Veganism - "it plays a small role in my life"?

I was reading recently where a vegan has said of their veganism that "it plays a small role in my life" and it set me wondering how big, or little, a role veganism plays in the lives of other VF members.

For myself, I entered veganism thinking that it was all about giving moral consideration to the lives of non-human animals. Gradually the realisation came that to be consistent, I also needed to include human animals in my consideration. I'm now at the stage where it seems that my whole ethical stance ie 'how should I live my life?', and my 'veganism' are the same thing.

What do others think? If veganism is only a part of your ethical life, where is the boundary for you, where your veganism ends?

leedsveg

'Lo LV :)

For me veganism is part of a wider life philosophy mainly dictated by anything on which the teachings of buddha, Gandhi and Jesus all happen to coincide.

One of those coincidings is the concept that you cannot be free from suffering whilst being a cause of suffering.

Veganism, by common definition, ends at not being a cause of suffering to those within the non-human animal domain.

Personally I regard not being a cause of suffering to non-human animals not as a place to end ones efforts but more as a place from which our efforts should start.

Veganism is actualy a massive part of my life right now but it is as "a gnats piss in all the oceans of the world", as it were, to where I'd like my life to be.

Veganism plays a huge role in my life. It affects the way I think and the way I do things. I try my best to be "the BEST vegan ever!" but I do know that small steps and the tiniest of changes are as big, or end up being as big, as the giant massive changes in one go. Not sure if that makes sense? Unfortunately, the medication I need to take means I can't allow my veganism to extend to that part BUT I do support the Dr Hadwen Trust and try to make change in other indirect ways.

When I started on my vegan journey, I had no idea how big a part it would play in my life. And I love how much it does.

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Cupid Stunt

Veganism, by common definition, ends at not being a cause of suffering to those within the non-human animal domain.

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Hi CS

So your veganism starts and ends with animals? In other words a person can be a nasty, sadistic person towards other humans, but still be a 'good vegan' because they are nice to animals?

(I've used the terms 'humans' and 'animals' as abbreviations)

lv

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pusskins

When I started on my vegan journey, I had no idea how big a part it would play in my life. And I love how much it does.

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It's the same for me, pusskins.:thumbsup:

lv

I think it's 'ofcoursable' that vegans respect both animals and humans, but 'vegan' as a definition is focusing on the animal related aspect of compassion/empathy. One wouldn't call an organization that only was focusing on human rights, for example, for a vegan organization.

I also noticed a post here where someone wrote that veganism only played 'a small role' in his life, and it the context I saw it, it seemed kind of strange... -but I'm sure many vegans just go vegan and don't think much more about it. The percentage of vegans who also are active on forums, in vegan organizations etc. is very small. After having eaten vegan for some and avoided other animal products than just food, it's becoming second nature and maybe not something all vegans dwell over regularly.

Maybe this is because sometimes what we actually do needs more attention than what we avoid. When I first heard the definition of vegan at around 15, I think it took me less than a minute to realize that that's a world view I agree in. That minute of have of course resulted in some major changes in my life - but since there's a lot of stuff that interests me that isn't directly related to 'vegan', I can also understand people who may claim that they are vegans but don't think much about it.

On another note, going vegan will always mean that one will make a lot of difference for others' (animals') lives.

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leedsveg

Hi CS

So your veganism starts and ends with animals?

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Hi LV :)

No matey. What I said is that the common definition of vegansim ends at the non-human animal domain.

It would be true to say though that I accept, by common definition, that veganism ends at the animal domain and something more than veganism can begin from there.

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In other words a person can be a nasty, sadistic person towards other humans, but still be a 'good vegan' because they are nice to animals?

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Which part of the definition of 'vegan' defines a vegan as good or bad dependant on how they treat people matey?

Oops!

Double posted ...

