Sunday, June 28, 2009

Things I've Never Been Able to Understand-V

What is a vegetarian supposed to look like? Whenever, in my far away youth, I declared that I was a vegetarian, the statement was met with the incredulous response," You don't look like a vegetarian".

What on earth is a vegetarian supposed to look like? A vegetable? (All shapes and sizes and colours of veggies exist, so the generic term won't make sense anyway!)

34 comments:

aMus said...

haha...
i'm a vegetarian but i've not yet come across this comment...so what did you answer back?

Unknown said...

Yes ... what did you say ?

SUR NOTES said...

is it too rude too shoot back- "oh dear is that why you look like a scared chicken?"

actually i am guilty of such silly statements and luckily no one has given me a rude retort.

Parul said...

I wrote about this too...

http://orangeicecandy.blogspot.com/2009/04/fish-who-does-not-eat-meat.html

Mamma mia! Me a mamma? said...

Hehehe!

I know...I get, "Oh. You don't look like an Aquarian!" So what makes me not fit in? The fact that I'm not carrying a couple of jars of water on my person?

dipali said...

@suma: I'd ask them what they thought a vegetarian was supposed to look like. ut I never got a satisfactory answer:(
@eve's lungs: see above:)
@sur: My repartee is always of the tube light variety:(
@parul: Oh yes! I'd forgotten about that. I quite see you not fitting into he stereotypical veggie image!
@m4:This is the whole point, na- if you don't look like whatever the stereotype in popular perception, you have to hear silly remarks like this:(

Vrijilesh Rai said...

On a similar note.. doesn't "You don't look that old!" sound better?

But yeah.. stereotyping a person can sometimes be a gross mistake. A few months back, on a train journey (in Sleeper Class), came across a 40 something chap in Tees n shorts reading Frontline. Pretty normal. Just that he happened to be an ex-MLA came to light only when the train reached Bangalore where people knew him and his supporters had come to receive him! I really could not believe myself that day!

Sue said...

A vegetarian is supposed to look like they're not having much fun in life. You don't qualify. :)

dipali said...

@vrij: That sounds good!
How nice to see an ex-MLA with no airs and graces:)
@Sue: Thus spake the hard core non-veggie who doesn't know her cabbage from her capsicum!

Sue said...

Pah. Capsicum is the stuff I pick out. Cabbage is the stuff I sigh and eat up.

And I did say you look too happy to be a vegentarian. :D

dipali said...

@Sue: She only does it to annoy, these back handed ones:)
Do you remember the song from Dr. Doolittle?

THE VEGETARIAN

DOLITTLE

THE DAY THAT I BECAME A VET'RINARIAN,
I HAD A SUDDEN OVERWHELMING WISH
TO BE A PURE AND SIMPLE VEGETARIAN -
AND GIVE UP EATING ALL THAT MEAT AND FISH.

TOMMY

I think that's marvellous!

MATTHEW

Meat's very unhealthy for you!

DOLITTLE

Yes......

SO NOW I LIVE ON HEALTHY FOOD INSTEAD! -
LIKE APPLE CORES
AND PARSNIP JUICE -
AND CHUNKS OF PLAIN BROWN BREAD!

WHEN I SEE MY FELLOW MEN
CONSUMING SIRLOIN STEAK -
AND I FIND MYSELF ENJOYING TEA AND DUNDEE CAKE -
THERE IS REALLY ONLY ONE CONCLUSION I CAN MAKE -
I'M A DEVOTED VEGETARIAN!

No, you don't, you little pig! You've had yours! Oh all right, then
- but only
a little! You see what I mean? This is his tenth meal today!

WHEN MY HOST AT DINNER OFFERS
SUCCULENT ROAST BEEF
PROUDLY I REFUSE IT. PEOPLE STARE IN DISBELIEF,
LOST IN ADMIRATION AS I NIBBLE ON A LEAF
A VERY NOTED VEGETARIAN!

I don't even eat horseradish, in case I upset the horses!

I STAY AWAY FROM DEVILLED HAM ON PRINCIPLE! -
I WOULDN'T EAT ROAST DUCKLING IF I COULD!
WILL POWER HAS MADE ME INVINCIBLE!...
MY WORD, THOSE SAUSAGES DO LOOK GOOD!

