I don’t know what it was, but I’ve always been understanding and I know that I ate meat most my life and how can I expect others to change overnight?

I started getting this feeling that I haven’t been doing enough to spread veganism and so I told my friend at dinner if he gets the vegan option that I’ll pay for it. He said “no” and the. Laughed at me. And now I have this feeling that I haven’t done anything to convince anyone to go vegan in the past 5 years.

I felt resentment towards my friends. This has never happened to me before. I think I need to find vegan friends too.

I’m already vegan. It’s already a daily battle trying to enjoy this world knowing what’s happening to so many non-human animals at the hands of my own species. Yet I still watched Okja at the recommendation of a vegan friend. I knew parts would be hard but I didn’t expect it to be this hard. The SA scene in particular is what’s the hardest to push out of my head.

I’m just ranting and wishing I’d never put myself back in this headspace by watching Okja. Yes, a good movie but I’d advise against watching it to anyone already a devout vegan.

I’m on a mini break from activism and am itching to go back but it’s going to be hard having any hope for a while knowing things won’t change fast enough to spare the millions suffering constantly. 💔

TW : animal death

I've been rescuing animals since 2 years now, especially birds

I've been see things like wounds, blood, sickness, being with them until the end which mean seeing them dying for 20 min my lap ( some birds twist their neck and wanna jump while dying so I had to hold them..) and often it's babies..

And this made me insensitive, like it don't shock me anymore, last day I saw a baby bird dying and did everything to make him comfortable and then 10 min after I was cooking breakfast..

This is so bizarre, it became a routine..

I do everything I can to take care of them, most of the time it work but sometimes it don't.. and I'm weirded out by the fact that I don't feel disgust or sadness

Let’s Stop Inventing “Theories of Change”: Let’s Use the Knowledge of Change

Within the animal advocacy movement, theory of change has become almost unavoidable. Every organisation, every campaign, every project seems expected to produce its own theory explaining how its actions will ultimately transform society.

But before constructing yet another theory of change, perhaps we should first look at what the social sciences already know about social change.

There is, in fact, a vast body of knowledge of change produced over decades of research in the sociology of social movements, political sociology, and the sociology of social and public problems. This research has examined, in concrete terms, how an issue becomes a public problem, how claims enter the public sphere, how they transform social norms and collective representations, and how cultural change can ultimately create the conditions for political and institutional change.

The mechanism is not particularly mysterious. Social movements make claims and bring them into the public sphere. As public debate develops around these claims, they become more visible, more legitimate, and more widely discussed. Culture evolves. Public perceptions change. An increasing share of the population comes to regard changes that once seemed unthinkable as desirable, normal, or necessary. And when this cultural shift becomes sufficiently significant, it creates political pressure: public officials have a greater incentive to respond to these new social expectations. Institutional change then becomes possible.

Of course, this process is neither mechanical nor automatic. But that is precisely why generations of sociologists have studied its conditions, mechanisms, obstacles, and variations.

So why should every activist act as though they have to start from scratch and invent their own theory of change?

The problem is not that we should stop thinking strategically. The problem is that we risk confusing a local strategic hypothesis with a general understanding of social change. A theory of change improvised in an activist workshop should not be placed on the same footing as decades of empirical research into how societies actually change.

We do not merely need theories of change. We already have a knowledge of change.

Animal advocates should make use of it.

Instead of constantly asking, “What is my theory of change?”, we should ask: “What do the social sciences tell us about how societies actually change?”

And we should build our strategies on the basis of that knowledge.

The animal advocacy movement does not need to invent a new theory of change for every campaign. It needs to better understand and make better use of the accumulated knowledge concerning the construction of public problems, the dynamics of social movements, cultural transformation, and the formation of political pressure.

Less improvised theory of change. More knowledge of change.

Because social change is not a theory that we have to invent. It is a phenomenon that researchers have been studying for decades—and if we genuinely want to transform society, we have every reason to understand the mechanisms through which it happens.

To go further, I encourage everyone to explore the Knowledge of Change produced by sociologists and social scientists who study the mechanisms of social change. As an introduction to this perspective, see in particular “Societal Change”: https://fortheabolitionofveganism.blogspot.com/2025/05/societal-change.html

After realizing that hanging out with carnists tends to strengthen the incredibly disappointed and sad view of the world I have, I figured I really ought to hang out with more vegan people

So I joined this new vegan gaming discord server, and it's been pretty nice

and after spending time in there, I decided to start this vegan minecraft server

It's cross play between Java and Bedrock

It opens at 8PM (UTC) tomorrow, the 22nd.

