This is my first post, so "hi" everyone. After recently reading a lot about conditions in factory farms, I felt I had no choice but to go vegan - much to my dismay! But I've since made my peace with the idea, and I'm now feeling very positive and excited about the change.
I don't consider myself a vegan yet, as I am still in transition. I've set a date for my official veganism, and in the meantime I've been educating myself about vegan nutrition, vegan cuisine, etc. I've already dramatically reduced my animal product intake, but like I said, I'm not 100% there yet - though I look forward to when I will be.
I'm very excited about becoming vegan. For some people, perhaps, it might involve little more than a simple modification of diet and shopping habits, but for me - a lifetime LOVER of meat and dairy - it feels more akin to a religious conversion. And speaking of religion: I've been astounded at how many similarities there seem to be between the vegan world and the religious world(s). My research into veganism has been admittedly brief, but it already seems clear to me that like, for example, the Christian world, the vegan world seems to, unfortunately, expend so much energy in-fighting, forming schisms, debating the minutia of what "true" veganism is, declaring war on the non-vegan world, and severing ties with would-be allies such as lacto-ovo-vegetarians. Like Christianity, Veganism seems to have to spent not enough time being a shining light of hope and compassion to the world, and too much time constructing a stigma around itself that makes so many people - rather than considering veganism for themselves - think of vegans (as many do of Christians) as being judgemental, uptight, unforgiving, self-righteous, cult-like, fanatical, and/or basically unattractive. I've read articles by prominent vegans that talk about this problem, and it worries me.
Please don't take my previous paragraph as a slam against vegans. Obviously, there are many great and positive vegans, just as there are many great and positive Christians. Unfortunately though, I think the temptation to judge and condemn and become antagonistic is a very easy one to fall into for the best of us, especially when you throw ideology, a passionate nature, and a sense of injustice into the mix. Sadly, I'm one of those people who fall into this trap easily. I'm a Christian, and the first to admit that I've been guilty of getting self-righteous or judgemental about things when I should have been compassionate and humble - and I know that I'll also be tempted to fall into similar traps as a vegan.
When I think of people I know who happily eat meat - which includes my wife - a part of me wants to grab them by the shoulders and shake them, screaming into their ears about the horrors of factory farms. But of course, this wouldn't really help much in the long run. There's only so much that moral outrage can achieve if it's not sculpted into a more sophisticated and constructive form. History is filled with failed revolution attempts that were based on anger.
I believe that only through redemption can most truly great changes in the world happen, and that people are most encouraged to redeem themselves by compassionate and gracious people at their side, rather than angry people trying to push them from below or condescending people judging them from above. Unfortunately, I find it much easier to be one of the latter two.
So far, I'm on this journey towards veganism on my own, while my wife remains an omni. I hope that she will one day - sooner rather than later - become a vegan as well, but until that day, I'm not sure of the best way to manage the situation. I'm keen to hear anyone's advice on the matter. In particular, I have these questions:
-What's the best way to make my veganism and her omni-ism into something that we can discuss freely and positively? I worry that I'll turn veganism into something that creates guilt and resentment in her (and I think it's already begun to happen), which would ultimately be detrimental to her, our marriage, and the animals themselves.
- What about cooking? I do 80% of the cooking, and once I go vegan, my wife's diet will inevitably change substantially, against her will. Again, there's a tension: on the one hand, I want her to give up animal products, but on the other hand, I don't want her to feel like I'm making the decision for her. My default thought is that I shouldn't cook any animal products at all - but would any of you perhaps argue that this would actually be unwise in the long-run?
- Does anyone have any good advice about how to take your anger and passion about animal cruelty and use it to inspire compassion and thoughtfulness in people, without them just seeing you as a peddler of guilt with anger issues?
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