Standard Arguments Against Veganism, Pt. 4
"The idea that some lives matter less is the root of all that is wrong in the world."
-Dr. Paul Farmer
1. Everything in Moderation
Say I’m a serial killer following this rule. Instead of killing someone every month, I’ve decided to cut back and kill someone every other month. Sure, that’s better, but it’s time for me to kill again. And my choice of victim is you. How would you feel about this? Is it ok for you to die because I’m not also killing another person? No, because killing is inherently wrong no matter who or how many die. The only difference is with animal agriculture, it’s 3,000 animals being killed per second instead of one human every other month. There is no adequate comparison when it comes to animal suffering.
The idea that moderation is better just proves that you're participating in something that is wrong or bad. If consuming animal products were normal, natural, and necessary for human survival, why in the world would we want to moderate it? We should be encouraging others to eat more red meat, not less; to drink more dairy, not less; to eat fewer fruits and vegetables, not more. When you say that everything's ok in moderation, you've already admitted to yourself that it's something you shouldn't be doing at all.
To take the words of Dr. Michael Greger, moderation is like going from hitting yourself with a big hammer to a small hammer. You're still hurting yourself (and others), just on a slightly smaller scale. Wouldn't it be better to simply stop hitting yourself altogether? That way, everybody wins. You reap the benefits of improved health while the environment and the animals no longer suffer as a result.
2. Vegans Can't Eat Anything
I feel like, similar to the previous point, this is almost an argument in favor of veganism instead of against it. Because the number of things most people take for granted that vegans “can’t” eat or buy or do should be incredibly disturbing to anyone making this claim. Zoos aren't a place for fun family-friendly outings; they're prisons for the innocent. Your shampoo required dogs to have tubes of toxins shoved down their throats and pumped into their stomachs. The food in your fridge is the result of the deaths of many individuals from multiple species.
There are tens, if not hundreds, of thousands of edible plant species on this planet, so to say that there's nothing to eat would be a bit of an exaggeration. Even if we break down common food groups, the majority are still plant-based: fruits, vegetables, legumes, grains, nuts and seeds, herbs and spices, meat, dairy, and eggs. Out of those nine, six are already plants (not to mention all the diverse subunits in each category, like root vegetables, cruciferous vegetables, leafy greens, etc.); and those herbs and spices are what give the majority of foods we're used to their flavor (think about what your favorite meats would taste like if there were no added seasoning).
As far as the other lifestyle aspects of veganism, you can read more about that in "Vegan for Dummies," but once you are committed to not contributing to animal exploitation, you'll do (or not do) anything to make that possible. So, sure, I don't get to go to the zoo anymore and see all the cute animals, but that's because I value their freedom and the freedom of all beings like them more than the brief moments of happiness I'd get by seeing them locked in a glass box.
3. I'm Too Old to Change Now
It's true that many older people are more set in their ways because they've been developing bad habits over a long lifetime, but that doesn't mean all hope is lost. The thing is that nobody likes change, but change is inevitable. We're constantly trying to keep things exactly the same because "the same" is where we feel most comfortable; we're used to "the same." Once you open yourself up to change, however small, you realize that it wasn't as scary as you thought it would be. And when it comes to making changes towards becoming vegan, you'll be astonished at how rewarding it feels.
Even though I'm still young, I recognize that every action I make influences the entire world. Because of veganism, I'm thinking not only of the animals, but of your children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces, and nephews. If I weren't vegan, what kind of world would my stubbornness, my absolute unwillingness to change, create for them? What kind of precedent do I set for them when I won't change something as simple as the food on my plate? What will that teach them about how to interact with those around them? Younger generations shouldn't have to suffer the consequences of our negligent actions. We must all work together with whatever time we have left to get this planet back on track.
One reason this is a common excuse for many older people is because they're afraid of the guilt they may feel for having participated in such violence for so long, whether it was knowingly or unknowingly. This is something that most vegans experience, no matter how young or old. But we also feel immense joy for the way we live now, to know that every day since our last day as a carnist we have not participated in animal cruelty. There is never a wrong time to make the right choice.
4. My Family Won't Let Me
Dealing with family can be tricky, but that shouldn't discourage you from making your own choices. The people closest to you may think that this is your personal choice, or that it's just a phase, or that it's only a diet. If you do truly want to go vegan, you must be forthright in your communication; tell them exactly what veganism is and why you're doing it.
Out of all the excuses in this list, this is one of my favorites because it means you've already decided you want to go vegan, so my only job here is to help you figure out how. Even though you love your family, don't forget that you're your own person. If they aren't willing to help or support you, then you will have to do it without them. You should never allow their prejudice to influence your will to live more compassionately. And since going vegan alone can be incredibly difficult, find the support of other vegans in your area or online. Check out online mentorship programs like Challenge22 and Veganuary to learn the basics about living vegan. Join vegan Facebook groups, follow vegan influencers, watch recipe videos. You'll soon figure it out.
*Please see "7 Reasons Why Your Family Isn't Vegan," "How to Go Vegan in 2020" & "How to Talk to Nonvegans" for more information.
5. Certain Animals Are Meant to be Eaten
How about "certain women are meant to be raped"? Or "certain races are meant to be slaves"? Obviously, we know now that these philosophies are ludicrous. But it wasn't until the last century that women gained equal rights. And it took the bloodiest war in American history for African Americans to be freed from slavery. Just like these terrible injustices, in the present day, we only believe that certain animals are meant to be eaten or used in specific ways because that's been ingrained in our culture for thousands of years. But even though something horrific has been part of society for millennia, that in no way makes it right or justified.
To say that a chicken deserves to die more than a cat, for no other reason than the fact that she is a chicken, is the textbook definition of discrimination: to have an unfair prejudice against a group based on a certain inherent trait or misconception of that group. There's actually a word for this form of discrimination: speciesism, the belief system that humans are superior to nonhumans that in turn leads to the exploitation of those "lower" animals.
*Please see "Cows vs. Dogs" for more information.
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Read the Whole Series
"Standard Arguments Against Veganism, Pt. 1"