07-24-2014, 10:28 PM
(07-24-2014, 08:24 PM)Grungie Wrote: Really? Because most of that reads really self-righteous.Of course. But you need to put yourself in the shoes of the typical advocate. To most vegans, animal slaughter is equivalent to murdering a human being (akin to pro-lifers). I would do absolutely anything in my power to stop people from murdering others if I could, so it only makes sense that you'd be annoying for a cause, especially if it's effective in getting people to know about and remember said cause. Sometimes being annoying is necessary, is where I'm getting, provided it's not blaringly immoral/illegal.
Here's my breakdown of each one:
1: We are nice because we care about animals, and because we're nice, you shouldn't be annoyed at us. While I have no problem with the intentions of it, but being nice and standing up for a good cause doesn't make you immune to being obnoxious or annoying. Anything to a degree can become annoying. Also there's a right way to do something, and a wrong way to do something, doesn't matter if your intentions are good if your way of doing it isn't helping.
It's also true that there is a "right" and "wrong" way of doing something.
(07-24-2014, 08:24 PM)Grungie Wrote: 2: We bring you food, and because it's free food, that can't be annoying. It did start off saying they bring food to parties or get togethers, but just because the author does, doesn't mean every vegan does, much less everybody in general. Also the rest of that number mentioned more than once that the reason they're giving people free food is to show off vegan lifestyle, so it's like there's ulterior motives to them bringing free food, and you can't say anything because it's free.I didn't get that vibe from that point.
(07-24-2014, 08:24 PM)Grungie Wrote: 3: We used to be like you. Can't really see much wrong with this one, except the whole "we're not annoying because we used to be like you" isn't really that good of a reason to not find someone annoying. You can look back on the way you used to be and find the things you used to do annoying, or sometimes cringey.Truth, but obviously not all vegans are annoying. In fact, literally none of the vegans I've come to know come off as annoying hrug:
(07-24-2014, 08:24 PM)Grungie Wrote: 4: We are cool. Okay, this one is straight up talking about how being a vegan is totally trendy, and it makes you cool. Since it's trendy, you shouldn't find it annoying, especially when this list of celebrities are vegans! Cool story.I agree that that is a non-point, especially considering there's a lot of annoying celebrities, too. Trends also tend to be annoying, by nature.
(07-24-2014, 08:24 PM)Grungie Wrote: 5: We get it. Okay, I can understand the general intent of this number. It is annoying when someone's a vegan and a non-vegan boasts to them about how they love meat and that shit. My problem is when it starts off saying "we don't judge you for being a meat eater, and we don't think we're better than you" but then they talk about how they'll go into a lengthy discussion about why they're vegan (I don't have a problem with this part if someone asked), but they'll admit they'll try to convert you to be vegan because they want everyone to be one. They don't realize that people get annoyed at the attempt of conversion.True. But one ought to expect evangelism when a rant is in order. Like I said, many vegans treat animal slaughter as equivalent to murder. They understandably struggle with having to be polite while following their ethical agenda. I myself am having trouble rationalizing meat-eating from an ethical standpoint and because of it I'm aiming to eventually drop all meat-eating.
(07-24-2014, 08:24 PM)Grungie Wrote: 6. We Have Non-Vegan Friends and Family. Okay, so they're trying to say that they don't live in a vegan only social bubble, which means they're exposed to non-vegans all the time. While I can see where they're going with this, like I mentioned in some of the other points, that doesn't make you immune to being annoying. It's like being a super liberal like a lot of UGer's and they don't live in a super lib social bubble, and they have friends and family who don't share their political opinions, and they can still be annoying about their political agenda.This is absolutely true, but I sort of understand why they would be more annoying than the average type, with the frustration of having nearly nobody around them to agree with. In many ways I'm like that and I'm always afraid of coming off in a way that will push my philosophical opponents away from my beliefs.
(though to be fair, if you're gonna be annoying, at least be educated and open-minded, lol)
(07-24-2014, 08:24 PM)Grungie Wrote: 7. We are Actually Really Amazing at Restaurants. While I really see anything wrong with this, because I know it's not hard to find vegan friendly meals at restaurants, and they are annoyed at the misconception that it's hard for vegans to eat out (when it's not). Though the way some of this is written, it seems like they're bragging a little too much.Yeah, I guess it's a bit braggy, but the point that is being driven home is that, when they aren't asked (or have their blog read by non-vegans), they're not annoying (generally). The thing about a blog is that you don't have to read it. When discussing with someone IRL, you're sort of "trapped" in the discussion.
I'm sure most readers of this blog are vegan or strict vegetarians, anyway.
(07-24-2014, 08:24 PM)Grungie Wrote: 8. We Do Not Shout Things at You. Basically this one seems like they're kissing the asses of the vocal protesting vegans, despite saying they can see why people find them annoying, they're still sticking up for that person because they share the same ideology. Even though they supposedly understand why people think they're annoying, you should just get over it, because this is a list about why vegans aren't annoying, so just get over the ones the author acknowledges are annoying.I don't see anything wrong with that.
(07-24-2014, 08:24 PM)Grungie Wrote: 9. We Spread the Positive Happiness. I'm happy because I'm vegan, and if you're a vegan, you'll be happy. No vegan is ever a grumpy person because they're vegan. Happy people aren't annoying, and vegans are happy, therefore vegans aren't annoying.To be fair, she did say most vegans are positive, not all. Chances are there are many people you know who are vegan and you aren't even aware of it. There's not really any way to know it unless you ask them. The most annoying ones are, as we both know, the ones that stick out the most. For most people, that is the very definition of what is annoying. I don't dislike all liberals, but the typically "loud" and closed-minded liberal is annoying.
(07-24-2014, 08:24 PM)Grungie Wrote: 10. We Can Take a Punch without Unleashing Drama. Another one that sort of starts out okay, because it is annoying for a vegan for all these people who are ignorant of veganism to tell them some of that shit, and try to convert them out of veganism, but I just really wish there was a less bitchy snarky way to express this, and this is pretty much saying "I'm not annoying, because you're annoying me"True, this doesn't prove that vegans aren't annoying. But it's not exactly false. The wording may be a little clumsy or snarky, but it doesn't necessarily invalidate the point.
Long story short, obviously there will be annoying vegans, but this article isn't denying that. The author is speaking for the majority. It's like when people criticize Christians for believing in creationism, denying climate change, bigotry, and the like, when most of those things are generally harmless and all of them apply to the minority. The pope, in contrast, will personally go hang out with the lepers (for lack of a better word) in sub-Saharan Africa to bless them, the Vatican recognizes evolution, and there's an entire section in the magesterium dedicated to environmentalism.
Also, and this is just my two cents, but I'd rather have people speak up, provided they are open to intelligent, civil debate and don't spiral into asshattery like many debaters end up doing (like on UG). But again, that's just me.