Guest guest Posted February 28, 2007 Report Share Posted February 28, 2007 <My mother-in-law keeps pulling out the " well I've eaten this all my life and there's nothing wrong with me " argument (which is debatable, but I won't go there!).> Argh, I hate this argument, for anything really. It doesn't make any sense. You know what I tell people when they pull this kind of argument? I say (more or less), " Well, you're right. We should just do what we want as long as we know people who don't get hurt. In fact, when my daughter drives, I will let her drive as fast as she wants. I had a friend in high school who sped so much it scared me, but she is still alive! I've been in more car accidents than she has, and I am a much more careful driver. " I usually say it nicer. Another form of this is " 70% of smokers never get lung cancer. Does that mean that it is ok and we should teach our kids to smoke? " Heather Hossfeld <hlh4850 wrote: It still gets forcefully ignored by many in our family, but some are coming around. I am trying so hard not to push to the point that they'll just write me off as obnoxious :-). I was really excited by the positive response from that woman at the nursery school -- she actually told me that after she read it she was watching the Oscars and wondered why on earth Al Gore wasn't telling everyone this stuff in his documentary. My mother-in-law keeps pulling out the " well I've eaten this all my life and there's nothing wrong with me " argument (which is debatable, but I won't go there!). Heather Jen wrote: > > To Heather, > I have to say that my proverbial hat is off to you. > Although you have one cousin who is obviously offended > that you are concerned for the earth, it is wonderful > that you have been able to positively influence > others. Your one act of boldness will affect many > people. > > I am reading and learning more and more about the > truth behind the meat industries, the connection > between our diets and our health, the connection > between our food and our environments, and I feel like > I'm gagged when I'm around my family and others who > are still blinded by their own indifference. > Just announcing my/our decision to give up meat was > difficult and met with disbelief. > In my family, any difficult issue is effectively swept > under the rug and ignored. They just blow me off like > I'm a delusional nutcase. Still, I am not good at > being silent when I'm excited about something, so > they'll all have to listen to the nutcase whether they > want to or not. > > Incidentally, I'm a home schooler and I'm always in an > educational mode, so when I got halfway through John > Robbins' The Food Revolution, I said " I have got to > put this in a book for kids. " I know that it would > reach my 10 year old in a new way if she could read it > for herself and study the facts. > I'm already planning on presenting it to our 5th-9th > graders at the co-op school for a few weeks, and I'm > hoping to make it into a unit study for home > schoolers. > I believe that this generation of students is ready to > hear about how the previous generations have messed > things up, and that they can do something about it. > > What do you think? > > <<But on the plus side -- several people I sent it to > responded to say > thanks and told me about how they're trying to reduce > their meat intake. > My aunt decided to give up beef for Lent and said > after the six weeks > are over maybe she'll be able to give it up for good. > A woman I know > casually from my son's nursery school phoned me this > morning to ask if I > would mind if she forwarded it to a bunch of other > people because she > thought everyone should know this stuff, and she asked > if I could send > her some recipes (she's not vegetarian.. . yet...). > > I'm so thankful for this online community! > Heather>> > > ________ > Looking for earth-friendly autos? > Browse Top Cars by " Green Rating " at Autos' Green Center. > http://autos./green_center/ > <http://autos./green_center/> > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 28, 2007 Report Share Posted February 28, 2007 i HATE that argument! from my parents it comes in the form of, " we're all going to die anyway " or " your so-and-so relative ate nothing but meat and dairy all his life AND he smoked, and he lived to 83! " grrr... what i usually say to my dad (the one who had a heart attack last year at 45) is, " sure you may live to be 83, but do you want to live the last 40 years going in and out of hospitals and surviving only because of multiple surgeries and drugs?! dude - quality above quantity, eh?! " chandelle' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 28, 2007 Report Share Posted February 28, 2007 That is a SUPER idea, getting that information put into a form children could understand. Most parents aren't teaching those things to their children, and they need to hear it sometime. Good for you for going out and doing that!! Jen <thefourlakes wrote: To Heather, I have to say that my proverbial hat is off to you. Although you have one cousin who is