'You Can Eat Animals And Still Be Vegan’ | Cosmic Skeptic Interview 2021
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 26 ก.ย. 2024
- Alex J. O’Connor is founder of the Cosmic Skeptic TH-cam channel, podcast and blog, platforms dedicated to the publication of philosophical ideas and debates in an accessible format. He is currently reading for a degree in philosophy and theology at St John’s College, Oxford University.
Alex is an international public speaker and debater, having delivered addresses in multiple continents at conferences, universities, and local drinking groups, as well as debated ethics, religion, and politics with a number of high-profile opponents before college audiences, on radio talk shows and on national television.
An impassioned animal rights advocate and religious critic, Alex’s online videos have been viewed thirty million times, attracting over three hundred and fifty thousand people to subscribe to his regular content. He has produced videos with notable experts in respected fields, such as Peter Singer, Richard Dawkins, and William Lane Craig.
Listen to this interview on your favorite podcast platform here 👉 / cosmic-skeptic-interview
Find our more about Alex here 👉 cosmicskeptic.com
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Oh no, Alex’s new confession puts this in a whole new light.
Truly
Does indeed. Does indeed. I siggest watching vegan footsoldiers video. He's got the best take on the whole situation
As an atheist I really liked Alex. Since he convinced me veganism is a moral obligation, I now love him.
And now that be betrayed the animals for convenience, he can kick dirt.
Love your name. I recognize that quote from Gary Yourofsky?
I have to say it, I will always have more respect for someone who is vegan than someone who isn't. I can't help it. Even if I don't like the person, it's like 'well they're vegan so that's something'.
By what standard do you make the claim that eating meat is wrong
@@Savage-yq6kw The standard that causing completely unnecessary suffering is wrong
@@betadecay6503 So long as there is life there will be suffering
I really like Alex because, unlike many others in the youtube philosophy space, he actually acts accordingly to his ethical beliefs and doesn’t hide behind cognitive dissonance 🤟🏻
if you kill and eat an animal you are not a Vegan as you are not eating a vegetarian diet. You may hope to return to a Vegan way of life but while you are killing and eating animals you are not a Vegan. But it might be necessary to stay alive so you can help animals further in the future.
100%
100%! Though I will say one of the seeds sewn for me becoming vegan 6 weeks ago was Abigail Thorne's video on ignorance, and her acknowledgement of her own ignorance on the subject and that in the final analysis her purposeful wilful avoidance of learning about animal suffering (diminished to the watching of distressing footage, which tbh you don't have to do to understand the issue - there is a TH-cam video called 'why vegan (not Graphic) which covers the basics).
That seed grew and meant that the next time I was invited to try watching a vegan comedy show, Carnage, on iplayer, I gave it my time and honest open mind. Non vegan influencers acknowledging their failings still do plant seeds
Like Matt Dillahunty who folds like cheap deck chair at the slightest mention of veganism.
@@DelBoy573 So true, it's actually pathetic. Dawkins at least recognizes that veganism is the right thing.
Alex is great! I wouldn't have used that title though (he's talking about a survival situation, which does not apply to people watching TH-cam videos)
Yes, I'm definitely a fan of PBN and Alex, but I don't know whether Alex chose that this video would be given this title.
It's a nice click-bait
Yeah I nearly didn’t watch it because of that. But I did and was pleasantly surprised
Yes, the title is misleading.
i think it was written like that to attract carnists to the video
I've followed Alex for yeeeeaars, and amazingly we both realized and became vegan around the exact same time, having our moral journeys together. He transitioned faster than me though. The man has an incredible mind.
" Same time "? How long you've been vegan for? Ive been for 1 yr and 2 months.
Agreed, Alex is very intelligent. Imagine if there were many TH-cam channels like this, instead there's stupid prank vids.
I have followed him for years and years, too, but went vegan before him. (Grew up vegetarian, when I met a vegan and saw how easy it was it was obvious to me that it was the right thing to do).
To my GREAT joy Alex did so, too, a couple of years later, and I was finally inspired to think more critically about it and decided to speak out publicly for animals :)
@Sam Izdat,
Would you be willing to elaborate/substantiate your “point” ?
@Sam Izdat That sure looked like a bunch of unsubstantiated claims. Were you going to be following up with an actual argument against veganism?
Lets not forget that one of todays most influential philosophers Peter Singer promotes veganism too
I became a vegan because of Alex!