For me, veganism is a way of life so therefore my life is a vegan life, if that makes sense. I'm certainly not perfect atall, and I definitely don't feel as 'obsessed' with veganism as I did when I first converted (years ago), but it can't be sectioned off into a small part of my life because it runs through every bit of it. I don't think I have any sort of boundary. I do things which I would ideally prefer not to do, e.g take medication, but I don't see that as some kind of seperate compartment of my life.
I suppose I see it like becoming a different nationality, and now that I speak fluent vegan and have lived in vegan land for so long that it's who I am, and therefore is natural and requires little thought. Am I making any sense here? lol.

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cobweb

For me, veganism is a way of life so therefore my life is a vegan life, if that makes sense.

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Cobweb. You make perfect sense to me.

Cupid. Not sure there is a common definition of veganism. If there's 10million vegans, there's 10million lives and so probably 10million ideas about what veganism means for the individual. Even the definition given by the Vegan Soc (UK) seems to have varied a bit over the years. Unfortunately (or maybe fortunately!), Donald Watson (DW) didn't give us too many rules to go by so we do have to think for ourselves if we try to discover the spirit of veganism. From the little I know of DW, he seemed a very humble, compassionate person and his compassion doesn't seem to have started and ended with animals. When he founded the Vegan Society in 1944, it was during WW2 and as he was a conscientious objector, he was probably not the most popular person about. He may have found the people around him, a little more receptive at that time to a message of 'let's be nicer to animals' than 'let's be nicer to the Germans'! I cannot imagine DW thinking that compassion was reserved only for animals and not for his own species, that doesn't make sense. So from that point of view, where compassion is lacking towards either animals or people, so is the veganism lacking.

Korn. The problem is that when veganism is seen only seen in terms of having compassion for animals, it's not surprising when omnis conclude that vegans only care about animals and have no compassion or regard for human animals. One further point I'd make is that as I see it, vegans do not make foul-mouthed, belittling comments against other people. If such comments are made, then they're made by people on a total plant food diet, they're not vegans. Thanks for ensuring that VF is free of that kind of behaviour.

leedsveg (who rarely starts a thread and is wondering if it was a good idea to start this one!)

I am vegan. I don't want to cause hurt, pain, distress, fear or any other negative emotion to ANY other living being............human or animal! :)

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sandra

I am vegan. I don't want to cause hurt, pain, distress, fear or any other negative emotion to ANY other living being............human or animal! :)

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oh right............we won't tell anyone about that time you gave me a black eye then shall we Sandra?? :umm_ani:. Hm? :hmm:. :pissed_ani:

Leedsveg don't silly!. Thread away ol' chum lol.

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cobweb

oh right............we won't tell anyone about that time you gave me a black eye then shall we Sandra?? :umm_ani:. Hm? :hmm:. :pissed_ani:

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Way I heard it Cobbers is that Sandra threatened you, only threatened you mind, with a tin of black-eyed peas.:amazed_ani:

lv

Re me opening posting, Joanne Stepaniak puts it all so much more clearly than I ever could in her book Being Vegan and in her Grassroots Veganism website. http://www.vegsource.com/jo/

Both well worth reading.

lv

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leedsveg

Way I heard it Cobbers is that Sandra threatened you, only threatened you mind, with a tin of black-eyed peas.:amazed_ani:

lv

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That was it exactly Leedsveg! :wink_ani::devil:

I eat, sleep and breathe veganism at the moment. I can't see that ever changing, and I hope I'm right :)

I think it was me that said "veganism plays a small role in my life". But don't confuse that with an unimportant one. Compassion and peace are central to me. It's the very practice of eating vegan that plays a small role. When I first turned vegan it was different, I was ultra vegan, now days it's not so. I don't let it be a big thing. And never talk about it to others. Except here ofc :)

I can relate to that. Same as buying groceries. You've already got the system of what you know you can eat, so it doesn't even cross your mind anymore that you can't eat certain things. I still take it just as seriously as the day I started, just not with the same intensity. It's just normal for me now. I don't discuss it with many people either, but that's usually because it turns into an argument or me being "condescending"

Yeh that's it exactly.

