Why I am not a vegan

[Jade]

I think heated discussions like these are definitely important, because it allows everyone to fall somewhere closer to the middle when they calm down and process everyone's pretty accurate POVs. Food is definitely used in a drug-like fashion in our society, and I don't think there's anything inherently wrong with eating meat (Earth is full of necessary predator/prey relationships) but the situations at hand right now is just so so so wrong. Tanner, especially for you up there in Canada, it may be a bit better in general and you may not be as exposed to the (literal, pardon my language) s***-show that we face down in the states (disposal of industrial animal waste is a HUGE problem). I sincerely believe aiding to shift this paradigm is a big part of my "job" down here in this lifetime. It's obvious that Diana and Monica also feel this way. It's a long process and we all choose different paths to sprint down and different paths to meander and examine the view. Changing ones diet at this point in time puts a HUGE gap between oneself and their family and peers that the comfort of food so easily used to fill. Trust me, it's painful every time someone I love offers me something they have created that I prefer not to eat. Sometimes I just succumb and eat a cookie or whatever, but it's gotten to the point where my body finds the taste of dairy quite rancid.

So a big thanks to everyone for participating honestly in this thread, as there are many, many, many others who have merely read it and have had any range of catalyst in response to all of the emotions displayed.