why do we hate veg*ns
There are many different ways to express your worldview. From voting in favor of your spokesperson to daily fashion choices, one can clearly communicate their ethical stance to other people. Some of those expressions are met with lukewarm response, some are negatively perceived, and some are greeted enthusiastically. People who challenge the status quo on behalf of vulnerable groups are often resented, so it is no surprise that vegans and vegetarians are included among them.
Although I won't argue in favor of veganism here, you still might find me leaning slightly towards it. That's fine. No one is truly unbiased, but as long as scientific facts are presented, they should be considered on their own, regardless of who's laying them out in a debate. I will also use the term 'veg*n' for all those who try to lower the quantity of animal suffering by means of dietary changes.
does society really hate veg*ns?
In a 2014 paper titled "It ain't easy eating greens", MacInnis and Hodson have shown us that omnivorous society perceives veg*ns negatively. But to what extent? By comparing the level of hostility towards veg*ns with that aimed toward other groups subjected to prejudice, such as Blacks, immigrants, or queer people, the researchers concluded that the level of negative sentiment towards those groups was pretty even, and veg*ns lost only to drug addicts. The stronger the identification with the meat-eating group, such as among conservatives, the stronger the resentment toward veg*ns, and men not eating meat were treated more harshly than women.
This doesn't surprise me. I try to refrain from extrapolating my personal experience onto society, as it is known to be a faulty way of formulating general views, but I just couldn't resist this feeling that it's the way it is. I have been asked numerous hostile questions, often trying to appear polite or sometimes even curious, such as why do I feel the need to appropriate the names of animal-based products. Even mentioning my culinary preference in a casual situation where you'd expect it, such as when ordering snacks at the bar with your new colleagues from work, would often result in unpleasant stares at best. The social cost of becoming a veg*n is real, and that's true even if you're not trying to convert others to your worldview.
a reason never good enough
Many veg*ns I know ultimately seek a breather by using a health excuse. When asked why they don't want to eat meat during an event or why they express their preference for plant-based products, they lie that it's because of some kind of disease. That reminds me of another phenomenon: trying to politely deny drinking alcohol. Drinking is important in Slavic culture, and I'd say it's important in Western culture as well (despite the recent change in taste among Gen Z and Alpha, who seem to be favoring drugs over drinks). If you want to avoid endless discussions and being forced to defend your decision not to drink for whatever reason, you just lie about it being a health issue.
And it seems to be working. In the aforementioned paper, it is observed that attitudes towards veg*ns abstaining from eating meat primarily for health concerns are less negative than those against people who do so for ethical reasons. That alone could lead us to a conclusion that most people's problem with veg*nism isn't stemming from a practical, diet-oriented perspective, but from an ethical one. This idea also lines up with the previous observation that people with a more conservative worldview tend to hate vegans more.
meat is mentality
If not given much thought, eating meat is just a way of taking calories into your body. Most veg*n thinkers do agree that under extreme conditions, they'd choose it over dying or even decreasing their chances of survival. This isn't the case for most of us, because in developed countries, calorie-rich food can be found in your nearest grocery shop. Thus, the rationalization for eating meat must go beyond the simple need to keep oneself alive and healthy as well, as this has been proven numerous times to be untrue by entities like the World Health Organization.
The stereotype of masculinity seems to be one of the most important suspects here. This ties nicely to both a conservative worldview and holding certain standards for men. It has also been found that women tend to have generally more favorable views of both vegans and vegetarians. If you take a look at the public debate, it turns out eating meat is often a self-proclaimed virtue of conservative figures, as if they're in opposition to the almost mythical left. But the problem is that this 'left' is, in this particular case, supported heavily by modern science.
One of the most prevalent phenomena in psychology is cognitive dissonance, and it still doesn't get enough attention. Humans are capable of going to incredible lengths just to lower the discomfort coming from it; not so long ago I've witnessed an amazing interview with Peter Smith, conducted by Jack Symes. You wouldn't believe how viciously an established scientist can dodge answering simple questions, just to avoid facing a moral dilemma coming from animal exploitation. If such a brilliant mind can turn out so untrustworthy, how can we expect an average person to be able to navigate the twists and turns of such a complex issue? This is the meat paradox: most of us don't want to hurt animals, yet want to consume meat. To avoid approaching it, most of us simply have to forget the problem exists in the first place.
the time is running out
Even if we optimistically assume that veg*nism will continue to grow in popularity, we don't have enough time as a species for such a long gestation of a global ethical consciousness. Meat production accounts for almost 20% of global greenhouse gas emissions, and we're not even talking about deforestation, pollution, and water consumption that's inevitable with industry-grade production. In the reality of a climate catastrophe, this mode of operation is simply unsustainable.
Research on interventions aimed at reducing meat consumption doesn't bring promising results. While short-term effects are observed, they usually don't last past two to three weeks. To change the status quo, our whole perception of meat would have to shift. Both of the production process, which requires killing fully conscious beings, and the cultural significance of it. I don't see it happening.