obviously offended that you are concerned for the earth, it is wonderful that you have been able to positively influence others. Your one act of boldness will affect many people. I am reading and learning more and more about the truth behind the meat industries, the connection between our diets and our health, the connection between our food and our environments, and I feel like I'm gagged when I'm around my family and others who are still blinded by their own indifference. Just announcing my/our decision to give up meat was difficult and met with disbelief. In my family, any difficult issue is effectively swept under the rug and ignored. They just blow me off like I'm a delusional nutcase. Still, I am not good at being silent when I'm excited about something, so they'll all have to listen to the nutcase whether they want to or not. Incidentally, I'm a home schooler and I'm always in an educational mode, so when I got halfway through John Robbins' The Food Revolution, I said " I have got to put this in a book for kids. " I know that it would reach my 10 year old in a new way if she could read it for herself and study the facts. I'm already planning on presenting it to our 5th-9th graders at the co-op school for a few weeks, and I'm hoping to make it into a unit study for home schoolers. I believe that this generation of students is ready to hear about how the previous generations have messed things up, and that they can do something about it. What do you think? <<But on the plus side -- several people I sent it to responded to say thanks and told me about how they're trying to reduce their meat intake. My aunt decided to give up beef for Lent and said after the six weeks are over maybe she'll be able to give it up for good. A woman I know casually from my son's nursery school phoned me this morning to ask if I would mind if she forwarded it to a bunch of other people because she thought everyone should know this stuff, and she asked if I could send her some recipes (she's not vegetarian.. . yet...). I'm so thankful for this online community! Heather>> ________ Looking for earth-friendly autos? Browse Top Cars by " Green Rating " at Autos' Green Center. http://autos./green_center/ Kadee Sedtal Brain: " Pinky, are you pondering what I'm pondering? " Pinky: " I think so, Brain, but if the plural of mouse is mice, wouldn't the plural of spouse be spice? " Check out my new , Classical 2 at http://launch.classical2/ The fish are biting. Get more visitors on your site using Search Marketing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 28, 2007 Report Share Posted February 28, 2007 I love the smoking analogy. Good one!! L Friend <mountain_laurel1183 wrote: <My mother-in-law keeps pulling out the " well I've eaten this all my life and there's nothing wrong with me " argument (which is debatable, but I won't go there!).> Argh, I hate this argument, for anything really. It doesn't make any sense. You know what I tell people when they pull this kind of argument? I say (more or less), " Well, you're right. We should just do what we want as long as we know people who don't get hurt. In fact, when my daughter drives, I will let her drive as fast as she wants. I had a friend in high school who sped so much it scared me, but she is still alive! I've been in more car accidents than she has, and I am a much more careful driver. " I usually say it nicer. Another form of this is " 70% of smokers never get lung cancer. Does that mean that it is ok and we should teach our kids to smoke? " Heather Hossfeld <hlh4850 wrote: It still gets forcefully ignored by many in our family, but some are coming around. I am trying so hard not to push to the point that they'll just write me off as obnoxious :-). I was really excited by the positive response from that woman at the nursery school -- she actually told me that after she read it she was watching the Oscars and wondered why on earth Al Gore wasn't telling everyone this stuff in his documentary. My mother-in-law keeps pulling out the " well I've eaten this all my life and there's nothing wrong with me " argument (which is debatable, but I won't go there!). Heather Jen wrote: > > To Heather, > I have to say that my proverbial hat is off to you. > Although you have one cousin who is obviously offended > that you are concerned for the earth, it is wonderful > that you have been able to positively influence > others. Your one act of boldness will affect many > people. > > I am reading and learning more and more about the > truth behind the meat industries, the connection > between our diets and our health, the connection > between our food and our environments, and I feel like > I'm gagged when I'm around my family and others who > are still blinded by their own indifference. > Just announcing my/our decision to give up meat was > difficult and met with disbelief. > In my family, any difficult issue is effectively swept > under the rug and ignored. They just blow me off like > I'm a delusional nutcase. Still, I am not good at > being silent when I'm excited about something, so > they'll all have to listen to the nutcase whether they > want to or not. > > Incidentally, I'm a home schooler and I'm always in an > educational mode, so when I got halfway through John > Robbins' The Food Revolution, I said " I have got to > put this in a book for kids. " I know that it would > reach my 10 year old in a new way if she could read it > for herself and study the facts. > I'm already planning on presenting it to our 5th-9th > graders at the co-op school for a few weeks, and I'm > hoping to make it into a unit study for home > schoolers. > I believe that this generation of students is ready to > hear about how the previous generations have messed > things up, and that they can do something about it. > > What do you think? > > <<But on the plus side -- several people I sent it to > responded to say > thanks and told me about how they're trying to reduce > their meat intake. > My aunt decided to give up beef for Lent and said > after the six weeks > are over maybe she'll be able to give it up for good. > A woman I know > casually from my son's nursery school phoned me this > morning to ask if I > would mind if she forwarded it to a bunch of other > people because she > thought everyone should know this stuff, and she asked > if I could send > her some recipes (she's not vegetarian.. . yet...). > > I'm so thankful for this online community! > Heather>> > > ________ > Looking for earth-friendly autos? > Browse Top Cars by " Green Rating " at Autos' Green Center. > http://autos./green_center/ > <http://autos./green_center/> > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 28, 2007 Report Share Posted February 28, 2007 I don't tell people I'm a vegetarian, I tell them that I'm an environmentalist; it really confuses them. L Friend <mountain_laurel1183 wrote: <and I feel like I'm gagged when I'm around my family and others who are still blinded by their own indifference.> Me, too!!! Especially at church--I go to church, but not SDA, and for whatever reason, people seem to associate vegetarians with all kinds of extremist groups and politics that aren't in any way connected to being a vegetarian. I feel the need to tell people " I don't eat meat " because for some reason, that sounds better than " I'm a vegetarian. " Some day, when they realize I am " normal " , I will tell them and break some stereotypes. (We are pretty new to the area.) Lucky me, I did find 1 vegetarian, though, who has been so for several years, so that has been fantastic as I have only been so for a couple of months. I had never met a vegetarian (that I know of) at all before I move here, so I am happy! Jen <thefourlakes wrote: To Heather, I have to say that my proverbial hat is off to you. Although you have one cousin who is obviously offended that you are concerned for the earth, it is wonderful that you have been able to positively influence others. Your one act of boldness will affect many people. I am reading and learning more and more about the truth behind the meat industries, the connection between our diets and our health, the connection between our food and our environments, and I feel like I'm gagged when I'm around my family and others who are still blinded by their own indifference. Just announcing my/our decision to give up meat was difficult and met with disbelief. In my family, any difficult issue is effectively swept under the rug and ignored. They just blow me off like I'm a delusional nutcase. Still, I am not good at being silent when I'm excited about something, so they'll all have to listen to the nutcase whether they want to or not. Incidentally, I'm a home schooler and I'm always in an educational mode, so when I got halfway through John Robbins' The Food Revolution, I said " I have got to put this in a book for kids. " I know that it would reach my 10 year old in a new way if she could read it for herself and study the facts. I'm already planning on presenting it to our 5th-9th graders at the co-op school for a few weeks, and I'm hoping to make it into a unit study for home schoolers. I believe that this generation of students is ready to hear about how the previous generations have messed things up, and that they can do something about it. What do you think? <<But on the plus side -- several people I sent it to responded to say thanks and told me about how they're trying to reduce their meat intake. My aunt decided to give up beef for Lent and said after the six weeks are over maybe she'll be able to give it up for good. A woman I know casually from my son's nursery school phoned me this morning to ask if I would mind if she forwarded it to a bunch of other people because she thought everyone should know this stuff, and she asked if I could send her some recipes (she's not vegetarian.. . yet...). I'm so thankful for this online community! Heather>> ________ Looking for earth-friendly autos? Browse Top Cars by " Green Rating " at Autos' Green Center. http://autos./green_center/ Never Miss an Email Stay connected with Mail on your mobile. Get started! