Why Veganism?

What is Veganism?

The best definition I have is as follows: "Veganism is a philosophy and way of living which seeks to exclude—as far as is possible and practicable—all forms of exploitation of, and cruelty to, animals for food, clothing or any other purpose; and by extension, promotes the development and use of animal-free alternatives for the benefit of animals, humans and the environment. In dietary terms it denotes the practice of dispensing with all products derived wholly or partly from animals."

I don't think being vegan makes a person perfect, nor do I think veganism is revolutionary. The "possible and practicable" part of the definition is important, because lots of detractors seem to think that vegans think of ourselves as morally pure. Far from it! To me, it's simply a matter of seeing an overwhelmingly cruel system, and electing to not participate whenever I have the option.

In anarchist philosophy, we aren't just harmed by those who oppress us, but we harm ourselves if we become oppressors. How, then, can I sink my teeth into a hamburger that came from a cow who lived their entire life in horrific conditions, never knowing the feeling of grass on their hooves, or the light of day unobscured by industrial filth and smoke? How can I take sustenance from a piece of meat that came from a living being who died thirsty and afraid, mercilessly killed in an industrial slaughterhouse? How can I be comfortable with the products of dangerous, underpaid, and horrific work done by slaughterhouse workers whose mental and emotional well-being are quickly eroded away by the ghastly nature of being paid to kill hundreds of sentient creatures each day? How can I drink the milk taken from a cow whose body is not her own, who was forced to give birth, only to have her child taken away from her?

There's also a strong environmental aspect. Diverse biomes are razed to create industrial farms and slaughterhouses, which then become perfect breeding grounds for infectious diseases. Creating X calories worth of meat takes a ludicrous amount more energy and resources than creating X calories worth of plant-based protein. Avoiding animal products is one of the few ways that "voting with your wallet" can make a difference, and with stakes as high as they are, it seems like the obvious choice to me. Veganism and anarchism seem to be two sides of the same coin. I can't make sense of one without the other.

I don't believe in dogmatism, and the world is a complicated place. I own a wool sweater that I bought from a shop in Iceland. I saw how the sheep live, spending the summers roaming the hills wherever they want. And I saw that this sweater was handmade by a woman who runs her own shop. Yes, it's made from an animal product, but it was also made to last, without the use of sweatshop labor, without any plastic fibers that will degrade into microplastics, and without using massive amounts of fuel to ship it around the world. I also don't have an issue with buying secondhand products made of leather. Reusing something old, but well-made, is better than trying to adhere to some made-up concept of moral purity by buying something cheap that was made with slave labor.

Exploitative systems are built into almost every aspect of our daily lives, and the harm they do varies massively. Opting for the veggie burger, or getting soy milk in your coffee are extremely small inconvieniences that, when done en masse, can alleviate some of the greatest harm done by these systems.