This is just circular reasoning, to justify exploiting for human gain. He suggested “[t]he principle of the emancipation of animals from exploitation by man”. Individuals are cells of a superorganism, which is the hive. Evidence of people choosing to avoid animal products can be traced back over 2,000 years. The widely accepted vegan definition is the one by The Vegan Society, which says: Veganism is a way of living which seeks to exclude, as far as is possible and practicable, all forms of exploitation of, and cruelty to, animals for food, clothing or any other purpose. It is for these reasons that the survival of the hive is more important than survival of individuals. If humans are animals, then the definition of veganism extends to humans. At the end of the day, veganism is a choice. However, in 1951 the Vegan Society has updated the definition to:…“exclude all forms of animal exploitation…” The definition of VEGANISM according to the ‘Vegan Society’. Is over worded certain … Or equality for all living animals, human or non-human? Here in Part 3, Researcher Network member, Laura Grimes, continues her review of the literature on mental health and veganism and considers how a variety of different lifestyle factors contribute to positive mental wellbeing.However, she asks, where does a vegan diet fit into this? For more details on that, see the end of the article. Superiority. I think it would be depressing to list all of the ways we exploit and abuse each other. In other parts of the world the same idea was becoming important in societies such as the Pythagoreans (and later the Epicureans) in ancient Greece who also abstained from ‘meat’, or the Taoist in the Far East—with their Ying and Yang concepts—who believe in the harmony of all things. They can be built by hand or made from natural materials such as a stump. But it’s something worth pondering nevertheless. So this mentality in itself is exploitative. To throw some ideas out here; what if we had dedicated bee sanctuaries? Some people tut and walk away!….only happened once lol but some people won’t accept what needs to change in their own lives or for the planet….so I usually keep quiet about being vegan. The term vegan was coined by Elsie Shrigley, founder of The Vegan Society in the 1940s. It’s not to put people down. According to the vegan society veganism is. Before I go on, I should make it clear that I’ve long been a supporter of “any progress is good progress”—if that means eating plant-based a couple of times a week, then sure, more animals are saved, and I’m all for that! But it all comes from the same philosophy of compassion. Mass media portrays veganism as a fad, or a trend—that’s based on individuals, and what they want—not the impact of their actions. One is intention. The Vegan Society defines veganism as “a philosophy and way of living which seeks to exclude—as far as is possible and practicable—all forms of exploitation of, and cruelty to, animals”. Some interesting submissions came rolling through, including; vitan, dairyban, and benevore. I don’t want to harm other animals. The most common type of honeybee raised by humans, the Italian honeybee, has been selectively bred to produce much more honey than they need for winter in most climates. Honeybees are true social insects, meaning that no single honeybee or any honeybee caste can survive without the other castes. If we want a truly vegan world, a truly vegan diet, we must become producers, and if we cannot be producers, we must support veganic agriculture as it exists today, and amplify it as much as possible. Here’s my simplified version: Veganism is seeking to exclude all forms of exploitation of, and cruelty to, animals for food, clothing or any other purpose. This really matters to me. Male chickens are being slaughtered at birth because they are not considered to be a valuable asset. Civil war breaks out over centuries due to a conflict of religious beliefs resulting in billions of deaths. Thankyou for this article. Veganism means living on plant based products, with exclusion of flesh, fish, fowl, animal milk, and all dairy industry product (cheese, butter, yogurt , eggs, honey,etc. Although the vegan diet was defined early on in The Vegan Society’s beginnings in 1944, it was as late as 1949 before Leslie J Cross pointed out that the society lacked a definition of veganism. No: 01468880, Win chef Skye Conroy's Crafting Seitan cookbook, Scientific evidence supporting our campaign, Share your experience of plant milk discrimination, Help us change these discriminatory initiatives, What Every Vegan Should Know About Vitamin B12. For the purpose of this post, I want to focus on the section I’ve bolded above. As I write in my book, it is “A 21st-century revolution that started more than 20 centuries ago”. The separation from religion was consolidated with the creation of the first Vegetarian Society in 1847, the Fruitarian Society in 1902 and The Vegan Society in 1944 (where the term ’vegan’ was first coined by Dorothy Morgan, Donald Watson and Sally Shrigley). It’s always, “can you have this? I truly believe beekeeping can be ethical but I also know it very often isn’t (even if it is just for pollination) and thus vegans should consider that when they consume fruits, almonds or vegetables that are pollinated by bees! Distinctions may be made between several categories of veganism. I wonder what names we would think up in this