The other day I was reading an article in the Huffington Post about two New York seitan makers who dub themselves vegetarian butchers.
I know they always say, “Don’t read the comments.” But there were only a few there at that point, and I just couldn’t help myself.
Amongst the complaints about how vegetarians making wheat meat shouldn’t be able to proclaim the word butcher (because the name is so revered?), this comment stood out to me. (It’s directly cut and pasted, as the person wrote it.)
“Is there anything more white bourgeois than vegans. So many people around the world going hungry, and you won’t evn eat honey?mercy.plus it tastes like crdboard.”
While “white bourgeois” isn’t a term I see bandied about everyday where vegans are concerned (and there are certainly plenty of vegans who aren’t white), this commenter isn’t the first person I’ve ever heard to imply that veganism is a diet for the privileged.
The thought goes something like this: if you have the time to worry about honey in your tea, cow’s milk in your coffee, or sheep’s wool in your sweater, you’re out of touch with the rest of the world’s problems.
Are vegans privileged and out of touch?
First, what is privilege?
Well, I’d say having access to clean water, food to eat, indoor housing, a toilet and indoor plumbing would all be things that make a person privileged.
In a broader sense, even being in a position to ask, “Am I privileged?” pretty much means I am.
On Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs with things like breathing, food, and water at the most basic level, getting to a place to be able to ask a question like, “Am I privileged?” would be closer to the top.
I obviously can’t speak for every vegan in every country in the world. In terms of privilege, some would have more, some less, and some none. So just asking for myself, as a vegan, since I have all of these things and more, am I privileged? Yes, I am.
I am lucky to be able to get a clean glass of water from my kitchen tap. In the middle of the night when I have to go to the bathroom, there are no outhouses or fields of grass involved.
What about that commenter? Is she or he privileged?
Judging from this person’s spelling errors while noting that he/she was able to correctly type out bourgeois makes me think that the comment was made using a cell phone. So here’s just a note. If you’re writing a comment on the Huffington Post using your cell phone, you’re privileged.
Very likely, most of the people reading this blog are privileged. With access to the internet and a computer, chances are you’re doing okay on Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs as well. You may or may not have as much money as you’d like. But more than likely, you’re not sitting at the bottom of the pyramid.
I am poorer than some people and richer than others. But all in all, my needs are met. I have a roof over my head and chickpeas on my plate.
So that begs these questions… To the person who mocks vegans for concerning themselves with animal ingredients in food, would I somehow help the starving if I ate a hamburger? Would there be some kind of trickle down effect?
While it’s easy to write off vegans for reading nutrition labels or questioning the animal industry, is it somehow less privileged to not question where your food comes from?
I had to reexamine my food choices when I realized that my actions had a very real effect in terms of the suffering of others. U.S. citizens consume the world’s highest amount of meat per year at an average of 260 to 285 pounds.
In the United States alone, we’re breeding and feeding 10 billion land animals every year, who receive grain and water until they are slaughtered. It takes 16 pounds of grain to produce 1 pound of beef. In fact, about 70% of the grain grown in the United States is fed to animals…
All of this while there are people who are starving.
It takes approximately 250 gallons of water to make a pound of soybeans. For wheat, it’s about 25 gallons. And for a pound of beef? Approximately 2500 gallons of water…
All of this while people are thirsty.
And let’s face it, when you think of extravagant foods, it’s not lentils, beans, rice, and barley that come to mind. Those are simple, inexpensive foods.
My grocery bill is far less without high-ticket items like meat, dairy, and eggs. Especially since I was buying the organic version of all of those things before I went vegan.
Extravagant foods are things like foie gras, veal, and lobster to name a few. Far from vegan, they’re foods steeped in cruelty and suffering.
In fact, I can’t think of any foods that would make some sort of top ten most expensive foods list that are vegan, except maybe morel mushrooms.
Look at seitan, which started this post. It was purportedly invented by Buddhist monks in the seventh century. That’s hardly a bourgeois lineage.
So to those who would criticize vegans for being privileged, or out of touch, or self-involved I have this to ask… When a person is in a position to make conscious food choices in the interest of reducing the suffering of all animals – both human and non-human – but DOESN’T, who is more privileged really?
(The picture at the top of this post is from Herbivorous Butcher, a vegan butcher shop in Minneapolis, Minnesota.)
