Tuesday, February 18, 1997
A harrowing week of midterms has left me completely ignorant of
the state of national affairs and the like. As much as I love
pulling all-nighters, they do have the unfortunate effect of making
the morning paper appear to be an inconsequential blur. Therefore,
I would like to present the readers of today’s Viewpoint section
with a column on the only subject I feel confident discussing in my
fragile state  me.
Between studying for exams last week, I had an epiphany.
Somewhere around the 15th cup of coffee I drank one night, I
decided to take my vegetarian diet one step further and become a
vegan. Vegans are the strictest vegetarians because they choose not
to eat any animal or animal-produced foods. Right now, I eat fish,
eggs and dairy products, all of which I would have to give up if I
were to adopt a vegan lifestyle.
When I announced this to the friends I was studying with that
night, they attributed my comment to a state of delirium induced by
exhaustion and excessive amounts of caffeine. Therefore, they were
rather surprised when I mentioned it again a few days (and several
hours of sleep) later. According to my friend Danica, I had gone
"clocktower." She asked me if I realized that I would be condemning
myself to a lifetime of chocolate milkshake deprivation. Although I
was forced to admit that I hadn’t actually considered the fact that
this basic staple of my diet would have to be eliminated, I
maintained my resolve. Whatever doesn’t kill me can only make me
stronger, right?
I decided to become a vegan because I have felt healthier as a
vegetarian and I have read a lot of articles indicating that not
eating meat, provided that the proper nutrients are obtained from
other sources, is a way to live longer and better. However, I have
been disappointed by the reaction of others to my decision. I
didn’t expect for so many people to voice disapproval. Because my
opting to become a vegan doesn’t affect anyone else’s life, the
decision should be mine alone to make.
I have always been confused about why so many people seem to
have problems with vegetarianism. I am not the kind of vegetarian
that insists on convincing all carnivores to adopt my way of life.
I couldn’t care less what other people eat. In fact, I’m not even
an animal rights activist  I just don’t feel comfortable
eating it myself and I don’t like the taste.
Despite this, ever since I stopped eating meat in the 10th
grade, I have often been made to feel odd at mealtimes. I have been
accused of everything from blasphemy (because not eating meat is
synonymous with denying that human beings were granted dominion
over animals by God) to single-handedly undermining the food chain.
One person actually attempted to convince me that by not eating at
McDonald’s, I was going to trigger an irreversible explosion in the
cattle population. Lucky for me, I don’t let the knowledge that
what I eat for lunch could collapse entire ecosystems go to my
head.
Admittedly, these are extreme examples of the ridicule that I
have faced. However, I wish people could be a little bit more
tolerant and understanding of my preferences. My parents are prime
examples. They would still like to believe that I am just going
through a vegetarian phase. They were both raised on farms and they
don’t understand how someone, especially their own daughter, could
be squeamish about something as normal as eating meat. Although I
can understand their perspective completely, I also know my own
feelings and think they are equally worthy of respect . It’s
unfortunate that I constantly have to explain myself, turning down
hopeful offers of steak dinners every time I go home.
The worst part of being a vegetarian is the stereotypical image
that is often associated with the label. Most people perceive
vegetarians as liberal environmentalists, although many of them
(including myself) are neither of those things. While I do respect
the beliefs of those who happen to conform to the stereotype, I
have often been disappointed by the fact that people make judgments
based upon such limited misconceptions.
In conclusion, I am proud of my decision to become a vegan,
however unusual a choice it may seem to others. It is imperative
that a wide variety of viewpoints and lifestyles be accepted if
society is to be cohesive.