Does Being Vegan Make a Difference?

With vegans only making up, at best, 3-5% of the global population, questions like “Does being vegan make a difference?” are perfectly valid … well does it, in the grand scheme of things? It’s certainly a noble cause but has the human race already gone too far?

 

Does Being Vegan Make a Difference?

 Yes, being vegan does make a huge difference. We calculated that even just a single person going vegan will save the lives of around 265 land animals destined for slaughter annually. If you include the dairy industry it is substantially more. 

 

Watch: Colleen Patrick-Goudreau on the difference veganism makes, personally.

( and definitely check out Colleen’s website, The Joyful Vegan )

 

As Demand For Meat Increases Daily

The numbers are truly shocking.

Did you know current estimates for yearly slaughter of food animals are upwards of 80 billion? It seems the insatiable appetite for animal flesh shows no sign of abating any time soon.

80 BILLION!

… and every single one of those animals was a conscious, sentient being capable of feeling happiness, sorrow and fear. They didn’t want to die.

They did their best to stay alive until the bolt to the head was administered. If they were lucky, it knocked them out cold. But many poor souls remain semi conscious as the knife goes in.

The profit hungry, capitalist parasites of the meat and dairy industries couldn’t care less about animal welfare, despite what they portray to the general public.

With a mountain this big to scale, is there any point in being vegan?

 

Western Aspirations Driving The Slaughter

It’s a well accepted fact that as populations slowly lift themselves out of poverty, the desire to eat more meat increases.

The burgeoning middle classes exercise their new spending power and unfortunately have looked to the West for inspiration.

Expensive car waiting at a KFC drive through at night. People in places like India and Africa see affluent Europeans, Americans, Australians on the TV … taking the 4.4 litre BMW X5 down to their local McDonalds drive through and loading up on big lumps of cow flesh, washed down with a nice McMilkShake or whatever the hell it is!

They see us living the good life and they want a piece of it … you can’t really blame them.

We sit here whining and moaning about how our capitalist way of life has caused climate change, wealth inequality and inhumane animal agriculture, yet we’re utterly unable to relate to the daily struggle faced by 100’s of millions living near the poverty line in developing nations.

In the UK I see evidence of poverty. I see the homeless on the street and I hear of those who are unable to heat their homes. But the poverty we face in the UK is nothing compared to the poverty you will see on the streets of Delhi.

For Westerners to lay down the law and pass judgement on developing nations when it comes to dietary choices, for example, is just a little bit hypocritical. I’m sure you’ll agree.

 

Veganism: We Have To Lead By Example

So can we make a difference?

Does being vegan actually save the animals? Well … yes it does.

Pay no mind to the nonsense anti-vegan rhetoric spouted by proponents of the ‘crop deaths’ argument or some other disingenuous fallacy. In my article “Why veganism is bad for animals” I think I successfully put that one to bed.

Deciding to go vegan means you are removing your personal demand for products made by oppressing animals. You are immediately not responsible for consigning sentient creatures to a (short) lifetime of unimaginable suffering.

In another article of mine, “How many animals do you save by not eating meat?”, I try to objectively calculate the number of lives you personally save by just rejecting meat. I think it’s pretty accurate at around 265 a year.

We have to be the change we want to see in the world. We have to believe in a vegan future no matter how far away that utopia seems to be.

Even those of us living in the ‘free world’ where freedom of expression and thought are permitted, we still have very little say in the direction of travel for humanity.

The big money men (and women) have got that covered and have had for decades.

Choosing veganism is one way we can exercise our freedom and make a stand against the system. Yes, we can make a difference.

 

Is It Your Time To Embrace Veganism?

I still can’t get my head around the numbers: 80 billion slaughtered land animals, not to mention the trillions of sea animals. It’s just got totally out of hand.

Demonstrator holding up a cardboard sign with the words 'Silence Allows Violence".

The dairy industry is responsible for untold death and suffering and why? Because we’ve been told milk is an essential foodstuff. Even though all other mammals stop drinking milk after the weaning stage?

