Fashion and benefit

735:

All our best arguments for bringing about a non-violent society might be attractive to someone who has taken the food plunge and got rid of the crap and is happy to be without it, but is it enough to convince others? We are a complaisant society that is self-indulgent; most people think they can ignore the value of vegan principle even though it represents the ultimately intelligent and compassionate path.

            It might seem laughable that our as-yet-small number could persuade people to so radically change their ways of eating (even if it’s only food that changes). Our task might seem almost impossible ... almost but not quite. Over the past seventy years many people have changed in this way, and in some parts of the world up to 1% of the population has become vegan. Recently, the increased percentage has been rapid, mainly amongst the younger twenties generation. So, if you happen to believe in miracles ...!

            If we are to pull this one off it’s going to have to be the biggest miracle ever. And if it happens it will probably be by way of a trend in fashionability, embodying a mixture of reasons for change; for health reasons; for the planet, for animals, for spiritual reasons, each benefit appealing to some more than others.

            The social kudos in being vegan can’t be underestimated. One might have all the highest principles in the world and be as politically correct as possible, but in the end most we are our own greatest judges. Most of us lay great store on being able to say something about ourselves for which we are proud, which makes us seem less superficial. To be able to say that you are vegan, without even mentioning the reason for it, denotes someone with self-discipline, and that’s something most people could envy, in much the same way that any other avoidance of something harmful might be envied. becoming a vegan is rather like adopting a whole other dimension to one’s life. By taking on this almighty challenge, by disregarding the temptation-power of so many foods and commodities, we stand that much taller. To stand up for something bigger than ourselves, to not be manipulated by the vested interests of the food and clothing manufacturers, to disassociate from the misery inflicted on animals, that a freedom most people might like to have. Apart from anything else, the not-buying of expensive meat and dairy foods, woollens and leather products, makes for a great saving in the budget. Just on daily reckonings I would guess that vegans could be financially far better off than omnivores.