Are Vegetarians Gentler Than Meat-Eaters: Debunking Common Myths

The notion that vegetarians are inherently gentler and more peaceful than meat-eaters is a common one but, as we will explore, it is largely a myth.

Myth vs. Reality

Well, it depends from person to person. Some of my non-vegetarian friends are more humble and polite than vegetarian ones and vice versa. It is simplistic to generalize about a group of people based on one aspect of their lifestyle.

Personal Choices and Generalizations

This is too much of a generalization. There are good people who eat meat and there are militant self-righteous vegetarians who consider it their position to condemn anyone who disagrees with them. However, this vocal minority does not represent the entire vegetarian community.

No. Being a vegetarian for whatever reason doesn’t make you a nicer person, nor friendlier, nor kinder necessarily, and it certainly doesn’t make you an alien! There can be different reasons for becoming a vegetarian, not necessarily ethical ones. Even if those reasons are ethical, an ethical person is not inherently gentler than others.

Personal choices are personal and they don’t need to effect others. It surprises me that a lot of people seem so concerned about what the others eat as if it was their business, but it really isn’t. Focusing on someone’s dietary habits instead of their character is often unnecessary and potentially harmful.

Counterarguments

No. Some of the most gentle and sensitive people I have ever met have been meat-eaters. Just because a person chooses to eat meat doesn’t diminish their capacity for kindness and empathy.

In general, a vegetarian person tends to be a lot more gentle and peaceful than meat-eaters. I would even risk saying that they should serve vegetarian meals in prisons and watch for a much more peaceful behavior among the prisoners. We would be doing ourselves a favor as a society. However, this is an overgeneralization that should be examined critically.

My Personal Experience

It is not uncommon for debates about vegetarianism to include anecdotes and personal experiences. In one case, a meat-eater had a vegetarian girlfriend who beat the heck out of the meat-eater until the neighbors called the cops. Not much else happened to the meat-eater other than some yelling. This case is an outlier and does not represent the typical behavior of vegetarians or meat-eaters.

Improving Social Behavior

It is a wrong notion to correlate a person's food habit with their manners. Manners evolved as a result of social enlightenment and are influenced by how much importance a society gives to education and science.

Beyond personal choices, the factors that contribute to a person's gentleness and social behavior include their upbringing, cultural background, and life experiences. Diet plays only one small part in this complex picture.

It is important to recognize that everyone deserves respect and kindness, regardless of their dietary choices or any other aspects of their lifestyle. Emphasizing the differences between these choices can lead to unnecessary divisions and misunderstandings.

The focus should be on fostering a respectful and supportive environment where individuals can make choices without judgment. By doing so, we can build a society that celebrates diversity and promotes understanding and kindness.