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Comment by BinaryIdiot | Hacker News Reader

> If your litmus test for "viable" is what currently makes you the happiest you'll be blocked off from not only helping the world but likely helping yourself too.

I find that terribly narrow minded. It's not about "happiest". I've tried almost all of those before, several of them in multiple ways. I don't like the taste nor texture. So since I don't like the taste of what you like I am thusly being selfish and blocked from helping myself and the world?

This isn't how you win people over to your side. This is the type of thing that actually reinforces someone's opinion and makes it worse getting through to them.

Instead of trying to make yourself sound better than the person you want to convince of your position, you would be better off trying to find common ground and working from there.

"You catch more flies with honey than vinegar"

Best of luck.

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Taste is acquired, it is not in your genes. Of course you will find foods and tastes that were present through your whole life better than new textures and tastes. It's normal.

Eventually one either gets used and enjoys the new foods or makes tasty meals in combination.

For me, getting drunk and then eating the disgusting thing in the morning made me love it. It's undescribable how delicious things are when one is dehydrated and when the disgusting taste of beer was the only thing in the mouth the night before.

So that's exactly the point. One might rationally understand the flaws with meat, but taste, however it may be acquired, is difficult to change. I absolutely love meat but not exclusively. I also eat a lot of pinto and black beans and cook chick peas. However, none of the current options come close to offering the taste, texture and variety that comes with meat. And there are so many varieties! Meat from pigs, cows, goat, sheep/lamb, chicken, duck, turkey... they all have a unique taste. They change flavor and texture considerably depending on cooking style. You can cook them in different ways...essentially, meat offers much variety not offered currently by vegetarian substitutes.

Same thing a person grown on vegetables and fruits might say. Thousands of choices, all different in textures and tastes and can be combined into extremely delicious meals.

The quality of life is subjective and taste can easily be acquired in a way that one can continue feeling satisfied with the foods they eat.

What you might need is a tastebud reset, which can easily be accomplished and after that you'll find anything extremely delicious.

You mentioned that you've just tried an ingredient and didn't like it which isn't even comparable to your dietary regime which was filled with meat during an extremely long period of time. To acquire taste takes effort or some out of the ordinary measures (a week or two of one ingredient diet to reset the taste buds, or that alchohol trick repetatively etc.).

I did not say, and would not, say I am better than you or the average person. I have no idea who you are. I'm sure not the next Mr. Rodgers or what have you, maybe you are. What I can say is making the change to vegan made me better than I was, and it took me being open and making a change.

Honestly though, this comes up a lot "catching more flies with honey" but I don't think these things should be spoken about obliquely, truth should be spoken plainly. I spoke true to my experience and knowledge as best I could and tried to be as polite as I could. Best of luck to you as well.

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