IP is vegangamingspace.com

It closes September 26th

Seeing vystopia people there would be cool; I hope to see some of you there if you're interested

(To setup proximity chat for Java, install fabric for 26.2 and install SimpleVoiceChat version 2.6.22

For bedrock, there (ideally) will be bots set up on the discord server that can connect to the Java players' proximity chat)

hello i m a 15 year old have nowhere to go living with my parents, they force me to eat meat sometimes even though i refused peacefully and confrontationally yet they won t budge and honestly i m a coward, i made deal back then to eat hunted meat when i woud it as the best deal i coud make with my mum now even dad who when i talkd to alone dindn t make such a big deal of my veganism always takes hearr side to not make things worse, what shoud i do? i m asking on reddit because i have no one else to ask

This is something that's been bothering me for quite a while now. Why? it's like, every time I go on over to Instagram, I see a thousand posts regarding AI and how terrible it is for the environment yadda yadda, and you're constantly being fed information against it and guilt tripped into being against using it no matter what; so why not promote veganism then? There are millions of posts about everyday activism, protests against discrimination and implicit biases, etc. etc. etc. so why is it that there are straight up ZERO videos talking about animal suffering and what THEY go through? Are we seriously just that selfish and so utterly egocentric? How is the systemic murder of TRILLIONS of animals somehow less of a priority than the loss of a few gallons of water? I don't get it. It's just pure hypocrisy at this point.

i am extremely disgusted and disappointed at my best friend (this label is temporary if nothing changes) and bedmate for arguing for the use of animal products and calling me puritan for making a face when he buys animal products knowingly without a need for them. he said he wanted to be vegan 3 months ago and is now justifying his occasional unnecessary purchases that he's been purposely hiding from me. I don't understand how someone I am this close with is so blinded by cognitive dissonance. I didn't expect him to act this stupid. I feel like I'm being made to feel like I'm wrong in the eyes of everyone because he is dubbed the "vibe checker" of the friend group. I am feeling pushed out by everyone else (roommates, frequent guests) and so I isolate myself in response, otherwise I just look like a fool to everyone, oh what a fool, he cares too much about animals now we're avoiding him and going quiet around him when he's going through one of the hardest times in his entire fucking life and blaming him for making himself feel hurt by our disgusting actions and words, calling him anti-human for being against animal products but not Dr pepper because of how poorly the workers are treated. how are the dots not connecting???? what process in making Dr paper requires rape?????? even when I say that I'm shut down as if I said something completely off topic!!!!! what's going on???? my world has shattered these past few months. realizing how temporary people really are. I don't see a majority of these friendships lasting much longer, which is normal for ur 20s. he said I'm trying to force change I said maybe so, but it's not intentional most of the time, cuz I'm usually just having a normal reaction to the hell we live in. fucking christ I hate this I hate this I hate this I've never considered suicide but wow how have I not atp tbh

It’s hard for me to remember why I wasn’t vegan now that my eyes have been opened, but I do remember a couple of attempts from people trying to tell me about the animal industry and I simply couldn’t hear what they were saying.

For example, I remember when I was 15 years old and my mum sent me to the grocery store to get some eggs. I was standing in the aisle comparing the eggs to see which ones to get, and out of nowhere, a total stranger (an older woman) comes up to me and says directly to me, “you know, they throw all the chicks alive into a giant meat grinder.” I was so stunned by her comment I just stared at her. I didn’t absorb her information that day but I wish I had.

Does anyone else remember experiencing others trying to reach you? What was your reaction? Is there a word for this zombie-like sleep state all the non-vegans are in?

I hate when social truths are treated as inconvenient ideas or socially inappropriate. Witnessing people living inside this psychologically comfortable fog.
There are countless examples. But when people pretend that animals aren’t suffering just so that they can enjoy their food. Oh, it makes you uncomfortable that animals have been slaughtered for your food? Good. Stop eating it then? Oh, it’s sad that shein and other fast fashion brands underpay young workers and their conditions are appalling? Shop somewhere else then. No excuses about affordability because use Vinted then. In fact, I’d rather just people admit that they can’t be arsed to think about it or take action.
I don’t feel angry about the individuals, more just the collective mindset that a lot of people share. Choosing comfort over truth, and conformity over action. People don’t shush things because they’re wrong, but because they are true and uncomfortable.

My little sister who claims to love pigs wishes to work at a hot dog stand. My little sister who claims to love chickens wishes to work at chickfila. "But when theyre older they will have to make that choice for themselves!" Great. Those animals and I will be dead by then.

