Many people, when they find out I'm a vegetarian, assume I am sitting in judgement on their eating habits and immediately start defending themselves. I really don't give a damn what anyone else eats, and I don't think most other vegetarians do either. And I haven't seen anyone in this thread trying to convert anyone else, or being particularly self-righteous.

Alex, Swan wasn't being self-righteous. She was explaining to someone who had asked about it the theory of causing the least possible cruelty. I didn't see her telling you anything about how to live your life. This is a thread about vegetarianism. Perhaps I should say: "Eat whatever you want, but don't come into a thread about vegetarianism and accuse vegetarians of being self-righteous because they are talking about why they are vegetarians."

I agree that the rabid converts who rail at all their friends for eating meat are pretty offensive, and counterproductive as well. I haven't seen any of that going on here.

John Peekstok