2025 has arrived and with it, my twentieth veganniversary. š
Living vegan was never something I had thought about, planned for or aspired to but, from the moment I understood that animals are individuals and not objects to be used for pleasure and experienced a seismic shift in my attitude toward individuals of other species that instantly led me to veganism, I knew that returning to living a non-vegan life was not an option.
Before going further, at the risk of offending those who self-identify as some version of āvegetarianā — Pescatarian, Flexitarian, Reducetarian, Lacto–Ovo-Bilbo-Frodo-Groucho-Chico-Harpo-Zeppo-Marco-Polo-I-Dunno-No-tarianĀ — it needs to be understood that when one is vegetarian (i.e., still consumes some animal parts or secretions, so is in reality non-vegan), one continues to directly participate in animal exploitation. Ā Arbitrarily excluding certain products of animal exploitation, like veal or other āmeatsā, from oneās diet does nothing to reduce animal suffering or help change the current paradigm that allows and demands that non-human individuals to be used as disposable, replaceable human resources/property. Ā Vegetarianism may seem on the surface to be helpful, but one need only look a little deeper to realize that, sadly, this is simply not the case. Ā The tacit message of vegetarianism is that āsome violence and exploitation is not ok, but some is okā.Ā When put in a human context (child or spousal abuse, for example), we clearly see the problem and immediately take appropriate action to a) cease our complicity in such morally unjustifiable activities and b) advocate for a full stop to all such activities.Ā If you identify as “vegetarian”, please click the links above, consider this information and commit to living vegan as quickly as possible.Ā See the links at the end of the essay for valuable resources!
Solving a Mystery – When Did I Start Living Vegan?
For years Iāve wondered exactly when it was that I made the ethical decision to live vegan, as opposed to the mostly arbitrary and purely self-centered decision Iād made some months earlier to ābecome a vegetarianā because it “seemed like a healthy thing to do”.
I mean, I knew it was late in 2004 and certainly know the circumstances (Iāll never forget…) but I couldnāt recall the date and always wished I could. Ā Earlier this year, I was leafing through an old journal (from back in the days when people actually wrote privately in journals rather than blogging, tweeting and Facebooking every thought in their head, a behavior of which Iām certainly guilty) and was excited to find some entries that have essentially solved the mystery for me.
From what I can deduce from the third entry below, it was within a few days of New Yearās Eve 2004 while my cousin Scott and his future wife Laura were visiting Florida on vacation.
Entry 1 is the first indication that I had gone vegetarian, which we can see was not based on any ethical considerations; it was all about me. Ā I had simply eaten so much meat over one particular weekend that I felt Iād āeaten all the meat Iāll ever need to eatā (I actually said something very similar at the time):
[Keith's Journal Entry #1] 8/21/04 - I havenāt checked in here in quite a while. Iāve decided to become a vegetarian and have been eating strictly veg (OK, lacto-ovo veg, as this morningās omelette would suggest) since March 19th (2004), immediately following the Grilled Meat-Fest at Rudyās [my now ex-father-in-law]. Donāt worry Rudy - itās not you, itās me.
Note my use of the term āvegā (above) which is pretty meaningless as it lacks any real definition. Ā That morning, āvegā included eggs (and very likely cheese) which are not, to my knowledge, āvegāetables.
Entry 2, paragraph 1 shows a glimmer of awareness – albeit wrapped in self-righteousness – that laziness and selfishness are two qualities inherent in (most? all?) humans that can make it challenging for one to take a stand against any societal norm, even when that norm requires the egregious and morally indefensible oppression,Ā exploitation and execution of trillions of innocent non-human individuals every year for no better reason than āthey taste goodā.