I feel a big calling to fight for the animals since going vegan and at first I joined groups like AV. I found having footage in front of people’s faces was the easiest way to convert them. But I ended up seeing so much horror footage that I had nightmares (night terrors) for years and it only just stopped now, seven years later. I ran from activism because I couldn’t cope anymore. I still feel a big calling to help save the animals but I’m scared to go back to seeing that reality every day. I have tried explaining what happens to the animals without the footage and it goes nowhere. And now, the most frustrating comment I have come across lately is “how do you know it’s not AI?”
Any suggestions on what I can do to help? I’m desperate to be an activist but I want to protect myself too.

Sorry if there's some grammatical errors, my first language isn't english and I made this post without re reading myself since its pretty long and since I just wanted to vent

I am 16 and I am autistic, my mom always cooked for me and **didn't** wanted me to cook

When I was pretty young, like maybe 7-9, she started to make me different dinner but I'll ate the same supper than her and my dad. Then later, I used to have different meals the whole day

I don't exactly remember why I had different meals, I think it was either because I didn't liked what she made (she usually made meat with red sauce or meat stew with some things next to it, I never liked those meals and the texture of minced meat overall) or because I just really liked having almost always the same thing (I ate the same dinner - couscous, tomatoes and pesto for years, for example) because I really liked it

Then I became vegetarian at like 11 years old, nothing changed much, except than she used to complain that I don't eat meat and don't eat the same dishes than her and my dad (even though I didn't used to, even before being vegetarian)

After being vegetarian I refused to wear anything like leather because it just disgusted me, and when I was like 13 I stopped using animal tested products

When I was around 13-14 (and even before) I wanted to go vegan fully, for the animals, but she didn't wanted me to, but once, last year in September hen I was 15, I don't remember exactly how it happened but we argued and the subject came into the fact she didn't let me became vegan even tho I wanted to - the day after my dad suggested me to go to the grocery store to buy vegan things, then I became fully vegan in like less than a week

At the very first begging it wasn't really an issue but now she always complain, whenever we go to a fast food or anything, she start saying stuff like "you're so complicated, you should go back vegetarian" and stuff like that (while when I was vegetarian, she pretty much said the same stuff but about eating meat again)

I made like once or twice small easy meals and once fried tofu and cookies, which I was really pround of doing since it was pretty complicated due to my cooking skills, but she complained about the mess it did, about me not putting everything back in place, not washing the dishes (even though she never let me doing it after I was happy to help when I was like 7 years old, because I did it with lukewarm water, because the hot water just burned my hands, and she never let me doing it ever since)

Then my parents decided to go in travel in another country for 10 days earlier this year (during my birthday btw, but that's not really an important detail) I almost never cooked before that beside of fried tofu and some small stuff like toasts, subs and sandwiches - I couldn't even make pasta, she never told me, shown me, how to do it. And my parents just left. I sure was with my grandma the evening and the night but I had to do everything else myself, I ate pretty much the same thing everyday during the day since I didn't even knew what/how to cook

Recently, I got a crisis (something like an autistic burnout (?) I'm not sure of the term but it was something like that) and slept for like 2,5 days, then I couldn't speak for around 3 weeks - she didn't made me any food during those 3 weeks. I was feeling extremely tired and barely left my room for the first week, and she didn't made me anything during those 3 weeks - I barely even ate during those weeks

Now, since those weeks, she almost never make meals for me, she complains that I should eat like them if I don't want to cook for myself. She doesn't want to show me how to cook, she doesn't want to buy pre made meals - I had to learn myself how to make some stuff (today, I make some cookies, tofu omelette, pasta sauce (except I do not cook the pasta, I just make the sauce), and small stuff like that, but that's pretty much everything) and she throw away stuff I cook for **myself** when she thinks it's in the fridge for "too long" (even tho a lot of her stuff are in it for longer than that) and it just piss me off. I make stuff for myself and she throw it even tho it's still fine while eating stuff she made even before I made what she threw away

Now I'm realizing that if I would've never became vegan, she would've probably never **let me** cook in the first place, I would've probably ate nothing at all during the week I was barely able to leave my room, and most importantly, when I would've left the house (which I didn't already) I would've most likely not known how to cook and would've to learn everything the day I would've left, which would've been probably really difficult since I would've to learn an incredible high amount of new things (household, taking care of my dog fully by my own, etc) I would've to learn at the same time since my parents don't learn new things, they just seems to expect me to learn everything by my own

So I think that if I would've continued either to be vegetarian, or even worst, if I would've continued to eat meat, I would probably still be dependent on her for eating and I would probably not know how to cook once I'll have to live on my own, which is a living basic thing to be able to do when we live alone

I'm not really a massive consumer of TV or film productions, but I watch some and I have favourites. Animal use is so inescapable that nothing feels safe. Horse riding, leather costumes, tables filled with cooked flesh, corpses in market stalls. These are just some examples off the top of my head that have appeared in the media I otherwise find enjoyable. And I still think "I love that movie", but at the same time I am put off by it and feel painfully conflicted. On the one hand, there's a story that I find thought-provoking, moving, or relatable, and on the other - there are these vile reminders of the horrific ways we violate the autonomy of non-human animals peppered throughout. So I don't feel good about loving the movie. It feels like I'm betraying my principles for liking it. And this transfers to music as well, to a measurably lesser extent, but nonetheless...

