# Are vegetarians better people than omnivores? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [May 17, 2017, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-vegetarians-better-people-than-omnivores/786803 "2017-05-17T00:11:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2017, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-vegetarians-better-people-than-omnivores/786803/21 "2017-05-17T17:37:50Z")
You know I drove my Prius to the Cross-Fit center on the way to the animal shelter to adopt a rescued dog. It’s next to the vegan place I love so much. So of course I had my lunch there first. I found the shelter and lunch place on my Linux machine. Oh, my iPhone says the time, its 1:36pm. Sorry I forgot what you asked me. (Did I miss anything in the pretentious realm?) ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2017, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-vegetarians-better-people-than-omnivores/786803/22 "2017-05-17T19:54:11Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > You know I drove my Prius to the Cross-Fit center on the way to the animal shelter to adopt a rescued dog. It’s next to the vegan place I love so much. So of course I had my lunch there first. I found the shelter and lunch place on my Linux machine. > > Oh, my iPhone says the time, its 1:36pm. Sorry I forgot what you asked me. > (Did I miss anything in the pretentious realm?) You forgot to adjust your man bun ---
**Author:** ![ekedolphin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ekedolphin/32/10003_2.png) [@ekedolphin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ekedolphin)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2017, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-vegetarians-better-people-than-omnivores/786803/23 "2017-05-17T20:16:50Z")
> [@protoboard](#): > > I read a scientific study that found that vegetarians and vegans have higher empathy than meat eaters. Interestingly, vegans scored lower in empathy than vegetarians. Um, citation, please? This is The Dope, you know. ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2017, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-vegetarians-better-people-than-omnivores/786803/24 "2017-05-17T20:34:05Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > You know I drove my Prius to the Cross-Fit center on the way to the animal shelter to adopt a rescued dog. It’s next to the vegan place I love so much. So of course I had my lunch there first. I found the shelter and lunch place on my Linux machine. > > Oh, my iPhone says the time, its 1:36pm. Sorry I forgot what you asked me. > (Did I miss anything in the pretentious realm?) You should have mentioned you did not, in fact, shower (you NEVER shower if you can help it, certainly you never use soap…or, gasp, deodourant!!), especially after going to Sprouts after hitting Total Wine and then going to your weekly zumba class (where you also did cross-fit and maybe some serious kettle bells). Now go out and dump that rain barrel water from your recovery system on your totally organic compost so you can grow some heirloom tomatoes, for the sake of the people!! 😛 ---
**Author:** ![pmwgreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@pmwgreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pmwgreen)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2017, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-vegetarians-better-people-than-omnivores/786803/25 "2017-05-20T01:35:40Z")
It’s a much clearer issue that beef eaters are better than chicken eaters. Consider, a person can eat a chicken in two meals, maybe one meal if they are hungry. It’s pretty hard to eat a cow in less than a year. So if you want to count living things killed, you are way ahead eating beef. I suspect pork is somewhere in the middle. (The whole lamb/mutton thing is just confusing) ---
**Author:** ![purplehearingaid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7bcc69/32.png) [@purplehearingaid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehearingaid)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2017, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-vegetarians-better-people-than-omnivores/786803/26 "2017-05-20T02:27:25Z")
Adolf Hitler was a vegetarian ! ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2017, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-vegetarians-better-people-than-omnivores/786803/27 "2017-05-20T13:54:29Z")
And Jesus was an omnivore. ---
**Author:** ![Two\_Many\_Cats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8dc957/32.png) [@Two\_Many\_Cats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Two_Many_Cats)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2017, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-vegetarians-better-people-than-omnivores/786803/28 "2017-05-20T14:09:34Z")
Plus how in Hades do you accurately measure something like empathy anyway? Paging Counsellor Troi… ---
**Author:** ![clairobscur](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/839c29/32.png) [@clairobscur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clairobscur)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2017, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-vegetarians-better-people-than-omnivores/786803/29 "2017-05-20T15:44:11Z")
I’ll go against the majority by saying that I suspect it’s true to some extent. It makes sense to me that vegetarians, renouncing to meat out of ethical concerns (be it for the well being of animals or for the well-being of humanity) would _tend_ to have more empathy and concern for others than the average person, which would make them better people. FTR, I’m a meat eater almost out of principle (we’re omnivores, eating meat is our natural way of life, I’ll stick to it). ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2017, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-vegetarians-better-people-than-omnivores/786803/30 "2017-05-20T19:52:34Z")
Or else they’re just a bunch of self-righteous pricks, with \*low \*empathy. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2017, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-vegetarians-better-people-than-omnivores/786803/31 "2017-05-21T21:19:53Z")
My dogs are better people than some people. And they are Omnivores. I mean _really_ Omni! ---
