In the modern world, we have the freedom to choose what kind of food we want to eat and what we don’t. At the same time, we also have to tolerate that others also have this choice. Maybe they have their own specific diet, maybe they don’t pay too much attention to their diet label and just eat what they like. So, our task is to learn to live with each other and our eating habits.
Yet, sometimes doing so is a struggle. Like in this story, where vegans and non-vegans beefed (pun intended) due to the smell of meat. It all started with a small note and pretty soon it turned into a social media war.
In a world where we can all choose what we like to eat, we sometimes struggle to accept that those around us have the same choice
Image credits: Anastasia Shuraeva / Pexels (not the actual photo)
Two families were living together, one of them vegan, while the other enjoyed cooking and eating meat
The choice of diets and dietary practices nowadays is a seemingly never-ending list: from Atkins (avoiding high-carb foods), clean eating, and dairy-free diet to pescetarianism (eating fish, but not meat), vegetarianism, and veganism. Basically, there is definitely a label out there that can define your eating habits.
Image credits: Image credits: Kylie / Facebook
At the same time, when you choose to live by certain nutrition ideals, you have to deal with the fact that it doesn’t mean every single person around you will do the same. So, it’s natural that differences in diets sometimes lead to arguments.
Image credits: Image credits: Kylie / Facebook
That’s what happened in today’s story. Someone named Kylie, who we’ll call the OP today, got a letter from their neighbors. What should be noted is that these neighbors are vegans, so they don’t consume any type of animal products, such as eggs, milk, or meat.
Image credits: RDNE Stock project / Pexels (not the actual photo)
In this letter, the neighbors informed Kylie’s family that they are vegans. But it wasn’t only that; in fact, the letter was more like a complaint. Apparently, they are disgusted by the smell of meat, so they would appreciate it if the OP’s family would at least close the window when they’re cooking it.
Evidently, Kylie’s household didn’t take the letter seriously, despite the attached note that they should.
Image credits: Image credits: Kylie / Facebook
Instead of listening to the neighbors’ request, the non-vegans posted the letter online
Well, when neighbor disputes happen, according to the Metropolitan Police, the first step should be talking. In a way, it could be viewed that the OP’s neighbors took this step, but decided to do it in writing, not verbally.
And maybe that was the mistake. When it comes to discussing problems like that, eye-to-eye connection can be important, as it might come off as more sincere than simply leaving a note that might not be taken seriously. That’s what happened, after all.
Image credits: Image credits: Kylie / Facebook
Kylie’s family thought the note was so amusing, they decided to share it on social media, on the HeyPerth Facebook page, to be more specific. People who saw the post, let’s just say, were annoyed.
Image credits: MART PRODUCTION / Pexels (not the actual photo)
Some time later, the vegan family wrote another letter saying that they know about the social media posts and asking the same thing as the first time, only more seriously this time
They viewed the neighbors as entitled, someone who thinks their lifestyle is the most important and everyone should adhere to that, no matter their own lifestyles. So, they started jokingly (or not so jokingly) suggesting Kylie’s family have a BBQ near the neighbor’s windows to spread the smell even more.
Image credits: Image credits: Kylie / Facebook
Funnily enough, that’s what the OP’s family ended up doing. We know they did because some time later, a second letter from the neighbors also ended up online. This letter was an angrier one, calling out Kylie’s family for not taking the request seriously, having a vengeful BBQ, and posting about the whole thing online.
Image credits: Image credits: Kylie / Facebook
This letter also ended up on social media, showing that the non-vegan family reacted pretty flippantly to the threats written in it
To make sure the request would be taken more seriously this time, the neighbors decided to threaten that they’d be posting about the whole thing online too. So, basically, the simple annoying smell of meat turned into a full-blown war between neighbors, when all they could have done was to have a direct conversation to discuss how they could solve the problem in a way that pleases everyone.
Image credits: stockking / Freepik (not the actual photo)
How would you have handled the situation if you were in Kylie’s or the neighbors’ place? Share with us in the comments!