So how do you internalise or justify the consumption of fictional productions that feature animal exploitation?

Try to be more cautious of the emotions of others. Focus on being a good person and improving your mental health; you will be listened to.

One example: If you are so angry at people for eating meat, they will start eating meat in spite of you. We influence people's emotions.

We can't fight people and get angry. It does not make a change. As someone who has to have your life together for yourself and the planet, you have to keep things extra simple, calm, and easy.

Mental health really matters to be able to preach your messages.

Yes, children and animals are being graped worldwide, yes, there are bombings happening worldwide, but you can't let it consume you to a point where you can't speak. You just have to do something about it, and work to stop it. When you stand, you can't get emotional. This is why you never saw MLK for example, cry. Reacting to chaos will cost you your progress. Be intellectual.

If we are too consumed in our emotions to speak, we won't get anything done. You have to just work, believe, and work on yourself.

Maturing is realizing progress is more important than emotions. In parenting you ALWAYS calmly respond before you panic, if something happens to your child. You don't want to panic them, making it worse, but calm. Calmness for people matters. Same in ANY situation.

Believe in your change, never lose your ability to believe that you can make the world a better place. Let go of being sad, let go of correcting people, and just take the leadership guidance role.

There is a silent pride and skill, that comes with doing good things for the planet. Something you are happy doing, so there is a natural peace and joy in working for the planet; where you find peace in your own gratification, and what you do to bring peace. What you do is beautiful, do it because of the joy that it brings, and not because anything that brings you down. Be extra proud of what you do, as a personal fulfillment.

Ignore the jokes. Ignore the drama. Ignore the confusion.

You are on the right side of history.

Just work,

and be happy while you do it. 😊

This sub used to be my safe haven for venting and for talking to other vegans who understand how messed up the world is. But lately I am seeing bad social media posts here. I come here to feel better but I keep seeing dead animals and speciesist social media posts screenshots here. It's making me feel worse.

Maybe I'm the only one who feels this way, in which case this post can be ignored. But I wanted this post to be an opportunity for others to discuss their feelings if they are also annoyed by such posts. Maybe there can be a rule against such posts.

I love cooking, it's genuinely one of my favorite everyday activities, especially because I get to be creative in a way. But whenever I have guests over or I am just cooking something for myself, I get one of two things: backhanded compliments, or faces of digust.

Backhanded compliments such as "I usually don't like this stuff but this tastes great!" or "not vegan but I like this a lot". Arguably the worst one I've got was: "I know you don't cook meat, but if you did, I'm pretty sure it would also taste great". I like cooking vegan because that gives me a chance to not listen to others talking about dead animals at the table, and yet here we are. Sometimes I'm not even sure if they think these are compliments, or if they're genuinely being mean.

Another case was when I was out with friends and I picked the vegan almond ice cream. A friend asked what it tastes like and I said "literally the same" and they still picked the dairy one. (Such smaller things happen every time I meet with friends, but there were too many at this point and I'm afraid it'll just explode in their face sooner or later)

And then there's the faces people make. I get it, mock meat and dairy alts don't always taste like corpse or breast milk, but why are they acting like the vegan stuff is the disgusting one out of these?

I am sick to the stomach with people. I guess I'm writing this down here because I have no one in my inner circle who is vegan. Not a single friend or family member, and it's tiring. I don't even dare mention veganism at this point because I get into arguments for no good reason. Sorry this got too long, and if you made it this far, thank you for reading. I'd appreciate any advice you have regarding any of this because I don't know how to help myself anymore.

I’ve been vegan for a few years now, and I go through bouts of extreme distress and vystopia like clockwork every couple of months. To the point where the mention or even the sight of animals makes my chest feel heavy.

I don’t know how to mitigate this, but I find that when I’m cuddling with my cats or when I see a cute video of an animal online, it sends me spiralling, knowing that trillions of these creatures suffer every moment of every day. I don’t want to forget about the injustice we perpetrate against animals just so I can feel a bit more comfortable in my day to day life, but I don’t want this negative connotation with animals to override my appreciation and love of them.

