AIBU to ask ‘what would make you go vegan’?

[Bastetcat]

Tangentially inspired by another thread, I wonder if there are specific obstacles standing in the way of people choosing to go vegan, and if so what they are?

I tend to presume that if perfect, indistinguishable replicas for meat / dairy / eggs etc could be created then virtually everyone would go vegan, but I would be interested in finding out if that’s actually the case!

@henharrier

It’s not that I don’t like the idea of raising meat. I don’t like the idea of animals being killed for my food. But the taste of meat is palatable, so if I can get that taste without an animal having to die, that’s grand.

(Hypothetically - personally I don’t like most meat substitutes. But I understand why others do)

I wouldn't, because I believe that some farmers - including dairy farmers - farm humanely and I want to support them.

And if you don’t like the idea of eating a dead animal, why eat a vegan product that tries to replicate the taste of a dead animal?

I eat low carb so it would be difficult and too time consuming to eat a vegan diet. We only buy meat from Field and Flower though.

@managedmis that’s a fair point, although I would argue that it takes work to be healthy on an omnivorous diet too (hence the obesity epidemic and widespread diabetes in this country).

I was overweight and unhealthy as a vegetarian. I relied too much on carbs and ate a lot of sugar, cheese and oil. As a vegan, I am so much healthier - I have a normal BMI, my IBS has disappeared entirely, and I am no longer pre-diabetic. I could have achieved that on an omni or veggie diet too, of course - and it would have taken just as much work. Any diet can be healthy or unhealthy!

Nothing would make me go vegan

I could prob give up meat but never dairy. Never!

Vegetarianism I can understand the moral reason for it. Veganism I just don’t see the point.

So no, nothing could make me vegan willingly.

@Bastetcat that and also the video of the fluffy male chicks getting thrown into a meat grinder alive, as they only want egg-laying females. 😥

I didn't eat eggs, or drink milk anyway. But I ate chocolate, cake, cheese, mayo etc. I can get all of those things still as a vegan.

Best thing I ever did. Wish I'd done it sooner. I'm definitely healthier and don't miss a great deal of food. I miss buying beautiful leather shoes though!

I'm a "quiet vegan", I just get on with it, I don't wear vegan t-shirts, or post videos on Facebook as I respect other's choices and want them to respect mine. If people want to ask questions and have a proper conversation about veganism, then that cool. I prefer to win friends over to veganism with my cooking! I've a number of friends that now eat vegan at least once, or twice a week as I've shown them how good the food can be.

My DP also voluntarily eats vegan half the week and enjoys it, he wouldn't ever go 100% vegan though.

@HenHarrier because it is specifically the cruelty that is the issue, not the taste. Is that really strange or controversial?

Right I don't get the point of this thread. You are only circle-jerking with other vegans or putting vegan viewpoints out rather than engaging in discussion with the people you asked a question of. What's the goal?

@DukeChatsworth what is it about veganism that you don't get the point of? Not goading you BTW, genuinely interested.

I was veggie for 26 years obvious to the fact that the dairy industry is as cruel, if not crueller than the meat industry. I, myself didn't "get it" until I was furnished with the facts.

fauxmagerie has an online shop and they deliver nationwide now...

I don't know why they throw the male chicks away.

My dogs eat them whole as part of their raw diet. Can't they go to the pet food industry?

@GetMeOffThisCycleOfMisery I’m exactly the same. I never tell anyone unless it comes up for some reasons but I love surprising people with how good my vegan cooking is. We had a bake sale at work recently and I was the only one who baked. One of my colleagues came up and was like ‘you didn’t have to bake a non-vegan cake just for us’ and couldn’t believe the cake was vegan (I had actually labelled it as vegan but someone had accidentally knocked off the paper saying so). I felt smug about that.

It’s the best thing I’ve ever done too - a wholly positive choice. I am also lucky to have a supportive partner who is happy to be vegan at home (though I don’t insist upon it). It makes things much easier!

Perosonally I know veganism is the right path, but I am not strong enough to take it. I am a vegetarian but feel guilty about supporting the meat industry by consuming dairy products.

The reasons I am not vegan are simply because I like food too much. Giving up meat was easy, but giving up pizzas, chocolate, cake etc would be hard. And yes I know there are vegan alternatives but vegan cheese is absolutely vile.

I don't think I could find enough vegan options to eat, that I would actually like. I don't have time to be creative with cooking so rely on easy options, and vegan options are limited. Going out anywhere would be difficult, it's hard enough to find nice veggie options sometimes, let alone vegan.

That said, if they could make vegan alternatives that tasted just like the real thing, and it was widely and easily available, I could do it .

@PolPotNoodle I actually don’t think that’s remotely fair. I’ve engaged with lots of views and indicated where I think people have made valid points (e.g. about ensuring nutritional needs are met). I haven’t responded to every comment because there are too many but I have engaged with a lot.

@KellyHall that’s amazing news!

@HenHarrier because we enjoy / enjoyed the flavours of meat, but can't support the cruelty needed to taste those flavours. It's amazing how realistic some meat substitutes can be.

Also, vegan "sausages", "burgers" and "nuggets" are a marketing gem too. It helps the consumer to make the mental leap to understand what the food item might taste like.

Plus, our sausages and burgers are also made to fit bread buns, like their meat counterparts!

@Hollyboba I don’t know why - maybe just an issue of costs control? That would be better than just wasting their lives.

Nothing.

I enjoy eating meat & dairy products, I have zero ethical concerns about buying higher-welfare British meat and I have absolutely no intention of stopping doing so.

@Bastetcat

I used to live with a farmer. Beef, dairy and sheep. No cruelty involved. And he wasn’t unusual.

Maybe that is strange and controversial?

If all the tasty pigs and cows and sheep and chickens were diseased and died.

Only when I can no longer afford it. And compared to the price of all that cellular grown meat coming out of San Francisco at $50 per nugget. I think I'll be continuing to buy pork and chicken from the local farmer for the forseable.

I’m nearly there - plant milks, no eggs, only the odd bit of cheese. Things that would make me go fully vegan: a partner who shared responsibility for cooking and food shopping and generally thinking about food. It is jadedness and domestic fatigue that sends me back to cheese. If DH could rouse himself to take an interest it would really help.

@henharrier

For me, killing an animal is a fundamentally cruel act. I appreciate that there is a big difference in the way animals are treated from farm to farm, and I am always glad to hear when welfare of living animals is a priority. But for me, the act of killing will always be cruel.

Dairy is worse, imo. Again, I don’t think there is any non-cruel way to remove brand new calves from their mothers, or to send the males for veal.