# Your psychological theories about why people who shop at natural food stores are so damn rude **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 5, 2009, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-psychological-theories-about-why-people-who-shop-at-natural-food-stores-are-so-damn-rude/498834 "2009-06-05T15:28:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Anne\_Neville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Anne\_Neville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anne_Neville)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2009, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-psychological-theories-about-why-people-who-shop-at-natural-food-stores-are-so-damn-rude/498834/81 "2009-06-09T20:04:52Z")
> [@The\_Scrivener](#): > > But perhaps Dalton Trumbo said it best, in his screenplay for **Spartacus** : > > GRACCHUS [to Batiatus]: You and I have a tendency towards corpulence. Corpulence makes a man reasonable, pleasant and phlegmatic. Have you noticed the nastiest of tyrants are invariably thin? This could be part of it, too. I know that when I go lower-carb than normal for Passover, it makes me mean. Serotonin is made in the body from carbohydrates, and there’s some research showing that a low-carb diet may not be good for people who have depression, like me (the meanness comes from irritability, which is a symptom of depression). Some of those people might have given up something that their bodies need to keep their neurotransmitters on an even keel, too. Or it might be something as simple as why, if you want to add more whole grains to your diet, you should do so gradually. I tried to do this too fast once, and suffered a few days of intestinal discomfort as a result. I may not have been entirely pleasant to be around for those few days. ---
**Author:** ![ashman165](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8e8cbc/32.png) [@ashman165](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ashman165)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2009, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-psychological-theories-about-why-people-who-shop-at-natural-food-stores-are-so-damn-rude/498834/82 "2009-06-09T21:37:49Z")
> [@Cagey\_Drifter](#): > > My pet theory: new agey value systems promote the extension of goodwill to the universe at large but not to actual people who are right in front of you. Well, for the same reason that it takes more energy to smile than to frown, and what with living off of wheat-germ, one can’t have too much strength left. \ I don’t really have a problem with those types; I think my “meat breath” (thank you, Ellen Degeneres) keeps them at bay. Just carry two corndogs around to make an impromptu cross; it’s bound to work. Either that, or shop in the daylight. =P ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2009, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-psychological-theories-about-why-people-who-shop-at-natural-food-stores-are-so-damn-rude/498834/83 "2009-06-09T22:00:40Z")
> [@CrazyCatLady](#): > > I don’t know, but I suspect it’s related to the phenomenon I noticed as a waitress where the after-church crowd were the biggest pack of assholes I dealt with all week. Sweet as pie to the members of their party or other church members they ran into, but apt to treat me like something sub-human. And the more crosses and Bibles and whatnot, the shittier they typically treated me. As others have said, it’s a better than you thing. I found that to be the case with a group of bleeding heart social workers (I used to be one a looong time ago) who made fun of the waitress and were rude as ass about her. Granted she was new and it was a big group, but damn, aren’t these supposed to be the Sympathetic Ones? ---
**Author:** ![Balthisar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/balthisar/32/2825_2.png) [@Balthisar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balthisar)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2009, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-psychological-theories-about-why-people-who-shop-at-natural-food-stores-are-so-damn-rude/498834/84 "2009-06-10T03:15:42Z")
> [@Mister\_Rik](#): > > Meanwhile, the more traditional types of groups tend to be more along the lines of “Fooood! Nom nom nom nom… excellent!” Hey, I’m an non-environmentalist, and I hate banquet food, too. Nothing like right off the burner for most things. Two-hour old salmon, or just-made salmon? I don’t complain, though; I just wonder at all the people that think that it’s excellent. ---
**Author:** ![Mister\_Rik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mister_rik/32/491_2.png) [@Mister\_Rik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Rik)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2009, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-psychological-theories-about-why-people-who-shop-at-natural-food-stores-are-so-damn-rude/498834/85 "2009-06-10T03:35:43Z")
> [@Balthisar](#): > > Hey, I’m an non-environmentalist, and I hate banquet food, too. Nothing like right off the burner for most things. Two-hour old salmon, or just-made salmon? I don’t complain, though; I just wonder at all the people that think that it’s excellent. For what it’s worth, any time we’re serving something like steak or fish or chicken, it probably finished cooking less than an hour before it was served. Just how long it sits depends, of course, on the size of the group; if the group is \<50 people, we can cut things close and set up the plates mere minutes before the food is served, but when it’s several hundred people we naturally have to start plating things much earlier. Even then, though, if dinner is at 7:00 we’ll start plating things at 6:15. We try to not leave things sitting in a warmer any longer than necessary. If things sit longer than that, it’s probably because the speaker decided to drone on past when the meal was supposed to be served, or the attendees preferred to elongate the cocktail hour and we can’t get them to come sit the hell down for dinner 😃 ---
