Scientists have finally pinned-down the reason why meat-eaters are so angry with vegans and vegetarians. In a new study published in the journal Food Quality and Preference, researchers asked thousands of consumers to judge others based on the contents of their shopping baskets.
They found that:-
- Observers see meat alternative consumers as moral, environmentally, and health-conscious.
- They elicit admiration, envy, fear, contempt, and anger in observers.
- Observers associate a higher level of social exclusion and aggression with them.
- Observers' higher need for status contributes to greater envy and anger.
- Observers' need for group affiliation is not connected to their views.
In short, with the predictable rise in the availability, quality and affordability of environmentally- and socially-conscious, healthy foods, those who cannot shift away from their more traditional meat-and-two-veg diets feel resentful towards those who have already done so.
Many people find change difficult and when the imperative to change is so widely described in the media, complex emotions of envy, insecurity and anger can be triggered.
You can read the full paper here: Meat alternative consumers still frowned upon in Europe: Analysis of stereotypical, emotional and behavioral responses of observing others
