Almost every vegan I know has at one time or another experienced being labeled “judgmental” or “holier-than-thou” by animal-eating friends and acquaintances who don’t want to acknowledge their own complicity in animal suffering. But is this criticism really valid?
Advocating non-violence towards animals (expressed through a vegan diet), is no more “holier-than-thou” than advocating non-violence towards humans. Most people would say they oppose murder, rape, slavery and so on. Does that mean they’re being judgmental and “holier-than-thou”?
—
image source
I think this observation is spot on – it’s only vegans or vegetarians who get this thrown at them.
I think this is a re-action to being faced with an uncomfortable truth. I also experienced this sort of re-action from friends who continued to keep smoking after I quit. They felt challenged by the mere fact that I no longer participated with them in that behavior. They knew it was wrong and unhealthy to smoke. I believe most people do know on a deeper level that it is cruel and unnatural to consume animal flesh. When someone holds up the mirror to them it is uncomfortable. Therefore we see these sorts of accusations when many times nothing was done to provoke it.However… there are individuals that do stomp around making bad impressions on people with their intrusive ways of speaking about the movement. We must be careful on how we present ourselves because we are so closely scrutinized. Because we are asking people to make a radical change. We are evidence that everything they have been taught might be a lie. One of the most important skills a mother teachers its’ baby is how to eat. It is the most basic of survival skills. That is how deeply our food is ingrained in our psychology. Veg*nism is an upheaval of a well established social rituals that challenge the very core of our identity. Ya… it’s deep stuff but it’s pretty simple too. It’s right in our faces as what we eat is one of the most basic human necessities.
Thanks for posting on this (irritating) issue.Me? I think that no one stands in greater “judgement” than those about to eat of an Other’s flesh. Now that’s “judgmental”! True?
Absolutely Bea. So true!
I actually wrote about this some time ago for Vegan Soapbox: http://www.vegansoapbox.com/responding-to-a-critique-on-being-holier-than-thou/It's an important issue, I think.
Yes, I think it’s a very important (and unfortunately common) theme. I’m glad more and more people are addressing it. I just checked out your excellent post and it’s spot on…:-)