**Author:** ![overlyverbose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/9dc877/32.png) [@overlyverbose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/overlyverbose)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2009, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-psychological-theories-about-why-people-who-shop-at-natural-food-stores-are-so-damn-rude/498834/86 "2009-06-10T16:01:28Z")
> [@iftheresaway](#): > > Man - why all the hate for vegetarians in this thread? I’ve been a vegetarian for 13 years, and I have to say I get FAR more shit – vast, unexplored planets worth of shit – for not eating meat than I have ever seen a vegetarian give a meat-eater. I eat what I want to eat for my own reasons, others (including my husband and every other member of my family and all of my friends with a single exception) choose differently, which is fine. I don’t see a lot of hate for vegetarians in the thread, mostly a hate for judgmental extremists. It’s fine to want to do things one way; it’s not fine to look down on others because they don’t do things the way you (general you) do. ---
**Author:** ![puddleglum](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puddleglum/32/137_2.png) [@puddleglum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puddleglum)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2009, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-psychological-theories-about-why-people-who-shop-at-natural-food-stores-are-so-damn-rude/498834/87 "2009-06-10T20:56:58Z")
People have a need to feel good about themselves. Some people fulfill this need by treating others well, some people fulfill it by shopping at the correct store. There was an interesting article a month or so back about how food has replaced sex as the focus of morality. I believe it has to do with how STDs are much more easily curable than the lifestyle diseases associated with poor diets. ---
**Author:** ![Anne\_Neville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Anne\_Neville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anne_Neville)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2009, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-psychological-theories-about-why-people-who-shop-at-natural-food-stores-are-so-damn-rude/498834/88 "2009-06-10T21:12:47Z")
> [@puddleglum](#): > > There was an interesting article a month or so back about how food has replaced sex as the focus of morality. [Here it is.](http://www.hoover.org/publications/policyreview/38245724.html) ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2009, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-psychological-theories-about-why-people-who-shop-at-natural-food-stores-are-so-damn-rude/498834/89 "2009-06-10T22:00:21Z")
My bet would be that it has something to do with dress and/or group identification. I noticed this during my ten-year vegetarian stint, in shops like Circling Dawn & Sweet Cherubim on Vancouver’s hippy-dippy Commercial Drive: If I was stopping in to pick up some victuals directly from work (and therefore wearing a slacks, a collared shirt & tie, etc) then I would be treated like some hideous creeping _thing_ that had stumbled into the halls of Shambhala, tracking mud and shit all over the priceless and ephemeral rugwork. If, on the other hand, it was the weekend and I was wearing my non-conformist uniform (second-hand bright orange Cambodian peasant top and psychedelic batik denim pants with combat boots, or some similar outrageous get-up; I did a ridiculous amount of LSD back then…) then this sort of errand was like a trip through Mr. Rogers’ Neighbourhood - everyone was helpful, friendly, and welcoming. I used to make crude stencil t-shirt designs. (Glow-in-the-dark “Bob” Dobbsheads, Discordian jokes, etc.) Based on this common experience, I had vague plans to make one that said “It’s just _textiles_, you dogmatic, judgmental robots!” Of course, the intended recipients of this message would be _certain_ that it was directed at those _other_ people, and would just say “Hey, cool shirt, man.” The little deluded dupes. ---
**Author:** ![InterestedObserver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/838e76/32.png) [@InterestedObserver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/InterestedObserver)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2009, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-psychological-theories-about-why-people-who-shop-at-natural-food-stores-are-so-damn-rude/498834/90 "2009-06-11T01:18:18Z")
Hmmm, I’ve noticed this phenomenon as well (but also noticed plenty of rude individuals elsewhere)…hardly a scientific study. My theory, as one who HAS shopped in such stores frequently (never exclusively but for certain items I couldn’t get elsewhere and due to location…as in right down the street as opposed to 3 miles away when I rode a bike as my only transportation) is that 1. many who shop such stores are rich, faux hippie assholes. Seriously. They consider themselves above most everyone and yet harbor a deep-seated insecurity because they so desperately want to be “hippies” and rebel but in fact ARE stinking rich Yuppies…so they hate everyone else shopping there, from the actual poor hippies to their fellow yuppies (who just remind them of their own status). They reserve special hatred for the “middle classers” who just drop in for a few items and hurry out. 😃 1. Many who shop (or WORK) in such places tend to do so mainly for the experience of being SEEN doing so. They see it as a STATEMENT of their BELIEFS and DEDICATION to the CAUSE. Sad but true. They are so preoccupied with their own special experience of being there, as if they are on some reality tv show, that they are pretty much oblivious to everything going on around them. I personally appreciate the availability of such stores and the products they offer, but the prices are ridiculous (even for me, who is willing to pay more for certain things), the service sucks (come on…you are a frickin’ stockboy, not a rock star…quit gliding around looking cool and get me my damned Sucanaut! :rolleyes::p), and the atmosphere really gets on my nerves. :mad: I say all this as a vegetarian/vegan and environmentally conscious person. I cannot STAND pretensious, self-righteous people and there DO seem to be a great many of them at such locations. JME. As for the idiots loudly proclaiming their dogma in the restaraunt, I feel the same of them as I do about Fundamentalist Christians doing the same in public places. (even though I happen to INSIST upon brown rice with my veggie Asian dishes. :D) ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2009, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-psychological-theories-about-why-people-who-shop-at-natural-food-stores-are-so-damn-rude/498834/91 "2009-06-11T01:20:05Z")