generation? All of these actions, combined with the title of “I’m vegan” is incredibly confusing for the non-vegan community. Excess heat and moisture is vented upward out of the hive. Her definition of veganism is based on these interactions, which gives her the wrong perception of what it means to commit to the practice of compassion. The biological response of ‘doing no harm‘ became a powerful idea that humans passed from generation to generation until it was articulated into philosophies. I wouldn’t have learned all of this if it were not for my own hives. There are some communities that raise bees this way in New Mexico and Arizona. But why not the Vegan society definition? In 1944, The Vegan Society was formed by Donald Watson. Vegan society of the uk definition of veganism. Nowadays, the term vegan encapsulates several variations around animal exploitation and the consumption of animal-based products (food, fashion, etc.) I think the “possible and practicable” part of the definition is important. Kangaroos in Australia are being culled at scale. I’ve never heard of the idea of the superorganism—so I find it to be fascinating. ), ethical veganism may now become the intelligent answer we need to save the planet and its inhabitants. Hiṃsā means ‘wish to injure or harm’ and a-hiṃsā is the opposite of this. And that’s what we’re up against — a whole history of wanting to gain an advantage over one another. Donald became increasingly frustrated with the philosophy of vegetarianism which was initially intended to embrace freedom from all exploitative animal products but came to include eggs, cows milk and honey. Considering the current human-made world crises (global heating, pandemics, systemic racism, mass extinction, world hunger, etc. The Vegan Society’s formal definition is: "Veganism is a philosophy and way of living which seeks to exclude—as far as is possible and practicable—all forms of exploitation of, and cruelty to, animals for food, clothing or any other purpose; and by extension, promotes the development and use of animal-free alternatives for the benefit of animals, humans and the environment. Then came along Donald Watson who in 1924, at the age of 14, became vegetarian because he was horrified at what he saw on his uncle’s small farm. While there’s some truth to the benefits of a whole-food plant-based diet, it’s not fundamentally the point of veganism. The main difference between the Vegan Society’s definition and mine is they view veganism as a philosophy bundled with a set of beliefs. However, if we claim to be vegan, and our actions don’t match our values, that’s where I take some issue. There’s no hesitation to explain why they make the choices that they make—as they know it’s not about them. You have far more domain knowledge and experience than me when it comes to the ecosystem of hives and bees. And I would be very interested if you wrote an article about bees and pollination! What would a world look like if we didn’t think we were superior to another culture, race, sex, country or animal? It comes from the Sanskrit root hiṃs, which means ‘to strike’. The editor of The Vegetarian Messenger wrote in 1923: We feel that the ideal position for vegetarians is abstinence from animal products, and that most I should also say that since the beginning of humankind, it’s safe to assume that there have always been people who chose not to consume animals—at least, that was their preference. I think my approach offers greater simplicity, and less room for disagreement and confusion. Green Vegans is in-process of defining veganism to accommodate an expanded vision to reflect the new human ecology in general, and specifically the Green Vegans seven results. See you on the inside . An individual who follows the diet or philosophy is known as a vegan. But veganism is arguing that we have a choice to do things differently—to set a compassionate tone, which brings me to the next point. Strict vegetarian (and even vegan) Christian communities such as the Dorrelites, the Grahamites or the Concordites proliferated in the West at the turn of the 19th century, when brave social activists such as Frances Power Cobbe, Dr Anna Kingsford, Annie Besant or Henry Stephens Salt pioneered the anti-vivisection and animal rights movements developing the concept of ahimsa beyond food consumption. And yes, it absolutely is possible for communities to raise bees solely for pollination in a non-exploitative way! Why compartmentalise, scrutinise and argue an ideal that is so kind and considerate to everyone? I find them to be naturally curious about the world. Each year seems to be “the rise of veganism”. These societies opened the concept of ’doing no harm’ to many more people, making it accessible to anyone from any race, culture, class or faith. The idea is that you can take the excess produced by the bees, and leave the rest, although some producers will take nearly all of the honey and feed them sugar water instead. Developments of higher levels of organisation we know as ‘societies’, in which individuals avoid harming each other as they all have many genes in common. As a reference, it might be worth reading Simon’s comment above about how he positions himself to others? Your email address will not be published. We provide FREE resources for everyone to go vegan … You’ll get a neat summary of our content each week, as well as some behind the scenes of what’s happening! First