0:00:00.160,0:00:04.890 Why are we vegans so sensitive? Why can’t[br]we live and let live and allow others their 0:00:04.890,0:00:11.070 dietary choice? Why do we get so upset so[br]easily? Can’t we just relax and let go? 0:00:11.070,0:00:12.750 What’s the big deal anyway? 0:00:16.810,0:00:22.130 Hi it’s Emily from Bite Size Vegan and welcome[br]to another vegan nugget. This video is for 0:00:22.130,0:00:27.900 my non-vegans out there who want to better[br]understand us vegans and why we are the way we are. 0:00:28.350,0:00:33.160 First off, I want to let you know that there[br]will be no graphic imagery in this video, 0:00:33.160,0:00:39.039 or really any imagery at all. And second, this[br]video is not about making you non-vegans feel 0:00:39.040,0:00:44.421 like bad people. I am honestly trying to help[br]you make the connection that we vegans make 0:00:44.720,0:00:50.430 and show you the reasons behind our seeming[br]sensitivity and, at times, incomprehensible 0:00:50.430,0:00:53.840 and unbridled frustration and anger at the[br]way things are. 0:00:54.360,0:00:59.380 Of course, it’s impossible to lump all vegans[br]together- each is their own individual who 0:00:59.380,0:01:04.950 reacts in their own way. When I say we’re[br]sensitive, I don’t mean weak or overly emotional- 0:01:05.450,0:01:10.520 I’m speaking from the outside perspective[br]looking in, which often portrays us as just that. 0:01:10.890,0:01:15.740 So do know that I cannot speak for all[br]vegans, nor would I ever attempt to. But I 0:01:15.740,0:01:20.870 can at least tell you what I see and what[br]a great many ethical vegans see. And hopefully 0:01:20.870,0:01:26.000 this can shed some light onto why we may have[br]difficulty eating with you or get passionately 0:01:26.000,0:01:29.100 upset about something that to you may seems[br]insignificant. 0:01:29.610,0:01:35.560 You see, when you go vegan, you take the blinders[br]off and start to get what I think of as x-ray vision. 0:01:36.180,0:01:41.850 You start to see what’s really going[br]on underneath the idyllic lies we’ve unquestioningly bought into. 0:01:42.250,0:01:46.790 Personally, I find it difficult to be around[br]the consumption of animals and their byproducts. 0:01:47.400,0:01:50.860 It’s something I’ve lived with my whole[br]life, as so many of us do, 0:01:51.310,0:01:53.310 but it hasn't gotten easier, really. 0:01:53.800,0:01:59.300 Now here is where you may assume I’m judging[br]you or that I’m upset by your eating habits. 0:01:59.300,0:02:04.360 But the real source of my discomfort has nothing[br]to do with you per-se, but the fact that what 0:02:04.360,0:02:10.250 is on your plate was once a life. If you’re[br]non-vegan, please stay with me through this 0:02:10.250,0:02:16.530 explanation. Again, this not about me making[br]you feel like a horrible person. I’m simply 0:02:16.530,0:02:22.570 attempting to relay what it is we vegans see[br]and why it is we have trouble around animal products. 0:02:23.220,0:02:29.500 When I see a piece of cheese, I can tear up-[br]and that sounds crazy to people. But I don’t 0:02:29.500,0:02:34.560 just see a piece of cheese. I see a mother[br]whose child has been ripped from her moments 0:02:34.560,0:02:40.510 after birth. I see a baby who’d been relegated[br]to the veal industry and sent for slaughter 0:02:40.510,0:02:45.760 before he’s 4 months old. I see a mother[br]whose body is going to give out on her 0:02:45.760,0:02:51.329 20 years before her natural lifespan because[br]she’s been raped and impregnated so many 0:02:51.329,0:02:56.781 times- and because she’s had so many children[br]stolen from her that she’s probably just 0:02:56.781,0:03:01.420 given up. THAT is what I see when I look[br]at a piece of cheese. 0:03:02.030,0:03:07.400 So from the outside it may appear inconsiderate[br]or rude that we vegans feel discomfort around 0:03:07.400,0:03:13.680 non-vegan food. But think about it, if you[br]can, without the trappings of social indoctrination. 0:03:13.940,0:03:20.870 Meat is literally a corpse on a plate- a life,[br]an individual, a sentient being who did not 0:03:20.870,0:03:27.510 want to die for a meal. Dairy is the product[br]of immense suffering, maternal grief, infant 0:03:27.510,0:03:30.020 slaughter, and premature death. 0:03:30.400,0:03:36.250 Eggs are products of overcrowded, horrific[br]conditions, the live suffocation or grinding 0:03:36.250,0:03:40.480 up of male chicks on masse, and the premature[br]death of layer hens. 0:03:41.320,0:03:48.010 That is the reality. And that is what we[br]vegans see with every bite. And yes, we can 0:03:48.010,0:03:53.850 become angry, frustrated, livid because it’s[br]so horrifically heartbreaking. 