Being Vegan in a Speciesist World
posted by: Angel Flinn 16 days ago
This is part three of a three-part series. For more information, please read
Vegan 1-2-3: Introduction
"I will continue to be a vegetarian even if the whole world started to eat meat. This is my protest against the conduct of the world."
Isaac Bashevis Singer – Nobel Prize winning author
We live in a world where the vast majority of people consider it perfectly acceptable to use and kill nonhuman animals for food, clothing, entertainment and other unnecessary pleasures. Not only do we enslave, exploit, torture and slaughter animals by the tens of billions every year, we do so in order to provide ourselves with food and other products that we simply do not need. The growing number of vegans who live healthy, fulfilling lives are a testament to this.
Not only is this extreme violence against animals sanctioned by the legal structure of society and accepted almost without question by most people, but in some kind of bizarre confusion, it is actually promoted, encouraged, and even celebrated. This is true to such a degree that, when an individual chooses to reject violence against animals, and makes a personal commitment to provide for themselves without participating in this carnage, that individual does so at the risk of being criticized, insulted, ridiculed, and perhaps even accused of committing some sort of offense against society.
Taking into account this cultural context, becoming vegan does require us to step outside of the current paradigm. Becoming vegan means renouncing one's personal stake in the most widespread and socially accepted injustice of our time, and to do this, we have to be willing to see nonhuman slavery for what it is. That kind of honesty requires some candid reflection, and as a result, it's possible that some new vegans will experience a sense of alienation from others, including one's own family and friends, and possibly even society as a whole.
I believe it is this experience that often leads vegans to question their resolve, and in some cases, even go back on their commitment to nonviolence, in favor of greater assimilation within society. Because of the intense social pressure against vegan living, I think it's extremely important that people who are moved by the values of veganism be clear from the outset as to which is more important to them: living according to their own highest ideals, or being easily accepted by a larger social group that does not share those ideals? To a growing number of people, there is no question which matters more, but to many, it can make the difference between maintaining one's commitment and 'falling off the wagon'.
But this does not need to be the case. Rather than seeking acceptance by abandoning the practical application of one's moral principles, there are ways to find the sense of community we all need, by reaching out to other people who share our ideals.
As our collective awareness and understanding about the intrinsic rights of nonhuman animals grows, the vegan community is expanding all over the world. In many urban locations, there are vegan groups who meet for potlucks and social events, especially on occasions such as Thanksgiving, when many vegans are seeking an alternative to traditional gatherings which focus on the consumption of animal parts. Even for those who don't live near a city, the growing popularity of online venues is making it increasingly easy to reach others who have rejected their social conditioning in favor of a kinder, gentler, more peaceful way of life.
My advice to people who are not 100% confident about their commitment to vegan living is to do everything you can to educate yourself about why you are making this change. Read about it, learn about it, and keep reading and learning until you reach the point where the products of animal slavery no longer appeal to you. Once you really understand the reasons for being vegan, there is no social challenge that will make you question your resolve, and no degree of pressure will cause you to be tempted to break your commitment.
If you find that those around you do not understand your way of thinking, and if you feel that you are alone in your perspective, consider the positions of some of the greatest minds in history:
Albert Einstein:
"Our task must be to free ourselves… by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty."
Leonardo da Vinci:
"The time will come when men such as I will look upon the murder of animals as they now look on the murder of men."
Mahatma Gandhi:
"The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated."
Count Leo Tolstoy:
"Vegetarianism serves as a criterion by which we know that the pursuit of moral perfection on the part of humanity is genuine and sincere."
Socrates:
"The highest realms of thought are impossible to reach without first attaining an understanding of compassion."
And remember… You are in good company.
Please read the other parts to this series:
What Do Vegans Eat?
Health & Nutrition
Vegan 1-2-3: Introduction
"I will continue to be a vegetarian even if the whole world started to eat meat. This is my protest against the conduct of the world."
Isaac Bashevis Singer – Nobel Prize winning author
We live in a world where the vast majority of people consider it perfectly acceptable to use and kill nonhuman animals for food, clothing, entertainment and other unnecessary pleasures. Not only do we enslave, exploit, torture and slaughter animals by the tens of billions every year, we do so in order to provide ourselves with food and other products that we simply do not need. The growing number of vegans who live healthy, fulfilling lives are a testament to this.