off the vegan society definition of veganism and the "as far as is possible and practical" issue. I have been trying to make vegans understand on social media for some years now that we need to take an interest in production, the production of what we eat, because even so-called ‘organic vegan lettuce’ is probably grown using non-organic steer/chicken/horse manure/remains. I prepared traditional egg custard and eclairs for my flexitarian Mom in her last four months of life to help her stop losing weight so quickly. Before we share some of that history, we should read the Vegan Society definition. (however I also think that even the worst kind of beekeeping is still more ethical than even the most ethical way of any other kind of animal farming) Veganism means living on plant based products, with exclusion of flesh, fish, fowl, animal milk, and all dairy industry product (cheese, butter, yogurt , eggs, honey,etc. How To Go Vegan: A Guide On How To Transition To a Vegan Lifestyle. It's with this in mind that the Vegan Society uses its oft-quoted definition: Veganism is a way of living which seeks to exclude, as far as is possible and practicable, all forms of exploitation of, and cruelty to, animals for food, clothing or any other purpose. Okay, if you’re like me, you probably quickly answered this question in your head based on your intuition and your domain knowledge on what you think an animal is. Little interactions with people become a reference point for their encounters with veganism in the future. One of the things that always seemed a grey area to me are honeybees, and by extension their pollination. There’s a different level of conviction in how they operate. It’s a choice. There are many ways to embrace vegan living. 10 talking about this. On the rare occasions eating out where dessert is allegedly vegan and honey, egg and dairy free, I resist asking if the sugar is bonechar free to encourage restaurants to have options at all. I love your honesty, and I too, have had my fair share of slip-ups over the years. But for me personally, I choose not to consume honey based on the reasons I stated above. I hope after reading this, you can find the courage, vulnerability and humility to put every animal on a level playing field. So what does that mean for the term “vegan”? (from the vegan society) Personally, based on schooling, watching, reading and listening to collective opinions, and of course, my own logical conclusions, I believe humans are animals. Between the inception of The Vegan Society and today, there have been multiple iterations on the definition of veganism. I chose not to talk about my food or lifestyle choices because I get so much negativity and the usual “what do you eat then? I consider myself vegan because I don't eat animal-derived foods, or buy animal-derived clothing. Then there’s a bunch of people promoting plant-based as this all-encompassing lifestyle that can transform your health. Around the same time, Siddhārtha Gautama (better known as the Buddha) was discussing vegetarian … Again a choice. Whatever the item, you can call it vegan if it contains nothing produced by or derived from animals. It was here that I found the concept of ‘biological altruism’, which we see in different levels of organisation: These biological adaptations toward avoiding harming ‘the other‘ are present (in one degree or another) in most animals. And Simon, you’re spot on, there’s never going to be a 100% ethical solution for anything—as it seems like we’re always going to exploit an animal indirectly. Examples of confusing actions include consuming backyard eggs, alcohol made using animal products, honey with their oats, buying leather shoes, supporting animal-based entertainment etc. ), and monocrop almond farmers do not. Challenging at times, sure, but pretty simple to execute. When environmentalism, animal welferalism, vegananarchism, abolitionism and intersectionalism were added to the socio-political mix, we ended up with the current diversity of the vegan kind. I’ve seen processed foods advertised as vegan online that list honey as an ingredient. Donald wanted a more concise way to describe a non-dairy vegetarian. If we follow your simplified definition, then I think to be a vegan we would also have to stop eating everything that has been pollinated by “domesticated” bees (wild bees and other insects might actually play quite a large role in pollination, but I think more research in this field is needed). TAVS is the hub of the organized grassroots movement of veganism. Championed by spiritual revolutionaries who did not accept the status quo of animal sacrifices and violence, it was around 500 years before the Common Era that this concept matured enough in the Indian continent to become an important tenant of several major religions, such as Hinduism, Jainism, Ajivikanism and Buddhism. Are these foods still vegan? Thanks for the post Michael, He suggested “[t]he principle of the emancipation of animals from exploitation by man”. Equality for a segment of our population that’s only relevant to the pain-points of your specific situation? )—not primarily for their health, but for the animals, the environment or social justice—are known as ‘ethical vegans’. Hi Sunni, I don’t know the answer to that question. Hi, great read, thankyou. Throughout the centuries, the idea of ‘do no harm’ manifested in different ways. Newly discovered land has been