Amazing!
me too, he is astonishing, and thanks to him I'm discovering all these others vegan channels
@@gabriele_beccacece Alex is astonishing. I wonder if he's still playing bass? Cosmic Skeptic should collab with fellow British TH-camr Zuby on something.
Alex would be a great guest on
Joe Rogan,
Tim Pool IRT,
Dave Rubin,
Michael Malice,
Slightly Offens*ve,
Steven Crowder,
Jordan Peterson,
Mikhailia Peterson,
Avant Garde Vegan,
and Derren Brown among others.
Alex J. O'Connor is a breath of fresh air.
So have I
I did as well!
Yikes to see this popup on my feed!
Quick takes I didn’t see Alex post him doing a vigil, street outreach, investigations you name it.
It’s too bad he doesn’t know how to use chronometer, reach out to a friend or the happy cow app.
This biggest issue is obviously not placing himself in the victim’s perspective.
Alex is just phenomenal, a huge inspiration, gives hope and promise for accelerating the movement.
@ClimateVegan explain how?
@ClimateVegan If he deleted it then doesn't that mean he realized that it was wrong? you can't pick and choose who represents Veganism. His points on veganism are most if not all correct. And no, veganism has nothing to do with racism so you can't just say that he isn't allowed to talk about veganism because his other views are incorrect.
@ClimateVegan idc what his reasons are or if he was wrong or not. All I am saying is that you can't just stop someone from promoting veganism because of their past mistakes. If he was stopped from speaking about veganism then I assure you that many people including myself wouldn't have gone vegan. veganism needs to be talked about by many people whether they are good or bad. because as long as the idea gets across, then the results will be the same.
@ClimateVegan like i said. you can't just stop people from promoting veganism just because of their unrelated mistakes. Alex has a somewhat large audience. so if you want to cancel him because of unrelated mistakes. Then rest assured knowing that many potential vegans wouldn't go vegan. If Alex surly misguided people on veganism then your point will be valid. However, veganism and Islam have nothing in common. so, just because he did something wrong regarding a different matter that doesn't mean that we should stop him from doing the right thing in this specific subject.
@ClimateVegan dude. Islam and veganism have nothing in common. Alex has done more good than harm towards veganism. His arguments are all great (regarding veganism). However, "Nazi vegans" are doing more harm than good towards the vegan community. They are not bad because their other unrelated beliefs are wrong. they are bad because they are giving the wrong image to normal vegans.
Alex in the other hand, is discussing totally different subjects that even if you try your best to connect them, you will fail.
Everyone.. literally everyone knows that Veganism has nothing to do with Islam therefore when you say that his beliefs regarding Islam are wrong you automatically realize that this has nothing to do with veganism.
what I am trying to say is that just because his opinions regarding Islam aren't to your liking. that doesn't mean that he is wrong about veganism. therefore he may continue talking about veganism as much as he wishes.
Well well well.... hasn't this aged like milk. And i'm not talking about almond milk either. F*ck.
This didn't age too well.
It's weird to listen to this today .... How did he manage to get so confused. 😬🤦🏼♀️
Watch vegan footsoldiers video. He's got the best take on this whole situation.
@@pablieto-veganson I'm so glad VS is back on! I watched his take on and it was spot on!
I love that this is being recommend now hahaha, jesus.
this did not age well...
He was looking for loopholes for years.
Well, this didnt age well.
He is such a great person and a blessing for the vegan movement.Mad respect for Alex.
Lets not forget that one of todays most influential philosophers Peter Singer promotes veganism too
@Tawheed Promoter damn, based comment from 1yr ago. You saw it comming man! Mad respect.
I never understood the "survival" question where carnists would ask "but if you had to eat animals for survival what then?" Because when you eat animals for actual SURVIVAL (eat or die) then you would STILL be vegan for the reasons Alex just outlined. Thanks for pointing it out Alex!
Depends on your definition. The OG definition was a deontological one, veganism being the doctrine that man should not exploit animals. Eating animals is a rights violation even if you're starving. If I was starving I'd most likely kill and eat an animal to live, however I wouldn't call it moral or even Vegan, just understandable action to survive.
@@jhunt5578 I don’t think any would say “yea this is a vegan thing to do” in that situation. It’s more of an underlying understanding and label to just easily define it. If I was in a situation in order to survive to eat meat I agree, i would indeed call it an action to survive, and not “vegan”
Even if a vegan was starving why would they prefer to eat an animal over, say, a demented person? Isn’t that speciesism?
