I went vegan in August of last year. I am the first to admit I have not been perfect and have made heaps of mistakes. However it has been the best lifestyle change I have ever made. I feel more justified in my love for animals. I feel healthier, happier, more in control of my nutrition and have more energy than ever.
Unfortunately, there seems to be an aspect of competitiveness in this lifestyle. People trying to outdo each other, constantly trying to go one step further than the last person, and then judging others for not being exactly the same as they are. Going so far to cut important people out of their lives because they aren’t vegan.
Another thing I’ve noticed from this lifestyle is that many vegans forget that people are more important than animals. Truly think about this before becoming angry or agitated. I’ve seen people judging starving families in poverty stricken African nations for eating meat. The ‘first world’ impression of veganism is not helped by acting like this. Compassion for people as well as animals ensures we are living the most ethical life we can live.
We can’t do everything. Anything we can do helps. Even if its as simple as having Meat Free Mondays – so many families have embraced this as a trend now, imagine how many animals its saved! Let’s celebrate each other and the great things we’re all doing to help animals AND people. I’ve created a little list here on things we should all focus on:
- Stop thinking you’re better than other vegans or vegetarians, or even meat eaters, you’re not. If you find yourself getting a big head, remember how privileged we are to be able to make these decisions for ourselves. Strip back to basics, we have a roof over our head, people who love us, food in our bellies. Life is good.
- Every little bit helps, even non-vegos who are lowering their meat intake are doing well. Gentle encouragement, education and acting positive about this lifestyle will give others a good image in their minds to refer back to.
- People who haven’t even gone vegan or vegetarian yet but want to, are still doing good. Young people, people who are sick or can’t make decisions for themselves, you’re all doing wonderfully and I praise all of you.
- Do not sit there in your child-made sweatshop Nikes and tell other people they aren’t as good a vegan as you. You have actively contributed to child labour, and honestly, we probably all have. So unless we all make a conscious effort to not only shop and buy cruelty free for animals, but also cruelty-free for humans, none of us can really pass judgement.
- The bitterness and perceived ‘hippy’ element of the vegan community really isn’t helping its cause, today I watched a video on someone who decided to stop showering? Dude! No! There are vegans everywhere, from vegan kids in primary and high schools right up to the health conscious vegan in the boardroom at a stellar company who fosters animals in his spare time. That ‘Oh my god vegans are such hippies and they smoke weed and eat nothing but grass’ image still exists, but we have to push forward to get rid of it. It’s helping that so many amazing vegan food bloggers are popping up and truly showing people how amazingly delicious vegan food can be.
Eating a diet high in fruits and veggies will make you feel better whatever lifestyle you prescribe to
- Passing judgment on others decisions is exactly what we do not want people doing to us, so why do we do it to others? Be kind in your education and if they do not listen, just drop it, don’t let something like eating meat or not ruin a good friendship or relationship, good people are so hard to find, hold onto them.
- Chiding people because they are trying is going to want to make people quit, not continue. Everyone has different strengths and weaknesses, pointing out the negatives of something that someone is trying to improve is not the way to help them.
- A lot of vegans forget about peoples FEELINGS. There are some incredibly rude YouTubers out there giving people ‘no bullshit’ advice that just makes them look like horrible people to be around. Fine they are vegan, but would I want to be their friend? Hell no! While that advice may work for some people, it’s guaranteed to fail more times than it will succeed. People who use the sayings “I just speak the truth” or “I have no filter!!!” are often about to say something mean and not feel bad about it.
WHO CARES if someone is a healthy vegan, a junk food vegan, a good cook, a bad cook, a vegetarian, a meat eater who only eats it occasionally, a meat eater who is actively reducing their intake, we’re all doing good in this world, and the sooner we all accept each other how we are, and support each others respective journeys, the happier we will all be. : )
Morning Frost 
Yes totally agree! Love being Vegan!!
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Totally agree. Your diet choice shouldn’t be some weird meritocracy where vegans reside at the top and everyone is below. That is not what it’s about! It is something to take pride in, but not something to hate others over!
beejington.com
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The most compelling reason to reduce the meat in one’s diet is climate change. The energy lost and emissions produced in raising animals for meat is the main reason I’ve cut back.
I see domestic animals as an extension of human damage to the planet, so sad videos about calves don’t move me. Wild places and native animals are my motivation. My goal is to become an invasivore: reducing my meat intake to invasive species that have been removed from native ecosystems, such as rabbits and deer. Right now, cost and living arrangements don’t allow it often. But in terms of ethical meat, it’s the way to go, and I’m disappointed that there isn’t a larger invasivore movement. You can save native habitat from feral species and still eat meat! It’s a win-win!
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I like your posts, finally some balance on this issue . Bravo!
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As someone who is currently omnivorous and wants to become vegetarian and maybe vegan, I’m glad that as someone a part of the vegan community you have acknowledged this. I have so many people who are vegan on facebook and whilst I get that they’re trying to educate people the way in which they go about it is so nasty and condescending. I get that consumption of meat does somewhat effect the whole global community but non vegans (most of them) respect vegans’ choice to not eat animal products, it would be so great if the more extremist and angry vegans could understand that at the end of the day its someones choice what they choose to eat and if that doesn’t agree with the vegan lifestyle then its THEIR choice and they should respect it.
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Could not agree more. I think it’s especially worth noting that not many people have been vegan since they were born, so it’s a little hypocritical for them to judge others on their journeys to a plant based lifestyle when they would have been the same at some point. We should be encouraging and supportive of everyone who wants to make a difference in this world – not just vegans.
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Yes! You’ve written down so many of my thoughts in this post. I’m a meat eater but very open to hearing and learning more about other ways of eating, purely because i’d love to incorporate a little bit of everything into my lifestyle. I think that what it comes down to is doing what is best for YOU and what YOU feel most comfortable with. We need to stop judging each other on the things we are or aren’t doing. If we would just stop doing that, I’m sure people who be a lot more open and curious about other lifestyles. Cheers for writing this.
Would you be interested in sharing your thoughts and posts with our community of health, fitness and nutrition enthusiasts over at “The Active You”? We’d love to hear what you have to say. You can check us out over at https://www.facebook.com/groups/theactiveyou!
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I love your post, but sense a little anger in its tone.
I have been Vegan for two years and also love it from the health aspect as it has cured so many degenerative things that I was experiencing. But I also became Vegan primarily because of a life changing experience at an elephant sanctuary. I have become very aware that I can communicate with animals and feel their emotions.
My husband is an omnivore, and happily so it seems. I cannot change his mind but he has cut down his meat consumption for health reasons.
I believe humans became meat eaters during ice ages when little plant life can be found. Grazing animals (both then and now) can convert the almost inedible, low nutrient grasses into something that could sustain them. We humans tapped into their resources to survive and of course we had to learn to cook the meat to reduce the bacteria present. Humans are not carnivores, so our ability to digest meat is inefficient in comparison with our ability to digest plant foods such as fruits, nuts, legumes and vegetables.
I do not preach to meat eaters. It is their choice, but I do recommend that they look into a plant based diet as a way to improve their own health and as a means to reducing the overcrowding at meat production facilities where animals are subjected to harsh and often cruel living conditions.
A kinder humanity will be one that considers all living creatures as well as their own species. It isn’t about judgement, it is about caring for all species on the planet. It doesn’t matter how poor you are (I have seen much poverty across the world), or what you eat, but rather that you can have empathy for another living soul!
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This is spot on. There was a sense of leftover anger as I had been provoked by actions prior to write this post in the first place.
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