How vegans and veganism are perceived

1735: 

There are two things vegans are saying, firstly about the criminal attack on animals, and secondly about the opportunity afforded by vegan consciousness. And the bonus too is that by avoiding all animal-based foods we prevent ourselves from buying crap food.

That's all-good, for us. If it were only a private matter of conscience and personal diet we'd adhere to the principle but feel no need to shout about it. But some of us feel duty bound to speak about it, so that anyone, who is unaware of all this, will be able to get to know about it.

In our modern day culture, enough is known for people to want to avoid the subject altogether. It’s obvious that most people don’t want to hear what we are saying. And as vegans, we neither have the power nor the right to force anyone to change their minds. If we attempt to change people’s fixed attitudes we’ll immediately seem too ‘good’ or too superior. If we stay silent we seem too stand-offish. Certainly, vegans are open to criticism for rejecting the traditions of our culture, and crazy for ignoring the fine cuisines of that same culture. To the outsider, it seems like self-denial to restrict ourselves to a plant-based diet.       

The usual reaction, when someone finds out I’m vegan, is that "it’s NOT for me!!". They say, "I’d go mad denying myself all these foods, let alone the animal-based clothing". They’ll conclude that vegans are just trying to be different. More generously they might say, so as not to hurt our feelings, "I admire vegans for what they stand for" and "I wish I could do it myself". But what they are really thinking is, "Ugh! No way! Never! Not for me!".