@@bornufree yup, you're right ...but as previously explained by some activists, you than (again) choose the more weak one. But I get what you're sayin and I totally agree... Where to draw the line? An elephant or a dement person? What should be an argument to decide, cuz the are both in a way weak ones of the society...... Interesting remark.....
i need animals to eat eat and survive in my daily life. i am now finally a vegan
I've been vegan for 5 years. I have no interest in eating animals. Pass the veggie burger😎
Being a vegan is far too easy. No idea how people can be such savages when it's that easy to not be a savage.
👉 Watch "The Connections (2021) [short documentary]" on youtube! 💖 Animals cannot exist if we destroy the ecosystem!
@@gallectee6032 Spot on. A whole lot cheaper too, in sooooo many ways. Not just the food itself but the health care expense. Cheers!
@@gallectee6032 how do you get your vitamin A? You literally can’t convert plant oils to vitamins. Studies have proved this
@@MohsinAli-jt5rk so us vegans are all zombies then just the walking dead out here 😂
ouch…
Alex going vegan is so encouraging. He is such a great spokesperson for the movement!
👉 Watch "The Connections (2021) [short documentary]" on youtube! 💖 Let Alex J. O'Connor know about it as well!
Stop calling it a movement.
@@smallfootprint2961 it categorically is though. It's the largest movement in history
@@smallfootprint2961 I didn't think about it that much. What word would you prefer out of curiosity?
@@smallfootprint2961 But why?
The signs were there from the get go and people are acting surprised
ALEX IS NO LONGER VEGAN. HE JUST RELEASED AN ANNOUNCEMENT ON TWITTER BASICALLY SAYING HES ONLY AGAINST ANIMAL FACTORY FARMING
And yet he tells 8 billion people they don't need to stop eating animals -- so factory farming becomes an absolute necessity according to his "solution"..
So I bet he hunts. Not.
Oh dear oh dear....
"practical" and "practicable" are words with different meanings. 😎
He also makes it a point that his position is about animal suffering.
Alex has glowed up more and more as the years have gone by and I'm living for it. Glad to have such a charismatic and intelligent person on the right side of the animal liberation movement. Excellent video.
Lets not forget that one of todays most influential philosophers Peter Singer promotes veganism too
I got into him for his Atheism, but he turned me Vegan lol
Ex Vegan philosopher now
He was never vegan
@@deemstars Exactly, there is NO such thing as an "ex"-vegan.
The next time a anti-vegan says they love grass fed and locally sourced bodies. I’ll say ok then you’ll be ok if we shut down factory farms
@Aaron Loos the problem with that is that, unlike wild animals themselves (who prey on the weak and diseased, contributing to natural selection ), when human beings hunt, they tend to select the most beautiful and healthy specimens, thus depleting both the genetic material of those species and reducing their chances to thrive as a species. It’s unnatural. And it’s morally wrong as it is a sport, not a survival necessity.
@Aaron Loos Regardless of the effect it has on the gene pool, what do you think about the morality of hunting? We don't need to eat these animals for our health, so hunting is essentially unnecessary. I'm sure we can find examples where hunting can contribute to the ecosystem somehow, but I suspect that the reverse is more likely to be true when it comes to most cases. So disregarding the effects on ecosystems and gene pools, how/why would it be morally permissible to hurt and kill animals when it's not necessary to do so?
@Aaron Loos there is no way you can twist the reasons to make it moral to kill an animal that doesn't need to die
@Aaron Loos When I say "necessary", then in this case I mean "required to sustain human life or health".
I certainly don't think anything unnecessary is therefore immoral. For example, there's nothing immoral about me dropping a rock on some sand. Nothing bad comes of it, so even though it's unnecessary, it's not immoral. If I purposefully dropped the same rock on a person however, then it would be immoral, since I am outright causing harm on purpose, and it's completely unnecessary for me to do so. But if for some strange reason, the life of myself and my family was on the line, then it would become a necessity from my point of view, and it would put a question mark on whether or not it's immoral for me to drop the rock on the person.
When discussing the morality of hunting, we would have to evaluate the "good" vs the "bad". What do you think the good is, that's good enough to make up for unnecessarily killing an animal, maybe even giving it a final, traumatic experience too?
@Aaron Loos You think it is moral to kill humans as long as we use their bodies?
