Why I am not a vegan

[Diana]

I would note that I wasn't trying to suggest or allude to vegans or vegetarians being deluded or anything of the sort, I, personally, have no qualms with them, I was instead referring to how for myself the very fact that I have to consume life to live is more troubling to me than the particulars of what I am consuming. It is all equally "unfair" to me. Perhaps that is black and white, but to me suffering is suffering is suffering. I can and have attempted to justify or sway myself in one direction or the other but so far all sorts of rationalization doesn't change the sheer fact to me that I have to consume to survive in this body and that means the harm or death of other life, regardless of "less" or "more".

I respect your point here. I must admit though, that I find this attitude somewhat lazy. Although I do understand your frustration of being in a place where survival means taking life. I do feel that a process must be gone through, a journey of growth and discovery, which does not include skipping over the difficult bits.

What I am talking about is not rationalization. It is a sincere desire to do the least harm. The thing is, how do things change or evolve? Not by surrendering to an idea that it's all unfair, I don't think. We make choices. Things change. Eventually, evolution is seen to have happened.

1. Humankind is primitive, living as animals in a predator/prey existence.

2. Humankind, because of a larger capacity for brain development, begins the process of learning what the effects are of free will and choice.

3. Humankind, after developing compassion because of the observance of effects from choice and free will, begins to make choices that align with compassion.