Philosophical Vegan Forum

Hey! This is my first time posting on here. I'm from Australia, and a teenager. I have some some particular questions regarding ethics, lifestyle/diet choices and the luxury to be discussing diet.
It's the hardest thing, having been homeless for so long during my youth, and so appreciative to get my hands on any scraps of the grossest shit you could imagine for most of my life, to think about vegan lifestyle with an open mind. But I'm not one for opinions, I'm happy to explore them and discuss them and humble enough to acknowledge that I'm too young to confidently express them. However, I hope every single one of you know what a blessing it is to be able to have a choice in your diet and lifestyle, and further, act as passionately and with the same knowledge and research issues of local + international poverty.

My question regards the economic impact of a global vegan/vegetarian lifestyle and if any individuals have written about it? I would love a link or to read further into the topic, as I haven't been able to find very much thus far. It's such a tricky thing, cows in western countries eating food imported from overseas and hundreds & thousands of jobs depending on the necessity of that wheat, etc. I know the argument exists that those people would then simple farm to feed themselves, but unfortunately, people wish to maintain a living/salary as well as having dinner. I really, really sincerely don't want this to sound snarky, I just want someone to talk to about this! And the unemployment that would ensue if the industry were to fall. The same ethical debate exists within issues of charity organizations (profit & not-for,) , the 'beauty' industry, & so on..

I also wanna know how you, ambiguous, online forum people, feel about waste vs choice. I now work and share a rental property with friends, and we live by the cheapest, most efficient, and ethical means we can. We have our own chickens, I'll fish and fillet/cook my own catch, I own a large property and keep two goats for maintenance reasons. If we go to the city to eat, we'll go to the food court and finish the hot, clean, totally edible food left on the trays by wasteful consumers. Doesn't matter if it has meat in it or not, I guess, whatever's there, as long as it's free and won't end up in the bin. I won't buy meat at the supermarket. I do not condone domestic or commercial animal suffering. If I go to a BBQ and there are two burgers left over, I would rather eat them than spend my money on something else. Most of the money I earn goes towards community projects. I don't drink, smoke, or do drugs.

In terms of ethics, how does this lifestyle fare in comparison to a vegan or vegetarian one? Which is more 'moral'?

Sincerely,
Jessica!

Hi Jessica,

If you don't slaughter and eat the animals you keep, it sounds like you are Freegan. If so, you should fill that in on your profile.
I've mentioned a few times elsewhere on the forum, Freeganism (only ever buying vegan things, but eating animal products that would go to waste -- as you mentioned, in a food court left behind by people) is pretty much ethically equivalent to veganism.

I suggest you read this thread: https://theveganatheist.com/forum/viewt ... f=17&t=818
I talk about Freeganism briefly there, and some of the implications of choices.

If you can afford it, I would not encourage eating many animal products, though, from a health perspective. The burger waste may not hurt other animals, but it will harm at least one animal: you (we, humans, are also animals). Health problems are very expensive. Veganism is not perfect, but reducing animal product consumption can help prevent a number of health conditions down the line.

jessicab92 wrote:I know the argument exists that those people would then simple farm to feed themselves, but unfortunately, people wish to maintain a living/salary as well as having dinner.

Those grains would become bio-diesel, or be sold for human consumption due to the growing population. Other farmers would switch to growing vegetables, where the land is suited to it.

jessicab92 wrote:And the unemployment that would ensue if the industry were to fall.

Animal agriculture failing would likely create more jobs (in producing mock meats, which is more human labor intensive, and in picking vegetables), not fewer, and the jobs would be of higher quality. Jobs in animal agriculture (particularly in slaughter houses, but also on factory farms) are among the worst on Earth.

Similar economic concerns were brought up with regard to ending slavery. Plantation owners prophesied economic ruin. As it turned out, nothing much came of it (partially because free labor, due to supply and demand, wasn't really that much more expensive than slaver labor, and partially due to inventions that helped reduce labor costs). Viking Redbeard is an expert on that, so maybe he'll pop in to share more.