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Back-Space

I can relate to that. Same as buying groceries. You've already got the system of what you know you can eat, so it doesn't even cross your mind anymore that you can't eat certain things. I still take it just as seriously as the day I started, just not with the same intensity. It's just normal for me now. I don't discuss it with many people either, but that's usually because it turns into an argument or me being "condescending"

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This is the sort of along the lines I was thinking. On a normal, everyday day, I don't think a lot about being vegan, it's just part of who I am.

Since my veganism speaks to my innermost values and is a reflection of them, I'd say it's a cornerstone of my life, or maybe the outer paint job of a cornerstone of my life.

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leedsveg

Korn. The problem is that when veganism is seen only seen in terms of having compassion for animals, it's not surprising when omnis conclude that vegans only care about animals and have no compassion or regard for human animals. One further point I'd make is that as I see it, vegans do not make foul-mouthed, belittling comments against other people. If such comments are made, then they're made by people on a total plant food diet, they're not vegans. Thanks for ensuring that VF is free of that kind of behaviour.

leedsveg (who rarely starts a thread and is wondering if it was a good idea to start this one!)

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Hi LV,
nothing wrong with starting this thread as far as I can see... :-)

First of all: re. the "it plays a small role in my life", I should correct myself: I didn't actually find that statement 'strange' in the context it was posted in, I found the context itself 'strange'. After all, the post was written by Jackson, who wondered if being vegan was such a 'good idea' with reference to a link to an anti-vegan site, which he later stopped discussing.

Regarding "The problem is that when veganism is seen only seen in terms of having compassion for animals, it's not surprising when omnis conclude that vegans only care about animals and have no compassion or regard for human animals", I not only agree 100%, it's also a central part of this sites profile - and not only that (as I've indicated earlier): if this site will be closed this December or some other December, it isn't because of trolls, meat-eaters or spammers, but due to what I could describe as lack of ethics among certain vegans; lack of ethics when it comes to dealing with other humans and fellow vegans.

You may remember a guy using the nick 'beforewisdom', who was banned circa 5 years ago for posting the same stuff over and over again (not only on this forum - I found that he 'welcomed' every new member of another forum with the same copy-pasted message, containing link to a fellow Washington'er he promoted. He didn't really participate in any discussions, and his posts are still around (except those who were copies of other posts) - but with our spam policy, of course we wouldn't want members to be annoyed the same way they were at eg. veggieboards.com - so we asked him to stop - but he didn't. But the point isn't the ban itself: I just discovered that he still - after 5 years - is posting that he wasn't 'allowed' to post his stuff here, just like another ex-member did on another site I recently linked to. I doubt that he can't see the difference between posting a text once and copy-pasting the same text dozens of times. He must have posted hundreds of links to the site he is promoting on various sites since then.


Some people simply - but repeatedly - keep creating a negative atmosphere in between vegan groups/sites/forums based on lies and false premises. THis hurts the vegan movement and therefore - hurts animals. So - maybe both ethics and veganism plays a small part in their lives - including when they in mass media (yes, forums are the main mass media format veganism is exposed through) deal with other vegans.

There's of course also the not-really-vegans cases, situations where non-vegans post on vegan sites/forums and pretend they are vegans just to be able to use these sites. I remember, for example, that you (?) commented about another former member, ''African Prince', posting stuff which sounded as if it came from a non-vegan, and when I checked his email address, he actually had two accounts here, and already had the first one deactivated due to his 'About Me' text: "I'm a pescetarian, baby". So for starters, at least don't blame his world view and writings about genetically engineered human fetuses etc for being representative for vegans' world view. (He may actually have become vegan after he created his first account. But: I often see that people try to register as non-vegans, and - when they discover that they can't post here if they aren't vegans - they immediately go vegan. And I'm not saying that they're all pretending to be vegans :-) )

So - yes: the way we deal with humans and the way we deal with other animals are of course derived from the same 'world view'; the same ethics. It wouldn't make much sense to respect animals and not respect humans, or defend eating(!)/killing/harming/hurting humans (physically or emotionally) but not accept that animals were harmed/hurt in any way under similar, relevant circumstances.

