Smug Vegans

It's been aaaaaages since I wrote here...I've been busy with life, but also having great fun devoting some more time to Instagram (something people have been bugging me to do for a while). What a lovely little platform it is (for the most part). I will say though, that there's something about it which is bothering me (beyond the posers): the vegan revolution.

I write this as an almost vegan myself.....

I think having a vegan diet can be incredibly positive for a lot of different people, not to mention planet earth. This post won't focus on the multitude of health benefits a vegan diet can bring.

However, dearest vegans, please, please, please stop the posts about 'I'm vegan so I do no harm'. Or 'I just love going to sleep at night knowing I'm not contributing to suffering'. Please grow some humility and just stop there. Educate yourself. And surely the vegan journey is also a spiritual one for you? Take your ego and self importance out of the equation!

It is true, you're not DIRECTLY contributing to the death or slaughter of animals as far as you know. But indirect destruction? Crime? Deforestation? Endangerment of species? Destruction of other human lives/livelihoods? Pollution through long distance fruit/veg transport? Oh yes....you over there, wearing that proud, smug vegan t-shirt....yes you do contribute to that!

And I'm in no way accusing you of being a bad person or even coming close to the person who gorges three animal based fast food meals a day! However, the way of the world unfortunately is that our choices have an impact. ALL our choices. That's why the food chain is called the food chain! It's a CHAIN reaction (not singing it, I promise!).

So, yes, you oh vegans, also have a negative impact when you choose to eat what you eat....perhaps less then someone eating a locally slaughtered chicken, or perhaps more (if your choice happens to be long distance transported quinoa, chia, avocado and goji delight!). How do we even measure suffering anyway? You are seeing it through your eyes - remember, a quinoa farmer on the other side of the world may measure it very differently!

Hats off to you for trying to minimise suffering - I truly applaud you. I try that myself too. But in my mind, if I made a t shirt, it would say that I try to minimise suffering - I don't declare that my choices lead to none, because that's impossible and frankly, ridiculous. Just ask the monarch butterfly by following this link:

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2016/aug/10/avocado-illegal-deforestation-mexico-pine-forests

Have a lovely, modest week everyone!