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.

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.

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.

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Thanks for reading and have a peaceful day.

Rohan.