Is this an appropriate discussion?

amother

Emerald

Thu, Jan 02 2025, 11:38 am

AhuvasIma wrote:

I bring that up all the time. There's no judgement on my part on what you're doing, you're probably clueless. But I think it's a great topic of discussion and one of my favorites.

Lol, saying someone is clueless is a judgment

↑ AhuvasIma

Thu, Jan 02 2025, 11:59 am

amother Emerald wrote:

Lol, saying someone is clueless is a judgment

I get that. But what I mean is, I just feel like they are a tinok shenishbah, so I'm not judging why they are making these decisions. I understand it's what they know, any I do me and you do you.

watergirl ↓

Thu, Jan 02 2025, 12:04 pm

mha3484 wrote:

Normal depends on how much time they spend talking about it. If its all you can talk about during a whole 2 hour meal then I would be super uncomfortable. Its a topic that inspires a lot of self righteousness and judgmentalism. This comes from someone who really appreciates healthy eating. I have been buying my toiletries at whole foods for as long as I can remember but I dont need to talk about it.

I agree with you. I think, on the topic of being crunchy and natural only, there’s a line between feeling passionately about something and eating disorder. Orthorexia is a legitimate eating disorder. When people cannot stop this line of thinking and conversation, it’s really inappropriate and a bigger problem.

↑ watergirl ↓

Thu, Jan 02 2025, 12:08 pm

AhuvasIma wrote:

I bring that up all the time. There's no judgement on my part on what you're doing, you're probably clueless. But I think it's a great topic of discussion and one of my favorites.

I’m not clueless, I just don’t care. At best, the topic bores me. At worst, I wonder why the host is not more aware that the guests are bored by the conversation.

As a host, part of my job is to make sure that all of my guests Our engaged and happy with the conversation. If I see my Guests are not participating happily in a conversation then I changed the topic.

amother

Tangerine

Thu, Jan 02 2025, 12:14 pm

I'm very crunchy. I avoid this topic of conversation like the plague both as a guest and a host because I know it makes people feel patronized. Even though I don't judge anyone's habits at all.
If someone brings it up or asks my opinion on something I try to answer vaguely and steer the conversation away.
I will discuss it with other people I know are crunchy though.

zaq ↓

Thu, Jan 02 2025, 12:17 pm

Nothing inappropriate about it. It's too bad you felt uncomfortable, but since you weren't the hostess serving impure foods, you weren't being dissed. No different from everyone at table supporting one candidate or party or, lehavdil, hashkafa, and you being odd woman out supporting an opposing one. Unpleasant to be on the other side of the seesaw but in no way was the topic inappropriate. Talking about s*x would be inappropriate. Talking about disgusting personal hygiene or other repulsive habits would be inappropriate. Graphic descriptions of surgery or childbirth would be inappropriate. Get the drift?

amother

↑ OP ↓

Thu, Jan 02 2025, 12:17 pm

It was brought in to every conversation the entire shabbos. Somehow something was about big pharma trying to kill us and we need to eat this or that or have this supplement or not use something and then life will be perfect.
This is going to sound like a strange analogy but I felt like I was in the presence of Evangelists.
In my opinion the bringing it up in other contexts didn't bother me as much as discussing it while we are all trying to enjoy a shabbos meal.

amother

↑ OP ↓

Thu, Jan 02 2025, 12:20 pm

zaq wrote:

I wasnt asking if talking about health and food in this was an inappropriate topic (as relations and bathrooms topics would be) ,I was asking if it was not an appropriate time to have such a discussion while eating the shabbos meal.
Btw many people do not discuss politics at the table or any polarizing style topics at the shabbos table.

↑ bookstore15 ↓

Thu, Jan 02 2025, 12:25 pm

amother OP wrote:

It means into the natural healthy organic clean lifestyle

I've never heard this term. Is it chasidish slang or something?
I don't think it's a polarizing topic, you just happened to be by strange people who seemed obsessive.
Nobody is "anti-healthy foods". People just have different priorities, and these people are a little overboard I guess

amother

Cyclamen

Thu, Jan 02 2025, 12:27 pm

I don’t wear a shaitel for tznius reasons. I’d have a few screws loose if I started talking about how bad shaitels are at a table of women who wear shatels (even if they are not wearing them at the moment).

I agree with you OP it’s annoying and judgmental. You are entitled to your choices and not all of their science is even science.

amother

NeonBlue

Thu, Jan 02 2025, 12:27 pm

amother OP wrote:

So what DO they talk about?

↑ watergirl ↓

Thu, Jan 02 2025, 12:30 pm

zaq wrote:

If my hosts were talking about food quantities, you'd bet I'd be self-conscious and the meal would be ruined for me!

Genius ↓

Thu, Jan 02 2025, 12:38 pm

amother OP wrote:

It felt very patronizing. I'm not sure if I'm explaining it right. They were speaking very judgementally about all of it.
I am actually very educated but there are other reasons why people are not eating perfectly clean or their entire life doesn't revolve around organic products etc.
I actually don't think I would ever have them in my home because it's clear that they think very lowly of peasants who don't prioritize clean lifestyle like they do.

At least two posters tried telling you that you’re ignorant/misinformed which is why you didn’t appreciate the conversation. So apparently patronizing is what it was.
I don’t think the conversation is rude or inappropriate in general. If it morphs into a conversion/missionizing conversation it makes sense that you’ll feel uncomfortable.

Fox

Thu, Jan 02 2025, 12:38 pm

amother OP wrote:

Your hosts have apparently turned their eating into a hobby, and it's always rude to drone on about hobbies with those who don't share them.

Yes, you can briefly share how you got started quilting and a few thoughts about it. Or tell a lighthearted anecdote about the time your purebred poodle won Best in Show. But unless you're at a gathering of quilters or dog breeders -- no! Even a few questions on the part of your guests shouldn't be an invitation to dominate the conversation with hobby talk.

And, yes, "evangelism" is exactly what it is. Trying to convince people in a social setting to feel as passionately as you do about an issue is in bad taste (no pun intended).

↑ Genius

Thu, Jan 02 2025, 12:42 pm

Fox wrote:

It seems like it’s more than a hobby for crunchy people.
It’s patronizing to assume that anyone who doesn’t believe what you do, is misinformed or ignorant. Seems like a common theme in the “crunchy” community based off this thread alone. It’s almost comical.

↑ zaq ↓

Thu, Jan 02 2025, 12:43 pm

bookstore15 wrote:

I've never heard this term. Is it chasidish slang or something?
ss

Hahahahaha! Not at all. It's a popular term for people who are into health, nature, and the environment. Similar to "tree-hugger" with less emphasis on ecology and more on lifestyle. Probably coined because natural foods contain more fiber, hence "crunch," than highly processed foods. (Though granola actually crunches less than Fritos.)