GROWING
GROWING
“Everything is more complicated than you thought”– Kwame Anthony Appiah
ROOTS
If Vegan Culture is an expression of veganism, we need to thoroughly inspect its roots, and in the following presentation I dissect the definition of veganism, and derive five statements. In doing so, I also suggest the words culture and lifestyle can be understood as synonymous with the expression, and utilised as alternative terms, for ‘a philosophy and way of living.
“The word “veganism” denotes a philosophy and way of living which seeks to exclude — as far as is possible and practical — all forms of exploitation of, and cruelty to, animals for food, clothing or any other purpose; and by extension, promotes the development and use of animal-free alternatives for the benefit of humans, animals and the environment. In dietary terms it denotes the practice of dispensing with all products derived wholly or partly from animals”
* the Cultural Intent statement: “The word ‘veganism’ denotes a philosophy and way of living, which seeks to exclude— as far as is possible and practical”
* the Ethical or compassion statement: “all forms of exploitation of, and cruelty to, animals for food, clothing or any other purpose”
* the Lifestyle or animal-free alternatives statement: “and by extension, promotes the development and use of animal-free alternatives”
* the Benefits statement: “for the benefit of humans, animals and the environment.”
* the Diet Statement: “In dietary terms it denotes the practice of dispensing with all products derived wholly or partly from animals.”
Immediately one can perceive how culture and lifestyle are embedded in the very definition of veganism, and if this is accepted, then one can extend the focus of the discussion into the spheres of personal and collective cultural experiences, the realm of cultural influences that arise from veganism; and thus define vegaculture.
A Vegan Person
“Live Simply, So That Others May Simply Live” –Mahatma Gandhi
Thus far intent, ethics, lifestyle, benefits and diet have been extracted from the definition of veganism. During my twenty-five years or more experience of veganism, there has been contention as to whether a person can be a ‘vegan,’ or whether they have a vegan dietary, or philosophy or way of life, so I now wish to suggest one can re-frame the definition of veganism in terms of an individual philosophy, there may well be other suggestions and definitions!
A vegan person (vegan, a vegetarian animal) is someone who adopts veganism, and may be defined in the following way: “A vegan person is one who excludes animals and animal products from their diet; and – where animal exploitation and cruelty are concerned – makes compassionate judgments in their lifestyle to the best of their ability; and by extension develop and promote animal free alternatives and healthy relationships with animals, for the benefits of humans, animals and the environment.”
And a short form – A vegan person adopts a diet, philosophy and ethical way of living, which guides their lifestyle choices for the benefits of people, animals and the environment.
Cultural input to vegaculture for individual vegans springs from the pursuit of the art of life, which is the expression of the personality, not just from the application of their vegan objectives, but as a reminder of the wealth of individual human spirit, creativity, self-endeavour, enterprise and achievement that is inherent, ripe for self-expression and evident in personal growth. If one’s action is consistent with one’s identity as a vegan, then vegaculture is ready to be represented by that individual expression.
A Vegan Culture
Vegaculture is an expression of the movement to compassionate living; a recipient of cultural outcomes arising from the adoption of the philosophy, principles and practice of veganism; a collation of activity and description derived from the promotion of exclusion, as far as possible and practical, of all forms of exploitation and cruelty to animals—Vegan Culture Statement
Whereas one could identify diet preference as a personal choice; the selection and adoption of a way of living with benefits related to humans, animals and the environment, is also necessarily a social choice, and the implications and combination of these choices is considered to form the basis for identifying a collective vegan culture.
Cultural expressions of collective veganism may include for example, animal rights and liberation, cruelty-free lifestyle and alternatives, Ahimsa (non violence), non-exploitative agriculture, vegan farming, environmental and resource protection. Some questions readily arise from the analysis, and include:
* How does contact with veganism influence the individual personality?
* What is relevant to the vegan way of life, in the social landscape where a vegan finds himself or herself?