**Author:** ![davida03801](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b5e925/32.png) [@davida03801](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davida03801)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2017, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-vegetarians-better-people-than-omnivores/786803/32 "2017-05-22T14:37:27Z")
For me the measure of vegans and the like is my brother in law who is the most obnoxious and overbearing person I know in regards to this issue. At any family event at another family members house we all get the email of how we all need to "respect’ the food choices of his family and provide suitable options for him, the wife and 2 kids. In the rare times there is a family event at his house we get the email that only vegetarian food is acceptable and to please respect the rules of that house. Of course when these events occur almost everyone in the family uses the occasion to do something with he other side of their family and they end up with a gathering of about 7 or so instead of the usual 30-38. ---
**Author:** ![begbert2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/begbert2/32/3357_2.png) [@begbert2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/begbert2)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2017, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-vegetarians-better-people-than-omnivores/786803/33 "2017-05-22T17:06:13Z")
Based on my careful analysis of humanity, the ‘betterness’ of a given human is firmly correlated with how much they like the old animated show ‘The Adventures of the Galaxy Rangers’. If a person likes that show, they are better. If they don’t like that show, they are worse. No other aspect of their behavior or personality influences this measure in the slightest; it’s all down to how much they like that show. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2017, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-vegetarians-better-people-than-omnivores/786803/34 "2017-05-22T17:11:12Z")
To clarify, some people’s empathy is more abstract and generalized, more species and planet oriented and less personal, than other people’s. As Linus once put it, “I love humanity. It’s \*people \*I can’t stand.” ---
**Author:** ![Damuri\_Ajashi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/898d66/32.png) [@Damuri\_Ajashi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Damuri_Ajashi)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2017, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-vegetarians-better-people-than-omnivores/786803/35 "2017-05-22T17:47:37Z")
> [@protoboard](#): > > I read a scientific study that found that vegetarians and vegans have higher empathy than meat eaters. Interestingly, vegans scored lower in empathy than vegetarians. > > Do you think this would hold up in further studies? Does the ethical choice of not eating meat necessarily mean that somebody is more compassionate than someone who does eat meat? I think it all depends on the vegetarians reasons for being vegetarian. Some vegetarians don’t like the taste of meat and don’t really digest it very well. I don’t see how that makes them any better than omnivores that won’t eat squid because … Blech! The only way vegetarians are better people than omnivores is if they don’t eat bacon so that there is more bacon for the rest of us. If you don’t eat bacon because someone told you that God doesn’t want you to eat bacon or you will go to hell, how does that make you better than me? At least I have bacon? The only way you are a better person is if you won’t eat bacon so there will be more for me. Then you are a very good person and someone should build a statue. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2017, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-vegetarians-better-people-than-omnivores/786803/36 "2017-05-22T18:22:19Z")
> [@ekedolphin](#): > > Um, citation, please? This is The Dope, you know. I’d like to know, too…especially how they determined empathy levels. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2017, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-vegetarians-better-people-than-omnivores/786803/37 "2017-05-22T18:25:08Z")
> [@protoboard](#): > > I read a scientific study that found that vegetarians and vegans have higher empathy than meat eaters. Interestingly, vegans scored lower in empathy than vegetarians. ISTM vegans may have higher empathy towards everything - except their fellow polluting, resource-consuming, animal-eating humans, which they may look down on or even be misanthropic towards. I know someone (I think vegan) who once uploaded a picture to her Facebook. Picture: Dusty wasteland: “World without honeybees.” Flourishing, waterfall, rainbow, happy animals, heavenly picture = “World without humans.” ---
**Author:** ![Yersenia\_Pestis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/e495f1/32.png) [@Yersenia\_Pestis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yersenia_Pestis)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2017, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-vegetarians-better-people-than-omnivores/786803/38 "2017-05-23T00:58:40Z")
No one is better than anyone else. Some people just make better choices for themselves and their planet. I hope one day to be a vegetarian. ---
**Author:** ![Beren\_Erchamion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/90ced4/32.png) [@Beren\_Erchamion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beren_Erchamion)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2017, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-vegetarians-better-people-than-omnivores/786803/39 "2017-05-23T01:07:39Z")
Yes. I aspire one day to be strong enough to become one. So far, I’ve failed. ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2017, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-vegetarians-better-people-than-omnivores/786803/40 "2017-05-23T02:22:34Z")
When I was at international school, my mother mentioned that one of the teachers was a vegetarian. I was amazed after I asked what that meant, and found out that some people didn’t eat meat, because my mother always told me people needed to eat meat to be healthy. I decided that-- no, I just\* knew\*-- that I would be a vegetarian some day. I was ten then, and it took until I was 19 before I was fully vegetarian (with the occasional chicken so as not to insult my grandmother, but even that stopped around age 22, when it started to make me sick). Made another occasional exception during basic training, when I had to eat the meat with the field chow, or I’d only get like, 300 calories for lunch on a day we burned about 3700. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-vegetarians-better-people-than-omnivores/786803.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-vegetarians-better-people-than-omnivores/786803.md?page=3)