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Introduce Yourself - Connect with New Friends
Hi everyone! I'm new here. I've been vegan a year now (started as a resolution last year) and feel like I will be vegan for the rest of my life :)
I joined because I realized I needed more vegan interactions in my life! There is a group in my city that hosts vegan events, but only infrequently and I have yet to make any close friends. I consider myself pretty lucky in that most of my friends and family have been supportive of me. My mom actually became vegetarian last June!
What has been on my mind most recently is the wish that everyone I love could be vegan... I know that will probably never happen, but I can still hope haha. I have friends who say they love animals, but continue to eat meat even after being told where it comes from. I feel especially sad that my boyfriend of almost 3 years cannot see the cruelty he is adding to... I understand that I am the one who changed, but wish there was something I could do to get him to also change. He cares deeply for the environment so I try to appeal to that side of him. But I feel like he and other people do not fully understand the pain and horrors animals must go through to end up on their plates, otherwise surely they would give it up? Cognitive dissonance is a powerful thing...
Anyways, that was my little rant. I'm interested in seeing what I can add and take away from this forum, and hope to meet people who share my thoughts and beliefs :)
I joined because I realized I needed more vegan interactions in my life! There is a group in my city that hosts vegan events, but only infrequently and I have yet to make any close friends. I consider myself pretty lucky in that most of my friends and family have been supportive of me. My mom actually became vegetarian last June!
What has been on my mind most recently is the wish that everyone I love could be vegan... I know that will probably never happen, but I can still hope haha. I have friends who say they love animals, but continue to eat meat even after being told where it comes from. I feel especially sad that my boyfriend of almost 3 years cannot see the cruelty he is adding to... I understand that I am the one who changed, but wish there was something I could do to get him to also change. He cares deeply for the environment so I try to appeal to that side of him. But I feel like he and other people do not fully understand the pain and horrors animals must go through to end up on their plates, otherwise surely they would give it up? Cognitive dissonance is a powerful thing...
Anyways, that was my little rant. I'm interested in seeing what I can add and take away from this forum, and hope to meet people who share my thoughts and beliefs :)
Responses (3)
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Posted by ahimsa32fa at 01/26/15 06:56:44
Welcome!
Your comments are well said.
Some people are raised to have unlimited compassion for others, some are not. It's the primary failing of our species.
We've all heard countless people say, "I love fish", without realizing the fault in their statement.
More and more people are moving toward the vegan diet, which is amazing when you consider the massive propaganda we get from the meat and dairy industries.
Of course most humans today do not have many options. People who live day to day in extreme poverty or war zones are lucky to find anything to eat at all.
But be proud of your choice, stick with it and teach by example!
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Posted by EuryopsPectinatus at 01/26/15 09:46:30
Thank you for your response! :) I guess all I can really do is just be the best that I can be, and hope people are inspired.
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Posted by Kayales_XC17 at 05/08/15 23:50:28
Hey! Nice to meet you. I'm also new here.
I'm currently transitioning to a fully vegetarian diet after doing Meatless Friday for about three years. The book "Why We Love Dogs, Eat Pigs, and Wear Cows" planted the seed of being veg curious in my mind. Then I got together with a friend who is vegan and watched the documentaries "Earthlings" and "Food Inc." Maybe your boyfriend and anyone else you think could be potentially veg curious will benefit from checking out any of those resources.
Also, I haven't read this book yet because I just ordered it from Amazon today, but I've heard really good things about "No Meat Athlete."
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