Vegan

AFAIK, there is only one major cultural group with a history somewhat compatible with veganism (Jainism (?)) and almost every other culture has a carnist dominance. Sure, people in earlier periods ate less meat and did not have the nutritional abundance of today to sustain philosophies like veganism, but a lack of food culture is still somewhat a shortcoming.

I've been vegan for 8-9 years now and I'm now more aware that veganism as a philosophy sprung out of industrial society: On the one hand as moral reaction to agricultural industrialisation, but also building on top of the agricultural surplus and relative stability of logistics networks. There is also the increase in levels of education since the industrial revolution to consider.

Anyways, given the cultural recency and tendency of cultural nihilism of industrial society, I doubt that many longstanding food culture traditions can or will be convertable in the long run. This on its own isn't good or bad, but we're living in an odd era when it comes to veganism: Veganism is relevant enough to be viable without too much practical hassle, but it is still very far from socially normalised in most societal groups aside from certain leftist groups. It is still a conscious and conscientious and perseverant decision to be vegan. Everyone probably experienced a carnist cultural event where they had to explain how or if they specifically will participate - I see this as the indicator that veganism in its respective cultures is not normalised yet.

Been a Vegan for multiple decades & recently noticed that foods' labels are now saying-
May contain Milk &/Or Etc.

Like they cannot possible know! Obvious sarcasm.

Before I noticed, the now establish- Made in facilities that make Milk &/Or Etc.

How BLANKED-UP that is that governments allow this. Of course does not surprise me, so many horrible or no regulating going on, especially picked-up lately. Example- way, way & way too small writing of what is in stuff & in scientific terms, instead of just plain terms.

Lately my elderly & not perfect eyes roommates could not find our regular Vegan for sure foods & proudly label as such & bought another brands' foods that had this labelling, not where ingredients listed & tiny writing (by the way, I have awesome eyes sight). So I just do not eat the foods, they do (& I leave it for them).

In most U.S. prisons, inmates cannot legally obtain plant-based food - even if they offer to pay for it themselves.

Yet I find it disturbing when I buy something that contains astonishing animal products.

E.g. I bought some truffle mayonaise. I expect it to contain eggs, but not fish. Indeed, after getting home and reading the fine print, it said anchovies were used. WTF.

Ramen noodles are also a game of chance. Big Chinese writing, a pic of veg on noodles, then the very fine print often buries the use of sea creatures. I spend a lot of time reading a huge list of ingredients (without a magnifying glass) in attempt to be diligent... and I still get burnt.

The injustice of accidentally buying veg that someone expects to be meat is far less of an injustice than the inverse of that. Yet the EU is fixated on regulating veg suppliers.

Host David Roberts speaks to Bruce Friedrich about how fake meat, plant based or lab grown, can reduce our land use substantially, reduce emissions substantially, and end or reduce the cruelty of animal agriculture. Notably, Friedrich contends that fake meats could end up on a learning curve to bring down the price of these meat alternatives to be cheaper than the real stuff. Much in the same way that we got better at making solar panels and flat screen TVs to the point where those items are magnitudes cheaper than they were just 10 years ago.

Friedrich, a vegan himself, chooses to lump plant based imitations together with the more controversial (but possibly more marketable) lab grown animal tissues for purposes of conversation, particularly when it comes to the economics.

Note, this is primarily an environmental tech podcast. And while the host, David Roberts, wishes he had it in him to go vegan, he has had to settle for reducitarian as he, like many, is weak. Much of the conversation is through the environmental lense, but the content is still valuable to this community.

I like this website a lot, they also have an active tumblr presence.

Maybe someone else will find it useful, I didn't see it posted in this c/ yet :)

• El PEPP Framework propone principios éticos y legales para investigar la comunicación animal, ante riesgos que van desde el estrés hasta la manipulación de las especies.
• El proyecto surge de académicos de la Universidad de Nueva York, quienes identificaron una brecha regulatoria frente al uso de tecnologías como IA, robótica o bioacústica.
• El marco plantea proteger la autonomía animal, prevenir daños y asegurar la participación de comunidades locales e indígenas.
• Por el momento, la adhesión es voluntaria, pero se espera que así se inicie un tránsito hacia la creación de regulaciones vinculantes.