Fundamentalism

I am a vegan. I have been one for 2 years.

But, against what one may think, I am not proud to be a vegan.

Not because of what vegans believe in and do,

but because of what so many vegans have become.

Fundamentalists.

Often fundamentalism is associated with organized religions;

but that is exactly what veganism has been turned into by many.

In the last two days alone I have talked to two –used-to-be vegans who said they no longer identify as vegans; Based primarily on other vegans vegangali-calising.

So how do we recognize a vegangelical? According to the urban dictionary a vegangelical is.......

v A fundamentalist vegan who goes around proselytizing vegetarians and omnivores. 

v A vegan intolerant of any other diet, or anyone who adheres to a diet other than a vegan diet.

v Vegetarian or vegan who not only refrains from meat or animal products themselves, but expects others too as well.

v A vegetarian or vegan who is preachy with their views basically.

Does this at all sound familiar?

So you may ask what is the problem with vegan fundamentalism, or preaching about the so called ideal lifestyle of the world?

Firstly, vegans feel they have a moral high-ground which intimidates and angers others. We are only asking to be laughed at with this ‘apex of the moral triangle approach’.

This well known scene from Scott Pilgrim vs the World is a classic example of vegans becoming the butt of the joke.

Scott Pilgrim: No kidding. Anyone can be vegan.

Todd Ingram: Ovo-lacto-vegetarian, maybe.

Scott Pilgrim: Ovo-what?

Todd Ingram: I partake not in the meat, nor the breast-milk, nor the ovum, of any creature with a face.

Envy Adams: Short answer: being vegan just makes you better than most people.

Todd Ingram: Bingo.

Stephen Stills: Hey, man, question: I always wondered, how does not eating dairy products give you psychic powers?

Todd Ingram: Okay, you know how you only use ten percent of your brain? That's because the other 90 percent is filled with curds and whey.

Kim Pine: Did you learn that at vegan academy?

Anthony Bourdain, an American chef, has called vegetarianism, particularly the vegan sects, "rude". He frequently gives an example of an impoverished family who grows food and offers you the one animal they have available on a particular day.

A vegetarian would turn it down, saying "No, thanks".

"It's antihuman. It's antisocial,"

Its simply too black and white.

Which brings me to my second point. Yes, veganism and vegetarianism is about animal ethics, the environment; being responsible for who we are and where we are.

But so many of us are allowing this lifestyle to close the rest of the world off,

To the point where we are spiralling downwards on a narrow path.

Rather than this lifestyle opening doors for us we are creating more and more restrictions in our life, preventing us from seeing the bigger picture. We are looking more and more inward to the point veganism and vegetarianism is all we can talk about.

What about the sunshine? What about the colours of the world? What about the 7 other billion people? Why replace that all with anger and frustration? Why make ourselves ugly in the light of doing something constructive for the world?

And so, what about the 7 other billion people?

If we truly believe in ethics and a just world why do we conveniently forget there are starving, tortured people in the world? Why do we ourselves get angry at other human beings instead?

Are we really taking stupid to a new level?

Thomas Edison said

‘Non-violence leads to the highest ethics, which is the goal of all evolution. Until we stop harming all other living beings, we are still savages. ‘

As hard as it may seem to realize, our so called ‘cruelty free’ lives may be consequenting in people at the other end of the world having no drinking water or food.

We are actually still savages if we don’t think laterally; beyond the end of our nose.

Yes veganism dictates whether we eat animal products,

But does it dictate fair trade?

Boycott of sweat shops?

Boycott of supermarkets?

Does it dictate whether we buy another cellphone that was made in awful conditions at the other end of the world?

Does it dictate whether we have shorter showers and less frequently?

Does it dictate whether we are feeding the 2 billion starving?

Does veganism help us to carry the burden of pained suffering people?

Does it help them to see hope?

Or has our world just become so closed that we no longer see those consequences we have on their lives?

Does veganism have sense or reason when we just become so closed?

So what is the light at the end of this tunnel?

Personally, I have learnt one can only start with oneself and then radiate outwards.

I am sure most of you have seen this too to be in this room today.

I believe, the ability to recognize, connect and apply the fact everything is intermingled and connected with each other as this permaculture flower suggests, is the answer. Its not just health/wellbeing and environmental justice.

                  

Being vegan is simply not enough to earn us moral high-ground; there is so much more to the word veganism.

It isn’t simply the abstinence from animal products but the abstinence from anything that harms other beings; other people, the environment and animals.

It is an abstinence from preaching.

Which is somewhat ironic coming from me as I stand preaching to you!

It is the ability to recognize that awareness is key; but conversion is desperate.

Conversion is intimidating and tiresome.

Conversion is frustrating and draining.

That awareness is beautiful, warm and activating.

It gives hope and inspires.