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So, most people are just terrible at making big changes from one day to the next, we're creatures who function on habits.
What are good steps to take, to gradually transition away from meat for whatever reason, be it ethical, environmental or both?
You could
- Start avoiding industrial meat from animals that pretty much suffer 100% of the time
- Cut out meat from large animals that have the most environmental impact
- Work your way down from number 2 until all you eat is poultry
- Cut out meat altogether
And so on and so forth. Maybe drop dairy next, because large animal, then work on eggs. Slowly but surely.
Any thoughts? I'm genuinely asking, because I'm very much someone who has a hard time with big changes in my everyday life.
I tried for a while to make those small changes, but I always found it too hard to do, until I finally just decided to cut out all animal products one night, and I never really went back.
I think the difference was how I framed it, mentally. I always saw it as an act of willpower to not eat animal products, like I have to overcome my cravings in the same way I would if I was cutting calories. But quitting animal products altogether allowed me to frame it differently for myself -- instead of telling myself "I shouldn't eat this", I can just say "I don't eat this." Like, it's not on the table as something I have to consider. I don't even have to recognize animal products as food.
Maybe if you cut things out one at a time you could do a similar thing. Though one problem is that it's a series of changes and commitments you have to make, instead of just one thing. I feel like that could be harder, depending on who you are.
The biggest hurdle from me going vegan was I thought it would be difficult, so I did something similar. Turns out, however, that it's SUPER EASY to cut out all meat and dairy. Seriously it blew my mind. Just look up a couple recipes, make sure you read ingredient lists on products, and you're done. That's all it takes.
The key is to just commit. Jump off the high board and take the plunge. Sure the water may shock you at first but you'll quickly adapt. Quicker than you'd expect.
I went vegetarian about 9 years ago and went vegan about 1.5 years ago. Honestly I think anyone can go vegetarian overnight. It wasn't that hard 9 years ago and it's even easier now with all the fancy mock meats and stuff and greater ability to get plant-based options at restaurants etc. YouTube has endless videos on plant-based cooking and there are tons of vegan/plant-based cookbooks for that too.
To people who are flirting with veganism for ethical reasons, hear me out: would you treat dogfighting, cockfighting, or committing crimes against other people in the same "baby steps" manner that some people endorse with converting to a plant-based diet? Either you think dogfighting (watching animals be harmed for your own pleasure) is bad, or you don't. Either you think killing animals and subjecting them to suffering needlessly for your own taste pleasure is bad, or you don't. If you do think it's bad, put your money where your mouth is and quit.
- Cut out meat from large animals that have the most environmental impact
- Work your way down from number 2 until all you eat is poultry
On the other hand cutting out smaller animals first would have a bigger impact on suffering because you need more beings for the same amount of meat. So I'd just say to just reduce meat, whichever is easier first.
That's a good point. Just going one specific animal at a time would make it easier for many people, doesn't really matter which one.
It doesn't. What makes it easy is making an emotional connection with animals and engaging your empathy. When you finally recognize on an emotional level what you have been working so hard maintain denial over all your life, it changes EVERYTHING. You can no more eat a hamburger than you could rip the face off a child.
Of course, empathy HURTS. Experiencing the suffering that everyone thoughtlessly inflicts on animals is fucking AGONY. That's the real reason people don't fucking do it. They're cowards.
Permanently Deleted
I mean plants do seem to also feel some sort of pain, not exactly like animals do, but at least something. Time to engage empathy for that as well? It's impossible to not kill something for survival, that's why humans have the ability to turn off empathy for life they have to end.
Somebody give this fucker the answer to his carnist bingo square, I cannot deal with this level of self delusion.
You cannot have empathy for plants. You can project feelings over plants, but you cannot have empathy for them. Do you even know what the word means? I mean, I'm sure you do deep down, but you're not allowing yourself to connect with thoughts like that, because they hurt and you're a coward.
But yeah yeah yeah. Another plants rights activist. Funny how you guys always show up when animal rights are discussed, and NEVER ANY OTHER FUCKING TIME.
If you believe that plants suffer, then you should eat plants, because it takes TEN TIMES MORE FUCKING PLANTS to raise livestock. So go vegan, you fucking plants right activist.