* How does the accumulation of vegan influence differ from, or change the nature of, the landscape of life to reflect particular vegan traits.
* What terms do we use to describe the collective, is it ‘a potluck’ or ‘collection’ or ’embrace’ of vegans?
The answers to these and numerous other enquiries lie in researching and framing the social history, in discussing and sharing, and in our awareness and empathy with like-minded people. As a cultural journey, these questions require an examination of the actions of vegans, specifically in the arena of cruelty free living and the growth of a vegan influence.
This book does not pretend to have all the answers, indeed, it has very few, and also recognises a plethora of aspects which will need refining or defining, perhaps sitting on an imaginary fence between Veganism and Vegaculture. Whatever the outcome, if any, and the pace of recognition and adoption, the thrust of this explanation is to discern central aspects of the philosophy that are instated, and to instate more, deeply into the social and cultural domain.
One of the intents of this book is to introduce the overview, the potential for a wider recognition of the value of vegaculture objectives, and further investigations would likely include:
* The documenting of both individual and collective outcomes, and effects of a social change movement, called veganism.
* An extensive review of the lives of individual vegans and their cultural ramifications, since the introduction in 1944 of the vegan way by Donald Watson.
* A gathering of prior historical knowledge, which supplements the vegan cultural view, such as the lives of the vegan committee at the time and prior inputs from people, at least as far back as Mahavira, the father of the Jains.
* The growth of a traceable lineage of individual cultural values identified in the history of traditional cultural pursuits; the arts, literature, music, and other skilled endeavour.
* The sources of community outcomes, which could measure or reflect the growth and influence of the veganism movement in the community. These will be found in a perusal and collation of the social effects of the dominant vegan values, the exclusion of animals in the diet, and animal exploitation from the lifestyle. That is, we would analyse the social benefits to people, animals and the environment for which this vegan influence may be responsible.
A Vegan Culture can be identified already, it is here now, in this room, in this city with this reading; but I suggest not so well recognised, nor documented as such, in the dominant paradigms. As vegans, we are responsible for vegan culture, our actions provide the nourishment it needs, to grow and mature. WE vegans need to reframe the existing socially accepted, but incomplete views, highlighting vegan culture, the uniquely vegan nuance.
Vegan Awareness
“One cannot be deeply responsive to the world without being saddened very often”—Erich Fromm
Surveys show people first try a vegan diet mainly as a result of influence from family and friends but also because of their personal interests in health, the environment, morality, social justice and logic (Ref.17). These influences, and campaigns such as ‘Go-vegan’ and ’30 Day vegan challenge’, are appealing and there is often a transitional period while the true import of committing to becoming a vegan becomes normalised. Changing one’s diet and or lifestyle usually involves rather more than modifying food choices; not only is there a disruption and modification of one’s priorities in the short term, but a serious longer term commitment to a prioritised way of life.
The term ‘vegan awareness’ is intended to convey a specific quality of attention that arises or can be brought to bear in all our relationships. The fact that a vegan is defined by values ‘which seek to exclude — as far as is possible and practical — all forms of exploitation of, and cruelty to, animals for food, clothing or any other purpose’, and that person chooses to align themselves with those values, is a form of self-confirmation. This willingness to adopt a set of values and principles supports the stage of attention needed to execute vegan values, to bring a vegan perspective, to practice or exhibit vegan awareness.
Critical thinking is a tool that will develop our understanding in any relationship, but generally usage of the term vegan awareness would likely be with intrinsic issues of morality, animal rights, animal welfare, and food and lifestyle choices that emanate from the above ‘lifestyle’ values. One’s attention to environmental issues may differ because of ethical content, as an extrinsic outcome of the vegan way, a product of the ‘benefits’ statement that springs from due care of people, animals and the environment.
Once the attention to a vegan view has been aroused and practiced as a vegan though, it is unlikely to dissipate very quickly, so this state of attention may well be retained by ex-vegans for example; and opportunities for similar outcomes may well arise among non-vegans, but these circumstances are outside the scope of the expressed definition for vegan awareness.
