It's lunchtime in the big brother house....
WARNING...VEGAN RANT AHEAD>>>>
..and they're arguing about food again! So, being one myself, I thought I'd write a little in defence of my fellow veggies, since they're getting a rough time of it.
George(whose polital views regarding the war etc I usually respect) nominated Traci, giving her veganism ("extreme form of vegetarianism") as one of his reasons, since it was causing problems. The meat eaters insisted on having meat, then left it to eat the veggie's rations instead, so there's only meat left (!)... if that's the case and they're happy to eat the veggie stuff, then why not (as suggested but overturned) have an entirely veggie package in the first place rather than insisting on meat then not even eating it?? The fact people want different things, rather than the veganism itself tend to be the cause of the arguments... especially when some of the meat eaters are being fickle in their choices (Brings back memories of my ex-flatmate munching my food after slagging me for being veggie....!).
Although it is a personal choice rather than a medical requirement to abstain from eating animal products, in most cases, including my own, it is a choice made through a feeling of moral obligation, similar to a religious choice. Would you insist a Jewish person ate pork to fit in with other members of a group knowing it goes against their beliefs? It's the same general idea.
Now, veganism has never caused me any problems, other than it being quite difficult to find something when eating out or at someone else's... I go to social occasions purely for the company(I don't wish to cause a fuss), and if there's anything on the menu I can eat then that's a bonus- other people tend to get more upset than I am that there's nothing I can eat! Obviously in a houseshare it does become a factor, but it needn't become a problem either if housemates can come to a decision and stick to it.
The food needn't be more expensive. Although luxury, substitute items are a little more expensive(particularly the Quorn that the BB housemates favour... far cheaper soy mince tends to be widely available in most supermarkets and healthfood stores btw ;)) things like beans and lentils are cheap as chips, therefore the cost tends to balance out. Particularly if you cook from scratch rather than buy more expensive ready meals.
Also, free range organic quality cuts of meat tend to be very pricey indeed... cheap meat comes from abused factory farmed animals fed on antibiotics, often in the form of the "lips-and-arseholes" offal chicken nuggets etc which Jamie Oliver was quick to condemn on his School Dinners programme. Ugh. Cheap meat, but at what cost?
Just a footnote, but most vegans I've spoke to don't tend to share Traci's political views (she nominated George, being offended at his calling their President Bush stupid) as we are largely a group of pacifists, as can be seen from the results of this poll on The Vegan Forum, link
..and they're arguing about food again! So, being one myself, I thought I'd write a little in defence of my fellow veggies, since they're getting a rough time of it.
George(whose polital views regarding the war etc I usually respect) nominated Traci, giving her veganism ("extreme form of vegetarianism") as one of his reasons, since it was causing problems. The meat eaters insisted on having meat, then left it to eat the veggie's rations instead, so there's only meat left (!)... if that's the case and they're happy to eat the veggie stuff, then why not (as suggested but overturned) have an entirely veggie package in the first place rather than insisting on meat then not even eating it?? The fact people want different things, rather than the veganism itself tend to be the cause of the arguments... especially when some of the meat eaters are being fickle in their choices (Brings back memories of my ex-flatmate munching my food after slagging me for being veggie....!).
Although it is a personal choice rather than a medical requirement to abstain from eating animal products, in most cases, including my own, it is a choice made through a feeling of moral obligation, similar to a religious choice. Would you insist a Jewish person ate pork to fit in with other members of a group knowing it goes against their beliefs? It's the same general idea.
Now, veganism has never caused me any problems, other than it being quite difficult to find something when eating out or at someone else's... I go to social occasions purely for the company(I don't wish to cause a fuss), and if there's anything on the menu I can eat then that's a bonus- other people tend to get more upset than I am that there's nothing I can eat! Obviously in a houseshare it does become a factor, but it needn't become a problem either if housemates can come to a decision and stick to it.
The food needn't be more expensive. Although luxury, substitute items are a little more expensive(particularly the Quorn that the BB housemates favour... far cheaper soy mince tends to be widely available in most supermarkets and healthfood stores btw ;)) things like beans and lentils are cheap as chips, therefore the cost tends to balance out. Particularly if you cook from scratch rather than buy more expensive ready meals.
Also, free range organic quality cuts of meat tend to be very pricey indeed... cheap meat comes from abused factory farmed animals fed on antibiotics, often in the form of the "lips-and-arseholes" offal chicken nuggets etc which Jamie Oliver was quick to condemn on his School Dinners programme. Ugh. Cheap meat, but at what cost?
Just a footnote, but most vegans I've spoke to don't tend to share Traci's political views (she nominated George, being offended at his calling their President Bush stupid) as we are largely a group of pacifists, as can be seen from the results of this poll on The Vegan Forum, link