[Serious] Why do so many people seem to hate veganism?
Seen a lot of posts on Lemmy with vegan-adjacent sentiments but the comments are typically very critical of vegan ideas, even when they don't come from vegans themselves. Why is this topic in particular so polarising on the internet? Especially since unlike politics for example, it seems like people don't really get upset by it IRL
Some vegans make the argument that it's not more expensive, and fresh ingredients are pretty cheap. This ignores the time it takes to actually make dishes with fresh ingredients. A lot of people that are less well off don't have the time to spare.
I agree. It doesn't cost a lot to buy lentils and make dal, but it takes time.
The problem is really our entire food system is geared towards profit and the excessive suffering that comes from that. If you want to eat meat a little more ethically...you have to spend more or have the time to raise animals yourself.
Vegans vs meat-eaters is distraction from humans vs industrialized food. Vegans are correct about the suffering of animals, but those that focus on preaching to convert would find their time best spent being compassionate to those that can't make changes.
Some small changes include:
have one more vegetarian day a week
in a restaurant select the vegetarian entree or three vegetarian side dishes in stead of a meat main course
buy from local farms if available
make some mushy Peas for a lunch option
meal prep (vegan/vegetarian food does freeze easily and is easy to reheat)
if making a dish that contains ground meat substitute (homemade options below)
I mean to do it all at once is not easy. Making small changes over time can improve health and save money. Thinking about the suffering of the animals can be detrimental, because you may associate making vegan choices with thoughts of animal suffering. I used to subscribe to a vegan magazine, but half of it was amazing recipes, and the other half was distressing animal stories.
mushy peas (use margarine or olive oil instead of butter)
I've been trying to cut down my family's red meat consumption for health and environmental reasons. I've got a 16 month old so I haven't been making great progress, but I digress. I think my end goal is eventually pescetarianism. I feel no overwhelming need to cut out all animal products. Dairy and fish are definitely here to stay.