Why Veganism has failed?

Shakti Singh: 16 major points to explain why veganism has failed

Vegans have failed to follow their own preachings and its failing majorly as its seen forcing all vegetarians to go vegan , whereby vegetarianism is tested science which has been existing from more than 1000 years but veganism is in its infant stage. Instead of blaming and fixing cruelty involved in dairy industry vegans are seen either blaming non vegan vegetarians for same or making statements like cows milk is harmful. Vegetarians believe in saving cows / Gau Suraksha through animal shelter houses and vegans suggest avoidance of milk thinking depopulation can solve problem.

Worldwide veganism has been attracting criticism because vegans have failed to fix actual problem of animal cruelty . They have been promoting vegan lifestyle in name of animal cruelty but have failed to take any measures globally to stop animal cruelty in various industries like Dairy industry etc. And hence their sincerity is doubted regarding suffering of such living being. No movement can be true without animal welfare activities. If cruelty is bad that means all sort of cruelty on any living being & ecology is bad. And we all are equally responsible for same. Just by avoiding dairy milk vegans can’t claim that their food is free from cruelty or there is elimination in suffering of dairy animals. We all have some good and bad qualities . So vegans and non vegans both have their own good and bad qualities. In past nor non vegetarians neither vegetarians had forcefully burdened their diet lifestyle on other but Vegans are witnessed forcefully burdening their theory of veganism on all non vegans including lacto vegetarians. Priority of necessity differs between all living beings and no twin also think or eat or act alike. Milk can obtained without cruelty and vegans instead of making any attempts to stop cruelty done by dairy or other industry it abandons these animals. Is it just a political blunder to promote soymilk against dairy milk? Lacto Vegetarians prefer natural milk from mammals and veganism promotes plant derived juice which is mislabeled as soymilk or other alternatives. Lacto vegetarians do feel that at no point small unintentional violence can be totally eliminated from our life and they have to thrive on natural milk , vegetables , food grains . Vegetarians avoid eating flesh for compassionate reasons but differ with vegans. From past many years many vegetarians are witnessed seen working for animal welfare activities too. As lacto vegetarians cant avoid minute unintentional himsa similarly vegans should also learn that they too cant eliminate unintentional himsa.

Because of its (veganism) preaching to abandon all products which involves cruelty vegans are seen falling to their own trap created for non vegans. Vegans like an aggressive militant have been imposing non vegans to eliminate dairy milk, wool, as procurement of these products involves cruelty / sufferings of some living beings. Compassionate vegetarians who don’t want to embrace veganism see cows milk as a necessary food, a natural source of B12 as its deficiency can cause irreversible damage to one’s brain and one’s nervous system. Vegetarians believe that present dairy cruelty is not intended by them and natural milk has been taken only from root to survival point which can be derived without cruelty too. Cows milk is like a nectar and vegetarians feel that more animal shelters should be planned and joint attempts should be made to reduce cruelty with domestic animals in various industries . But Vegans have been humiliating non vegan vegetarians too and has been enforcing to abandon natural milk for dairy cruelty reasons, a cruelty in which lacto vegetarians are not involved. So similarly now world wide nonvegans ( vegetarians and non vegetarians) expect vegans to leave other products which too involves cruelty and suffering as principally veganism teaches non vegans (vegetarians and non vegetarians) to abandon all products that causes violence or results in cruelty. If dairy milk is prohibited by vegans for lacto vegetarians surely on same grounds others things too are prohibited for Vegans. But Vegans are failing to follow their own preaching’s. Since Vegans are seen modifying rules as per their own convenience, veganism moment has started attracting many criticisms from non vegans. Hurted non vegans as a self defense have raised many counter questions to vegans. This situation is created by interested vegans who have been humiliating non vegans or forcing veganism on non vegans . Vegetarianism is an thousand year old tested science but veganism is still in its infant stage. Veganism should have been a lifestyle rooted with compassion, by choosing to spread its message in an aggressive and arrogant way was not only hypocritical, but has proved harmful to the cause. Non Vegan Vegetarians feel that instead of working for cows and opting for total elimination of cows milk , is going to push cows towards slaughter house as they were kept alive atleast for its milk.

