I wrote this back in June 2010. And yes, I am still vegan. Thought it would be good to share it here:
“Day #8 of Not Eating Meat Products
I don’t really like talking about my decision to become vegan. But just to get it out of my system and end the constant explanations, I will write just one post. That’s it. You will never read any posts about this anymore. I’d probably write about favorite vegan restaurants and products, but I will dispense with the preaching.
First off, this is one thing that bothers me about being vegan, or the label “vegan”.
One, I don’t like the label itself ’cause it conjures different types of stereotypes. I would rather say that I don’t eat animals and animal by-products. Period.
I don’t want to say all vegans or vegetarians are like this, but I cringe a bit when I encounter the types who preach too much, judge people who aren’t like them and sound “holier than thou”, or simply those who seem to be cranky and angry with the world all the time. They give vegans and vegetarians a bad name. At one point, I thought: “Why can’t vegans and vegetarians just be..happy? Why are they angry all the time?”
There are exceptions, of course, but maybe I just met the wrong kind.
Then there are the vegans who do it because it’s …trendy. That’s a whole other story but…you get the picture.
Then again, if it helps the world, why not? To each his own motivation.
I was vegetarian for a year in my early 20s and I did it for selfish reasons: I wanted to be healthy and have great skin. Shallow reasons, right? But it was really difficult in social situations, and when you’re in your twenties, you party a lot. And there are not too many vegetarian parties or bars in Manila. When your motivation is that shallow, it is easy to give up. So at a birthday party where I couldn’t eat anything, I ate the spaghetti…and the hotdogs that were in it.
So why do I want to be vegan now?
I decided to be vegan because of three reasons.
1. For the environment. This is undeniable and has a host of effects on the economy, world hunger, politics and the kind of world we live in. I will let other blogs explain that – there are many of them out there already that you can find by just Googling.
2. For the next generation, especially my nieces. See #1.
3. For my health. It is just plain healthier.
Animal rights or human rights?
I kinda veer away from the animal rights motivated vegans because at this point, I can’t really relate too much. In a third world country like the Philippines, especially, and the rest of the world, I think we need to prioritize human rights more. There are many good things about the animal rights movement, but I find it a bit disconcerting that there are more people who are flabbergasted about animal cruelty and forget that there is human cruelty in the world.
I will be crucified by animal activists by saying that but that’s how I see it right now.
Agree to disagree
I don’t think meat eaters are doing anything wrong if they eat meat. That is their choice – maybe they opt to live that way and help out in the world in some other way or form. People come into the world and evolve differently at different points in time. We are all different and we should respect that. I was once a meat eater myself and don’t think that lessened me as an individual. If at all, going through the meat eating phase only led me to this path of choosing to be vegan.
I naturally like veggies and simple food anyway, so getting rid of meat has not really been a problem with me. So I find it funny reading about vegans who seek meat replacement products or veggie products designed to taste like meat but aren’t.
It’s like allowing a vampire to crave blood-flavored faux products instead of human blood. Why not just totally get rid of the craving for that kind of taste?
Maybe it helps those who are transitioning into 100% veganism, but I think it sort of defeats the purpose.
I am not perfect either. I may not crave the taste of meat anymore (and I actually vomit at the smell and taste of meat now), but I admit to still crave the utter yumminess of anything with butter and cheese. It is hard. But I have dispensed with it with fruit and pure dark chocolate.
Simple and frugal living
Simply, if we all ate like Pinoys do in the countryside – simply, usually plant-based and frugally – the world will be all the better for it. In a previous time, we all planted our food, cooked our own food and knew who raised our food. We KNEW what went into our food. Industrialization has made eating a complex, ecologically dangerous proposition that just isn’t good for our world.
Practical-wise, you will save money eating less meat, live a longer life and do your share helping the environment, animal rights and your waistline. So why not?”
Since I posted the above, I’ve still been mostly 90-100% vegan. I’ve let things slide just a bit in social situations or when travelling. It’s hard to be vegan in a country where everything is cooked with bagoong and pork but those are few and far between. I still think more people should eat green. I still think Filipinos should learn more about better nutrition. I see too many people at the supermarket checkout line with their push carts filled with canned goods and instant noodles with no green vegetable or fruit in sight! It just doesn’t make sense not to eat veggie after you’re given all the facts about the effects on your health, the world and the economy.
If you can’t go 100% vegan, try once a week. Try it. Then go for 5 days. Then maybe like me, you won’t stop.