[Keith's Journal Entry #2] 12/8/04 - [in an Asian-fusion restaurant] - The college-age kid seated to my right commented to his dinner date that, āI think I could be vegetarianā. My first thought was to tell him heās right and just how easily he could make that transition [but] simply put, vegetarianism is NOT the easier, softer way. Culturally, in this country, meat is easier. You donāt have to look deep into a menu to find chicken and burgers and steak. But a vegetarian dish thatās more than just a side of something? Often, this requires effort, and Americans donāt want to put in effort. After all, this is the society that invented fast food and the drive-thru. I love when non-vegetarians (yāknow - flesh-eaters) find out Iām vegetarian! The #1 question - right out of the box, within seconds - is āHow do you get your protein?ā I have to remember to write up some index cards to carry around explaining how itās done and debunking the protein myth. I could just go with, āWell, I still eat human flesh. I donāt think that counts as meat... Human is a vegetable, rightā?
Paragraph 2 (above) shows – once again wrapped in self-righteousness – the spark of my desire to educate others (or just be a pain in their ass). Ā Unformed and without direction, it was there nonetheless.
Entry 3 (below) shows me what I wanted to see – a fundamental, life-altering shift had occurred. Ā I was leaving my non-vegan life behind and moving forward with a commitment to no longer participate in animal exploitation.
[Keith's Journal Entry #3] 1/7/05 - Iām at Sublime [vegan restaurant in Ft. Lauderdale, FL], waiting for a table. I was here New Yearās Eve with Cousin Scott and his girlfriend Laura. Theyāre both vegan and just wonderful, spiritual people. They didnāt give me the vegan hard-sell, but Iāve decided to go that direction. Iāve already bought two belts made from man-made-materials to replace my leather ones. Iāve gone online in search of non-leather shoes, sneakers and wallets as well. Iāll need to get past my sentimental attachments to my leather stuff because I really donāt like the idea that someone died and, prior to that, lived miserably to produce them. I watched Peaceable Kingdom with Scott and Laura and saw the unbelievably wretched conditions food animals āliveā in. I came away feeling... haunted. It was like watching footage of Nazi concentration camps. There should be an animal holocaust museum. After seeing how dairy cows are mistreated, Iāve realized they are nothing more than slaves. I donāt want to be a part of the slave ān slaughter culture anymore. Scott and Laura simply refer to all animal products as ādeathā. Couldnāt be more accurate. My death-free entree has arrived - seitan with mashed potatoes and veggies. Itās one of the best things Iāve EVER tasted.
I find it notable that my earlier entry stating Iād ādecided to become a vegetarianā went no further or deeper, except to show just how non-committal I really was about the whole thing. Ā I was even jokey about it. Ā Going “veg” was no more significant a life choice than, say, making the decision to wear khakis more often or take up cross-country skiing or mahjongg (or cross-country mahjongg while wearing khakis… whatever). Ā It was just another thing to do, a whim subject to change at a momentās notice. Ā I recall that, along with that decision, I also very loudly āreserved my rightā to eat fish and eggs āif I need toā. Ā Iāve since learned that a) no human āneedsā to eat fish or eggs for any reason and b) when the ārightā Iām reserving denies another sentient being his or her right to live freely, itās not a right Iām reserving – itās a morally unjustifiable wrong.
By contrast, in discussing my decision to start living vegan in Entry #3, I included some of my feelings and reasoning for making that decision (including identifying animal use as a form of slavery, a fundamental injustice I oppose, which was the catalyst for my decision to live vegan), action Iād taken and plans for further action in the same direction. Ā Put another way, this was not some spur of the moment whim. Ā I was serious.
When it comes to veganism and animal rights, Iām still serious and thatās how Iāll remain. Ā Itās no laughing matter that trillions of land and sea animals – non-human individuals who think, feel and have the same basic right as any human animal to live life freely and autonomously – are killed every year for human pleasure, entertainment and convenience. Ā Itās the shame of our species that the majority of us continue to support, condone, promote and actively engage in such horrific and barbaric practices. Ā Living vegan is the very least we can do for the animals and, secondarily, for ourselves and this small planet we all share.
Veganism should be our global societyās moral baseline for our treatment of individuals of other species and fortunately, for many of us and more every day, it already is. Ā Is it yours? Ā If not, why not?
[I encourage all readers to click theĀ blue linksĀ embedded in this essay and explore the information on those sites. Ā Also, please read ourĀ DisclaimerĀ regarding external sites, organizations, individuals, etc.]