A verse from bible mentions, if anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. Vegans should please learn to love / respect sentiments of their non vegan brothers and sisters too..

Few points to explain why veganism though originally was a good moment has failed as Vegans too cannot live a totally cruelty free life which they have been urging non vegans ( vegetarians and non vegetarians) to follow:

1. Synthetic or natural chemical pesticides are sprayed to kill pest whether its general farming practices or organic agricultural farming practices. As a mass murder millions and millions of pest , bugs , earthworms , honey bees , insects , butter flies , rats , weeds, cater pillars, grass hoppers etc are killed intentionally through pesticides to save crop from such pest . Is their food not contaminated with blood of such creatures? Cruelty prevails in both dairy industry and agricultural farming industry. For most of the vegetarians , dairy milk is a necessary product as its only natural source of B12 for vegetarians and for vegans few products may be necessary. If dairy product is prohibited as per vegan theory then all agricultural crops are too prohibited for vegans as per their vegan theory because of intentional cruelty involved because of synthetic / natural pesticides . No one in this world is perfect and each and every living being is equally important. Actually sentient being means a living being (Movable or immovable) / a creature bearing body with soul (Life) and non sentient being means a thing without soul (lifeless). Translating various Sanskrit terms (jantu, bahu jana, jagat, sattva), sentient beings conventionally refers to the mass of living things subject to suffering and rebirth (Saṃsāra). Again interested vegans are witnessed to manipulate and interpret word sentient being as per their convenience.

2. We all are consuming electricity and a vegan is not an exception. Millions of living beings die in various process of generation of electricity. A person wont die without electricity, so is a vegan going to stop complete usage of electricity as its not necessary for human survival. It’s a product for our comfort and luxury. As usage of any product resulting in cruelty of sentient beings is prohibited in veganism , electricity cant be used by vegans.

3. In process of organic farming trillions of earthworms are trapped as slaves in worm bin for their worm manure / Vermicompost / worm casting . In this process millions of earthworms die and evolve . So do we mean that these small creatures don’t suffer . Each and every life is precious. Why Vegans are practicing double standards. All living beings have one right , the basic right not to be treated as the property of others. Vegans have been objecting usage of cows/ bulls for ploughing activities or their manure on agricultural farms .

4. Vegans object usage of agricultural animals in agricultural farming without which natural organic farming is not possible. Animal manure is must. Vegans don’t see these animals as useful partners and important contributors to human race. But many Vegans do keep cats and dogs as pets . Possibly a cat may be helping these vegans to keep their home free from rats , or a dog can protect their house and serve as watch dog. So are they too not keeping these animals as their property. Why these animals even if they were rescued were not kept in able animal shelter houses or were dropped in natural forest areas where they could have enjoyed natures beauty. All living beings have one right , the basic right not to be treated as the property of others. Treating rescued also as pets shows vegans double standards.

5. Interested Vegans have failed to understand that different cultures prevail in different parts of world. Food of western people may not comprise of natural milk ingredients, ghee, curd but majority for Indian’s at large and few asian countries food diet actually remains incomplete without same such as their sabji , roti , kadi and various other dishes .

6. Today everybody knows that one of the major culprit for deforestation is soy crop production . In process of deforestation occasionally either millions of birds , wild animals go extinct , or many are intentionally driven away or many are killed . Isnt it part of violence . And even if 50 % of soy is for livestock and dairy , rest is for soy seed food oil and other vegan products. By promoting soy , are vegans too not promoting ecological imbalance and cruelty to forest living beings . Why they dont opt for almond option. At least vegans are responsible for their share of usage of soy products and they cant deny same.

