Been vegan for 6 months but, think i'm about to crumble.

[Wayne McGrath]

Hello,

First time poster/first time on any forum ever actually but, since I'm the only vegan I know I really need others opinions on this serious dilemma I'm having. So, first of all to give a little background about me, I'm not your usual vegan, heck I might not even technically be a vegan according to some. What I mean by this is that when I went vegan it was with the mindset that I don't want to buy animal products as it tells those businesses that I want this and so they should keep making it. I actually have no problem with eating animal products if say someone bought it for me by mistake as at that point the business already has their money and so to not eat the product would be a waste of food and disrespectful to the animal. Admittedly this has never happened but, it's what I would do if the situation arose.
I do however, have no problem eating products which say "may contain" on them. This is because on the list of ingredients for the product it lists no animal products and so by buying this I hope to be telling whichever company that made it that I want more of this particular product. Just because it happens to be made in a factory which also uses animal products in other products and so some sort of contamination may have happened doesn't dissuade me from buying the product. This may be the wrong mindset but, it is one I've settled on. Living like this has made going vegan (if this is vegan) very easy for me, until now.
From what I've seen going vegan is a 2 stage process and switching to a vegan diet is only the first stage. The next being to convince others to go vegan as well and I haven't been able to convince a single friend or family member. This is more infuriating when I know that my argument (aka the vegan argument) is completely sound and logical so if you care about your health, the environment or animals it is a must to go vegan. One of those three reasons would apply to everyone (for me it's animal welfare) I know and yet none of them will even entertain the idea. I see this alot though from people in videos made by vegan activists so it seems that people in general even after being educated on the realities of the animal agriculture industry don't care enough to change since it doesn't effect them in a way they can perceive immediately.
This has lead me to pretty much a sort of "what's the point" type mentality. We all know on here that veganism becoming the norm is an inevitable eventuality due to it being the largest contributor to global warming, which when it reaches a point that raising sea levels start flooding people's towns and homes then they will care enough to change since it directly effects them. Appealing to people's ethics and humanity is never gonna get the change we (I) want which is to see the end of the animal agriculture industry. This is what I've come to think in recent weeks and I don't know what to do. Any thoughts, opinions or insults would be welcome if it'll help me decide what to do. Thank you for your time.

Edit: After chatting to some people on reddit I've been able to shift my mindset towards the fact that even reducing animal cruelty a little is still a fantastic reason to go vegan.

TL;DR - People are awful and will never go vegan on a massive scale until global warming becomes a big enough threat to their lives. Therefore what's the point in me being vegan now if the outcome I want (end of commercial animal agriculture) isn't going to happen until it's government enforced sometime in the future.

 

[rogerjolly]

Hi Wayne,

It can be very hard when you have no one who agrees with or at least understands your principles. My wife and I are longstanding vegans from the pre-internet days. Back then our only doses of encouragement came from the Vegan Society magazine. Becoming vegan was much more difficult back then but at least we had each other.

My best advice to you is this: Make your next holiday an eco-holiday. There you will probably meet at least a few vegans but nobody at all who is actually hostile to your views. I am sure you would find the experience totally refreshing.

The answer to your "what's the point" question is very simple. To thine own self be true.

Roger.

 

[Jamie in Chile]

Veganism is not an all or nothing thing. By going vegan yourself you will reduce animal suffering and global warming and unecessary land use and environmental damage by a certain amount. For every person that goes vegan that is true.

Unfortunately others will not necessarily see this and change is slow, that is the way of the world or at least humans. Most people will not change overnight, at all. Keep us trying to convince others but don't do it so much that you become sad or angry or lose faith yourself. If you are feeling low or considering giving up, then you need to focus on your own objectives. If you are doing well and are quite settled in your diet, you can try and convince others.

I haven't had much success in convincing others, either.

 

[txnutrition]

I completely understand how you feel! I am a nutritionist and I saved my brother's life by changing him to a vegan diet. His doctor even commented on how his blood results were practically perfect and asked what he was doing. The doctor actually recommended he stop being vegan after he told him that was what saved his life. Luckily, he has since switched doctors and she happens to be vegan-yay! But can you imagine having your diet save your life and then be told by an uneducated doctor that you should change back to a diet that nearly killed you (he had fatty liver)? Just remember that many people are not educated about veganism and are afraid to see that they may be hurting everything around them by eating a cheeseburger.

I think the most important thing is just to continue being vegan yourself. There is such a huge community out there that you are a part of and that is so excited to receive you! I recommend finding a vegan restaurant in your area and you will meet tons of vegans who are very excited about your journey.

I live in Texas and everyone here is obsessed with BBQ. I have been able to change the lives of at least five people just by how I eat and the recipes I put together. I don't openly talk about why I'm vegan, I let people come to me and ask me why. For some reason people really want to find ways to tell you how you may not be eating vegan or you aren't getting the right amount of protein. I laugh at those people because I research extensively everything I eat and they just say these things on a whim. People don't like knowing that for years they have been making choices that are harmful to their bodies, the planet, and living beings. Don't get down on yourself about it, just keep pressing on!

 

[sarrah]

Yep totally agree with TXnutrition. Wayne your on the right path just listen to your inner self you'll do the right thing. Staying vegan is best all round for you, animals and the environment. Make sure you research and get the right nutrition and remind your friends and family that you are vegan so they dont give you meat so that way you wont feel the need to eat it to avoid waste. Everything in life that involves commitment will need effort, but thats life. Your reward for your effort is your contribution towards a better world.

 

[callador]

You can always try to influence others by being a positive role model. Let your results (blood markers, weight loss, etc.) speak for you. That is what I am going to try and do, assuming I can keep getting stronger/gain muscle on this kind of diet. People will ask me what I am doing, and I will tell them. If you get preachy or pushy, it turns most people off right away.

Right now, just do the diet for you. If you are happy with how it is going, and it seems like you are from a diet standpoint, then stick with it.

 

[danceswithcats]

Hi Wayne,

According to this webpage, the average number of animals killed for direct and indirect consumption by the average American each year is 467.5, including fish and the byproducts of fishing(animals trapped in nets etc.,) and the byproducts of dairy consumption (the male calves). You need to scroll down to the last graph in the post to see the total.

Therefore, in six months of veganism, you have saved 233.75 living souls. You may have read that the American and European dairy industries contracted last year, as a result of reduced demand. You are making a difference. Of course, veganism is a personal choice and a health choice and all the rest of it, but it is also a political movement, and you are playing a part.

Solidarity, bruv! We're a force in the world.