I got an e-mail yesterday from my Australian housing coordinator in regards to my "vegetarian status." She asked me if I was opposed to living with people who eat meat.
At first I was rather offended by the question. What kind of person would be unwilling to live with someone else just because they have different beliefs about something like meat? But then I started to think about it, and in our society, people are used to being accommodated to. They are spoiled. If they don't want mustard on a McDonald's hamburger, they just ask for no mustard. If they want a smoking hotel room, boom, it's theirs. If they want a triple, grande, non-fat, no foam, one pump vanilla, one pump chocolate latte, their Starbucks barista makes it with a smile on their face (side note: no, that is not what kind of coffee I order).
People have gotten so caught up with the idea of being comfortable and having everything their way, the word compromise is becoming obsolete.
I don't mind living with people who eat meat. It wasn't that long ago that I myself was eating meat. If anything, I think non-vegetarians worry too much about accommodating to our needs, when in reality, vegetarians are the inconvenient ones. When I went home a few weeks ago, my parents stocked up on nuts, hummus, cheese, etc. in order to meet my needs. They keep trying to make me special vegetarian meals and were concerned with what restaurants we went to and if they had enough things on the menu I could eat. Now, I understand that parents are a little different, but the idea is the same. Vegetarians should realize that they are inconvenient to others. Meat has become such a staple of American cuisine that many people would be lost without it, and to expect others to change their meat filled lifestyle to match your meatless one is unreasonable.
I don't eat meat, and I won't for a very long time. But just because I made a personal choice to give up that part of my life does not mean I expect others to. Although I won't eat meat because it is more convenient for someone else, I also do not expect any one else to give up their love of meat to accommodate me. It is about finding a compromise, a happy medium, and working together so everyone can be satisfied with the outcome.
Now let's hope that the Australians feel the same way...
1 comment:
Hey, Kristin. Ciara told me to read your blog and find the vegetarian post. : )
I understand what you mean and I am always really impressed/encouraged that people are so considerate about what I will or will not eat. I also think it's funny when people apologise for eating meat in front of me.
I remember when I first became a vegetarian, my mom- the biggest carnivore EVER- flipped out. She didn't understand, but at the same time, she wanted really hard to accomodate me. The first time I came home from college, she bought out an entire Trader Joes, I swear.
It's hard for me to live in Kenya and go back to eating red meat all the time. How's the food situation turning out in Australia?
Be good, have fun-
Ashby
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