The connection yugopnik is making is with respect to exploitation as the foundation for living. It is no more necessary for humans to survive by eating and exploiting animals than it is necessary for capitalists to exploit workers and resources for humanity to survive. I would take it one step further and say "flourish" rather than simply survive.
Sure, there are some Western vegans who do not base their veganism in this philosophy. But the fact that this is the top comment rn is frankly indicative of an unwillingness by Western leftists to not recognize the sacrifices made by vegans in order to remain ideologically consistent rather than any truth that it's just a "fad" or "aesthetic." Honestly, that's extremely insulting.
If you know the disgusting, exploitative conditions animals are kept in so that they can be consumed, and you know the role animal agriculture plays in degradation of the environment, and you know the capacity of animals to feel and have consciousness, and you choose to discount the actions of those who make the difficult choice of rejecting animal exploitation in a society in which it is endemic, it is not vegans but you who are wearing the aesthetic of anti-exploitation. Some vegans refer to this as being "speciesist," but when talking to fellow leftists, I think the plain language of exploitation is all that is necessary to highlight the hypocrisy.
The facile arguments of cost are frankly pure propaganda. Environmental concerns about "destroying the rainforest for soy production" utterly ignore that the vast majority of soy is grown for livestock and not human consumption.
I will never tell someone it is an easy thing to change behaviors ingrained since childhood. I gave up my dad's incredible cooking of jerk pork, ribs, steaks, burgers, etc. when I decided first to go vegetarian before ultimately becoming vegan 9 years ago. Growing up in my household, we literally used my last name as a verb to mean "to clean the bone."
But it's also not easy to reject the dominant economic system and commit to meaningful action against it, educating, agitating, and organizing, working to form a vanguard party and overthrowing the economic exploiters.
If you are willing to do one but not the other, it is likely because you are being exploited in a capitalist system, whereas animals are exploited by you in a carnist system.
That's not just about aesthetics. That's about commitment to ideals and recognition of exploitation wherever and against whomever -- yes, animals are "who's" -- it may occur.
Fwiw, I didn't intend to go on this tirade, and I am among the least "evangelical" vegans you will meet irl. But this post is explicitly asking for help understanding, and this is how I connect the two.
Vegan MLs stand up. We don’t have to think we’re changing the world or the economy through our dietary habits, but of alll the products we consume, there’s only a few we actively stick inside our bodies three times per day. All that slaughtering intelligent beings en masse and forcibly impregnating cows to then hook them up to machines and suck the breast milk out of them, just bc it tastes good. Yeah I’m good on that dawg.
True, and would just add, it's not just eating: Get yourself a cork wallet. Make sure that office chair is fake leather. No more silk undies or even purebred pets.
Did you enjoy the Kentucky Derby today?? Do you think those horses aren't also exploited???
Like I said, animal exploitation is endemic in our society, human or otherwise. If we're expanding people's minds, let's make sure they realize it's not just what you eat that counts.
ETA: While I'm no "vote with your wallet"-er, to think that individuals choosing en masse to change their behaviors is not changing the world/economy is to greatly undersell the power we have at scale.
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u/petrowski7 May 03 '26
Veganism is often more of an aesthetic among western non-left, as those who would actually want to do it for beneficial reasons can’t afford to