They’re hungry. ---
**Author:** ![jackdavinci](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackdavinci/32/3259_2.png) [@jackdavinci](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackdavinci)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2009, 9:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-psychological-theories-about-why-people-who-shop-at-natural-food-stores-are-so-damn-rude/498834/92 "2009-06-11T09:33:41Z")
There’s a lot of hippie laid back casual people that shop there that are pretty friendly, but it also attracts a lot of yuppie types who can often havea somewhat snobby attitude either because they feel they are better than other people or because they have more money. I also find it weird when young people into things like saving the earth and eating vegan are smokers. The truth is people are complex, compartmentalized, and works in progress. Progress in one area doesn’t always translate to progress in all areas. Same thing with extremely smart people (physicists) with poor common sense (not wearing a jacket in cold weather). ---
**Author:** ![busterbloodvessel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e9c0ed/32.png) [@busterbloodvessel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/busterbloodvessel)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2009, 9:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-psychological-theories-about-why-people-who-shop-at-natural-food-stores-are-so-damn-rude/498834/93 "2009-06-11T09:52:34Z")
In my experience, people shopping at vegan/vegetarian/heath-food markets are among the friendliest people you could hope to meet. This was mostly in Eugene, Oregon. Probably all the pot. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2009, 11:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-psychological-theories-about-why-people-who-shop-at-natural-food-stores-are-so-damn-rude/498834/94 "2009-06-11T11:13:54Z")
> [@Zsofia](#): > > I’ve never met a vegan in a good mood. Just sayin’. Serious question: are you maybe an asshole to vegans, putting them in a bad mood whenever they’re around you? I’ve met plenty of vegans, and while some of them are humorless twits, others certainly aren’t. One of the most ebullient, cheerful teachers at my school is vegan, which I only found out when our principal gave every teacher an expired box of Stouffer’s Stuffing as a back-to-school present, and she asked if anyone wanted hers. In fact, when I say that some vegans are humorless twits, I say that on faith: I can’t actually think of any humorless twit vegans I’ve known. Similarly, at natural foods stores, I don’t recall ever encountering rudeness. Then again, I very rarely encounter rudeness at any store I go to. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2009, 11:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-psychological-theories-about-why-people-who-shop-at-natural-food-stores-are-so-damn-rude/498834/95 "2009-06-11T11:19:39Z")
> [@asterion](#): > > Moral of the post: Don’t drag an organic chemist who works in pharma to a natural foods store. An alternate moral of the story would be for the organic chemist to learn that words like “organic” can have more than one definition and that both definitions can be legitimate uses of the word :). (Seriously, what I’m hearing sounds like some of y’all are very thin-skinned, self-righteous, and rude at natural food stores, revel in being offended at the rudeness of the people there, and somehow feel like you’re getting one-up on the people you view as self-righteous by showing yourselves as better than them. Not all y’all, but some of y’all.) ---
**Author:** ![Zjestika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/8edcca/32.png) [@Zjestika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zjestika)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2009, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-psychological-theories-about-why-people-who-shop-at-natural-food-stores-are-so-damn-rude/498834/96 "2009-06-11T21:15:04Z")
> [@Auntbeast](#): > > Can’t a gal get a bottle of Dr. Bronners with out the rest of the crap? Yes! Use [Vitacost.com](http://Vitacost.com)! [Dr. Bronner’s](http://www.vitacost.com/Dr-Bronners-Liquid-Soap) is cheaper there anyway. Pretty much anything you can get in the Health and Beauty department at Whole Foods can be ordered from there and it’s always way cheaper. (Not a shill, I promise.) ---
**Author:** ![Zjestika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/8edcca/32.png) [@Zjestika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zjestika)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2009, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-psychological-theories-about-why-people-who-shop-at-natural-food-stores-are-so-damn-rude/498834/97 "2009-06-11T21:29:10Z")
Sorry to double post. I used to work at a local co-op and found that the management was the worst I’ve ever experienced in my working career. Employees were treated poorly and HR was a joke. I can’t even believe some of the things that happened, including someone getting fired after his leg was broken at work, an employee freely allowed to stalk another employee with no intervention, and a department manager who gossiped to his employees about people in his department under his management who for whatever reason he didn’t like. It was so dysfunctional. I would have thought that social values would extend to the employees. It’s like they used up all their energy projecting a do-gooder attitude to the community and had none left for the employees. My life changed dramatically for the better when I left that job. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-psychological-theories-about-why-people-who-shop-at-natural-food-stores-are-so-damn-rude/498834.md?page=4)