Don't you hate being called a "hippy?" (For Vegans)

[Neptual]

thisisannoyingtoo.JPG

I absolutely hate it when I continue to be called a "hippy" on forums...

These comments were made on a discussion I started on industrial farming.

Sorry if the picture I put up is hard to read, but if you can read it bask in the idiocy of it.

[TheVeganAtheist]

yes. definitely. I also hate the being described as weak, pale and sickly looking just for being a vegan.

[thebestofenergy]

Since someone that is mature/rational enough won't make prejudices (notice how the comment he/she made was misinformed), I wouldn't evaluate his/her opinion at all. If someone's being serious saying this stuff, then I say goodbye. If it's just a joke, then just fire back
However, the thing gets weird when you don't know if it's a joke or not. For example, when I was near my friends, they were making jokes on how vegans couldn't be muscular (since they know I can take insults). And I didn't know if they were being serious, joking, or just trying to mock me. Or if it was just a way to mock veganism so that they wouldn't have to think about it. And this often happens with 'childish' people; in Skype playing a game, on the streets, in school. If you react emotionally you'd just give them ideas for other prejudices.

[Neptual]

yes. definitely. I also hate the being described as weak, pale and sickly looking just for being a vegan.

I especially hate that when they have no idea on how I look in the first place.

[itsund3rmykilt]

While being called a hippie drives me crazy, it's only because people use it as some derogatory term. If you look at what it means, what it stands for, it's really a positive thing. I think what would change it would be if we just accepted it and turned it into something great, instead of reinforcing the negative by taking it as an insult. For me, it's like if people call another person gay. Why should that be an insult? There's nothing wrong with gay people, and the actual meaning of gay isn't a derogatory thing.

Being called weak and sickly is crap though. Only those who don't eat properly are like that, just like if you follow an omnivore diet. It's about as good as when people start to say raising your kids vegan is a horrible thing because of that one case where the parents were being completely ignorant and feeding their kid regular soy milk instead of infant formula or breast milk (and then there's the whole "forcing your beliefs thing," like parents don't do that with meat and religion...). Any parent, regardless of lifestyle choices, can be a negligent fool.

Since I don't just blurt out that I'm vegan for no reason, I tend to enjoy the looks on people's faces when they find out. It's pretty gold to see someone so surprised. XD

[Neptual]

While being called a hippie drives me crazy, it's only because people use it as some derogatory term. If you look at what it means, what it stands for, it's really a positive thing. I think what would change it would be if we just accepted it and turned it into something great, instead of reinforcing the negative by taking it as an insult. For me, it's like if people call another person gay. Why should that be an insult? There's nothing wrong with gay people, and the actual meaning of gay isn't a derogatory thing.

This is what I'd hope would be in a perfect society, unfortunately the religious aspects of our society will prevent this from happening. No matter what the actual meaning is people will still interpret the word "gay" in a negative way.

[itsund3rmykilt]

While being called a hippie drives me crazy, it's only because people use it as some derogatory term. If you look at what it means, what it stands for, it's really a positive thing. I think what would change it would be if we just accepted it and turned it into something great, instead of reinforcing the negative by taking it as an insult. For me, it's like if people call another person gay. Why should that be an insult? There's nothing wrong with gay people, and the actual meaning of gay isn't a derogatory thing.

This is what I'd hope would be in a perfect society, unfortunately the religious aspects of our society will prevent this from happening. No matter what the actual meaning is people will still interpret the word "gay" in a negative way.

Agreed, but I try not to take heart to what religious people say. XD I can only hope that one day they aren't the major influence. It's so annoying.

I want to say that religious people can't make "hippie" into some anti-christ-devil-thing-of-death-and-doom, but we all know enough of them like to call anything they personally don't like for no particular reason the "devil's work." Ugh.

[Twizelby]

It hasn't happened to me yet except online. Nobody excpects me to be vegan in real life. I boxed, I wrestled, and I'm a pretty big dude, Not fat, not ripped just large and slightly defined. honestly it's funny to me the views people have of us. Total double standard. Fat/skinny sick carnist is less noticed than skinny/fat sick vegan.

[charlotte-reva]

I have actually never been called a hippie but i see no problems with that. I eventually feel close to the attributes that word stands for, and i 'll be glad to join a intentional vegan community that stands for the sames values i cherish !