English book kankusha 1

Controversial issues are topics, issues—or matters—that people often disagree on. These topics are difficult to talk about—especially when friends or family members have different or opposite opinions and viewpoints. This chapter suggests some ways to talk about our different ideas. At the end of the chapter there is a list of some common controversial topics—to help you practice talking about the ones that are most important to you. Conversation: Living with a vegan daughter MIGUEL: Say, John, I heard that your daughter has decided to follow a strictly vegan diet. How do you feel about this? JOHN: Well, I was upset about it at first, but she’s fourteen now, and feels strongly about not wanting to cause harm to animals. She’s a real animal lover—she’s even thinking about studying to be a veterinarian one day. She believes that animals love life and fear death. MIGUEL: But isn’t it true that vegans don’t eat dairy or other animal products either? I don’t see how using their products hurts the animals. JOHN: She maintains that the egg and dairy industries cause immense suffering and death as well. MIGUEL: But aren’t you worried that she’s not getting enough protein and calcium? JOHN: To be sure, it’s a challenge. She spends a lot of time reading labels and looking for plant-based solutions for all the nutrients she needs. It does seem unnatural to a lot of people in our society. But she’s serious about this, and I support her. MIGUEL: How does this affect the rest of the family? It seems unfortunate to me if the other kids feel guilty about having pizza—or a birthday cake! JOHN: If that happens, we will do everything we can to put a stop to it. Since this is her personal decision, she is the only one who should suffer—or benefit from—the consequences. MIGUEL: How would you feel if she stopped going to parties—or even if her friends stopped inviting her to join them—because she can’t eat what’s being served? JOHN: If that happened, of course I would be upset; I would find out how she feels about it, and also point out the social consequences to her. Then we could hopefully come up with a solution. I wouldn’t mind inviting all her friends over—and serving them traditional food! But we could also include ‘tastes’ of vegan food to show them that it’s not really scary. MIGUEL: I can’t believe that you are allowing your own daughter to follow this drastic diet! If I were you, I would encourage her to wait until she’s at least eighteen. JOHN: Well, we do believe that eating vegetables is good for your health, and we’re passionate about protecting the environment, too. Keep in mind that veganism is becoming more and more popular everywhere and there is scientific evidence that it can improve your health. Plus, there are more and more vegan products on the market every day.