Do we have vegans here?

[robvalue]

I've never heard any connection between veganism and mental health problems, which is why I'm confused.

I don't engage people in the ethics of veganism unless they ask me to, because it never leads anywhere otherwise. I am doing what I think is right, and other people are doing what they think is right. It's not quite as simple as minding my own business though, because animals are unwilling participants in the whole thing. If they were humans instead, no one would expect me to mind my own business. They just have much reduced status.

It is on their behalf that I would speak, but I've accepted that I need to pick my battles. Society has normalized the current status, and most people are fine to go along with that. That's their decision.

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PS: It's difficult, right? Imagine yourself in the position of a vegan (for ethical reasons). You consider that society has this issue wrong. It's not a matter of judging individual people, at least not for more. I expect that eventually, society will change, and this will be looked back upon very differently. How could things have ever been like that? How could people allow it to happen?

Well, when those that don't want it to happen are in the minority, they don't have the power to effect change. Ranting and raving randomly can often be counter-productive. Harassing individuals, looking for them to change, is also pointless. It requires a general shift in society. I suppose I try and represent the reasons for my decision, and I hope that I play a tiny part in the shift of that perspective.

Imagine being someone who thought slavery was wrong, back when most people thought it was fine. They'd be in much the same position as me. (I'm not saying the issues are directly comparable, although there are some parallels.) What are the alternatives? Either wait for change, try to be a small part of the change, lobby for change at a government level (which obviously requires at least a big portion of public support to already be there), or resort to violence? Since I'm not going to resort to violence, I'm only left with the second option.

I'm just trying to paint a picture of what it's like from my side. Like I said, I'm not judging anyone. I'm commenting on social issues, and social change, in general.