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leedsveg

I'm now at the stage where it seems that my whole ethical stance ie 'how should I live my life?', and my 'veganism' are the same thing.

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I feel the exact same way. I initially went vegan entirely for nonhuman animals' sakes, but a couple to a few months in, I began to think about how respect for human rights when we make consumer choices is just as crucial. While we all tend to think that we all of course respect human rights, no doubt we all support companies that violate human rights. I've been thinking that I'd like to look into all the companies that I buy products from, to see if there's any concern over human rights violations, third world exploitation, etc. Under an expanded vision of "traditional" veganism that takes into account human rights when we make consumer choices, many of the companies we support are probably non-vegan.

While I call this an expanded view of veganism, I think it falls under the currently accepted definitions. It's just that when we read "animals" we frequently forget to include our own species.

PS. I know you were referring to more than consumer choices, leedsveg, but I just thought I would add this direction to the conversation, see what people think.

I know we need to be careful about adding more restrictions to the popular conception of veganism - some people think what we do seems daunting enough. However, I think the inclusion of the concern for human rights has the potential to do a lot of good: so many people think AR activists only care about nonhuman animals. This sort of emphasis on not consuming or participating in human exploitation makes it clear that our priorities are really about everyone, not just nonhumans.

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Kimberlily1983

One of those coincidings is the concept that you cannot be free from suffering whilst being a cause of suffering.

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This phrase just sums everythin up for me :)

I became vegan for firstly Health and secoundly animal and environmentally....But not its all equal....Veganism has taken over my life..But when i think about it, its such a huge change 'living as a vegan in a non vegan world' it was bound to become a massive part and take impact on my life...

But i love it....I feel physically, mentally and spiritually better 'at peace'. This is what i have been looking for i believe. All my life ive felt like there was something wrong and me been a omni was that wrong thing...

To be honest i don't think been vegan can play a small part in your life as for a start you eat vegan 3 times a day you walk around in vegan products you wash in vegan products...or at least i do :confused:

^ I'm afraid I can't take credit for the quote you attribute to me. I never wrote that!

I agree that it seems strange to think of veganism playing only a small role in someone's life. Not necessarily impossible, I suppose, but odd. Especially if by veganism we mean the "true" definition, of not supporting ANY animal exploitation, not just "dietary veganism". I mean, we live in a world where this exploitation is rampant, and to avoid being part of it requires at least a little planning, label reading, thinking, etc. I suppose one could consider it a small part of one's life... in that maybe other things are far more important to that person... :confused:

Ah, well, all I can say to this one is that this is certainly not the way I see it; I see veganism as one of the central aspects of my life, or perhaps a better way to put it is that I see it as the practical aspect of living in a way that's true to my moral values: it's the practical realization of my belief that no one should be exploited, tortured, oppressed, etc. on my behalf.

I'll go with small too: my life as a vegan is but a small manifestation of my compassion.

Sounds a bit falsely modest which about sums me up...

I look at veganism as a part of my central Christian belief of treating all life (human and/or animal), as sacred. So , in that sense being vegan is a part of the whole.

I think the heart of vegan philosophy is compassion for all life. It's just awesome that a vegan lifestyle healthy. So, to be considered vegan it's more than just to eat a plant based diet. Being vegan is a protest of exploitation of animals and a consumer boycott of animal products. Just living a vegan life style is activism.

That being said I think most of us came to veganism for reasons of wanting to be compassionate and peaceful. I think if you make that important decision in your life, it's not a small part, it's a rather large part.