taken away from the native people by force since the beginning of time. He later formed The Vegan Society in 1944. As a vegan, I think this definition does a fantastic job in encapsulating the philosophy of compassionate living. It is much deeper, more profound and fundamental. When it gets cold, bees will huddle together into a tight ball and consume honey as they slowly move upward toward the top of the hive through the winter. Actually I should really do some research myself I would really like to avoid foods that are linked to exploitative beekeeping. I never thought I’d be writing an article about the definition of veganism—but recently I’ve felt compelled to reconnect and clarify what it means to be vegan. No, that’s not compassionate at all. There is a Yemeni family in Berkeley which does just this. Michael, I can highly recommend the documentary “More than Honey” (2012) it’s a great film about bees and beekeeping. I’m sure they’re around—but I’m yet to see a beekeeping practice that purely exists to breed more bees for pollination without any extraction of honey. The definition of the word ‘Vegan’ hiked further from mere ‘non-dairy.’ Now the objective of the Vegan Society stops at the concern of the exploitation of animals by humans, and the concept of Veganism is introduced where a man should not exploit animals to fulfill his needs. We should then be focused on the well-being of hives rather than individuals. At one point it began to detach itself from religion, such as with the unequivocal vegan Syrian poet Abu’l-‘Ala’ Al-Ma’arri in the 11th century CE, or the French philosophers Pierre Gassendi in the 17th Century and Bernadin Saint-Pierre a century later (supported by British philosophers such as Margaret Cavendish, John Locke and Jeremy Bentham). Although the vegan diet was defined early on in The Vegan Society's beginnings in 1944, it was as late as 1949 before Leslie J Cross pointed out that the society lacked a definition of veganism. His reasoning was he felt that veganism starts with vegetarianism and carries it through to its next logical conclusion. Actually, for about two weeks I was vegan. The Vegan Society is a registered charity and the oldest vegan society in the world, founded in the United Kingdom in November 1944 by Donald Watson and his wife, Dorothy, along with four friends—Elsie Shrigley, Mr G. A. Henderson and his wife Fay K. Henderson were among them. My working definition of veganism adds two considerations to the Vegan Society’s “practicable” definition. Also, he coined the term vegan since he considered himself to be a non dairy vegetarian. Startups and major corporations alike are seeing veganism as an emerging market with billions of dollars up for grabs. Definition of Veganism My Vegan Journey at a glance… When I started my journey of a plant based diet, there were and still are many questions people have for me. Now…..I’m on my way to a mostly raw diet….. apart from mash and roast potatoes! Nowadays, the term vegan encapsulates several variations around animal exploitation and the consumption of animal-based products (food, fashion, etc.) "The word 'veganism' denotes a philosophy and way of living which seeks to exclude — as far as is possible and practicable — all forms of exploitation of, and cruelty to, animals for food, clothing or any other purpose; and by extension, promotes the development and use of animal-free alternatives for the benefit of humans, animals and the … From Vegetarian To Vegan. He suggested [t]he principle of the emancipation of … Actually, it is possible to exploit honeybees for their pollination, and this is frequently done by some commercial beekeepers. When one’s livelihood depends of supporting veganism, one would be, can I say?, a “professional vegan”. On the surface, though, I still feel like there’s a more ethical solution than supporting the honey making industry—which we’ve started to brainstorm in this conversation. For me veganism, or rather my reasons for being vegan, are just another worry to add to my infinite list. In fact I have as many questions Dominic. But the reason why I ask this question is less about the definition of an animal, and more about whether we think humans are animals. But what does that mean really? Yet, there are those who only follow the diet aspect of veganism, by having a … Show others what it means to feel, think, and be compassionate. I view veganism as a practice that carries a staggering assortment of large and small benefits. I do not think you answered Dominic’s question. The superiority complex is real. Yes, you. So my point is I think it can be more ethical to consume some honey but no fruits, nuts or vegetables that have been pollinated by bees from exploitative (who do not care much about the loss of entire hives) commercial beekeepers (however it is not that straight forward to find out how exactly these fruits, almonds and vegetables have been pollinated). The founding of The Vegan Society is celebrated annually on 1 November, World Vegan Day. Veganism is an individual and collective undertaking that aims at eliminating, as far as is possible, all forms of animal exploitation. Genes beginning to cooperate with each other—rather than only competing for reproductive supremacy—working together to make the organism they were building fit and adaptative enough to survive to breeding age. Join our newsletter to receive monthly competitions, offers