I’m not really a drinker. Never have been. I’m also a vegetarian. So, I know that makes me a bit of an oddity and I’m ok with that. No worries. I don’t care if other people eat meat or drink. I care if they eat an entire side of beef while downing tequila shots right in front of me. But…
what bugs the crap out of me is when people make a big deal out of what I choose not to do. I get it when people are uncomfortable with behavior, but I don’t understand being uncomfortable with LACK of behavior.
It’s one thing when someone tries to pass you a joint. Most could give a rat’s ass if you want to smoke with them. It just leaves more for them. But, mention that you don’t drink and the first question is a polite re-phrasing of “What’s wrong with you?”
Tell a person you don’t eat meat and you either get an explanation of why that person DOES eat meat or 100 questions about how you achieve nutritional value without plowing through a fat-laden hunk of beef.
I totally understand those who are annoyed by the most strident among us who decry the use of alcohol or the eating of meat. I generally despise groups like PETA who make it much more difficult on normal folks like me to be a vegetarian and avoid the wrath of friends and family who, no doubt, are concerned I’m going to parade around in a bloody cow costume screaming “Meat is murder!”
I’m as opposed to that type of rigid, myopic thinking as I am to the viewpoints that fall on the polar end of the sprectrum from my own.
I guess, if I could offer advice to those who might be confused by my choices, here it is: don’t worry about it. You don’t have to explain why you make your choices and you shouldn’t expect me to explain why I make mine. I won’t expect you to do what I do and don’t expect me to do what you do.
If that’s ok, I can guarantee that we’ll get along great.