TaimaChan
In alot of cases, people capitalise on the moralistic white savior/hipster fad side of vegetarianism (not people who genuinely care about change and not to reduce their white guilt) and market vegan/vegetarian products like luxury items, when as you say they should be cheap, simple wholesome foods. Its obvious how many hippy, new agey, bohemian types are after the latest celebrity branded quorn snacks. It did distress me when one of my best friends, a strict vegan, struggled to find food without animal products but has to spend top dollar on premium brands from yuppie vegan shops when she can barely afford it. Processed meat is the mainstay of the poorer working class freezer and general meat/dairy products have always been the fuel of the working man. Those with money can look down on meat eaters in Brazil, people who don’t buy organic, shop in Holland and Barrett, buy fresh fruit etc I’m lactose intolerant and have to go to the vegan section if the supermarket to buy it along with the other premium brands
Heidi Kokborg
I know it’s a year ago you did this post. But I just found your blog, and I just wanted to tell you that its really good! Especially this post. I am beyond stunned that some people think it is only privileged people who are vegans. That’s insane! My experience tells me that vegans and vegetarians often live a more “simple” life. They don’t spend as much money on groceries, they tend to walk or bike rather than taking the car, they don’t shop as much etc. It’s like they don’t have the same material needs as non-vegans/vegetarians. So honestly, I don’t see how vegans are more privileged than people who eat meat. We care about animals, starvation and the environment. We take responsibility. But however kindness and responsibility turned into being privileged I have no idea.
Butterflies
Hi, first of all, the article is written with the premise that veganism is a diet But it’s not! I’ts an ethical position of non-participation in animal exploitation and it extends beyond diet.
I know a man who sleeps on a mat in a hut in Jamaica, very poor, but a vegan. Vegans come in all types, rich and poor, white and black, religion or no religion, straight or gay, you name it.
Lastly, having an indoor toilet is no sign of being privileged to me. It’s wasteful actually, being a water conservationist. I feel most privileged when I can use an outdoor composting toilet or pee on a plant.
The action of living vegan shows that a person cares and takes others into consideration; others being other humans and other sentient animals. Being vegan has nothing to do with privilege, but everything to do with living an ethical way of life that refused to intentionally exploit and harm animals, and has far reaching ramifications for planetary health, and feeding the world’s hungry and helping people.
Jackie Johnson
Love this–you are really spot on.
We are all privileged in the western world. As a vegan myself, it is easy to look over some of the privileges I have. For example, quinoa is like vegan protein gold…and most people probably don’t consider that by increasing demands in the western diet for this miracle grain, we are actually taking it from rural peruvian communities who relied on it for hundred of years as a source of plant-based protein. I personally believe that eating as local and consciously as possible is the best option for everyone…whether they are omnivore or veg-head.
Anyways…fantastic post. Thanks for putting it out there.
Cadry
Thanks for your input, Jackie! The question of quinoa is an interesting one. Like you, I eat as locally as possible, but with things like grains, flours, beans, and lentils, I buy them from bulk bins. I don’t know of local farmers who are selling basic dried goods like that, and so I’m not always sure of the origin of those foods. I eat quinoa maybe two or three times a year, as I tend to prefer chewier grains (or in the case of quinoa – seeds) like barley, farro, and brown rice.
There has been more information lately about the quinoa issue. Did you happen to see this article from NPR? http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2013/07/16/202737139/is-our-love-of-quinoa-hurting-or-helping-farmers-who-grow-it In it they explain that because of the increased demand for quinoa, the farmers in Bolivia are able to purchase more fresh foods. It makes sense that buying the goods of those people in poorer countries would help their economies. Clearly, it’s a multi-faceted issue.
cindy thomason
I agree with making a mental list of their comments. I usually can’t afford to buy everything organic but have a much lower grocery bill buying beans, grains, fresh vegetables , & fruits, only occasionally buying prepared vegan goods. That’s another misconception about us is that we spend more on food. If you shop for bulk items & wisely choose your stores & markets, you can live on way less than meateaters.
cindy thomason
Since I have morals & ethics, that makes me privledged? Just because I live a compassionate life, not contributing to the Animal Holocaust, doesn’t have anything to do with my financial, cultural, or class related status. It wasn’t the weal5hy who opposed slavery.