and information on all things vegan. But I’m about to take this post in perhaps a different direction than what you expected—because buried in this definition of veganism we can derive even more meaning. Learn how your comment data is processed. He was wondering if fruits, depending on bee pollination would be considered vegan. Same-sex marriage is not legal in many parts of the world. The poor girl was genuinely confused—as she’s served people that claim to be vegan and then proceed order animal products. There is a type of hive called a top-bar hive which is a long, rectangular or cylindrical hive. From 1948 The Vegan's front page read: "Advocating living without exploitation", and in 1951 the Society published its definition of veganism as "the doctrine that man should live without exploiting animals”. Michael and Dominic, No, when I say I’m vegan, I’m seeking to exclude all forms of exploitation of, and cruelty to, animals for food, clothing or any other purpose. Veganism is not simply a definition of a diet, but a way of living. The Vegan Society (2018), the first Western organisation to coin a definition for veganism, emphasises how veganism is a long-term commitment, defining it as “a way of living which seeks to exclude, as far as is possible and practicable, all forms of exploitation of, and cruelty to, … Required fields are marked *. The temperature just outside the cluster of bees is not much warmer than outside. I came here to do the same but you have done a much better job than I would have! It was my inner self shouting at me not to “take” from animals so I listened. It’s about the confusion it creates to others about what it means to be vegan. And it’s okay not to be a vegan—I mean, I’d prefer you to be vegan, but again, it’s a choice. Are the foods they pollinate able to be considered vegan? ), and all other foods of animal origin. Initially, we often find it associated with religious communities, such as those mentioned above, in the form of advocating for abstinence of flesh. In fact, this type of hive is commonly used in Africa where it is called a bee gum. Vystopia: The Anguish of Being Vegan in a Non-Vegan World. If you are a vegan of any kind, learning about the foundations of veganism by reading books, talking to experienced vegans or discussing veganism with expert scholars, will reinforce your beliefs and not only help you to stay vegan for longer but will also make you feel proud to be part of such a crucial international movement. The widely accepted vegan definition is the one by The Vegan Society, which says: Veganism is a way of living which seeks to exclude, as far as is possible and practicable, all forms of exploitation of, and cruelty to, animals for food, clothing or any other purpose. Veganism is much more than a consumer choice. However, the longer I’m vegan, the more I see how the philosophy is being compromised. It will build on, not remove parts of the original 1943 and later versions from The Vegan Society. establishment of the world’s first vegan society in 1944.6 Both before and after World War I, The Vegetarian Society “appeared to be moving towards what would later be called a vegan diet”7. The meaning of vegan can extend beyond food. And they practice selflessness even if it means acting against their introverted nature. People only care about their own convenience. Is that too much to expect from humans? Is that too idealistic? What are its foundations? There’s lots to digest here, and admittedly, I’m not in a position to answer the question about supporting crops that rely on the pollination of bees. “Veganism is a way of living which seeks to exclude, as far as is possible and practicable, all forms of exploitation of, and cruelty to, animals for food, clothing or any other purpose. This type of hive is the most natural type of hive to give bees since a tree stump is an ideal place for a hive to live in the wild. I mean this as a genuine question and have always wondered this myself, and would love to hear your thoughts on this. You can’t have that, can you? As a zoologist, I started looking at the biology of our species, to see if I could uncover the bases of veganism. I think your examples reflect your intent and commitment to veganism. It was overnight that I decided to go vegan and I had been vegetarian for a year or so before that. Either you’re committed to it, or you’re not vegan. People who get veganism, move, talk, and more importantly act in line with their values. The views expressed by our bloggers are not necessarily the views of The Vegan Society. Charity No: 279228 Company Reg. ), and … If it were not for honeybees, we would not have almonds, avocados, oranges, berries, and many other fruits. And that’s not okay—because it means so much more than that. For example: These are just a few horrific examples of many. Would you say the same thing about ending relationships if the argument was about keeping other humans as chattel property? In February-March hives are moved to northern California for almond pollination, then in April-May to Oregon, Washington, New York, and Michigan for blueberries, apples, and cherries. Good man! Organisms avoiding conflict with members of other populations/species to prevent mutual harm and even helping each other, in the hope that respect and favour may be returned in the future (known as ‘reciprocal altruism’).
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