Is Peaceful Co-Existence With Vegetarians Even Possible? page

[DarthFriendly]

Rant Time:

Is Peaceful Co-Existence with vegetarians, and CW folks even possible?

Lately I've had a few nearly knock down drag out fights with my CW, and vegan roommates. I do ALOT of cooking at the apartment now that I'm trying not to eat out all the time (you know, to save money for rent, and such), So the kitchen is in a constant state of chaos, used pots, and pans never sit around for long, but I do pause inbetween marathon cooking sessions, and things never look like there's nothing going on in that kitchen. This is minor thing, I have increased my efforts to keep things clean, but seriously after I spent 5 hours making broth last night I passed out before I had a chance to sanitize the entire kitchen of every molecule of visible use. (I did toss out the pounds, and pounds of steaming hot bones at 3:30am, and wiped every thing down, before straining and transfering the broth to a container to cool in the fridge, before I passed out for the night.) Apparently clean, but drying pots, and pans on the counter are unacceptable.

Fine, fair enough, I can work harder to make a kitchen that no one else uses regularly more aethetically pleasing.

...but the near breaking point came the other night when I casually mentioned that I was going to get some sledge hammers to work out with. I wasn't asking permission, I was just mentioning it in passing. Well my CW roommate who's name is on the lease FREAKED THE EFF OUT! I mean, yelling, nearly screaming "I DON'T WANT SLEDGE HAMMERS IN MY APARTMENT!" The only thing that saved this situation, was my refusal to take it seriously. I mean, even that caused about an hour of hostility, but I just laughed, and laughed about this, and finally pointed out the unreasonable reaction.

In a rational housing market I'd just find myself another place to live.

But I live in NYC, and that's easier said than done. Living arrangements get complicated, and if you have roommates you don't need to murder you're damn lucky. Things have been semi-working for the last 10 or so years, but the alteration in my lifestyle might break up the band.

I actually really like these people, but it's getting tougher, and tougher. At the moment I am super tempted to go to a restaurant for my breakfast, since one of the roommates is sick home from work, and my using the kitchen to feed myself will cause all kinds of resentments.

One reading of history/pre-history, that I am not at all convinced of, is that early agrarian cultures waged war on their hunter gatherer neighbors, that grain cultivation was necessary to feed populations large enough to build armies to wage these wars. Not sure how accurate this interprertation of history is, but there you are.

My rant aside, is peaceful co-existence with vegetarians, and CWankers possible, or even desirable?

[schadowrider]

My rant aside, is peaceful co-existence with vegetarians, and CWankers possible, or even desirable?

Ouch, sounds like a rough situation -- sorry!!

Seems it depends on whether we're talking about co-habitation co-existence (as in living in a NYC apartment together!) or co-existence in a broader context... I have to think that it would take some pretty special people to be able to live under the same roof with such widely divergent life-styles and attitudes about living. When I was vegetarian, I never had an issue with all my meat-eating friends, coworkers, etc -- and was never ever preachy about it -- was just my choice; but it would've been quite difficult to actually live with a meat-eater I think... And now, since I don't have much willpower when it comes to some of the non-PB things I'm still missing, I think I'd have a really hard time living under the same roof with someone who insisted on those things being around the house (or a vegetarian that insisted on no meat in the house ).

Not saying it couldn't be done, but IMO it would have to take a couple of people that have a LOT of mutual respect and tolerance for each others ways...

[jo]

Hmmm.... you've lived as roomies for at least 10 years? Maybe it is just time for each of you to move on. No need to fall out, just accept that you have each come to a different point in your lives and are ready for fresh pastures. Maybe you need to stake your own claim. Not easy I know but perhaps keep an eye out for new opportunities.

[darienx19]

It's only possible if all parties can handle "live, and let live." I haven't had to experience violent reactions like that... but I would attribute it to the grains / lack of meat : )

Perhaps not eating meat makes people more angry and aggressive so they'll be willing to kill something for food? LOL

Anyway, it's totally out of control that they would be mad about exercise equipment, esp. if you plan to store it in your personal space. That sounds like an issue bigger than lifestyle choice if you ask me :/

[Sharonll]

I can certainly see where the PB could knock a ten-year situation out of whack, especially with hard core CW and vegetarianism as part of the mix. Any possibility you could find more like-minded roomies? Maybe place an ad something like "sledge hammer-wielding paleo seeking same for co-habitation" or "bone-cooking primal lifer seeking other Groks for living arrangement" or check out this group: http://www.meetup.com/Eating-Paleo-in-NYC/

[Mirrorball]

Perhaps not eating meat makes people more angry and aggressive so they'll be willing to kill something for food? LOL

If this is true, having a sledge hammer lying around might not be such a good idea.

[kuno1chi]

If this is true, having a sledge hammer lying around might not be such a good idea.

Well, if they're vegans, they probably won't even be able to lift it ;-)
Back in the day (when dinosaurs walked the earth) I was kicked out of a group living arrangement because I was a meat eater AND (shudder) a gun owner. Ya just can't reason with some people...

[NicoB]

One reading of history/pre-history, that I am not at all convinced of, is that early agrarian cultures waged war on their hunter gatherer neighbors, that grain cultivation was necessary to feed populations large enough to build armies to wage these wars. Not sure how accurate this interprertation of history is, but there you are.

Been reading Ishmael, or is this from something a bit more scientific?

[Steve-O]

Let me share a story with you...

At a party I went to a couple years ago there was only pizza with meat toppings left. A vegetarian in the room asked if there was any pizza without meat toppings? One of the guests said, "Just pick the meat off. What's the big deal?"

To that she answered, "If someone offered you a shit pizza, would you just pick it off?!"

To at least some vegans and vegetarians, that is how they perceive eating meat. It's the equivalent of eating shit. Do you think they can have any sort of respect for you diet if this is how they feel?

[SerialSinner]

My g/f is an ovo-lacto vegetarian and we get along great. We do have our rows sometimes, mainly becasue of me getting frustrated by diet-related health issues. Having said that, we have no problem eating together, we share the salad and the veggies, I get the meat and she the <insert carb source here>.

Vegetarianism can be a position resulting from true compassion towards animals. My g/f is simply grossed out by the idea of eating meat. She understands the primal philosophy and thinks it makes sense. She also knows that being a vegetarian is not the healthiest option available. She also acknowledges that you can cause enormous environmental damage while being a vegetarian/vegan. But she just can't get over the idea of eating flesh, and I can understand it.