Someone who chooses to follow the vegan path may be called a vegan, however, in this age of narcissism with its fashion for personalities and status and selfies, it is important to state lest there be confusion, this does not imply any privilege or special abilities that are not achievable by anyone else. Like all paths in life, if we want to accomplish something, we train and commit our attention to the task at hand, and this includes ‘vegan awareness’ where our vegan intention is an integral aspect of one’s attention in daily life as a practicing vegan.
Common usage may rend the term ‘vegan awareness’ interchangeable with ‘vegan attention’, however attention in this determination is more accurately an aspect of our relative self awareness; and while vegan-awareness has the potential for being fully realised by anyone, awareness in this text is presented as the consciousness and commonality of all, it is that which we are.
Walking the Path
“Ahimsa is the attribute of the soul, and therefore to be practiced by everybody in all affairs of life. If it cannot be practiced in all departments, it has no practical value” —Mahatma Gandhi
A few random observations concerning our sketch of vegaculture from the path of veganism are presented; both as a collective, and with individual outcomes of influence in society, for the outline drawing has been done. The expressions and outcomes have been sorted into three groupings, these being the Universal, Collective and Individual Expressions, so lets stand back and evaluate the work.
The Universal Expression
The term spirit from the dictionary, means animating or vital principle in man and animals, and within the context of human evolution, our human beingness can be identified by our sensitivity and awareness to our own perception. This profound insight of being is also called spiritual maturity, and grants us the ability to recognise and identify one’s self in others.
Reverence for spirit is expressed throughout history, with spiritual scriptures and texts and teachers adopting both lifestyle and dietary recommendations. The ‘vegetarian diet’ is integrated into the common spiritual path of numerous forms of Hinduism, with roots in written spiritual tradition for some 2500 years, and in earlier oral spiritual tradition. (Ref.18).
Mahavira (599-527 BCE), father of the Jains in India, taught a compassionate vegetarian diet, and both he and Buddha (563-483BCE) were samanas, seekers of a spiritual way, in the same era: according to Buddhist text, attachment is the root of suffering, and the sole aim of Buddhism as a spiritual practice, is the complete alleviation of suffering.
The killing and eating of animals is not forbidden, but rather considered impure, in the Chinese practice of Taoism, also in Shintoism in Japan. Recent changes in religion and culture have introduced a void in social conscience, and vegaculture brings into modernity the notion of the daily recognition of the need for a revised and updated compassionate lifestyle, the spiritual context translated as human beingness relevant to the 21st century; a reframing of one’s attention in daily life, a continued perseverance leading to a growth in awareness as spirit is drawn to itself for further introspection, for re-identification, nurturing and evolution.
The Collective Expression
Some impressions and expressions of a vegaculture in community are identified below:
* While some ‘isms’ are up to 5000 years old, with nominal adherence of around 4 billion people and volumes of manuscripts, initially written on clay tablets and the bark of trees, veganism is new. Vegan-ism is a recent innovation, around 70 years old, with a vocabulary of just 75 words, and only two or three generations of people. We can though claim some other historical links, perhaps with early Essene and Greek counterparts, and the Jains in India.
* Traditional land and water based cultures have animals integrated into all facets of their lifestyle, forming a basis for inter-generational activity, evolving through family, location; their survival mechanisms recognised by, and integrated into permaculture. Vegan culture has grown readily in an urban landscape, initially dispersed due to the small population, and it would be very interesting to examine the rise of environmental awareness, in the light of both the vegan and vegetarian ways.
* The vegan view has provided a great impetus, to verbalize and actualize social awareness and change; to catapult the issue of animal rights, as a measurement for animal cruelty and exploitation. Human history has largely been anthropocentric in its actions; only now commencing to recognize the extent of environment exploitation. Although a vegetarian view and influence has always been present, it has generally not been dominant.
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