You ever get the feeling someone’s not being straight with you?

There’s this little voice in the back of your mind which you’re pretty sure shouldn’t be ignored. It’s telling you killing and abusing animals for the sake of your taste buds is not right.

Is it time for you to face up to the realities of where your food comes from? To question what the establishment has told you? To make a stand against animal cruelty.

Yes, being vegan does make a massive difference … to the animals.

… and to your own peace of mind.

 

I hope this article has helped answer your question today. If not, let me know how I can address your issue in the comments below. Please also use the social buttons to share this far and wide. All engagement makes a difference, no matter how small.

If you want more then please sign up to our mailing list and we’ll let you know when new content is sent forth into the universe 🙂

Thanks for reading and have a peaceful day.

Rohan.

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2 thoughts on “Does Being Vegan Make a Difference?

  1. Wanda Geromette Reply

    THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU
    for all the work that you do & the Information that you provide to help support Veganism.
    I’ve been a Vegetarian since I was a teenager… I couldn’t ever understand why anyone would eat Animals! I KNEW it was wrong… yet I endured scolding & made fun of. Then after 20-30 years of my life, FINALLY everyone just excepted that That was
    “ just the that I was.”
    I’m a Senior now….and It’s hard to believe that I wasn’t even AWARE of the Horrors of the Milk/ Dairy Industry until the last year! WHY I Never really thought about it before… has me baffled! Guess I was Brainwashed!
    But now…
    Thanks to having more free time since I’ve retired, I take advantage of Social Media. The Starting point was hearing about & watching a documentary called, “EARTHLINGS” ..( one of the MOST horrifically graphic documentaries) I could only get ONE friend to also watch it…( she became Vegetarian within 2weeks. ) Other people I recommended the video to, just couldn’t face watching it… and they still Eat Animals. However Some Report to me when they have Meat-Free meals & are Very Proud of themselves. I Commend them for their Conscious Efforts …& continue to “gently” interject & provide MORE ideas to live a Vegan Lifestyle. )
    The EARTHILINGS Documentary is the REAL TRUTH, Up Front & Center… HEART WRENCHING! So afterwards I began to watch & share other (less graphic )Documentaries & began to share with Friends. At first they refused to change….some argued with me & some STILL remain head strong to the truth. I figure I had at least made them AWARE of the Truth in Animal Farming.
    I’m happy to say that in the last year… At least, so far, 6 of my closet friends have also become Vegans!
    So I would like to ThankYou from the bottom of my Heart for your Informative Articles…it will give me much more to Share & help Educate others in Supporting the Greatest Cause on this Earth! ??✌?

    • Rohan McAvee Post authorReply

      Hey Wanda 🙂

      Thank you so much for taking the time to leave me such a lovely comment! It makes all the time and effort worthwhile.

      I’m very sorry to hear you endured such negativity and ridicule. But you stuck to your guns and followed your heart and now you have been vindicated as more and more people realise that the way we treat our ‘food animals’ is just abhorrent.

      I was vegetarian for 20 years before finally seeing the dairy industry for what it is. Same as you, I struggle to understand why it took me so long to see the truth when it is blindingly obvious!

      The brainwashing has been so utterly complete.

      It sounds like you’re doing all the right things with your friends and how rewarding to see them coming around to your way of thinking. We have to be gentle with people because most are not ready for the truth. As is evidenced by your friends who could not bring themselves to watch Earthlings and continue to eat meat. I have said many times, ignorance is bliss.

      It’s a really hard thing to face up to, after all.

      That’s amazing that you have influenced 6 of your friends so much so that they have joined you in your vegan way of life. You are a true warrior Wanda and I thank you more than I can express, on behalf of the animals.

      We don’t need to shout it from the rooftops (but that is also fine, of course) … we just need to lead by example and you are living proof that the approach works.

      Thank you again for your awesome comment, I really appreciate it 🙂

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