You would have to provide evidence how we all cause unnecessary purposeful harm to animals for our own comfort, convenience, and food/taste, but even if it was true, even thou I can bet all my income that you will not prove that, that would just be appeal to popularity.
You are somehow using random people as example to present counter arguments instead of using definition and logic. That is just straw man.
Now I will answer your only reasonable question, there is a difference of protecting your food practically and sexually abusing animals and stealing their milk, but if you end up with conclusion that pesticide use is immoral then I don't see how that leads to "abusing cows is moral".
His ability to manage his tone is commendable! I’d like to see if he has heated debates! :)
@Vegan Soldier I should watch it!
@Vegan Soldier but unfortunately he wasn’t allowed to post the whole debate on his channel. But yes he kept his cool there. It would be very difficult for me to do that
It just takes practice
I wish I had a quarter of the patience he shows when he debates.
A role model, for sure.
Alex found himself STARVING TO DEATH in France where as we know it's nothing but desolation and no vegetable or fruit or bread in sight ... so he started to stuff himself with tortured flesh at French restaurants for PURE SURVIVAL. 🤔
You don't know the praticability entailed in such situation... it's hard
When was he in France? As in, where did he talk about the France bit? Genuinely asking out of curiosity
@@radioactivedetective6876 watch Joey Carbstrong reaction to his community post
@@edusch oh. Thanks
But but but…according to "Reasonable Vegan" we can’t trust what Joey said 🫢🤣
So well spoken, so wise, great interview PBN!
I still can't believe that Alex, who inspired me a lot 5 years ago with his old contents, is on our side.
Same
Definitely
Yes. It’s wonderful.
I turned vegan not long before him. I was delighted when I saw him changing to veganism much like I did.
love this guy so much - the vegan movement is incredibly benefited by having him on the correct side of the issue
Lets not forget that one of todays most influential philosophers Peter Singer promotes veganism too
Earthling Ed and Joey Carbstrong are amazing human beings!! I’ve now added Alex to this list!!!🌱❤️🌱❤️🌱❤️🌱
Agre, same here💚💚💚💚💚
Joey Carbstrong stabbed a human, and Earthling Ed is not even vegan. amazing my behind
@@GarudaLegends that was in Joey’s past and he is totally reformed, unless you don’t believe in forgiveness and second chances? And why would you say that Earthling Ed isn’t a vegan? He definitely is.
@@amandaneumann5452 nope. he is still a criminal to this day.
@@amandaneumann5452 Also Earthling Ed is not a vegan, but pretends to be one. the thing is he is a lair and eats meat in silence, while pocketing Vegan donations and sponsorships. do your research. you have false understanding of ppl you think are Amazing ppl.
do you know how many vegans will bye my vegan products, even though i eat meat? it is laughable!
Even if you exclusively consider humans in your moral calculations, most animal products waste so many resources which other humans need that it still wouldn't be ethical to eat them in a world where they are nutritionally unecesary.
Pseudo-intellectual...
People just like his accent.
This didn't age well
You´re brilliant, Alex...and this comes from a 71 year old. Wish I had heard you decades ago!
I’d really like to think that we will look back on the terrible things we’ve done to animals with horror, the way we did with slavery. Unfortunately, at 60, I don’t think I’ll live to see the day.
I'm an Ex-Muslim and I like CS's videos on religion, paticularly Islam. He has a strong grasp on what he covers.
This aged very well
Alex needs to debate that meat head, Joe Rogan.
th-cam.com/video/dQn1-mLkIHw/w-d-xo.html
He is such a smart and sophisticated person. Inspiring.
👉 Watch "The Connections (2021) [short documentary]" on youtube! 💖 Let Alex J. O'Connor know about it as well!
Wow, just wow. This guy is incredable and really gave me so much I'd never thought about it. I'm going to look him up asap.
There's also Soytheist, who I like very much.
@@じゃみっと oh awesome. Does he also believe in Animal Liberation?
@@BeyondaThought Yes, he does.
@@じゃみっと I've checked him out, watched a few video's on his channel and subscribed. Thank you my friend.
@@BeyondaThought so glad to hear that!!
I'd love to see Rationality Rules ditch the dairy and become Vegan too.
Oh has he not yet I just assumed that he would've by now, well atleast genetically modified skeptic made the change
@@bocajj1299 No he's ditched meat but he still breast feeds from cows.
