or three times a week,
but the NEXT generation of kids growing up in this home might
well be swayed by ethical and environmental arguments to become
a strict vegan by the age of 30.  After all, they've *grown up*
with an increasingly vegetarian diet--they *know* now that it's not
only "not bad" but actually more varied, and perhaps more delicious
than a meat-centered diet.

I don't lurk on rec.food.veg to garner praise. But here's a piece
of free advice to take or leave:  bend over backwards to be nice
to any "aspiring" vegetarians that come your way (putting aside
mention of admant omnivores/carnivores) on rec.food.veg, or in
real life.  That might make the aspiring vegetarians more inclined
to go the rest of the way--or, if not, you'll have more of a shot
at their children and grandchildren.

More free advice to take or leave:  anger, sharp retorts, etc. are
not generally very persuasive.  I'll freely confess that I've
resorted to same (and worse) when I get really pissed about
something--I certainly don't pretend to be pristine and perfect.
It can be hard to refrain from personal judgements, insults,
and heated discussion when your fundamental human beliefs are
deeply offended.  But if you want to sway any readers to seeing
your side of things, then you might want to keep in mind:  sharp
replies very often lead to the other person feeling defensive.
People who feel defensive are not generally good listeners.

If you come up against an utterly hopeless case, perhaps it'd 
be best just to ignore 'em.  Otherwise, why bring yourself down
to the level of a less-than-tactful, defensive omnivore?  Set
the example by being firm but polite.


Sorry, such a long reply :((.

		--Andrea