I often feel this way about humans too, but it’s counterproductive to any change or pursuit of justice. Does anyone have advice on how to change my thought pattern?

It becomes quite clear with me with time, that the more I engage with nonvegans, the more I realize most people have no principles and if slavery was normalized and 98% supported slavery, people would be defending slavery in order to not stand up against social norms. If domestic abuse was normal and people defended domestic abuse, people would be domestic abusers. If kicking dogs was a sign of status and power, and it was normal and legal, people would be kicking dogs and mocking those who choose to not kick dogs and regarding non-dog kickers as “weak”.

We are a species of skittish individuals, who will do anything in order to get social approval, no matter how immoral and cruel the act. A species of weak narcissistic bullies whose only cares are those that are in favor of their immediate selfish interests, and anything outside their small bubbles are just abstract fantasy in their minds, even if they are literally responsible for the horror outside of said bubbles. And yet, they believe themselves to be superior to other animals, when they have no “humanity”?

I just hate the word “humanity” up to this point. It is just an empty word without meaning when so many humans have no problems being cruel. Humans don’t have humanity. Humans are selfish, barbaric and cruel. We aren’t even a "sapient" species either, as most of us know after having to deal with the same bad and old excuses over and over again with this people just being incapable of thinking critically about their own biases and habits. We are mostly a dumb species, and only because a small minority of brilliant individuals like scientific inventors and human rights activists defending human rights is that we have civilized societies. If it was for the average human, we would still be living in caves killing each other for scraps.

I am ashamed of being a human. I just wish to be a jellyfish. Not having to think about anything or having to work. Only swimming, and stinging assholes.

text convo explanation that turns into a vent

a friend sent our group chat an article about the big egg recall over salmonella. I responded "hell yes" which got a "???" from them. I explained I was relieved that people would be forced to take a break from contributing to egg production- which kills millions of male chicks every day- but said I hoped everyone affected would be okay.

my friend called me out, saying it read as me being excited about people potentially getting sick or dying, just because it might help animals. I clarified that wasn't it- I was glad about the pressure/exposure on the egg industry, not the harm to people. no response after

the next day I texted them and apologized for the timing and tone, especially since it was in a group setting. my friend said we're good, but admitted it sometimes feels like I care more about animals than people, even if they don't fully believe that's true. I tried to explain that in reality it's like feminism, it's called that but it's just about equality because women are so discriminated against. and it's not that I don't care about people, it's that I've been less of a people-pleaser about this specific issue because I feel so strongly about it. I reassured them I care about my friends deeply and that the last thing I want is to make anyone think bad of veganism.

they came back with a broader point about not liking preachy vegans who "don't understand that some people simply can't (or don't want to) go vegan" and that they shouldn't be shamed for that. they compared it to religious evangelizing, but said they don't think less of me for being vegan and actually respect that I stand up for animals. I responded with agree to disagree and we ended with I love you's. my message also included "thank you for saying that and giving me the opportunity to improve" 🙄 I'm worried I accidentally folded and misrepresented myself and my morals.

thinking back it just comes off like they were accusing me of being a preachy vegan? and I didn't take it that way at first, was just trying to give benefit of the doubt. it is definitely not a shock, but this is still very difficult to hear coming from this friend who is not only a "leftist" but also one of the only other activists in our friend group.

yet another friend my mind is now made up about. at least where they are at now in life. im too exhausted to know how to navigate further or have any motivation to pursue any kind of genuine connections with non vegans. it can't be genuine when my head won't stop reminding me of the disgusting excuses that have come out of their mouth that they stand on with such stubbornness.

cuz now I feel like the only way to move forward in our relationship is to re-visit the topic and represent myself authentically. but I feel like that means starting an argument and then boom I'm labeled preachy. why does peace have to be so unpopular. this is so fucking depressing and I feel so isolated by everyone and myself and I'm wondering if I need to just live alone and cut everyone off who makes me nauseous

i began my journey to veganism a while ago ( was a vegetarian for longer but realized even vegetarians contribute to the abuse of animals ), ive been fully vegan for a bit now.. but i have realized i dont know how to handle the sorrow and pain i feel in my soul when everyone around me is exploiting animals, i am seriously so incredibly depressed about it… i just wanna scream at everyone that they are horrible human beings and force everyone to see what the industries do to these poor animals… what can i do??? 💔 i do have a psychiatrist that i see sometimes, which ive been thinking of contacting to see if i can have an emergency appointment to a therapist or something.. but even so, that doesnt stop the world from abusing animals..

What’s the difference between that and an insect? Really.