This article is about veganism and human psychology. I will discuss my reasons for not telling anyone to become vegan. Of course, it would be fantastic for more people to eat consciously and consume less meat and fish, But should we tell people to become vegan? I don’t think so, and here are my ten reasons why I would never tell anyone to become vegan:
1. PEOPLE DON’T LIKE TO BE TOLD WHAT TO DO
Telling people that they should or shouldn’t do something can actually have the opposite effect. Remember when your mom used to ask you to clean your room? You did not want to do it because you were told to. But if you had a great idea to organise your toys by yourself, you were very proud of doing it and enjoyed the result. You also kept your room clean longer, as you felt more confident in making the decision by yourself.
Pushing your values on someone can make them more defensive and do the opposite. People like to make up their minds by themselves, not because someone told them to, but because they made the decision.
2. It is not my place to tell anyone to become vegan
With so much knowledge about the food industry, it is tough to look at people eating junk and consuming a lot of meat without wanting to educate them. However, it is essential to remember that everyone has a different journey and priorities. People don’t learn from others’ mistakes or health problems; they only start paying attention when something happens to them.
Usually, dramatic events drive people to make big decisions. Most people don’t even stop to think about the food they eat because there hasn’t been a trigger. Almost 90% of all people were brought up eating meat and feel it is a standard way of living; I felt like this for 36 years. The ones that choose not to are still the odd ones. The other day, I went to a 30-person dinner; I was the only person not eating meat, which made me realise that veganism is a tiny minority. People are reluctant to become a minority.
3. VEGANISM IS NOT FOR EVERYONE
Veganism is a way of life that requires a lot of thinking and consideration. It requires a particular person to stop what they have been doing all their lives (eating meat), question it, and, most importantly, re-learn everything about food, from buying to cooking.
A Vegan way of living also requires a support system in your family and a close circle to stick with it. If everyone around you is eating meat, maintaining a plant-based diet will be nearly impossible. I think about meat eating in the same principle as smoking; it is still a habit, and the longer you do it, the harder it is to quit, especially if everyone around you is doing it.
4. LEAD BY EXAMPLE INSTEAD OF PREACHING
Preaching and forcing your views on others does not work; it makes people defensive. I choose to lead by example and educate subtly. I explain the reasons I follow a vegan diet. I show off my plant-based cooking and share the recipes with my family and friends. I share articles and knowledge about plant-based nutrition. I focus people’s attention on the benefits of eating more plants rather than eating less meat, as it is so much easier to commit to psychologically.
Since eating a predominantly plant-based diet, my partner and I have looked and felt great. We are both very lean and healthy. When people compliment us, I always say, ‘Thank you; we have changed our diet.’
5. RESPECT OTHER PEOPLE’S VIEWS
I stopped eating meat over three years ago, but it took me 36 years to question my food choices. I don’t think I have the right to tell others that my current way of thinking is correct. Some people have different priorities in life. I have athlete friends who always think about protein and that you must eat meat to build muscle. They would not be convinced, even after watching “Game Changers.” And it is okay; we are all entitled to do our research and to our views.
6. IT IS HARD TO CHANGE OLDER GENERATIONS
As we age, the brain’s plasticity decreases. This decline makes learning new behaviours or changing existing ones more challenging. If I would ask my parents, who are late baby boomers, to become vegan, no matter how much they love me, they could not do it. Long-life habits are challenging to change; the longer you do them, the harder it is. At a certain age, people no longer want to experiment with the kitchen or learn new things about nutrition. Unless the doctor has terrible news, I educate my parents, focusing on their health issues like cholesterol or high blood pressure, and teach them how plant-based food can help their problems.
7. ALL OR NOTHING IS THE WRONG MESSAGE
People think that if they become vegan, they will not be able to enjoy their favourite food for the rest of their lives and give up before even trying. The Mediterranean diet, which involves sparingly consuming animal products, is much easier for people to understand and stick to than going completely vegan. Ten people eating fewer animal products is way better than one being completely vegan. Even worse, people try a vegan diet, find it too difficult, and then revert to old ways of eating.
8. RESPECT FOR TRADITIONS AND CULTURE
Eating animals is ingrained in most cultures and traditions. We celebrate Easter with eggs and Christmas with turkey. Eating meat brings joy to family and friend gatherings and is associated with good times.
9. I DO KNOW IF A VEGAN DIET IS THE HEALTHIEST FOR EVERYONE
I read a lot of literature that confirms the benefits of a whole food plant-based diet. I feel and look great; my partner feels excellent as well. However, I can not know 100% if a plant-based diet is the most beneficial diet for everyone, as I am not a doctor or an expert. I try to learn from all the research, but it is often contradicting. We as human beings keep learning new things about nutrition all the time, so no matter how passionate I feel about not eating meat, I just don’t know if it is the right thing; all I know is it is the right thing for me and my body. This observation leads me to food intolerances and allergies.
10. FOOD SENSITIVITY
When pushing someone to eat a vegan diet, we should keep in mind that some people might not be able to do it even if they want to. If they are very sensitive or allergic to certain foods, it might be tricky. If introduced slowly, most people could handle large amounts of beans, onions, and fermented foods. Still, some people with very severe IBS, Crone disease, or gluten intolerance might struggle with a completely plant-based diet.
11. SOME PEOPLE DO NOT HAVE CHOICE
Although meat consumption is linked to the Western world, wealth and “progress “, there are places in the world where fresh plant-based food would be very expensive and hard to get. It would be very naive of me to think that food choices are the same in every country and people in every background.
TO SUMMARISE
Reading this article, you might wonder how you can change things if you are not vocal about your beliefs. Sometimes, you don’t need to try hard. Leading by example, subtle education is way better than telling everyone to become vegan.
No one wants to torture animals and destroy planet Earth on purpose. Many people don’t even think about the food’s impact on their bodies until they start breaking down. Everyone is responsible for their knowledge and actions; if they choose to eat meat, so be it, but I am hoping that more and more people will start reducing their meat consumption without being told to, but because they understand the reasons and they want to.
If you liked this article, you might also like WHY DO PEOPLE HATE VEGANS? 7 MAIN REASONS
Silvija Meilunaite PN1-NC, is a certified nutrition coach and a writer in the nutrition and self-improvement field with a passion for exploring science-based knowledge focusing on holistic health and plant-based nutrition.
Featured in the Wellness on Time magazine.