7. Vegan foods health risk may be unfolded after 100 to 200 years because vegans have to majorly thrive on fortified foods. Veganism is hardly 60 years old moment and its effects could be leant only in long run , till then its tested on innocent living beings . Its a theory which teaches one to avoid freely available natural air , due to prevailing pollution in air but forces you to wear a permanent oxygen mask. Is total dependency on fortified foods or artificial supplements justified . However good is your air conditioned room , you will agree nothing can compensate nature . Majority of food alternatives used by Vegans are fortified whereby a non vegan may be consuming same occasionally. But vegans regularly consume fortified foods . For food fortification synthetic vitamins and minerals that have been added to our foods may actually be doing more harm than good. Our bodies simply do not recognize synthetic nutrients to be able to utilize them properly; synthetic nutrients are instead viewed as foreign invaders that must be attacked. If these foreign invaders are not appropriately digested and eliminated from the body we may be at an increased risk for developing viral and bacterial infections, Lyme’s disease, or even cancer. Today where few cities or places have started banning fortified food , its strange that interested vegans leaders are taking innocent vegans health for granted . Vegans are advised to intake B12 supplements regularly as interested vegans know that vegan foods lack natural B12 ingredient which lacto vegetarians get naturally from dairy milk. And no synthetic supplement of fortified food can compensate natural supplement. Any fortification is harmful . B12 is naturally available in dairy milk and in absence of b12 in vegans any other unfortified food supplement, Vegans are posed with higher risk of fortification. Why in name of false ego , health of innocent vegans are taken for granted.

8. Vegans justification for abortion and killing fetus has started raising questions such as , is human life not important . An ovo vegetarian may argue and say same for egg. If abortion is compulsory for medical issues then its understood by all of us as such situation’s ratio would be negligible but otherwise justifying abortion or killing fetus for whatsoever reason would be part of hypocrisy. Suppose if a person drops idea of abortion then surely after due period, one more lovely living being may join human race . A dairy industry is criticized often for causing cruelty to calves and any justification for abortion by vegans would be quite similar to same and is condemned by worldwide non vegans. Any unnnessary abortion is a type of intentional murder .

9. Many Vegans travel through airplanes, many do visit music concerts , theatres , Seminars , convention halls and all of them do sit on chairs in such places where most of the time their chair is a leather covered chair . Worldwide non vegans have seen all vegan passengers comfortably sitting on leather covered chairs in airplanes.

10. Nonvegans would have appreciated vegans for their feeling for welfare but vegans have developed habit of humiliating and hurting feelings of majority worldwide non vegans who have shown no interest to embrace veganism for they all have their own ideology . Isn’t same a part of mental violence which is caused to such innocent non vegans who are too part of sentient beings. Vegans can happily practice what they feel is right for them but why they have to force others / empower others . We too believe that animals too should be treated with care , love and affection . There are lot of active vegetarians who along with their welfare groups have been making attempts to work for animal welfare.

11. After methane and co2 , nitrogen (N2O) is biggest threat to ecology and they all have contributed to green gas emission . For first two contribution, livestock and dairy industry are found responsible and for nitrogen artificial fertilizers are found responsible. Today for 90% of agricultural farming process , artificial synthetic fertilizers are used which has elevated nitrogen threat. In original organic farming animal manure was used . As vegans don’t opt for manure of animals like cow , sheep , horses , etc and opt for artificial fertilizers hence they are accountable for their contribution in ecology damages through nitrogen . As vegans are found blaming non vegans for methane and co2 threat to ecology , similarly non vegans blame vegans for artificial nitrogen’s threat to ecology. Today worldwide 90% farms are using synthetic fertilizers / artificial nitrogen (N2O) alternatives which has severly affected soil fertility , growth of plant micro-organisms , affected water organisms and damaged ecology. N2O is the third highest contributor to climate change behind CO2 and methane but is the most potent of the greenhouse gases as it absorbs infrared radiation more readily. Nitrogen fertilizer has become less efficient in recent years as the nitrogen input has surpassed nitrogen demands of plants and microbes. Excess nitrogen is not stimulating plant growth but leaving the system through leaching and nitrous gas emissions. These thing are attributed as violence to planet earth. Point here is that no one is flawless. We all are equally responsible . So Vegans should drop its false ego and feeling of superiority.

12. Along with non vegans , vegans too are seen wearing diamonds often referred as blood diamonds for cruelty involved in procurement of diamonds from African countries . Many Western Vegans too intensively visit beaches , take sun bath and for other recreational purposes its fact that eggs of many turtles and other reptiles too die during this process. Non vegans have seen vegans enjoying recreational activities on beaches So as per vegan theory how can vegans wear diamonds / visit beaches because of cruelty involved.

