behindthec

A bit of a loaded question here. :) For me, the hardest part of being vegan is that so few other people are. I went vegan instantly as soon as I began to learn the realities of farming and exploitation, so it's very frustrating for me to try to understand why others don't do the same. What do you think is the driving force behind the psychology of people understanding that animals are harmed, but not being motivated to make a change? Some books/resources seem to imply that if people "just knew" how bad it was, they would go vegan... but as I'm sure most of us have experienced, that's rarely the case. Even people who initially seem appalled upon learning about the cruelty seem to just "get over it" and continue their old habits. Why do you think that is? Do you have any advice on reaching them?

It's encouraging to hear that some people do care enough about animals to purchase meat from more humane farms, but the fact stands that the animals are still being exploited for human use. No "meat" is happy when he or she is being killed. Can any of us imagine doing that to a pet -- having a dog as a cherished part of our family, then serving him for dinner? For me, the entire concept of using an animal for our gain -- especially when we and the planet are healthier without it -- is what I can't get behind, because in this time period we no longer need animal products to survive. Whether it's for entertainment (like Sea World), or food, or clothing -- if we are forcing an animal to be used for our desires, we're doing harm to them, regardless of how pleasant their life may be before slaughter.

Very true, thank you!