@@jhunt5578 dam that sucks, I do know that genetically modified skeptic is vegan atleast cause he made a video about
@@jhunt5578 I refuse to believe that. I'm sure he's sympathetic to the vegan message and if he still consumed dairy and eggs for whatever reason, someone like Alex would've talked him out of it.
@@JeesonQuadros Last I heard he sources his dairy from a farm he's checked out and believes doesn't harm the animals. I don't know if he consumes eggs at all.
I've been vegan/vegetarian for 40 years. Love his philosophy. For some of us, it's been a long, growing kind of revelation. Starting with a lifetime search for answers around an addiction to food and eating. Coming from that place, having a mother who died from colon cancer. My focus was on health. I'm not happy about the fake meats, but realize that some people might find them helpful ad a transition.
Yeah as far as I know lab meat will still contain some of the negatives real meat has such as a slight amount of cholesterol. It's not that hard to just get used to not having meat
@@zodd67 ... Wasn't hard for me. I love grains like brown rice, and beans are a favorite. Love high protein vegis like broccoli, but I know how powerful the ad campaigns can be, and a lot of people really believe they will be undernourished by letting go of animal products. The opposite is true, of course. I have come to the place of being turned off by anything that imitates animal meats.
Fake meats aren’t just for transition. I’ve been vegetarian for seven years and sometimes I just want some chicken nuggets. Like the rest of the world not all vegans can/need to eat for absolute optimum health.
Wtf? Just go vegan its not that hard
tell that to the 80% of vegans who go ex vegan
It's easy for people without a strong moral compass to go back to the way "things have always been." That really just shows how messed up our society is and the values we keep. Hypocritical, selfish and full of surface level understandings.
@@oatymilkshake nothing morally wrong with eating meat. humans are omnivores, and animals are human food. food is a necessity
@@GarudaLegends A wholefood plant based diet is the healthiest diet on the planet, meat has been proven to cause cancer, and heart diseases. That's just a fact. We don't need meat to survive, so then it becomes a question of morality. If we don't need to, why do we do it?
@@GarudaLegends A wholefood plant based diet is the healthiest diet on the planet, meat has been proven to cause cancer, and heart diseases. That's just a fact. We don't need meat to survive, so then it becomes a question of morality. If we don't need to, why do we do it?
Thanks for posting your conversation, i have to check out Alex's channel!
I've settled to eating animal products is an addiction a couple years ago
Nice interview , Alex O Connor speaks very well .
I’ve appreciated Alex’s Cosmic Skeptic content for a couple years now. He’s an atheist, vegan, and a talented musician with a lovely voice...I wish I could introduce him to my equally-amazing daughter! lol 💚🌱💚
I watched Alex early on and I emailed him about veganism. He is the only TH-camr I ever emailed. It was crazy to me that someone so logical had not made that switch yet. I am glad he finally did.
Alex, a very wise young man! Awesome job thus far!! Wish him all the best in his life!!! 👍🏼👍🏽👍🏾
animals love their life.....they fight till the end,.....just like you would, eating blood and flesh is revolting.
same with plants
your comment , isn't worth replying to. mentality of a rock.
@@reesecarr2105 you are disconnected from reality. seek help
Resse, some people are always looking to justify and/or look for excuses to kill or pay others to kill for them and even have a giggle about it too. Respect to you.
I’ve never clicked faster.
👉 Watch "The Connections (2021) [short documentary]" on youtube! 💖 Animals cannot exist if we destroy the ecosystem!
Great to see the young man coming forward for innocent animals.
The Food Pyramid is why I grew up thinking I have to eat meat to be healthy.
Yikes!
He always makes me feel like I really need to go do some more reading
Incredible interview. I'm glad you guys got to collaborate
Animal welfarists will always find an excuse to stab their fellow animals in the back.
Well the first 30 seconds didn’t age well 🤣 no hate Alex 💚 we appreciate your work and recent transparency and wishing you healing 💚
Great conversation! People are waking up daily and it’s accelerating! We are evolving…….
Love this!!!!!
20:47
Here I think it is important to mention, that a vegan diet greatly reduces the demand for agricultural land too, compared to any other diet that includes animal products to any extent:
„The expansion of land for agriculture is the leading driver of deforestation and biodiversity loss.
Half of the world’s ice- and desert-free land is used for agriculture. Most of this is for raising livestock - the land requirements of meat and dairy production are equivalent to an area the size of the Americas, spanning all the way from Alaska to Tierra del Fuego.
