The vegan brain

876: 

On a self-interested level, just by being vegan, you worry far less about illness. Good body health is one thing to look forward to, but perhaps even more important is the prospect of good mental health. When you move towards living as a vegan, you have to re-think many things; some you have to, others you can. For a start, you move into a different kitchen. Reinventing meals makes you more creative. And by being more creative, life expands, and time’s spent differently, and there’s raison d’être.

            It’s like having a new brain, going vegan. It begs to be used. The whole food regime is new, shopping is changed, and now there’s time spent on activism. From “What can I do?” we get to “What next?” Ethical restrictions are not there any more, opening up the chance to be future-building. It’s all very creative, and perhaps for the first time in one’s life, there’s a whiff of optimism in the air. There’s a thin line of possibility and hope in sight, despite the impossible odds against us.

            As soon as I was okay about being vegan, I felt purposeful. The pulling of one thread leads to the coming-together of so many allied threads. Problems are seen in a new context, so that now there’s something important to think about and be creative about. ‘Freeing the Slaves’ - it’s essential for them. But for me too -that goal has meant a lot to me, and it’s been beneficial for me, to have such a goal - all good for the brain.

            I think a vegan’s brain works better than an omnivore’s brain, if only because it has something monumental to work for. Our brain, as well as our body, is no longer weighed down by a heavy stomach and a heavy conscience. It would be difficult to prove, but it seems that vegan foods, being lighter, allow for a greater speed of thought.

If the vegan brain reacts more quickly on lighter food, imagine the benefit that implies for all of us. Have you ever watched the fast reactions of birds? Almost all wild animals are sharp and observant. They react impressively. Their lives are lived on the edge; attending to safety; avoiding predation; self-feeding. Having quick brains keep them on top of their game.

Perhaps one main characteristic of plant-eaters is they’re quicker off the mark, like birds. We’re usually fitter too. But, alas, also, we’re perceived to be loopier; that’s according to how the media show us. The popular image of a vegan is negative - people only see what they want to see. They want to be the normal ones, who think according to normal patterns. The confirmed omnivore is a normal person, who eats normally and perceives normally. They think we’re rebellious but frail. “Vegans look sickly”. This belief allows the omnivore to think, “... and I’m never like that, like a frail vegan”.

I’ve notice omnivores looking at me pityingly, “He has to miss out on so many things”. They’re sad too, that I can’t maintain a proper social life because I can’t join in on so many levels. And how many times have I had to explain that being vegan isn’t like belonging to a church with rules - when I’m asked, “Are you allowed to eat this?” I tell them, “I can eat anything I like. In fact I eat everything ... well, obviously not animals stuff .... No one in their right mind would ... ”. That joke always goes down well.

From our point of view, in compensation, vegans have a sneaking suspicion that we’re envied, somewhat. Even with my own tiny brain capacity, I always hope that omnivores will compare my mental acuity with their own, relative to their own heavier way of thinking. I’d never say it, of course, but I’d love to ask:  “Sometimes, if you would like to ditch your dull, old-fashioned way of thinking, you could enjoy a robust conversation with me, on these important issues”.

But they’d be mad if they did that. They know the danger of being made to look foolish. Better not to enter into debate. Steer away from this subject as best you can. And here we have the usual break-down of communication on this matter. Which is why I emphasise the next bit: I emphasise that when YOU talk with a vegan, that you should insist they keep to the rules: my rules. Which are:

1. Know that my main aim is NOT to win the argument,

2. Know that I aim NOT to make anyone else feel ashamed or guilty, this being a no-go zone for value-judgement.

3. Know that I deeply respect anyone who dares to have a chat with any vegan, at any time.

Talking with vegans is one thing; a vegan might enjoy it, but non-vegans often don’t. Omnivores can’t be very creative in these discussions. All they can do is defend because of the way they live. They  are compelled to hold on to their fixed views, concerning animal issues. And the liberation of animals mustn’t matter to them - there mustn’t be any reasons to think about these things too deeply.

And that’s where we stand today, some people moving rapidly forward, others are being left behind. Most are still stuck in a state of compulsory non-thought, continuing to go slow on certain important matters. Vegans, on the other hand want to go fast. We want to hasten. But more haste less speed. I’d like put the case for not leaving anybody behind, and to get that priority hard-wired into our new vegan brain before we do any crusading.