In the 21st century it looks like veganism finally became mainstream. Everywhere we go there should be something vegan to eat and the restaurant waiters no long find it odd when vegans ask for vegan food. Does that spell the end of the vegan movement? Maybe not so fast.
Typically, there are four main reasons why people go vegan: I) ethical reasons; II) health reasons; III) ecological reasons; and IV) spiritual reasons.
From the ethical point of view, eating anything that causes no suffering is enough. From the health point of view, eating anything that is healthy is acceptable, regardless of ethical or other issues. From the ecological point of view, what matters is the damage that food causes to the planet. And from the spiritual point of view, the goal is typically to avoid interference with the rebirth cycles, alghough it can be much more than that for different religions or belief systems.
In its essence, veganism should put everything together and the four reasons will show the way for a holistic way of life where vegans respect the planet and all forms of life, while living a fulfilling healthy life.
There is this popular remark, that the best food is the food that your grandparents will recognise, otherwise it should not even be called food. Our grandparents normally purchased food from local production, mostly small producers, using short logistic chains, little processing or no processing at all, and therefore the products reach the plates still retaining most of the nutrients. If vegan, this food complies with the first (ethical) reason, and should comply with the fourth (spiritual) too. Normally it is the healthiest food, so it complies with the second reason too. If the producer grows in a sustainable way, the third reason (ecological) will also be fulfilled. Hence, this is the baseline for any true vegan diet – perhaps with some complements, for, unfortunately, it is known that the amount of certain micronutrients, such as vitamins B12, C or D, are difficult to obtain from a modern diet and lifestyle.
The 21st century is pushing the fourth industrial revolution, with automation, decreasing the amount of manual labour and possibly pushing mankind further away from nature. Veganism has a word to say – it is one way to bring us back to nature, where we shall be closer to happiness, or at least more peace of mind.
John Andri
Insert date: 2024-08-20 Last update: 2024-08-20
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