0:03:54.570,0:03:58.891 And it doesn’t make sense to us that you don’t see it too. 0:04:00.500,0:04:05.100 There’s nothing comfortable about seeing[br]people you love consuming the bodies of innocent 0:04:05.100,0:04:10.171 beings. To my non-vegans out there, I’m[br]sure that sounds borderline absurd and most 0:04:10.171,0:04:13.920 definitely an over-reaction, but bear with[br]me if you will. 0:04:14.260,0:04:19.360 Imagine seeing someone you love harming a[br]child or abusing a beloved dog or cat. 0:04:19.670,0:04:26.200 Or even, god forbid, eating that beloved family[br]pet. And, if possible, imagine that this violence 0:04:26.200,0:04:31.860 was socially acceptable. That you were the[br]only one who seemed to think that something was wrong. 0:04:32.340,0:04:36.180 And furthermore, imagine that your[br]loved one who is committing these horrible 0:04:36.180,0:04:41.610 acts, became defensive and resentful towards[br]you for having any issue with the matter. 0:04:41.870,0:04:46.850 Again this may seem an absurd comparison.[br]But what is the distinction we make between 0:04:46.850,0:04:52.480 “pet” animals and “edible” animals[br]if not absurd? It’s certainly arbitrary. 0:04:53.270,0:04:58.309 You see vegans feel the same love and compassion[br]and empathy for “food animals” that you 0:04:58.309,0:05:03.501 do for your pets. And just how comfortable[br]would you be if your pet took the place of 0:05:03.501,0:05:09.160 the cow, pig or chicken on your plate? How[br]is it we are horrified by cultured that consume 0:05:09.160,0:05:14.770 dogs while we continue to consume beings just[br]as valuable and even more intelligent? 0:05:15.320,0:05:20.720 We vegans no longer see this arbitrary distinction.[br]We value all of these lives equally. 0:05:21.420,0:05:27.049 So watching the continued enslavement, abuse,[br]torture and murder of them is often too much 0:05:27.049,0:05:32.361 to bear. While all of that is conveniently[br]hidden from view and all you see is cheese, 0:05:32.361,0:05:38.961 milk, hamburger, pork- what have you- we cannot[br]un-know what we know or un-see what we’ve seen. 0:05:39.630,0:05:47.080 So your food item, while seemingly innocuous,[br]is to us the end product of real-life horror. 0:05:47.700,0:05:54.230 We see the bloodshed, the struggle, we hear[br]their cries, we sense their fear and we feel 0:05:54.230,0:06:00.450 their terror. Just as you would for your beloved[br]pet if were they put through such horrific treatment. 0:06:00.890,0:06:06.080 And even more so as you would for a human[br]child subjected to such atrocities. 0:06:06.610,0:06:09.990 The difference is: we don’t close our eyes. 0:06:10.460,0:06:15.680 I hope that this explanation has been helpful.[br]If it seemed heavy-handed it’s only because 0:06:15.680,0:06:21.360 this is all too real and happening all to[br]often. If you are able for a moment to put 0:06:21.360,0:06:26.830 yourself in our place and imagine seeing what[br]we see- even if you yourself don’t believe it- 0:06:27.350,0:06:31.570 perhaps that will help you understand[br]why we vegans are so sensitive and passionate. 0:06:31.970,0:06:34.030 And why we can’t stand idly by. 0:06:34.620,0:06:39.810 If this video reached you at all, please give[br]it a thumbs up and share it around to open 0:06:39.810,0:06:45.860 more eyes. To support Bite Size Vegan in continuing[br]the mission to speak for the animals and open 0:06:45.860,0:06:51.030 minds and hearts, please see the support links[br]in the video description below or for perks 0:06:51.030,0:06:55.860 and rewards for your support, click on the[br]Nugget Army icon there or in the link in the 0:06:55.860,0:07:01.550 iCard sidebar. If you’re new here, be sure[br]to hit that big red subscribe button down there for more 0:07:01.550,0:07:06.990 awesome vegan content every Monday, Wednesday,[br]and some Fridays. Now go live vegan, 0:07:07.260,0:07:09.839 open your eyes, and I’ll see you soon! 0:07:10.139,0:07:13.820 And now, to decompress after that...really[br]intense nugget... 0:07:17.120,0:07:18.260 This thing. 0:07:19.080,0:07:20.530 [Comical honking noise] 0:07:21.220,0:07:26.039 If you have trouble connecting with "food[br]animals" or farm animals, just picture them 0:07:26.040,0:07:33.040 having this face. How could you ever do anything[br]to this face? 0:07:33.720,0:07:37.720 You gotta show them your beautiful face. You[br]gotta show them your beautiful face. 0:07:40.880,0:07:42.320 You're a good vegan advocate.