Natasha Thomas
The unprivileged grow crops to feed their animals, because the privileged pay more for meat than produce. Its in everyone’s best interest to be vegan. If we are talking the people who starve to death because no crops will grow, then instead of feeding livestock all the crops, neighboring areas could provide enough food to feed them. I agree with Maslow’s Heirarchy to an extent, but its too 2D, you can be self-actualised and still be starving (your brain wont be working as efficiently but still). You can be starving and still love animals etc etc
Lorrie Moran-Plante
I,m so confused Is the original comment about vegans being privileged meant to suggest that omnivores can not afford to purchase beans? LOLOLOLOL! Seriously
!
Camila
Some individuals who could stand getting a little more privilege -> Non human animals. Extend your privilege to them not using them as tools, food, or means to your ends. Yes, they surely could use some of our privilege, that’s quite an idea.
As stated in the text: do it really help someone if we eat a steak? Does anybody really stop being hungry because of it? No, not only that, it’s counterproductive and harms more than it helps.
Kimberly
Amazingly written!
We absolutely ARE privileged to have choices – that’s why it’s so important to make the right one. And I believe that our vegan choices (and other life choices that share the same goal of respect for ourselves/earth/people/animals) is our best option at extending our own privileges to others. By choosing a low-impact diet/lifestyle, we are preserving many more resources that can be used to provide nourishment and hydration to the underprivileged.
We are only privileged because of selfishness. Statistics prove that if the planet’s population were vegan, hunger and thirst would cease to exist. We have more than enough to meet our need, but never enough to meet our greed. Someone has to pay the price for selfishness, and unfortunately it’s other populations, animals, and our planet itself.
Dawnmarie
As a meat eater, may I comment? While the comment you shared was definitely offensive, when asked the question of is being vegan a choice of privilege? I would say in America, yes it is. By the same token though, so is eating organic, or grass-fed beef, or free range chicken, and for many even the choice to eat “regular” meat is a choice of privilege. The only people in America, in my opinion, for whom what they eat is not a choice of privilege is the poor (including the working poor) who mainly eat processed meals and whatever is cheapest or donated or available on their WIC budget. I certainly don’t think how someone chooses to eat should be a matter of division or judgement. Instead, I wish we could focus on finding ways to extend our privilege to those among us who don’t currently enjoy the life of privilege that I lead.
Richa
Another well-stated post Cadry. Most of the time people bringing up the argument are in the same boat, education, money, other privileges wise.
The discussion becomes a very different one when talking to someone not as privileged.
I remember having a short discussion about the condition/pain of animals and such with my Dad sometime last year, and he was being very cynical about it. A few days later he told me about something that had recently happened. He was asked by a non profit to help out by installing some toilets which use hardly any water in a rural village. He went there to scope out the options and such and found that there was no water supply. the only water available was in a pond near the village where everyone did everything including taking Drinking water from it. He got extremely upset and angry about it and found out later about how the borewell for drinking water, that was supposed to be in the village was never made because of corruption. He wanted to get something done for the drinking water in the village instead of the toilets, which the non profit did not have authorization for. So he did that by himself.
So when he argued that people and kids here dont even have water to drink and you are talking about the cows and calfs, I did not have an answer. Eventually though something did click in his head and he told me they will try to be on a plant based diet as much as possible and asked me to help mom(since mom does all the cooking).
Cadry
That’s a really interesting story about your dad and the change of heart he’s had to some degree over the last year. I can understand his cynicism, and of course, this post wasn’t written for the people on the bottom half of the pyramid. When a person is in need of clean water, that has to be their number one priority. This post was meant for the rest of us who have resources and choices.
As to your dad’s criticism that you were talking about calves and cows while people don’t have water I would say this… Our hearts are big enough to care about both. I don’t have to choose between caring about animals or caring about people. And in fact, to some degree it is caring about people that I make the choices I do to try to live sustainably and not use more resources than I need. We can care about people and do our best to help them as your dad so clearly does. And we can care about animals and do our best to help them too. The two things aren’t mutually exclusive.
Kristy
Exactly. I’ve always been boggled by this logic, because Chris and I have encountered this sentiment before. I know, however, that my explanations are not nearly as eloquent and well-stated as yours.
Cadry
You flatter me, but that’s far from true! I’ve been reading your blog long enough to know how incredibly eloquent you are!
An Unrefined Vegan
Perfectly stated, as usual, Cadry. I know that I’m privileged – just by the fact that I had the dumb luck to be born in this country. But that doesn’t mean I’m unaware of the world beyond my fence, my state line, my country’s shores. One of the reasons I’m vegan is because I AM aware.
