Vegan because of THE ANIMALS. No other reason. Even if plant-based protein is not as good as meat protein (most likely not true, just propaganda), I still will be vegan for the rest of my life.
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Vegan because of THE ANIMALS. No other reason. Even if plant-based protein is not as good as meat protein (most likely not true, just propaganda), I still will be vegan for the rest of my life.
This is not to anybody in particular but if veganism is all about compassion (for animals both human and non-human) then all the 7 reasons noted are probably valid. If we're 'fighting an information battle' to convert omnis to veganism, why on earth should we restrict ourselves to using only 1 or 2 'weapons' from our 'armoury'?
(Sorry for the military terminology but I was brought up in the Salvation Army where such metaphors were used!)
lv:)
I notice that non-vegan people are open to a vegan diet when they learn of all the "health benefits" they would get from such a diet. I have a book called "Vegan: The New Ethics of Eating". I am sure lots of you have either heard of the book or have read it. Anyway, Erik Marcus, the author, I believe was brilliant in using the first half of the book to show all of the health benefits of eating a complete vegan diet, and than in the next half of the book he wallops the reader with the gory details of how food animals suffer horrendously to put food on the plate. This was my very first animal rights book and I think I chose a good one. I recommend it highly. I was already vegan when I read the book, but boy did I enjoy it (well not the second part, but you know what I mean).
Mainly for the animals. but also for my health now.
Hi Leedsveg:
Yes, all seven reasons apply to one becoming vegan, but I would venture to guess that most complete vegans are ethical vegans because they give up so much, not only in what they eat and do not eat, what they wear and do not wear, where they go and do not go for entertainment, what they use and do not use as far as personal and household products that test on animals or use animal products, how they rescue abused animals, if they are able to, on a moments notice, how they report animal abuse when they witness such abuse, who they listen to or not listen to on talk radio programs, and so much more. I was happy to find 2 people, one of which is on this forum, who feels that in 50 years, people will stop eating meat. I won't be around to see it, but there are times when I feel so fustrated and think that it will never happen because this world is all about money. For instance, why does each state have to have a zoo, and not only one zoo but many zoos in that one state. Zoos claim they are good for the animals because it educates people about animals that most people would never see in person. But these animals are taken from their natural environment, or they are raised for zoos. Most of the animals are living in a climate that is the complete opposite of the climate that they need and were originally from. It makes me sad to think that so many children are brought to zoos all over the world and enjoy seeing animals in a cage and not caring that they will be in that cage for the rest of their lives. I was taken to a zoo as a child too and did not give a thought about the animals' suffering. As an adult, I never went to a zoo again. Zoos are money making operations, and the suffering animals are making the money for people. Yet, people made a big thing over Michael Vick, the football quarterback that was caught running a dog fighting pit right at his home, and killing the dogs in such horrendous ways. Whether or not Michael Vick has been shown the way about animals, or if he just is faking it, what bothers me is that those very same people who thought that Vick was a monster, don't give a care about all the other LEGAL animal abuse activities that are going on, like rodeos, bull fighting, traveling petting zoos, horse drawn carriages in big cities, etc. I feel so sad when I go out in public and look at thousands of people caring about people, but not giving a rats ass about the suffering animals. Please don't get me wrong and think that I am being self-serving. I am just giving the reasons why I think that most vegans are ethical vegans.
On a lighter note, the below link is something to feel good about. Enjoy.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zVNTd...1&feature=fvwp
for the animals + for my health
it's a win-win! :)
Hi VeganLu
For the writer Joanne Stepaniak, veganism is much more than being nice to animals (and not using them for food or clothing).
As she says in 'Being Vegan'(pages 5+6)
'.... being vegan entail simply what a person does or doesn't eat - it comprises who a person is'
'People who are vegan attempt to imbue every aspect of their lives with an ethic of compassion.' [my emphasis]
'In the final analysis, despite our diversity, there is only one type of vegan - a person who is committed to and practises reverence and respect for all life. [my emphasis]
'Because vegan principles honor all living beings, our fellow humans must be equally respected and embraced, even though sometimes this can be one of the most difficult aspects of vegan practice.' [my emphasis]
I agree with what she says.
lv:thumbsup:
Hi Leedsveg:
I agree with Joanne also about "our fellow humans must be equally respected and embraced", but as she says, it is very hard sometimes to practice that respect. It gives us vegans a good image to tolerate most humans even though inside lots of them make me feel real bad. I like people for many reasons not relating to animals too, and human animals are capable of such goodness, yet they are also capable of such evil. Humans are so complex, it is amazing. But I love animals more, and, I love ethical vegans, so I do love lots of humans. :)
Another reason why I think the largest group of complete vegans are ethical vegans is - why else would anybody give up eating pizza for the rest of their lives? Ha. Ha. Ha. Ha. Ha. Ha.
Animals deserve to live.
Because we can, doesn't mean we should.....
For the animals. The other stuff is just a bonus. If veganism was terrible for my health, or the environment, I would still do it for the animals.
Animal rights mainly, but also for the environment. Health benefits are nice, but you don't have to be vegan for that.
I became a vegan for ethical reasons (concern for non-human animals) but health and environmental factors are also important to me.
yes I think vegan is the best choice of my life! for all reasons above.