Not only is this extreme violence against animals sanctioned by the legal structure of society and accepted almost without question by most people, but in some kind of bizarre confusion, it is actually promoted, encouraged, and even celebrated. This is true to such a degree that, when an individual chooses to reject violence against animals, and makes a personal commitment to provide for themselves without participating in this carnage, that individual does so at the risk of being criticized, insulted, ridiculed, and perhaps even accused of committing some sort of offense against society.
Taking into account this cultural context, becoming vegan does require us to step outside of the current paradigm. Becoming vegan means renouncing one's personal stake in the most widespread and socially accepted injustice of our time, and to do this, we have to be willing to see nonhuman slavery for what it is. That kind of honesty requires some candid reflection, and as a result, it's possible that some new vegans will experience a sense of alienation from others, including one's own family and friends, and possibly even society as a whole.
I believe it is this experience that often leads vegans to question their resolve, and in some cases, even go back on their commitment to nonviolence, in favor of greater assimilation within society. Because of the intense social pressure against vegan living, I think it's extremely important that people who are moved by the values of veganism be clear from the outset as to which is more important to them: living according to their own highest ideals, or being easily accepted by a larger social group that does not share those ideals? To a growing number of people, there is no question which matters more, but to many, it can make the difference between maintaining one's commitment and 'falling off the wagon'.
But this does not need to be the case. Rather than seeking acceptance by abandoning the practical application of one's moral principles, there are ways to find the sense of community we all need, by reaching out to other people who share our ideals.
As our collective awareness and understanding about the intrinsic rights of nonhuman animals grows, the vegan community is expanding all over the world. In many urban locations, there are vegan groups who meet for potlucks and social events, especially on occasions such as Thanksgiving, when many vegans are seeking an alternative to traditional gatherings which focus on the consumption of animal parts. Even for those who don't live near a city, the growing popularity of online venues is making it increasingly easy to reach others who have rejected their social conditioning in favor of a kinder, gentler, more peaceful way of life.
My advice to people who are not 100% confident about their commitment to vegan living is to do everything you can to educate yourself about why you are making this change. Read about it, learn about it, and keep reading and learning until you reach the point where the products of animal slavery no longer appeal to you. Once you really understand the reasons for being vegan, there is no social challenge that will make you question your resolve, and no degree of pressure will cause you to be tempted to break your commitment.
If you find that those around you do not understand your way of thinking, and if you feel that you are alone in your perspective, consider the positions of some of the greatest minds in history:
Albert Einstein:
"Our task must be to free ourselves… by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty."
Leonardo da Vinci:
"The time will come when men such as I will look upon the murder of animals as they now look on the murder of men."
Mahatma Gandhi:
"The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated."
Count Leo Tolstoy:
"Vegetarianism serves as a criterion by which we know that the pursuit of moral perfection on the part of humanity is genuine and sincere."
Socrates:
"The highest realms of thought are impossible to reach without first attaining an understanding of compassion."
And remember… You are in good company.
Please read the other parts to this series:
What Do Vegans Eat?
Health & Nutrition
Read more: culture, vegan, compassion, lifestyle, ethics, values, speciesism, animal welfare, animal rights
comments
http://www.vegsource.com/news/2009/11/fox-news-if-youre-still-eating-meat-this-is-what-youre-contributing-to.html
There are two kinds of meat, dairy, egg eaters.
Peple who are blind about horror of turning farm animals to pieces of meats and other people who are very well aware of farm animal cruelty but never put their effort to eliminate animal products.
I was attacked by many people on pet lovers forums and some Christian forums when I posted messages against consumption of animal products but I am not discouraged because any intelligent sane person knows brutality against innocent defenseless animals is serious crime and there is no justification for this injustice.
I have nothing against Christian knowing some of them are truly wonderful people and care about treatment of farm animals.
www.all-creatures.org
To be honest, I am born again believer myself.
http://www.vegsource.com/news/2009/11/fox-news-if-youre-still-eating-meat-this-is-what-youre-contributing-to.html
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People, please watch videoes below and if it is possible, show these two videos in churches, schools, community centers, libraries, and many other places where people are allowed to view.
www.peaceablekingdomfilm.org
www.witnessfilm.org
To create peaceful non violent society, we must increase numbers of vegans because true non violence begin with our eating choice!
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I cannot edit my message without 'edit icon'.