TURNIP PIE AND PEANUTS -
THAT'S THE SORT OF FILTH I EAT!
ANY SORT OF RUBBISH
THAT IS WHOLESOME AND DISCREET!
WHY DON'T I ADMIT THAT MY HYPOCRISY'S COMPLETE?
IF I SHOULD LIVE TO BE A CENTENARIAN -
BECOME OUR MOST ADORED HUMANITARIAN -
I'LL NEVER MAKE A DECENT VEGETARIAN! -
I'M A CHEAT!
I LOVE MEAT
I'M A CHEAT
YES, I AM!
I LOVE RED-BLOODED JUICY CHUNKS OF MEAT!-
LEGS OF LAMB!
SIDES OF BEEF 'N' CHOPS 'N' STEAK 'N' VEAL!
AND PORK, OF COURSE! - MY FAVOURITE MEAL!

AND THEN I HEAR POOR GUB-GUB SQUEAL!
OH ME! OH MY! -
A RELUCTANT BUT SINCERE VEGETARIAN
AM I!

Sue said...

LOL!

No, I'd never heard this one before. Thank you.

starry-eyed said...

Probably you're expected to look weak at the knees with starvation and have a pea-sized brain, not a cabbage-sized one!!!!

I get, "You don't look like a South Indian". Hmpff!

wordjunkie said...

LOL!
And thanks for the lyrics of that song.. am going gub gub squeal with laughter right now.

quartyc said...

may b he read ur aboutme.. next time flash him a jurasic park dvd and tell him..the tall one eating those trees(sauropods)is vegetarian
..hehe

Anonymous said...

hahahaha.. good one,dipali!! i have got lots of reactions to my being a converted vegetarian, but no one has ever told me i dont look like a vegetarian! why dont u ever ask someone what she/he means exactly by that line...n see what reaction u get..

ra said...

A little disapproving (of non-vegetarians) and vice versa.

Mampi said...

hahahah
same here,
maybe it has more to do with the stout health that we pretend to show off??

Choxbox said...

LOLing at the post and the lyrics!

in the same boat as you - the veggie-laden one :)

Aparna said...

I think vegetarians are supposed to look emaciated and weak and the non veggies strong and energetic. Wondering how people who relish both veg and non veg would look.I deal with "you dont look like a Bengali" everyday. Thankfully no one has questioned my eating habits yet.

Mystic Margarita said...

It prolly stems from the commenter's perception of a particular state or states and people thereof! I used to get - you don't look like a bengali' all the time!

Anjaan said...

Hahaha. Was blog surfing and landed up here to have a hearty laugh! :):)

Ron said...

Totally unrelated to your post, but I heard it rained heavily in Calcutta. Congratulations :D

OrangeJammies said...

You've been awarded! Check my blog for deets.

rads said...

LOL! :)

I have another problem here. When I say "I don't eat meat" - I get asked "Oh, Fish is okay?"!
These days Ive resorted to clarifying with this line.

"I don't eat anything that moved once."

Kinda stops all questions after that. :-D

maidinmalaysia said...

tagged ya.
am asking you niecely?

dipali said...

@starry-eyed: People have such strange ideas of what other people are supposed to look like!
@Wordjunkie: Happy GubGubbing to you:)
@quartyc: That's a good one!
@churningthewordmill: I always do ask, and always get the vaguest of replies.
@ra: True:)
@mampi: Absolutely.
@chox: And then we are told that we don't know what we are missing:(
@aparna: Gandhiji was skinny, energetic and vegetarian! A lot of traditionally vegetarian communities had many unhealthily obese individuals. None of the stereotypes actually fit all!
@mystic margarita: That it is, of course. And that is what I am questioning!
@anjaan: Hello. I'm glad you had a good laugh!
@ron: Yes, we've had some decent rain now. Such a relief:)
@OJ: Thanks- I'm honoured.
@rads: Yes, I've never been able to fathom these perceived degrees of vegetarianism! I like your clarification.
@maid in malaysia: Of course you are asking me niecely, will do:)

Natasha said...

So true!!!

dipali said...

@carnimire: lovely seeing you here:)

Itchingtowrite said...

off course it is supposed to be written on teh forehead

dipali said...

@itchy: I guess so:(
Let me say that you don't look like a non-vegetarian:)

AMIT said...

Yeah that is very good written post.

Lingerie news

Anonymous said...

LOL I hear the same thing!!! I am often told I don't look a vegetarian :)

Anonymous said...

vegetarian are supposed to look like apple, bright and radiating
vegetarian are supposed to look like banana, tall and slim
vegetarian are supposed to look like cucumber, all cool
vegetarian are supposed to look like chili, all hot
vegetarian are supposed to look like peaches, all sweeet
vegetarian are supposed to look like watermelon, all refreshed
vegetarian are supposed to look like coconut, hard and soft at the same

So next time you see a vegetarian, you will know him