13. In USA too 61% of Soy seed oil ( Artificial Trans fat product ) is used in various food products including most of the food products of vegans as Soy is major food alternative for Vegans. Worse, most partially hydrogenated oil is partially hydrogenated soybean oil. Today seeing risk of artificial trans fats compared to natural trans fats many cities , places and countries are seen imposing a ban on same for increasing health issues . Then why innocent vegans are not told truth and why their health is risked . Hiding truth with its own vegan brothers and sisters which may make them suffer in long run , is also a type of violence caused to its ignorant vegans .

14. Many interested political vegans are now seen using religious platform for their political veganism projects which has started attracting severe criticism by both religious people and other sincere vegans who are smelling a foul smell of conversion in name of veganism or conversion by name of religion. Such things are killing veganism movement . Religion and Veganism shouldn’t be interlinked as they both have their own originality. Both Religion and veganism should be kept apart.

15. We are too , strict vegetarians but condemn mental violence caused by vegans to non vegans (vegetarians and non vegetarians) who refuse to embrace veganism. Vegans , vegetarians and non vegetarians all have their own ideology and their own justification . All need to work a team . But as vegans are seen working against non vegans ( vegetarians and non vegetarians ) , non vegans are seen retaliating to every attack of vegans. As for many non vegans , veganism is an incomplete theory .We non vegan – vegetarians do feel that complete elimination of unintentional violence is impossible & attempts could be made only reduce same within one capacity and hence majority of vegetarians may never embrace vegan ism and condemn humiliation / intentional mental violence caused to us.

16. So vegans should rather politely educate about cruelty acts in dairy industry and then leave decision on audience whether they want to opt veganism or slightly reduce their intake of dairy products . As some things may seem necessary for vegans , dairy milk may seem necessary for many non vegan vegetarians who want to derive natural B12 from same. If Vegans do learn to respect others views , then they can possibly win some good friends too. Above article was not to hurt vegans , but was just an attempt to show that we all have our own valid reasons . And if vegans can collaborate with its non vegan friends surely such a good movement can work wonders to eliminate or reduce or regulate sufferings of all living beings.

Few suggestions to revive Veganism moment :

1. They should continue politely educating others about cruelty in various industries but should leave final decision on audience. As its matter of fact that worldwide all non vegans too , do appreciate vegans for creating awareness about cruelty of animals .

2. They should not focus only on advocating complete elimination of dairy or honey or wool products , but it can politely request non vegans to contribute at least by reducing their consumption and simultaneously same need to be appreciated. To imagine whole world going complete vegan , vegetarian or non vegetarian is a vague dream. We are not robots to think alike . Each and every living being is unique and all have a unique role to play. A vegan , a vegetarian , a non vegetarian , a non human living being all are important , so lets respect each other.

3. It should curb activities of interested vegans or groups who are combining veganism with religion and both things should be kept separate. Veganism has its own ideology.

4. It should promote alternatives other than soy also .

5. It should collaborate with non vegans to stop cruelty in dairy industry , woolen industry and other industries. Then those who want to eliminate consumption of these products can eliminate same and those who want to consume same then they can derive cruelty free organic dairy products and wool products. Main objective should be to reduce sufferings or cruelty of innocent animals.

6. It should open animal shelter houses.

7. It should promote Organic agricultural farming with animals and avoid combine harvesters to reduce accidental cruelty involved in mechanical farming.

8. We all should daily thank mother nature , cows , sheep , all living beings for everything . And simultaneously pray for well being of all living beings .

9. Among many Asians , specially Indians , cows milk , ghee , curd , makhan has been treated as nectar and for many cow resembles mother earth. So before suggesting any measures take into consideration sentiments and culture . So a thing which may not be necessary for one , can be very important for another.

10. Let veganism not be fought to satisfy one’s false ego and mentally hurt innocents but as an act of compassion for all living beings including its own non-vegan brothers and sisters. Neither Non Vegans , Nor Vegans are perfect but all are in stage of improvisation. Both are incompetent without each other . Let’s work together to make this world a beautiful and peaceful place rather than fighting for false ego , we should fight against prevailing evil / cruelty on field.

We non vegans apologize to our vegan brothers and sisters and same was to show that none of us is flawless and no theory is perfect too.