Why are we vegans so sensitive? Why can’t
we live and let live and allow others their
dietary choice? Why do we get so upset so
easily? Can’t we just relax and let go?
What’s the big deal anyway?
Hi it’s Emily from Bite Size Vegan and welcome
to another vegan nugget. This video is for
my non-vegans out there who want to better
understand us vegans and why we are the way we are.
First off, I want to let you know that there
will be no graphic imagery in this video,
or really any imagery at all. And second, this
video is not about making you non-vegans feel
like bad people. I am honestly trying to help
you make the connection that we vegans make
and show you the reasons behind our seeming
sensitivity and, at times, incomprehensible
and unbridled frustration and anger at the
way things are.
Of course, it’s impossible to lump all vegans
together- each is their own individual who
reacts in their own way. When I say we’re
sensitive, I don’t mean weak or overly emotional-
I’m speaking from the outside perspective
looking in, which often portrays us as just that.
So do know that I cannot speak for all
vegans, nor would I ever attempt to. But I
can at least tell you what I see and what
a great many ethical vegans see. And hopefully
this can shed some light onto why we may have
difficulty eating with you or get passionately
upset about something that to you may seems
insignificant.
You see, when you go vegan, you take the blinders
off and start to get what I think of as x-ray vision.
You start to see what’s really going
on underneath the idyllic lies we’ve unquestioningly bought into.
Personally, I find it difficult to be around
the consumption of animals and their byproducts.
It’s something I’ve lived with my whole
life, as so many of us do,
but it hasn't gotten easier, really.
Now here is where you may assume I’m judging
you or that I’m upset by your eating habits.
But the real source of my discomfort has nothing
to do with you per-se, but the fact that what
is on your plate was once a life. If you’re
non-vegan, please stay with me through this
explanation. Again, this not about me making
you feel like a horrible person. I’m simply
attempting to relay what it is we vegans see
and why it is we have trouble around animal products.
When I see a piece of cheese, I can tear up-
and that sounds crazy to people. But I don’t
just see a piece of cheese. I see a mother
whose child has been ripped from her moments
after birth. I see a baby who’d been relegated
to the veal industry and sent for slaughter
before he’s 4 months old. I see a mother
whose body is going to give out on her
20 years before her natural lifespan because
she’s been raped and impregnated so many
times- and because she’s had so many children
stolen from her that she’s probably just
given up. THAT is what I see when I look
at a piece of cheese.
So from the outside it may appear inconsiderate
or rude that we vegans feel discomfort around
non-vegan food. But think about it, if you
can, without the trappings of social indoctrination.
Meat is literally a corpse on a plate- a life,
an individual, a sentient being who did not
want to die for a meal. Dairy is the product
of immense suffering, maternal grief, infant
slaughter, and premature death.
Eggs are products of overcrowded, horrific
conditions, the live suffocation or grinding
up of male chicks on masse, and the premature
death of layer hens.
That is the reality. And that is what we
vegans see with every bite. And yes, we can
become angry, frustrated, livid because it’s
so horrifically heartbreaking.
And it doesn’t make sense to us that you don’t see it too.
There’s nothing comfortable about seeing
people you love consuming the bodies of innocent
beings. To my non-vegans out there, I’m
sure that sounds borderline absurd and most
definitely an over-reaction, but bear with
me if you will.
Imagine seeing someone you love harming a
child or abusing a beloved dog or cat.
Or even, god forbid, eating that beloved family
pet. And, if possible, imagine that this violence
was socially acceptable. That you were the
only one who seemed to think that something was wrong.
And furthermore, imagine that your
loved one who is committing these horrible
acts, became defensive and resentful towards
you for having any issue with the matter.
Again this may seem an absurd comparison.
But what is the distinction we make between
“pet” animals and “edible” animals
if not absurd? It’s certainly arbitrary.
You see vegans feel the same love and compassion
and empathy for “food animals” that you
do for your pets. And just how comfortable
would you be if your pet took the place of
the cow, pig or chicken on your plate? How
is it we are horrified by cultured that consume
dogs while we continue to consume beings just
as valuable and even more intelligent?
We vegans no longer see this arbitrary distinction.
We value all of these lives equally.
So watching the continued enslavement, abuse,
torture and murder of them is often too much
to bear. While all of that is conveniently
hidden from view and all you see is cheese,
milk, hamburger, pork- what have you- we cannot
un-know what we know or un-see what we’ve seen.
So your food item, while seemingly innocuous,
is to us the end product of real-life horror.
We see the bloodshed, the struggle, we hear
their cries, we sense their fear and we feel
their terror. Just as you would for your beloved
pet if were they put through such horrific treatment.
And even more so as you would for a human
child subjected to such atrocities.
The difference is: we don’t close our eyes.
I hope that this explanation has been helpful.
If it seemed heavy-handed it’s only because
this is all too real and happening all to
often. If you are able for a moment to put
yourself in our place and imagine seeing what
we see- even if you yourself don’t believe it-
perhaps that will help you understand
why we vegans are so sensitive and passionate.
And why we can’t stand idly by.
If this video reached you at all, please give
it a thumbs up and share it around to open
more eyes. To support Bite Size Vegan in continuing
the mission to speak for the animals and open
minds and hearts, please see the support links
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awesome vegan content every Monday, Wednesday,
and some Fridays. Now go live vegan,
open your eyes, and I’ll see you soon!
And now, to decompress after that...really
intense nugget...
This thing.
[Comical honking noise]
If you have trouble connecting with "food
animals" or farm animals, just picture them
having this face. How could you ever do anything
to this face?
You gotta show them your beautiful face. You
gotta show them your beautiful face.
You're a good vegan advocate.