urbpan | (no subject) (Reply)

In my nutrition class last night, something weird happened. My professor stated that vitamin B12 ONLY derives from animal sources (my subsequent research throws this into doubt). A couple of my classmates latched onto this: "Wait, does that mean that the B12 added to fortified foods [like soymilk] comes from animals? Then it isn't vegan!" These students were positively gleeful that they had learned something that they could throw in the face some vegan friend (or enemy).

I'm pretty sure that it isn't even accurate (it appears to me that B12 can be obtained from microbial sources, and IS, in the case of most vegetarian food fortified with it);
But the elated smugness of these students is fascinating to me. Are the vegans they know so obnoxious that they just can't wait to tell them off? Why are vegans so hated?

Most of the vegans I know aren't strident, they're just principled

(cross-posted in