[[My advice for those trying to go veg]] # Why I am vegan Trying not to eat animals is a choice I make everyday. It is not about perfection. It is about trying. I like having the daily opportunity to make small choices to live in a kinder world. ## Want to understand why I regularly choose to be vegan? - Consider what happens to animals - that spend their lives tiny overcrowded cages - who never see the sun or nature - in barn fires, in floods, - on the long drives to slaughterhouses - in slaughterhouses - 99.9% of eggs come from a system where a chicken is intensely confined for ~30 hours for every egg it produces - Consider your own willingness to eat an animal you love - Consider how you would want to be treated - Consider your own willingness to hurt an animal - Watch Meet Your Meat on YouTube ## Why do I choose to be vegan? - Eating meat causes unnecessary suffering. - Eating eggs causes unnecessary suffering. - Consuming dairy causes unnecessary suffering. That suffering is experienced by workers, ecosystems, communities, farmed animals, wild animals, and ourselves. Chicken farming is worst. ## Downsides to going veg? - In very extremely rare times it can be briefly isolating (but very rarely, like 3 times a year). It is way way more common for me to meet people trying to not eat meat and it be a reason that we bond. ## Personal benefits to going veg? - I feel way healthier - I do think its probably good for your karma - I feel like I'm contributing to a kinder world - I've met a bunch of amazing people ## FAQ - Do I want others to eat vegetarian or vegan? (yes) - Do I hate people for not being veg? (no, hate isn't helpful) - Am I judging you for not being veg yet? (no, it is a process) - Do I think your meat was ethical? (no, go to a slaughterhouse) - Do I want to argue with individuals about this? (no) - When did I go vegetarian and vegan? (I was 14 or 15) ## Going vegetarian saved my life There is a long story here. [[come find me|ask me about it sometime]] ## Why aren't other people vegan? See [[complex systems]], social norms, and the marketing budgets of meat, milk, and egg companies. ## Ever been an angry vegan? Yes. Anger comes from love. I love deeply and while I'm rarely angry at individuals, the state of the world occasionally makes me angry. ## Any controversial opinions? I enjoy people eating animals near me about as much as I enjoy a person hitting their kids or dog in front of me. I can't control the hurt that happens in this world and seeing it makes me sad. ## I'll often describe myself as vegan-[[ish]]. It's not about purity. [[living is trying]] ## Related - [[How do I talk to children about my veganism]] - [[guide to being my friend]] - [[concerns with veganism]]