The land use of livestock is so large because it takes around 100 times as much land to produce a kilocalorie of beef or lamb versus plant-based alternatives. This is shown in the chart.1 The same is also true for protein - it takes almost 100 times as much land to produce a gram of protein from beef or lamb, versus peas or tofu.
Of course the type of land used to raise cows or sheep is not the same as cropland for cereals, potatoes or beans. Livestock can be raised on pasture grasslands, or on steep hills where it is not possible to grow crops. Two-thirds of pastures are unsuitable for growing crops.2
This raises the question of whether we could, or should, stop using it for agriculture at all. We could let natural vegetation and ecosystems return to these lands, with large benefits for biodiversity and carbon sequestration.3 In an upcoming article we will look at the carbon opportunity costs of using land for agriculture.
One concern is whether we would be able to grow enough food for everyone on the cropland that is left. The research suggests that it’s possible to feed everyone in the world a nutritious diet on existing croplands, but only if we saw a widespread shift towards plant-based diets."
„Half of the world’s habitable land is used for agriculture, with most of this used to raise livestock for dairy and meat. Livestock are fed from two sources - lands on which the animals graze and land on which feeding crops, such as soy and cereals, are grown. How much would our agricultural land use decline if the world adopted a plant-based diet?
Research suggests that if everyone shifted to a plant-based diet we would reduce global land use for agriculture by 75%. This large reduction of agricultural land use would be possible thanks to a reduction in land used for grazing and a smaller need for land to grow crops. The research also shows that cutting out beef and dairy (by substituting chicken, eggs, fish or plant-based food) has a much larger impact than eliminating chicken or fish."
SOURCE (for both Quotes): “If the world adopted a plant-based diet we would reduce global agricultural land use from 4 to 1 billion hectares” - “Our World in Data”
Learn more about this topic in the article “Wild mammals have declined by 85% since the rise of humans, but there is a possible future where they flourish” - “Our World in Data”.
That article, or more specifically the facts presented in it, IMO raise another compelling ethical case for an “as plant-predominant diet as possible” (for most people in the western world THAT have access to a wide range of food; it means a vegan diet).
th-cam.com/video/Br2uwoDdEhs/w-d-xo.html
Alex for president!
This was utterly splendid
He's very well spoken
Alex is turning into such a chad.
This is the best thing I’ve watched in a while
I think the most valuable advice I can give to someone who says something along the lines of, "i don't want to give up ___" the thing is that you don't give up anything when you are vegan, if you look you can find vegan cheese, vegan milk, vegan meats. If you want vegan ice cream, it's out there. If you want a meatball sub, there are vegan meatball subs. You vote with your dollar and your voice. If more people ask places for vegan options there will be more vegan options(which is what we are seeing at a rapid pace). If you stick the easy and cruel option there will only be easy and cruel options, but if you demand the alternative there will be easy and beneficial options. Fast food could be "burgers and fries" "fish and chips" and "bacon" all without the use of animals like cows, fish, and pigs. There are already, but the more we demand it the more the supply. The funny thing is, when I went vegan I was lost and immediately went to the alternatives but in reality I've not only developed a taste for fruits, legumes, veggies, etc but alternatives are nothing more than an occasional treat. Of course, alternatives can be creepily similar to the animal counterparts but the important thing is that there are no animals being harmed needlessly. I mean, like I said alternatives are nice but look at the abundance that nature has already given us berries, nuts, grains, oats, seeds, vegetables, fruits, beans, legumes, etc. A bowl of fruit, in my eyes is one of life's simplest and greatest pleasures. So, if you are not vegan yet I would urge you not to think about it as "giving something up" rather "giving something back" because when you spare these lives and put an end to the abuse and become more eco conscious, then it isn't just the animals that thank you but the people and the planet. It really is a beautiful/wonderful planet and we need to take care of it, together.
In some more remote towns in cottage country for example, eating vegan in restaurants can be a real challenge. I occasionally do work in Canadian cottages and have to stay in a hotel for the week and usually eat at a restaurant for dinner. Usually the vegan options are scarce and occasionally I sacrifice my ethics and eat a bit of dairy cooked in the food including cheese. I always ask for a plant based option because like you said, letting them know that there are people who need these food groups will help promote the movement. It is especially awkward when I am with someone else who eats "normally" but at the same time that situation helps reinforce my morals, and to not just me. (I'm hoping anyway)
His “A meat-eater’s case for veganism” is probably the best video I’ve ever seen explaining the philosophical arguments for veganism. It’s the video I show to people when they ask me about veganism.
what a guy
Bravo! What an incredible speech
Excellent talk here..I feel even stronger in my beliefs now
Love Alex he's awesome.