I may not put much effort and energy into constantly thinking I'm vegan, because it's the lifestyle I live. It's normal to me. I don't go around to everyone pronouncing I'm vegan, but I make sure everything I buy and everything I do is grounded in compassion for all life and taking the rights of others into consideration. It sounds like a huge task, but it's really rather simple.

I'm vegan but I don't fit any of the crunch hippie stereotypes that plague veganism. I life a fairly normal and active life, I feel that taking ethics into consideration with everything I do by vegan, puts me at a higher level of awareness then the average population.

I don't preach to preach to people, I prefer to set good examples. If people ask me about veganism, I try to provide them with as much information as possible.

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Eat Y'self Fitter

I'm vegan but I don't fit any of the crunch hippie stereotypes that plague veganism. I life a fairly normal and active life, I feel that taking ethics into consideration with everything I do by vegan, puts me at a higher level of awareness then the average population.

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When I became first became Vegan I found it frustrating that others used my Veganism to define me when there were so many other aspects they seemed to ignore. Like you I lead a fairly normal life and felt that my Veganism was just a small part of who I was.

I hated all the hippy stereo typing. I felt I was just a normal middle aged bird who happened not to eat meat.;) I wanted to be left alone to quietly munch on my veggie burger. No fuss .

Now I am happy to be defined as a Vegan because it is how I define myself, it is who I am.

Now I dont give a damn , hippy and proud!!! I dont want to be normal if normal means eating meat. I want to shout about how Veganism has made me thinner, fitter and happier.

My whole is the sum of all my parts but now ALL my parts are underpinned by my Veganism.


;)

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SlackAlice

Now I am happy to be defined as a Vegan because it is how I define myself, it is who I am.

My whole is the sum of all my parts but now ALL my parts are underpinned by my Veganism.

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Same here Slack. Yipeeeeeeeeeeee!:)

leedsveg

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leedsveg

Same here Slack. Yipeeeeeeeeeeee!:)

leedsveg

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Me, too!!!!! :D

I agree with so much of what has been written in this thread. For me, it started out as a manner to get back to good health. But, it's become something that has matured me in a way like nothing else in my life. I have such a quiet sense of calm that I never had before. I can't explain it.

The other way that veganism has changed my life is that I am now volunteering for an animal sanctuary where rescued farm animals get to live out their days in peace.

http://www.sunnydayfarms.com/

I am trying to make veganism a bigger part of my life. I have already changed my eating habits and clothing options. Im almost 100% cruelty free when it comes to health/beauty products. I also want to branch out and do more activism.

It plays a small part in my life in that I don't view everything from the viewpoint of being vegan. If I for example meet someone new, I judge that person based on their all around personality, (what they say, how they treat people, how their reaction is in different situations) nor just on if the person eats meat or not. Often I don't even reflect much on the fact that I'm a vegan and that other people are not.
That doesn't mean that I don't stand behind my opinions on animal rights though, just that everything in my life isn't about veganism.

I wouldn't say veganism is a huuuuuuge part of my life. This is because I don't like being labelled.

I'm just a person who happens to avoid animal products!

I despise being introduced as "Hey this is soso she is VEGAN!!!!!!!"

Like veganism is all I am. Tiring.

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cobweb

I suppose I see it like becoming a different nationality, and now that I speak fluent vegan and have lived in vegan land for so long that it's who I am

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I just found this kinda funny because there have been times where people make their typical anti-vegan excuses, saying something to the effect of 'oh no, I could never be vegan, there's nothing where I live and my family/everyone I know eat meat blah blah blah', and I say 'Do you think I was raised in Veganland where everyone is vegan?' I would also like to think that I speak fluent vegan :p

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xwitchymagicx

I despise being introduced as "Hey this is soso she is VEGAN!!!!!!!"