Cadry
Absolutely. Some people seem to think that vegans are born of naiveté to the world around them, when in fact, the opposite is true. The more aware I became of the long reaching effects of my own actions, the more duty I felt to make the most conscientious choices I could.
Alanna
This is fantastic. I agree with your sentiments.
Cadry
Thank you, Alanna! Glad to hear that!
jess sconé
This is a wonderful, thought-provoking post. I do think we’re all privileged to some extent as vegans living in North America, but to echo your post and many other comments, we use that awareness in our decision-making.
Cadry
Thank you, Jess, and thanks for stopping by!
Aubree
Great article, thanks!
Aubree
Cadry
Thank you, Aubree!
Barb@ThatWasVegan?
I think there is a trickle down effect, but not the one that person meant: reducing the demand for meat and dairy means there’s more clean water and grains for human consumption.
I also think you were right on about it being a cell phone comment!
Cadry
I totally agree on the trickle down effect of beans versus burgers!
Somer
The only thing I feel privileged about is that I happen to have the knowledge about what a vegan lifestyle does for me and the planet. The rest is all a little bit ridiculous. Your series is great Cadry!
Cadry
That is a privilege indeed! 🙂
Caitlin
well stated, cadry! are we all privileged to some extent? yes? and that privilege allows us to make the decision to live a life of non-cruelty and suffering(to the best of our ability). we have a choice and we don’t ignore it. in my opinion, people that put down vegans and call us “bourgeois” are really just people that feel uncomfortable in their own conscious decisions and we should feel sorry for them.
Cadry
Thanks, Caitlin!
Amanda
I feel offended to be clumped into a broad classification like that. The only reason I became vegan was because I am physically incapable of digesting Animal fat without having what can only be described as a “nut-like” allergic reaction.
Deciding to test the waters and figure out what I can and cannot have was too painful and sometimes warranted a hospital visit. So if me eating plant-based is offensive oh well too bad.
Also if the world is starving why are we putting plant-based resources into farming animals when plants are a complete source on there own and we could have ample resources if we were not putting them into farming animals for slaughter?
Cadry
All good points, Amanda!
Joey
I am privileged, absolutely. But that’s because I have a job, a roof over my head, friends, free healthcare, freedom of speech and a welfare state that I can call on in times of trouble. My diet has nothing to do with being privileged, however – there are lots of people who follow the same diet as me round the world, and I’m not sure all could say the same. So, yes, I agree wholeheartedly. And that commenter would do well to remember that eating meat is far more expensive, far more bourgeois, and far worse for the environment than veganism.
Cadry
Well said, Joey!
Ms. L-P
Great post! I’m especially glad you named and explained the bizzare non-logic around the idea that, somehow, by not eating cows, chickens and fish, I’m contributing to world hunger or snubbing my nose at people who don’t have access to these things. I have heard this argument, and it always strikes me as so absurd that I don’t even know what to say. Thanks for giving me some ideas for next time it comes up!
Cadry
It really is a leap in logic, isn’t it?
quix689
This is such a great article! You’re absolutely right. We may be privileged, but no more so than anyone else. I wonder how many people who say we’re privileged have ever spent $30 or more on steak for one meal.
Cadry
Good point!
luminousvegans
Another great article! You’ve articulated everything so well and I like that you included Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. The line that I hope to remember from your post when I am confronted with this topic is “would I somehow help the starving if I ate a hamburger? “. I think this sums it up right there.
Cadry
Thank you, LV!
CKS
Well said and thank you for speaking out! I find friends/acquaintances/even some family members, have become defensive when I’ve told them I’m vegan. I believe that’s because they don’t want to have to think about the consequences of their food choices: that consumption of animal products is terrible for the environment, is bad for one’s health and causes unimagineable suffering.
It’s so exhilarating to eat something absolutely delicious and know it’s healthy AND cruelty-free (and as you stated, the ingredients are usually much cheaper to boot!)
Cadry
Yes, life-giving food (as opposed to life-taking food) is delicious on every level. In addition to being good for you, it feels great to enjoy a meal and know it’s not a product of a lifetime of suffering.
Umapuma
So succinct, great post Cadry! I do feel privileged because I have had access to information which has led me to make more humane choices. In addition to becoming mostly vegan, I have opened my mind to where clothing and other goods come from, human trafficking, even regarding abortion in some circumstances – I am pretty pro choice, but I have started to consider all types of life and suffering so much more than I ever did before. I am grateful for the privilege this enlightenment.
