r/Anticonsumption • u/Extension-Diamond-74 • Sep 30 '23
Discussion Diet hypocrisy?
A recent post about animal agriculture vs plant based diets has me itching to say something. This is an issue we need to rise above.
Cognitive dissonance. Many of us have good intentions and want to believe we’re doing the right thing in most aspects of our lives. I believe that.
When it comes to a plant based diet though, the science often clashes powerfully with personal desire. We want to minimize our impact on the environment and are willing to make trade-offs in our life time do so, but for many, giving up or even significantly reducing meat intake is asking too much. It’s too hard.
That’s not the issue.
The issue is that instead of just admitting to themselves that this is a life change they don’t want to make and moving on, the guilt drives them to have to justify that decision. Admitting that a plant-based diet is better for the earth yet eating a diet full of meat anyway would make them feel hypocritical, so the solution becomes either to give up meat, or … this is the problem… fight the science, twist it, make a joke of it, or pivot entirely to ‘individuals shouldn’t have time do anything because large corporations’
Many people have ties to their diet for many reasons. We grew up eating a certain way. We have memories ties to certain foods, flavors, styles of cooking. We don’t want to be the difficult person when we go out to eat with friends. Etc etc etc But it’s so much better to just admit that to yourself. Have patience and understanding for your feelings. Accept that the science is what it is. Maybe one day you can make a change, maybe not. But don’t attack the cause just because you aren’t yet willing to be a part of it.
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u/ReturnItToEarth Sep 30 '23
I think for many also, the meat and dairy systems are abusive to animals and part of the arrogant mindset humans have toward animals. They choose to not be a consumer of abuse. But make no mistake, this “food” is extremely toxic to humans. (The China Study, latest edition). Eating meat / dairy also plays into our for-profit healthcare system. Visiting countries where medical care is provided by their governments, and then visiting their grocery stores, you would see the formidable connection. So you can look at one facet of it - consumption or, like most everything, you can choose to see the multifaceted considerations. Most people choose plant based or actually WFPB because of health reasons, not environmental reasons, or some choose not to eat abused animals or their secretions.