Vegans and their totally cray-zay antics

[Dwarf]

At least one...

As they say in Catalonia, Bon profit.

 

[Cutaway]

My, you're touchy. Anything the mater with your self-esteem? Right, let's go through this together from the beginning. We have an ASDA product label here saying "Plant based mashed potato". This is of course absolutely hilarious to some people on here (not necessarily including you), because we all know potatoes are plants, so this is some sort of new-fangled silliness, right?
You say "I assume they're trying to say there's no butter or cream in it but it still looks like a particularly stupid tautology." Considering that the marketing people at ASDA probably earn more than me and you put together, we might take this one step further. Would these highly-paid professionals who are supported by psychologists, statisticians and whatnot really use what looks like a particularly stupid tautology and make a laughing stock of their company? Probably not. So, we might try finding out what possible reasons they have for labelling their mashed potatoes "plant-based". Are "plant-based mashed potatoes" really the same level of stupidity as "pesticide free girders"? What do mashed potatoes normally contain? Well, potatoes, of course, anything else? O yes, butter, and some people use cream or milk, which are all dairy products...[just as you said, of course].
We think a bit further, roughly along the following lines: 'This is obviously meant for customers who consider it important that what they buy is in some way plant-based. What does that epithet mean? Is that even the right question? Linguistics never tires of pointing out that the meaning of a word is defined by how it is used [yes, I highlighted this especially for you, my scientifically-minded friend who values unambiguous definitions so much]. I know, let's google this! Ah, here's something from Merriam-Webster, who are one of the biggest publishers of dictionaries. They probably know what they are talking about. Let's see...aha, they say it's a new word, "showing greatly increased use, in a variety of settings. It is routinely applied to meat substitutes, and to non-food stuffs which contain no animal products." This seems to tie in with our supposition that it all has to do with how food is marketed. Right, let's read on..."However, over the several decades that plant-based has been in use, it has come to mean different things to different people. Some use it synonymously with the adjectival form of vegan, others think it is closer to vegetarian (insofar as something plant-based may contain animal products, such as dairy or eggs, although no flesh), while others still employ the word in a self-explanatory fashion, reasoning that any food or product which is largely based on plants deserves this label"...yeah, well, that's all sort of obvious, but in any case "plant-based" is some sort of synonym for "vegetarian" or "vegan", something to do with a need to fell that no animals were harmed. Let's keep reading..."In many instances it can be difficult to say why speakers choose to distinguish between vegan and plant-based; possible reasons include a perceived animus toward vegans, or the desire to be semantically precise". Well, that sounds plausible: The label "plant-based mashed potatoes" is designed to appeal to customers who want food they feel they can eat with a clear conscience as no animals were harmed in its production, but who might be wary of something labelled 'vegan' as this sounds a bit quirky and not particularly tasty. Right, we seem to have come to the preliminary conclusion that "plant-based" here is a synonym for "vegetarian" with the psychological advantage (which will manifest itself in sales figures - numbers never lie!) that it doesn't conjure up the associations with asceticism and general joylessness that "vegetarian" does. Looks reasonable to me. At first sight "plant-based mashed potatoes" might look like a particularly stupid tautology, but it isn't; it has a clearly discernible meaning and purpose, and we can all stand down. Maybe what something looks like at first sight isn't as important as whether and how it works?

Paragraphs.

They're legal these days.

 

[37ucv67i]

Nothing's wrong with my ability to break posts into paragraphs either.

Whatever, dude, although that seems rather petty-minded.

So what I said was right then? Glad we cleared that up.

You seem to value being right a lot more than you value being a constructive participant in a reasonable discussion. How has that been working out for you in your life so far?

Describing mashed plants as 'plant based' is daft. Funnily enough maybe they agree, given I can't find the 'plant based' mashed potatoes on their website? Online Food Shopping - ASDA Groceries 165 results for 'plant based and 'mash' does not appear in them. Lots of 'plant based' sausages, curries, lasagne, spaghetti bolognese etc. but no mashed potatoes. Strange.

I can just imagine your triumphant smile as you typed that. Well, interestingly enough, ASDA sell this item on their website as "Vegan Mash", whereas the actual package as pictured there says "Plant based mashed potato", so it would seem that ASDA don't agree after all. Make of that what you will. I suppose this will confirm you in your belief about being right. If that makes you happy, fine. Nighty-night.

 

[37ucv67i]

Paragraphs.

They're legal these days.

But not compulsory. In case you missed it, that is supposed to mirror an actual thought process to aid @Ortholith in understanding what I'm talking about. Do you think in paragraphs in everyday life?

 

[Ortholith]

You seem to value being right a lot more than you value being a constructive participant in a reasonable discussion. How has that been working out for you in your life so far?

Just to recap, you jumped on something I said (which was correct) because I used the word 'assume' and claimed that made me an ass, then posted a useless google link before a page of waffle, yet you're the one being a 'constructive participant'.

I can just imagine your triumphant smile as you typed that. Well, interestingly enough, ASDA sell this item on their website as "Vegan Mash", whereas the actual package as pictured there says "Plant based mashed potato", so it would seem that ASDA don't agree after all. Make of that what you will. I suppose this will confirm you in your belief about being right. If that makes you happy, fine. Nighty-night.

Vegan mashed potatoes? Fine. Plant based mashed potatoes? Stupid. Sweet dreams.

 

[Lardbeast]

...The mini phantoms have the option of meat or non meat - they do like a Quorn roast

I'd stab the milkman in the face if I were you.

 

[Lardbeast]

You sound like Gollum

“We like goblinses, batses and fishes. But we hasn’t tried Hobbitses before. Is it soft? Is it juicy?”

Yessss...

 

[Lardbeast]

View attachment 540227

Singapore airlines serve their Bloody Marys with a shot of beef bouillon. Very lush...

 

[lokiuk]

My aunt is one of those very irritating militant vegans.
She believes that everyone is allowed an opinion provided it's hers.
She helped speed up her own mother's death by removing all animal based foods from her, leaving her with sod all of any nutritional value.
I will continue to eat animals just to piss her off.
(Mrs phantom is a vegetablist - well a pescatarian and we manage to eat without fighting. The mini phantoms have the option of meat or non meat - they do like a Quorn roast)

A quorn roast, is that like a spit roast for Vegans?

 

[wrinklyone]

 

[Cutaway]

But not compulsory. In case you missed it, that is supposed to mirror an actual thought process to aid @Ortholith in understanding what I'm talking about. Do you think in paragraphs in everyday life?

I don't believe even you understand what you're talking about.

 

[Londo]

 

[wrinklyone]

 

[deanol]

Why are all the pictures of bacon that stupid spam-based streaky bacon instead of the proper British stuff...

 

[Dwarf]

 

[theoriginalphantom]

 

[theoriginalphantom]

 

[LouisetheSleaz]

But not compulsory. In case you missed it, that is supposed to mirror an actual thought process to aid @Ortholith in understanding what I'm talking about. Do you think in paragraphs in everyday life?

Yep..

 

[wrinklyone]

 

[adouglasmhor]

If you take a good look at the picture there is one protester wearing Birkenstock’s and one wearing doctor martins I may be corrected but as far as I’m aware neither of these products are plastic.

Vegan Birkenstocks have been out for about 20 years, vegan docs only about 15.

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