What I wanted to say was billions of factory farmed animals are tortured life long and killed in most inhumane manner.
I could also say 'killed most inhumanely'.
My suggestion to meat,dairy,egg lovers is to visit slaughterhouse and witness gruesome horror of murdering(I know the word 'murder' is used when we speak about killing people right?)
cows, pigs, chickens, and their babies.
This is only way for meat,dairy, egg eaters to realize what they are doing.
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When millions of people found out about Michael Vick's hideous crime against innocent defenseless pitbulls who weren't interest to fight or lost fight, these people were outraged.
We are all Michael Vicks knowing most people are eating farm animals who were tortured life long and killed in most inhumanely.
Any thinking person can understand the meaning of we(meat,dairy, egg lovers) are all Michael Vicks.
Over 85-90% of meat,dairy, eggs people eat are from factory farmed animals and
there is no such thing as humane meat,dairy,eggs from food animals.
Slaughter of animals is always cruel.
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It's true that the treatment of animals used for food is often abhorrent and very far from what most people would accept as 'humane'.
However, it is not their treatment that is at the core of the issue. Just as it would be unethical to enslave and kill humans *even if those humans were treated 'humanely'*, it is unethical to enslave and kill nonhumans, *even if those nonhumans are treated 'humanely'*.
Most of us in Western society would agree that it would be unethical for me to kill and eat my dog, even if I killed him with a painless injection in his sleep, and even if his life was spent as a beloved 'pet'. The same is true for all other animals.
It is only our speciesism that leads us to see it as being different in regard to cows, pigs, chickens, fishes and other animals traditionally used for food.
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http://www.vibrancyuk.com/dangersmeat.html
Link above is about connection between animal products consumption and cancer.
It is very rare for vegetarians to get cancer unless she(or he) is consuming dairy products or smoker.
www.notmilk.com
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Lori K, people make statement of farm animals they eat are raised humanely and killed humanely because they don't want to think themselves as insensitive cruel people.
I am sure if these people are lined up front of the wall and somebody aimed shot gun between their eyes, these people are terrified and trembling.
Cows and pigs react exactly same way in slaughterhouses.
Meat, dairy,egg eaters need to visit slaughterhouse and witness petrified eyes of trembling animals in sea of blood and scream!
Anybody who says animals don't suffer is liar.
Please visit heart warming website of www.tribeofheart.org
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People commenting here keep referring to the cruelty of killing in the wild, as if that somehow excuses them for eating dead animals.
Nature is extremely cruel! Only those who hunt the most effectively, therefore the most viciously, can obtain enough food to survive and pass on their genes. There offspring inherit these merciless predator genes, so they too can survive. There is no room in Nature for the weak, the handicapped, or the infirm.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but humans don't live in a natural world. We don't need to hunt to eat. We take care of our handicapped and infirm. We have the ability to reason, and reject those cruel behaviors (such as killing animals to eat them) that are no longer necessary for our survival.
You may make sure your animal products are "humanely raised", but are you sure they are humanely slaughtered? The term humanely raised means nothing, because there aren't enough inspectors to visit each farm claiming this, and making sure it is so.
Chickens and turkeys have their beaks popped off with a bottle opener type device, before they are slaughtered! Cows are kept pregnant year round, and their babies are taken away from them at birth. People working in slaughter houses think it's funny to hack off noses , legs, tails etc., while the animals are still alive. How can any of this be humane?
It's not. It's inhuman! It's sickening. Just admit that animal suffering is less important to you than meat. Stop arguing, and accept yourself.
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http://www.all-creatures.org/anex/index.html
People, do you still think animals are being treated humanely and killed humanely??
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Robbie B, if animal was not pitbull but cow, do you think people got upset as much as they did about euthanized pitbulls?
No, most people only care for cats and dogs and they call themselves animal lover without realizing these people are eating factory farmed animals who were tortured life long and killed cruelly!
If these cats and dog lovers have same degree of love for farm animals, there is no way for them to eat meat, dairy, eggs day after day without any hesitation.
Unlike companion animals, these farm animals are killed with bullets and knives while they are in full conscious.
I just cannot understand people.
Why some live stock farmers are afraid to get too attached with farm animals do you think?
Don't misunderstand me, I cannot blame on people who are angry about ASPCA for killing pitbull because I am angry myself.
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Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.
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