Veganism. So, let’s start off with what that actually means. There’s no universal definition, but the one provided by The Vegan Society offers a good perspective: “A philosophy and way of living which seeks to exclude—as far as is possible and practicable—all forms of exploitation of, and cruelty to, animals for food, clothing or any other purpose; and by extension, promotes the development and use of animal-free alternatives for the benefit of humans, animals and the environment. In dietary terms it denotes the practice of dispensing with all products derived wholly or partly from animals.” The next question would be as to why someone should adopt this lifestyle and truthfully, there is no universal answer to that. It’s for every person to decide for themselves why they want to follow this path. However, the motivations can be broadly grouped into the following three categories: 1. Ethics: Many people are of the opinion that there is no moral justification for us to exploit and kill animals if there is no extenuating circumstances or reasons for us to do so. If we can both live and thrive off of a plant-based diet, what moral justification is there then for us to harm animals? 2. Environmental concerns: An overwhelming balance of evidence supports the conclusion that animal agriculture is one of the main drivers of climate change and environmental destruction and/or degradation. 3. Health: There is an overwhelming body of good evidence that a whole food plant-rich diet or plant-based diet is both health promoting and preventative in regards to disease, especially many of the main killers, such as heart disease, stroke and certain types of cancer. Those are just some of the reasons that people may choose to adopt this lifestyle. Personally, I transitioned initially based on environmental concerns. Concern for the animals and my health came much later. Now, does veganism require you to become a ‘YouTube activist’, chain yourself to trees in a rainforest, save pigs from a slaughterhouse or only wear tie-dye shirts? Absolutely not. You can be fully disinterested in any type of activism or direct action, but at least decide to not support people and industries that exploit animals and contribute to environmental destruction. It’s that simple. I’ll dive into the different topics in detail as I have the time. If anyone would be interested, I’d also share some personal anecdotes, but that’s only n=1, so take it as such. Here are some interesting videos for those who have some time: https://youtu.be/Z3u7hXpOm58 https://youtu.be/YnQb58BoBQw I welcome debate and contrarian views. I’m not fazed by trolling, but it does detract from the discussion. If it’ll make you feel better, throw out a barb, but know that I’ve heard and seen it all before.