All of the above :) Although some of the reasons were unknown to me when I first started, like the environmental causes. I only learned that when I was already a vegan and was reading up a lot about this. But when I found out about it, it became one of the top ones on my list :)
I don't want the animals to suffer.
Animals and environment, "political" too (for world hunger). The rest is not a priority (I do not care).
Well, i went vegan because i really love animals! and for a more healthy lifestyle. :)
I'm vegan 99% for the animals. 1% for health.
I became vegetarian for (mostly) animal and (somewhat) health reasons. After reading more about it I found even more info for those reasons, along with the environment and hunger reasons. I didn't miss meat really, and after a while, I stopped thinking of meat as food. I usually don't think of it so I'm sometimes in danger of not telling someone and then having to worry if my food is safe at the last minute. Fortunately everyone close to me knows.
I became vegan when I realized more and more that it's not any more acceptable to eat eggs and milk, etc. than it is meat, since they're all treated mostly the same, and are all unnecessary and fuel inefficient. I realized this from the start of my vegetarianism, mostly, but it took me four years to be completely honest with myself and just become vegan. Looking back, I'm a little ashamed that I didn't go all the way sooner, but my four years as a vegetarian still count for something.
Animals. I would say environment, but I drive a car and when I say that I care about environment it doesn't feel right, I guess I don't care enough.
I had to pick all of the above because I agree with each one. But the it's about 90% for other animals and 1.6% the rest.
I believe humans do not need to eat the flesh or consume any byproduct of others and other animals are not here for humans to use in any way. I guess to would be fair to say it's a completely black and white issue for me, no grey whatsoever.
I would say 50% animals and 50 % environmental. I do anything to help save mother nature and to not live like a parasite in this world. Also I find no valid argument what so ever to eat any animal products, we spoiled westerners don't need any of that to survive, actually it's more healthy for us to leave out animal products.
But I see a grey area too, for some people it's impossible to survive on a vegan diet, or it's more like they don't know how to and they are too focused on the surviving issue to have time to care about the animals. With these kind of people I mean many living in hard conditions in third world countries, I don't think we have a right judge them for not being vegan.
My main reason is ethical/compassionate but I voted for all the reasons mentioned except religious ones (as I'm 100% an atheist).
My ranking of reasons are (from primary reasons to less primary ones):
1. Ethics/compassion for animals
2. Political (as I believe the oppression of animals is linked/comparative to the opression of disadvantaged groups of people, e.g. I come from sociological/political/feminist education; and analysing the oppression/exploitation of women & socially disadvantaged people eventually led me to analysing the oppression/exploitation of animals, especially after I'd talked to some vegans who were involved in those political backgrounds)
3. Health
4. Environmental concern
5. World hunger
6. Economical (as a vegan diet can be cheaper in some way)
7. Veganism feels/works best for me (I felt like 'coming home')
8. No valid arguments from pro-animal exploitation apologists
Animals.
I've always felt for animals and been a vegetarian for many years thinking I was helping but then I watched that show "kill it, cook it, eat it" and it showed me that dairy farming supports the slaughter industry, and I saw the process of veal, from then on I couldn't bear to contribute to the atrocities that these beautiful animals are put through all for a selfish pleasure that it the taste of these animals that lasts for a few seconds.
In order to support my own existence I need not destroy hundreds of others.
For the animals! Also for my health, as I have become much healthier since going vegan 12+ years ago.
I have only one reason. The animals.
I am vegan for the common good of all the living beings on this planet.
We are all connected and being not abusing her children reconnects me with Mother Nature.
I'm vegan for the cool t-shirts and increased farting power.
(Plus all that hippie crap about saving the animals etc)
Definitely for the animals, followed by the environment and world hunger. The health benefits are a nice bonus.
Animals is my deciding factor, Ie. the thing that made me become vegan originally.
the environmental concerns, the health benefits, the fact that it makes me feel closer to the Earth, and is more of an efficient energy source, are just very positive bonus factors :)
For my health; the animals and environment are added benefits.
Hi hazelcelt and welcome to the forum.
I tend to plug the benefits to health of going vegan because I find that self interest is a really big incentive for somebody to do something. If going vegan tended to make our own health suffer, that could be seen as a big turn, no matter how much veganism helps animals, the environment etc. Once a person has gone vegan, I'm not really seeing that listing the personal reasons for having done so, in some kind of order, serves much, if any, useful purpose. Just my view but others will perhaps disagree?
Leedsveg:bigsmile:
For the animals mainly. Everything else is a bonus ^.^
One night I was looking at my friend's dog I'm taking care of, he's a chihuahua, his name is Pepe.
I was also eating half a roast chicken.. I began thinking about how Pepe isn't much bigger than a chicken. Pepe has been a great friend to me and has been there for me when humans weren't! How can I eat a chicken which could of done the exact same thing for me?
So then I started reading up on animal cruelty, watched a few videos of PETA's website and I decided to turn vegan.
:)
Reminds me of his story.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Gv0y1qYx1w
Here's the whole thing.
http://www.tribeofheart.org/sr/sr_wi...om_english.htm
That looks like a good movie :)
Although I haven't avoided or feared animals, I've had pets in the past that I love, but I don't know it just sort of clicked with me that day..