things that have annoyed me in the last 24 hours

[earthminor]

People Who Call Themselves Vegetarian But Eat Fish
What is going on here? Is it that people think it's cool to be vego but can't quite hack it? Are they really so ignorant to go around labelling themselves incorrectly

Comments

[aibo]

I suppose there are actual two reasons why people assume that fish is an allowed part of a vegetarian diet. First one is part of the Christian tradition not to eat meat during lenten period (seven weeks before Easter). However, this explicitly excludes fish, that's why you find a lot of artificial lakes in Europe that where created by monasteries to breed fish

[earthminor]

Alright, maybe fake is a bit strong (I was quite annoyed).

While I think your points are probably right in that it's why people may think you can call someone who eats fish a vegetarian... it's still misusing the word. The meaning of the word vegetarian explicitly excludes eating fish.

I'm not saying that eating fish is wrong. I'm saying it's the wrong word to use in that circumstance. Fish meat is different to cow meat, but the definition covers both.

I can hold a pen and call it a pencil but it doesn't make me accurate. ;p

Hmm... I think the term for that is omnivorous. You eat everything. I'm not sure there is a succinct word to indicate how much of each food group you eat.

[tania]

One of my former flatmates - the one who isn't speaking to me (actually there's two, this is the female one) - claimed to be a vegetarian, but would sometimes eat chicken.

I'm not a vegetarian, but even I was annoyed at this blatant disregard for the true meaning of that term. ;)