I've been practicing my own version of ethical veganism for nearly 7 years now, and I've had a lot of time to think about why I choose to live more intentionally and less main-stream, or "popular" in the eyes of many. The "status quo."
I feel like a lot of the eating habits Americans develop are much more than just tradition; they've evolveded around what is popular, what is easy, what is going to make someone fit in and not "stand out," what is going to make them a better social individual; and honestly, veganism is very much NOT any of that. As it stands, living your life devoid of animal products is a pretty anti-social move, and it's also a pretty big political statement in terms of where you stand against mega-corporations and government recommendations of basic food requirements.
This is quite clearly taking a stand against the state too . Choosing to stop consuming and investing in animal products is most certainly one of the most life-changing endeavors I've ever done; it's much more than a diet or a consumer choice, choosing a vegan lifestyle was my way of bringing my philosophy into a livable, proactive and real experience; In doing so I learn constantly, and maintain a level of activeness that pushes back against the main stream flow of money and politics; CAFOs, egg-laying cages, 50% of corn grown for animal feed.
The more I stick to this lifestyle I continue to change my view of the world, literally every day.
I've personally changed tremendously in years since. To be aware of the real situation animals face, to read ingredient labels, to be cognicant of background community functions and funding, and company and political ties is to be active in animal rights, whether you choose to be or not; veganism is just that.
Some have compared veganism to a modern day McCarthyism; animal activists are actively sought out as terrorist organizations and labeled as such; supporters who leaflet are put on travel watch lists. To be a vegan in the United States or most anywhere in the world is quite honestly a positionality much like a freedom fighter. You're being not only anti-capitalist but anti-state when you choose not to consume animal products.
The government has made its position quite clear, because we can trace dozens of giant subsidies that reach deep into the dairy and cattleman industries and the millions of acres of corn that is raised to feed them. Once the larger government machines take a position of corporate trade and dependance, its very difficult to get them to change positions, and just as difficult to get them to stop supporting the companies who specifcally rely on that government support, because when it comes down to maximizing profit and maximizing output for the "greater good", animals will most definitely be exploited; there's no doubt about it.
And when I talk with omnivores who are trying to be ethical about their meat eating decisions by choosing local or grass-fed, I explain to them that the small independent ranchers who market their products as a more healthy way of eating, and the more sustainable way to go about eating flesh, I tell them that their habits are quite honestly a very slippery slope in the direction of large corporate takeover of animals lives down the line.
I'd like to think we have the animals welfare in our best interests, but honestly I don't see that ethic in anyone who raises animals, even the smaller local farmers who invest a lot of time and effort into raising "ethical meat."
The bottom line is, we're exploiting living beings for our breakfast, lunch, and dinner; our taste buds.
So why discuss animal value? Because value is relative. Ive always considered those around me to be valuable and of very special significance; I've learned to love my peers and friends with a devotion and drive that can only be described as a deep connectedness, and quite honestly, I've never really seen a huge difference between bonding with another human animal and with a different non-human animal.
Sure, they might look very different, they might be a lot more hairy, they might poop in litter boxes or run in herds or have different priorities throughout the day, but when it comes down to our shared traits, they want to live in peace like us, they often want to raise a family like us, they want to not suffer like us, they want to feel loved like us.
I think this is one of the hardest concepts for omnivores to understand; this need for love in anything outside ourselves.
This takes true empathy. We think of love as a particularly genuine and unique human trait, but I don't think that's at all the case after watching and participating in daily animal lives.
I think we can both agree that love is definitely in the eye of the beholder, and it's a very qualitative state of understanding peace and respect, however I think it's immensely important and monumental to happiness and meaning in all our lives and throughout all our life, and for us to deny or steal away another animals right to happiness or love is one of the most horrible atrocities I can think of. Empathy teaches.
Without freedom there is little meaning.
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