Umapuma
OF this enlightenment. sigh – posting after some Saturday afternoon wine – what I meant was, I am still quite pro choice. There is a huge difference between human issues and animals being bred for slaughter, completely apples and oranges. I am just saying I have become a little more compassionate in ways I never considered before. All because of veganism.
Cadry
Fascinating observation, Umapuma! It is interesting that when a person expands her recognition of the impact of her choices, the duty she feels to make the more compassionate choice expands as well.
Herbivore Triathlete
Excellent article. I agree with everyone you said.
Cadry
Thanks, Herbivore Triathlete! That’s nice to hear!
melodyfairitale
Great article just as others in your series!
I hate it when people just as privileged as me start talking about vegan privilege. And the whole thing about “starving children in Africa” is even more annoying, some people just have the white savior complex and think that a whole continent is thirsty and helpless which obviously isn’t true…
Oh, and I think it would be interesting if you wrote about honey! Not eating honey is something that’s hard to explain to non-vegans, especially since in my country it isn’t industrialized and therefore “cruelty free”, haha.
Cadry
Great idea! I’ll add the topic of honey to my growing list of misconception ideas. I’ve noticed that one often gets the most surprised response from people, even though it was the easiest thing to stop eating. Even before I went vegan, I rarely ate honey and didn’t have much attachment to it, and so it wasn’t hard to quit consuming it.
Abby
I read that article–and your comment–earlier this week and again, you summed things up perfectly. On some level, yes, we are privileged in that we have the freedom to choose what we eat. We’re not scurrying around foraging for food or wondering where we can find clean water to drink. But that also means that those who choose to eat meat, dairy, etc. are of the same privileged nature with the freedom to choose.
There’s just a misconception that vegans are judgmental and snobby and condemn others for not choosing to live the same lifestyle that they do, like we think we’re “better” than others we meet. I think they sometimes feel threatened because a) they don’t understand and b) as you point out, “when a person is in a position to make conscious food choices in the interest of reducing the suffering of all animals – both human and non-human, but DOESN’T, who is more privileged really?” There’s nothing fancy about “vegan” food and I would argue we’re actually more in touch, as our decisions come from an educated place of compassion, most of the time. 😉
Cadry
Thank you for sharing your insights, Abby! Like you indicated, I certainly feel more aware of the impact of my choices now than I did when I was eating the Standard American Diet growing up.
Stephanie
“There’s just a misconception that vegans are judgmental and snobby and condemn others for not choosing to live the same lifestyle that they do, like we think we’re “better” than others we meet.”
I think you do have to realize though, that far more people I have met who label themselves as vegan have been arrogant, rude, and downright militant about their veganism to people who aren’t, than vegans who have been kind and “live and let live” towards their fellow man (which I never understood – do only the animals get compassion?). That is the kind of attitude that (as I tell them) doesn’t win anyone over, and in fact influences people to see veganism in a bad light.
For example, in a recent conversation, I was told that I was simply ignorant for being an omnivore, and they were “just sharing the inhumane treatment of animals, in case you didn’t know.” Which is a pretty arrogant and condescending attitude to have (this cropped up in a conversation about a paleo diet, which is about eating more meat, not less, and the person jumped on that as a chance to go on, and on, and on, about veganism, attacking anyone who didn’t simply nod and agree with her). Is that all that far off from what you just said – ” I think they sometimes feel threatened because a) they don’t understand”? To me, it isn’t. It still sounds like you’re sweetly saying people who eat meat are just ignorant. That is no better than saying people who are vegan are enlightened.
So while it’s wrong to label vegans as, well anything than just people, the same has to be said TO vegans – people who eat meat are not any less human and are no less deserving of the respect that ALL humans should get. And THAT attitude, the “you eat meat so you actually are less awesome than I am,” is an attitude that IS prevalent among vegans/vegetarians, and that absolutely turns people off of identifying with those labels, or wanting to learn more about it.
It surely did me. When I started reading non-judgmental books and blogs about it, THEN I made changes to eat only grass-fed, humanely-raised, organic meat and dairy products. It definitely wasn’t on my mind when I was being labeled “ignorant” because of my dietary choices, or having links to YouTube videos of factory farms forced onto me in conversations totally unrelated to veganism, simply because of that person’s agenda.
Abby
I completely agree and don’t want to write a novel, but I rarely tell people I’m a vegan for that very reason. I don’t want to be lumped in with the militant, pushy, disrespectful (yet small percentage) of vegans who admonish others for their own particular choices. I am vegan because it’s what I want to do. You eat meat because that is what you want to do. Just as I wouldn’t want you to force your food on me, I will not force my “veganism” on you. To each their own, in my book. I can respect your choices if you can respect mine.
I have never called anyone ignorant and if they ask about being a vegan, I am more than happy to talk about it and offer some resources. My lifestyle is a personal choice, and if someone disagrees, that’s their issue to deal with. But I think there are just as many “ignorant, pushy, rude” meat eaters that get a pass. Read any HuffPost or similar site article about anything vegan and find the hundreds of stupid comments about how the food would be great “with a bloody steak thrown in” or something dealing with bacon. It goes both ways.
Dede
First, I’ll say I enjoyed your article, and others in your blog. I do take issue with saying those who don’t agree with the “personal choice” position are pushy and rude.
As someone who opposes animal use, I don’t think it is simply a matter of choice. It’s like opposing racism. If you oppose it, you don’t just try not to be racist personally. You work actively to oppose it. Opposing animal use is the same. No need to be rude,(in fact it is counter-productive), but people may be uncomfortable if you question what they are doing. That’s not a bad thing. But if we are trying to get others to “go vegan”, arguing with people committed to non-vegan lifestyles is not likely to change their position. Education about the horrors we put animals through does, but even there, most of the argument is not about “abuse”, because that feeds into the welfare movement, and the idea that there is “humane” ways to use and kill animals. The argument is essentially ethical. Animals are living, conscious beings, with emotion and will, and we should not treat them as objects, as things for our use. That argument doesn’t need a lot of horror story, though people should be clear that the dairy and egg industries are as bad, or worse, in their treatment of animals as is “meat’ production. In any case, vegan information is best presented to those who are interested. Those are the ones who will change.
And of course, if a non-vegan challenges me, well, that’s something different. If they start a debate or make comments about my veganism, I’ll respond. Often, more for the benefit of any listeners than with hope of changing my attacker.
Cadry
Hi Dede,
I can respond to more of your comment at a later time, but I wanted to quickly point out that Abby, a commenter, was the person who referred to veganism as a “personal choice” and not me, the writer of this blog post.
Marie
You see, what you claim is “your choice” not to be vegan is actually a choice to be cruel. That is what vegans look down on when there is a victim to “your choice”, it becomes my business to defend that victim.
The word humane can only make sense if you would accept for yourself and your family what it entails to be slaughtered in the prime of your life so someone else can make a “choice” detrimental to your wellbeing. Otherwise, it’s plain inhumane and cruel. There is no such thing as a humanely-raised to be slaughtered. It’s an oxymoron.
Matt
It’s funny to me that omnivores find it offensive and aggressive when they are asked about their choices. Vegans are asked to justify their choice almost every time we buy a meal or shop for shoes with our omnivore friends. The difference is I’m not experiencing any cognitive dissonance in my choice, so I don’t feel attacked, and I see it as an opportunity to have a conversation about how the choices we make impact the world around us.
It’s totally cool for you to ask me “how can you live without missing cheese!” and yet, inevitably, I’m considered preachy if I respond by telling you how cows are essentially raped to impregnate them as often as possible and how their calves are where veal comes from, and how the grain they eat is part of an unsustainable ecological agricultural system that is destroying the planet.
You see, there is no answer to “why are you a vegan” that doesn’t require me to tell you horrible things about the choices you’re making, because I used to make them too. That’s not being preachy, that’s just being honest.
Aryane
Stephanie, while I agree with you that some people come up too harsh on the subject, I need to point out that vegans are more ethical in their choices, period. They “sacrifice” their taste for meat and dairy to ensure no living creature will have to suffer if they can avoid it.
We’ve all eaten animal products at some point and we’ve decided to give it up because we know it’s better for our health, for the animals, for the planet and even for the meat workers.
And I also need to point out the very important fact that grass-fed beef is NOT a sustainable option. It simply isn’t. The animals take longer to grow and occupy more land, which results in more water use and waste. And they still get slaughtered.
And while there is no scientific evidence to support a paleo diet, it is clearly proven that eating meat regularly is detrimental to one’s health.