Great conversation, please provide more of this. Truly like him to follow his convictions and not make excuses. People constantly bridging their cognitive dissonances to dig into another chunk of flesh while voting Green is a key issue. I also link this to another TH-camr, forgot her name, around carnism being essentially an irrational believe system. Would carnism go the same way as religion?
I wish he would let his hair grow out. It looks like it would be absolutely glorious!
With those gorgeous eyes 😍
Would be cool if Alex re-watched this now :)
Lets no forget that one of todays most influential philosophers Peter Singer promotes veganism too
I love Alex's reasoning
I think Alex is just awesome. However, it took Peter Singer's book for him to step out of the violent food system we are indoctrinated into from the time we are born. He says future children are going to find it difficult to understand later why people did what they did when they knew it was wrong. I'm not sure if most people really know about it, just like he didn't till he read the book. It was the same with me. I knew in the back of my mind that it was "kind of" wrong but it needed a documentary like Earthlings to wake me up to the horrific atrocities. So, how do we wake up people on a mass scale? All our systems, be it education, law, culture and tradition, religion, finance, etc are all entrenched in supporting animal exploitation. How do we go about changing those? I doubt we will be able to bring about real change unless we see change in all spheres or rather in the backbone of society.
I recommend "EATING ANIMALS" by Jonathan Safran Foer..a true "passage" towards Veganism, by a NOT vegan...yet.
Veganism can be managed as long as you learn about making sure you get proper nutrition in your body. You can’t just start buying vegan products and start eating vegetables and fruits and nuts etc..
This guy is a light in the world.
Agree. Veganism is not an ideology to be practiced absolutely perfectly. It's a realization that you can and should do the best you can to adhere to a guideline, which would be to minimize animal suffering to the greatest extent practical. We don't allow perfection to be the enemy of progress. Neither when given an inch do we take a mile. We don't shame others or ourselves for making a genuine mistake. We strive to set an example of what good can come from a little mindfulness, encourage people to do the best they can with what they have without sweeping the rug out from underneath them, and constantly make progress in the scientific basis for our thoughts and actions.
I think most people eat meat because of misinformation claiming animal products are essential to optimal health, and also due to disconnect. If food packaging was treated like cigarette packaging with a story and pictures of how the animal was mistreated, most people would be too disgusted to consume animal products. We need to demand transparency in marketing and advertising.
Deep truth.....its my thinking too......sadly no people at work thinking like those boys or me.....im glad the awareness is growing and people ( some ) start waking up........
just saying, he had a glow up after adopting veganism.
Alex you are such an inspiration!
Excellent,excellent interview! Alex is the best. We need him 100% on veganism issues and outreach.
Been vegan for 10 years. And heard it ALL. Ive seen non vegans that where totally ignorant about the beneficial idea of veganism, become KNOWLEDGEABLE thorough research, suffering, and exploitation of unethical nutrition and adapt to eating right.
plant based diets can solve world hunger.
Why kill any animal? Eat plants. Even in a survival situation, you can eat what the herbivorous animals eat.
"Nobody should be under the illusion that vegans aren't responsible for killing animals. Of course we are, anybody is. When I go and buy plant-based foods, I've destroyed habitats, and pesticides we used in crop production. Animals die in the production of vegan food, that's why no vegan is gonna say that this is about eliminating animal suffering. It's about minimizing it to the highest extent that you practically can."
you don't have to be a liberal to be vegan. you just have to be intelligent
You dont even have to be intelligent. Even an idiot can do it
What's a liberal?
The state of our health and the environment is an indication of just how badly we treat animals.
I am very impressed with Alex. I have been vegan for more than a year but I had never seen anyone making such a compelling case.
this comment did not age well 🙃
Definitely hit the nail on the head with that criticism of "bacon tho" and "I just love cheese too much"
BURN!!!! Alex, you have given us ethical vegans another impenetrable case for veganism - thank you, I'm adding this to my armory for the fight for animal rights 💚 ✌
Great interview! Alex a new voice for the movement!