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 1, 2007 Report Share Posted March 1, 2007 I actually got it from Parenting magazine in reference to the spanking debate, to cite my source. Kadee M <abbey_road3012 wrote: I love the smoking analogy. Good one!! L Friend <mountain_laurel1183 wrote: <My mother-in-law keeps pulling out the " well I've eaten this all my life and there's nothing wrong with me " argument (which is debatable, but I won't go there!).> Argh, I hate this argument, for anything really. It doesn't make any sense. You know what I tell people when they pull this kind of argument? I say (more or less), " Well, you're right. We should just do what we want as long as we know people who don't get hurt. In fact, when my daughter drives, I will let her drive as fast as she wants. I had a friend in high school who sped so much it scared me, but she is still alive! I've been in more car accidents than she has, and I am a much more careful driver. " I usually say it nicer. Another form of this is " 70% of smokers never get lung cancer. Does that mean that it is ok and we should teach our kids to smoke? " Heather Hossfeld <hlh4850 wrote: It still gets forcefully ignored by many in our family, but some are coming around. I am trying so hard not to push to the point that they'll just write me off as obnoxious :-). I was really excited by the positive response from that woman at the nursery school -- she actually told me that after she read it she was watching the Oscars and wondered why on earth Al Gore wasn't telling everyone this stuff in his documentary. My mother-in-law keeps pulling out the " well I've eaten this all my life and there's nothing wrong with me " argument (which is debatable, but I won't go there!). Heather Jen wrote: > > To Heather, > I have to say that my proverbial hat is off to you. > Although you have one cousin who is obviously offended > that you are concerned for the earth, it is wonderful > that you have been able to positively influence > others. Your one act of boldness will affect many > people. > > I am reading and learning more and more about the > truth behind the meat industries, the connection > between our diets and our health, the connection > between our food and our environments, and I feel like > I'm gagged when I'm around my family and others who > are still blinded by their own indifference. > Just announcing my/our decision to give up meat was > difficult and met with disbelief. > In my family, any difficult issue is effectively swept > under the rug and ignored. They just blow me off like > I'm a delusional nutcase. Still, I am not good at > being silent when I'm excited about something, so > they'll all have to listen to the nutcase whether they > want to or not. > > Incidentally, I'm a home schooler and I'm always in an > educational mode, so when I got halfway through John > Robbins' The Food Revolution, I said " I have got to > put this in a book for kids. " I know that it would > reach my 10 year old in a new way if she could read it > for herself and study the facts. > I'm already planning on presenting it to our 5th-9th > graders at the co-op school for a few weeks, and I'm > hoping to make it into a unit study for home > schoolers. > I believe that this generation of students is ready to > hear about how the previous generations have messed > things up, and that they can do something about it. > > What do you think? > > <<But on the plus side -- several people I sent it to > responded to say > thanks and told me about how they're trying to reduce > their meat intake. > My aunt decided to give up beef for Lent and said > after the six weeks > are over maybe she'll be able to give it up for good. > A woman I know > casually from my son's nursery school phoned me this > morning to ask if I > would mind if she forwarded it to a bunch of other > people because she > thought everyone should know this stuff, and she asked > if I could send > her some recipes (she's not vegetarian.. . yet...). > > I'm so thankful for this online community! > Heather>> > > ________ > Looking for earth-friendly autos? > Browse Top Cars by " Green Rating " at Autos' Green Center. > http://autos./green_center/ > <http://autos./green_center/> > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 2, 2007 Report Share Posted March 2, 2007 When people used that " argument " I just ask them how long that person might have lived if they'd actually taken care of themselves! chandelle' <earthmother213 wrote: i HATE that argument! from my parents it comes in the form of, " we're all going to die anyway " or " your so-and-so relative ate nothing but meat and dairy all his life AND he smoked, and he lived to 83! " grrr... what i usually say to my dad (the one who had a heart attack last year at 45) is, " sure you may live to be 83, but do you want to live the last 40 years going in and out of hospitals and surviving only because of multiple surgeries and drugs?! dude - quality above quantity, eh?! " chandelle' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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