to educate animal eaters by taking the question seriously and offering a
thoughtful answer to it. But eventually you may come to see that the
question is plainly stupid and simply not deserving of a serious answer.
When you realize this, it may help you lighten up about it.
Personally I find the protein question so incredibly stupid that it’s hard
for me to answer with anything but teasing or sarcasm anymore. I tried
taking it seriously for the first few years that I was vegan, but after that, I
just surrendered to my baser instincts. One of my favorite ways to reply to
the protein question these days is to say, “I haven’t eaten protein since
- I should be dead.” Then I’ll invite the person to please tell me about
someone they’ve seen suffer from protein deficiency and what the
symptoms are, so I know what to expect in the years ahead.
When you encounter sheer stupidity — and you’re going to encounter it a
lot — do your best to take it in stride. If you feel like educating animal
eaters now and then, feel free to have some fun doing it, but don’t feel
obligated to be their nutritional advisors if that role doesn’t interest you
beyond the first several years of getting sucked into it.
When you’re in your newly converted to veganism phase and feeling
pretty righteous, you may enjoy getting into debates with animal eaters,
especially once you’ve educated yourself enough to see that the truth is
indeed on your side. If that appeals to you, enjoy yourself. But don’t feel