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I hate that too, it drives me mad! I've also had situations where vegetarian friends, when being asked ignorant questions distract from themselves by pointing to me and going 'Well she's VEGAN!!', therefore directing the ignorance my way :/

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xwitchymagicx

I despise being introduced as "Hey this is soso she is VEGAN!!!!!!!"

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This really gets my goat as well. A couple of months ago we had a new guy start at work, he was sat with the boss having his induction, and the boss started pointing out who we were and telling him our names. When he got to me he said "Thats Firestorm, he's a....What is it you call yourself again?". AARRRGGHH, I just wanted to slap him:mad::mad::mad:

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Firestorm

When he got to me he said "Thats Firestorm, he's a....What is it you call yourself again?".

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Wouldn't it be cool if your real name actually was Firestorm? That'd definitely distract from the vegan thing!

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Blueberries

I just found this kinda funny because there have been times where people make their typical anti-vegan excuses, saying something to the effect of 'oh no, I could never be vegan, there's nothing where I live and my family/everyone I know eat meat blah blah blah', and I say 'Do you think I was raised in Veganland where everyone is vegan?' I would also like to think that I speak fluent vegan :p

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lol

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Blueberries

Wouldn't it be cool if your real name actually was Firestorm? That'd definitely distract from the vegan thing!

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I think we all ought to change to our forum names by deed poll :p

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Blueberries

Wouldn't it be cool if your real name actually was Firestorm? That'd definitely distract from the vegan thing!

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:confused::confused: My name is Firestorm!:p

Never bothers me being labelled "a vegan" and I just accept it as a complimentary term, just as I would if somebody called me "a caring person". The first "vegan" was Donald Watson, a very remarkable individual and if people want to give me the same label that DW had, then I have to feel honoured.

Leedsveg

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leedsveg

Never bothers me being labelled "a vegan" and I just accept it as a complimentary term, just as I would if somebody called me "a caring person". The first "vegan" was Donald Watson, a very remarkable individual and if people want to give me the same label that DW had, then I have to feel honoured.

Leedsveg

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I dont mind be labeled a vegan (its part of who I am), but its not my only defining attribute. I'm also diabetic, but few people would introduce me as "Firestorm the diabetic".

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Firestorm

I dont mind be labeled a vegan (its part of who I am), but its not my only defining attribute. I'm also diabetic, but few people would introduce me as "Firestorm the diabetic".

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If I am to be introduced with one defining attribute and this is my veganism, then "whoopee!" sez I. If the person introducing me wants to add other attributes such as "obviously very good looking", "has a wicked sense of humour" and "is incredibly modest", then I (blushingly) have to ask, that who am I to disagree?

Leedsveg:lol:

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Firestorm

:confused::confused: My name is Firestorm!:p

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Then why people concern themselves with anything else about you I don't know! :p

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leedsveg

If I am to be introduced with one defining attribute and this is my veganism, then "whoopee!" sez I. If the person introducing me wants to add other attributes such as "obviously very good looking", "has a wicked sense of humour" and "is incredibly modest", then I (blushingly) have to ask, that who am I to disagree?

Leedsveg:lol:

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:)

I wish I were a bit wiser.

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Firestorm

:)

I wish I were a bit wiser.

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But as the man said:

Where ignorance is bliss, 'tis folly to be wise.


Leedsveg

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leedsveg

But as the man said:

Where ignorance is bliss, 'tis folly to be wise.


Leedsveg

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:D I wish I were the village idiot then:D

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Firestorm

:D I wish I were the village idiot then:D

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Know what you mean Firestorm. Sometimes I see postings in the forum that I really disagree with but I just don't have the education/intelligence that many others do to be able to come out with a satisfactory response. It's so frustrating but if I 'aint got it, I 'aint got it and there's not much I can do. Self awareness can be bloody awfull and as for Robert Burns with his "Oh would some power the gift tae gi'e us, Tae see oorselves as ithers see us." Er, no thanks mate!

Cheers, Leedsveg:thumbsup: