Bi-Vegan

While the title might suggest some ‘woke’ click bait style article, I’d like to start off by clarifying this blog has nothing to do with sexuality. Rather, it’s a thought about how asking people to give up something completely is normally fruitless, whereas approaching with moderation can actually have a larger and more meaningful effect.

While the title might suggest some ‘woke’ click bait style article, I’d like to start off by clarifying this blog has nothing to do with sexuality. Rather, it’s a thought about how asking people to give up something completely is normally fruitless, whereas approaching with moderation can actually have a larger and more meaningful effect.

There are many things that we know to be bad for us personally, or on a wider scale (for either society or the environment) but which we continue to do regardless. From smoking and excessive alcohol intake to buying vegetables in plastic containers or having garden parties until midnight despite having neighbours. We often tell ourselves we’d like to refrain from doing these things but in our heart of hearts know we won’t. Why?

Doing the right thing isn't easy

Inherently we are human, and as such have temptations, desires and the need to make free choices about how we decide to live our life. When we are told not to do so either by society, friends or even ourself, the want to do those things becomes greater. A red button isn’t that alluring, scribble “don’t push” next to it and it is hard not to extend your index finger and give it a press. You can be happily going about your day until Sarah says, “Don’t look” and your first instinct is to gaze toward the now forbidden area you previously had no interest in.

This becomes amplified further when it goes beyond curiosity, where the cost to ourselves is enjoyment. As a smoker I have days where I decide not to light up a death stick at all if I’m not in the mood, but within the first 30 minutes of being on a train or plane I’m itching for that stale taste of future cancer. We want what we can’t have. Many of us try to live as healthy lifestyle as possible and can refrain from ordering a salt laden, greasy stairway to fast food heaven, but to abstain entirely and forever is too big of an ask. We need choice, or at least a perceived one.

The illusion of choice

I am currently a by proxy vegetarian – my partner is vegetarian and as such over the course of the last 7 years I eat predominantly meat-free. This wasn’t done through cajoling or guilt (neither of which would’ve worked, I’m stubborn); it was born more out of my own laziness to cook two separate meals each night. Over time I had the steady realisation that vegetarian food is every bit as delicious as meat based (often more so as there isn’t a reliance of a slab of flesh ticking the taste check box, meaning more love and innovation goes into the creation of a dish). I will still however have meat on occasion if we are eating out or getting take away. Even though the shift to full vegetarianism is now considerably smaller, my willingness to take the last baby step is still low – I still foolishly want that choice.

Which is why when a behavioural change such as veganism comes into play, it is quickly rejected by a wide breadth of society. Even of those who agree with it morally, environmentally or both, only a small proportion will actually have the self-control to live that lifestyle. Arguably a selection of those that go vegan will also need to ‘convince’ themselves frequently they enjoy it and don’t miss cheese or eggs, to keep them on the right path.

Those less inclined in the first place are often further put off by the removal of their ‘freedoms’ and the preaching of Facebook vegans who shame and berate those of differing choices. Please note – by no means am I referring to the majority of vegans, but the ones who narcissistically decide they are better than others and need to inform them of it frequently. Regardless of how clear the animal rights and environmental benefits are (of which there can be no denial), dictating what lifestyle choices to make is frequently met with complete uncompromising resistance. Climate change is a prime example of this.

Beating your brain

Which is why I would like to suggest a new approach – become bi-vegan. By this I mean eating only vegan food for a day, twice a week. With this attitude, you are likely to get a larger amount of society engaging with a vegan lifestyle even if not exclusively. Many people, myself included, would also get gratification from feeling as if they were making a wider positive change by their actions. If as a result a considerably larger amount of people ate like this, if would have a greater impact than a small group being solely vegan. It also has the potential to ease people into vegan food, become less reliant on meat and perhaps even devour more vegan dishes over time as they become less frowned upon, breaking any stigma that the food is uninteresting and tasteless.

In my mind, moderate collective change will always have greater, longer lasting effects than a small section of the population going hardcore – although you need that entrenched subculture to begin the whole process. Initially this would be from the actual positive impact on the environment that reducing livestock agriculture would have, and increased animal welfare with a lesser number being farmed for our consumption. Additionally, with only 1.16% of the British population currently vegan, the group is very much a minority, which in itself breeds a lack of empathy or understanding. By having a wider branch of society begin to truly understand the minimal impact on one’s own life for large scale positive change, that number could quickly grow by having a lower barrier to entry.

It may sound slightly contrived but many of us have adapted our behaviours in a similar fashion already; only drinking twice a week, running 3 times a week, only having takeaway once a week, saving late nights until the weekend and taking our own plastic bags to the supermarket. Making small adjustments to our lifestyle that have minimal impacts and don’t require abstention are surprisingly common and easy to adhere to.

So instead of going all or nothing, let’s give ourselves the choice to be better, the freedom to work together for positive change and proudly declare – I am bi-vegan!