Note: the paradoxes of being vegan that I discuss in this and subsequent posts are my own personal observations, and not necessarily universally applicable to all vegans
Paradox #1:
- Being vegan is easy
- Being vegan is hard
Being vegan is easy. It really is. In fact, it's probably never been easier to be vegan what with all the resources readily available today. There are countless vegan products on the shelves, cookbooks galore, and a lot more awareness of veganism in general. Most people will know what you're referring to when you say you're a vegan, and while it may sting a little to hear veganism being parodied on TV, it means that veganism is becoming mainstream enough to be made fun of. And that's not necessarily a bad thing because it also means that veganism can no longer be ignored. I imagine that for those who've been vegan for decades or more, support was a lot harder to get back then. Now, even if you don't personally know a single other vegan, you can join all kinds of groups and networks, read vegan blogs until you're blue in the face, get whatever information you need, and really feel that you're part of an expanding and worthwhile community. Like I said, it's easy being vegan.
But, the opposite is true as well. No matter how easy it is to be vegan, it's damn hard too. Being vegan automatically means you're part of a minority that others view as radical and that brings its own challenges. Having been involved with other social justice movements over the years, I can tell you that supporting women's rights, gay rights, and disability rights does not evoke the same amount of hostility and suspicion that supporting animal rights does. Not surprising I guess because using animals is practically viewed as an inalienable right by most, and since almost everyone consumes animal products, you're going to get a lot of defensiveness if not downright anger. And because animal exploitation is big business, this anger is not only personal, but societal as well. Animal use is profitable, and when you attempt to stop this, you're stepping on big corporate toes as well. Add to that the common assumptions and stereotypes veganism evokes, the misconceptions (but where do you get your protein, we need to eat animals to stay healthy, blah blah blah), and the sometimes having to be a bit more resourceful in getting your food supplies, yeah, being vegan can be hard.
Luckily though, most vegans are pretty smart (and empathetic), and more than capable of dealing with two opposing truths in trying to create a better world.
It is so great to see a new post from you! And what an awesome post it is. If there were a court and it had a case for/against veganism, I'd say you should be the lawyer on the vegan side. (personally I'd call that the prosecution side because I think what is done to our fellow creatures is prosecution worthy, but I'm afraid that we're actually on the defense side as far as the world sees it). I don't know what the next paradox you present will be, but I agree totally with the one you presented here. For me, another thing that makes it easy is because it's just natural. It took me a long time, but it came together naturally and is just me, who I am. The hardest part for me is the extreme emotional disturbance, whether it be anger or depression, that comes from 'just being me'. ... Interesting that you've encountered more hostility in standing up for our fellow creatures than in standing up for our fellow humans who are in groups that are often vilified and seemingly hated even more than 'animals'. But yeah, it is very easy. So easy that there is no excuse not to be vegan. There are only personal reasons. And I can not understand for the life of my any possible personal reason a human could justifiably have that would say 'This is ok. Torturing, killing, using and abusing living, thinking, feeling creatures is ok.". Sigh. Our species needs a lot of work. ... Great post! Please do follow with more!
...life of "me"...that should have said "life of me"... Sheesh.
You write: "supporting women's rights, gay rights, and disability rights does not evoke the same amount of hostility and suspicion that supporting animal rights does."
Almost another paradox, the more helpless the victim, the more hostility evoked by defense of the victim. Curious, isn't it?
Yesterday when I wrote that comment, I accidentally left out one of the hugest emotional disturbances I have about being vegan on my "hardest" part. And I have no idea how I forgot this because it's actually a big thing that happens to me every day. Maybe it is so bad that I go into denial for hours a day, but whenever I feel Paula and Spikey, I have such huge, huge guilt. I see pictures of slaughterhouses. It's pretty bad a lot of times. And I feel the guilt of what we've done to our fellow creatures by completely changing the nature of their being (now I'm talking about our cat and dog family members) so that they are even eating slaughterhouse 'by-products'. I'll just leave it at that and I didn't do a good job of expressing myself, but I fed them this morning and went through that again and then I remembered your post and my comment. And I had to picture the ones who went through a hideous death after a sad, tortured life so that I could open a couple packages of "food" for cats who would have never eaten that in their lives if it weren't for what we've done to them over the years. So yeah, that is one of the hardest parts of being vegan for me. It falls under the extreme emotions, but I should not have left it out.
Great post...!! I was actually just about to write a very similar one on my blog. Now I don't have to ;-)
While I personally find veganism "easy," I get frustrated when advocates blithely claim that veganism is easy for everyone -- when for some, it can be quite difficult. Acknowledging the challenges we may face can help struggling new vegans feel more "normal" and can give them strength to keep going.
Thanks for articulating this easy/hard paradox so well!
Gee... Where have I been? So sorry I missed the original launch of your paradox series - But then again, happy to have found them now/today... As I'm in the mood for a brain-teaser and an investigation into conditions that seem to contradict each other.
In fact just recently I became aware that even though I have this new "knowledge" about bird/chicken anatomy - I have an even more difficult time relaying factual information...
You may not know, but I share my home with a flock of hens - Well, one is injured... It was one but is now two of her legs. She, (Cleo) is managing fine walking on her hocks and scooting on her wings. But when I tried to explain this to someone close (a *very* non-vegan friend) - I found everything I tried to say about Cleo was difficult... Citing her "breasts" that scuff the ground... her "wings" that she uses as arms... And her "legs" --- Yes, the part no ones really sees that is connected to her feet that no one sees either. Very hard to explain that her toe nails now need to be trimmed because she doesn't scratch and that chickens don't walk on "drum-sticks". :(
I don't know... it was just so ironic trying to explain the physical troubles of a (beautiful) bird while knowing that the listener munches on them as a daily practice. No matter what I said, it could have been read that I was mocking their eating habits. (heaven forbid!) - This is my paradox for sure...
I too think it so telling that your work with other justice issues brought less condemnation than your focus on animal issues. Really does illustrate societies discomfort at choosing "not to know".
I sincerely like this series! Now on to what you've updated since! :)