I Don’t Like Fish & The Grief That Causes People
I don’t like fish, anybody who knows me well will know this. It’s not for ethical reasons, I’m no vegetarian. I’d eat Lamb everyday if it wasn’t so expensive! It’s the taste, seafood is just repulsive to me.
I have found that people who really like fish, REALLY like fish. When I explain this to them they sometimes appear to be disappointed, confused and even hurt. I’ve often likened this to the five stages of grief.
I Don’t Like Fish – The 5 Stages of Grief
1. Denial
“You do like fish” my Dad says, “You used to eat it all the time when you was younger!”
At this point I remind him exactly why I used to eat it all the time. My family always ate at the table and as a child if you did not eat enough to satisfy my father, you stayed at the table. So yes, it is true, I used to eat seafood. However, it is because while all my friends were outside playing football, I was stuck inside staring down a disgusting “boil in the bag” fish in some foul white parsley sauce, holding my nose as I took a bite and asking my Dad after each “Is that enough?”.
2. Anger
Some people get very defensive of seafood, even to the point of anger. “Fresh fish doesn’t smell!” I hear them say. “Still tastes like seafood” is my reply. Some even go the pretentious route by saying, “Oh you, obviously haven’t had a good fish, cooked properly.”
3. Bargaining
This is my favorite response and the most common. “What about fish and chips?” they say “You are English!” they remind me. Nope, not even patriotism to a national dish will change my mind.
4. Depression
This is when people realize where I travel. “You have come to Newfoundland/the Algarve/New Orleans/Thailand, and you don’t like fish? That’s such a shame, they have some of the best seafood in the world there”. Some people seem genuinely disappointed that I travel to all these places and I will never experience this aspect of the local cuisine. While I agree a huge part of travel is about the food, Its not going to convert from my fishophobic ways.
5. Acceptance
Finally people do accept that I just don’t like seafood. It took me a while to accept it, I even tried different types. I was told fresh Tuna “doesn’t even taste like fish.” It does. I have embraced the fact I really don’t like fish and nowadays people really do accommodate me. Kelly asks when we eat out, “Do you mind if I get the fish?” I always let her, but tell her not to expect a kiss anytime soon.
As a child I rarely had fish. Occasionally Mom would buy frozen, breaded stuff in a freezer box and melt that for dinner but it wasn’t ’til I became an adult that the wonders of the sea were really opened up for me. Still, I respect your disgust and, as a right-thinking American, I would defend to the death your right to shun the sushi. . . .If you were a citizen.
P.S. – I feel about most organ meats the way you feel about fish.
Lee,
I feel your pain.
As you know I live in the country with the BEST fish in the world, and I still wont eat it.
Bridget
im not a gan of fish
I am right there with you on the fish! When I was growing up I had the same situation, but all we had was fish. My parents did not have a lot of money so they would constantly fish for our dinner and every night for weeks on end we would have what my dad would catch after he got home from work. If he did not catch anything it was a small bowl of soup (Thank God) for dinner that night.
After all, taste is different for different people.I mean everyone has their individual preferences. As for me I like fish, and seafood and other dishes from sea products. I really like the taste.
Oh man, if someone tried to make me eat something I didn’t like, I don’t think I’d even be that polite. I like fish, though, but taste is individual.
I agree totally – it is most annoying when people don’t take your food choices seriously. I am a vegetarian and I often get asked, “But you eat chicken, don’t you?” Or, “Well, just a little piece of wild boar then?” . . . .I do eat fish, very occasionally, about once every 5 or 6 weeks i started doing this as I got older and on the advice of a nutritionits. But I only eat freshwater fish – mainly trout and freshwater salmon (as long as it’s not from a salmon farm).
As for seafood – nooooooooooooooooooooooo – those huge prawns and mussels, ugh, they’ve spent their lives eating fish poo !
The fish is delicious and I love to eat fish. I love fish dishes
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