While I sympathize with the fact that going vegan is difficult for some, I do want to push back on the idea that the focus spent on adhering to a plant-based diet would be better spent elsewhere “if animals are [your] top focus.”
Broadly, the discussion around plant-based/vegan diets avoids the signal value of the dietary and lifestyle choices. If my top focus is non-human animals[1], then it seems to track pretty clearly to me that persons will take me less seriously if I do not make substantial lifestyle changes that indicate this. Whether or not this is justified rationally on part of the others is not the most important point,[2] but it remains the point that the populace at large do disregard the views of perceived hypocrites very heavily. I do not think it is a huge stretch to suggest that such a blow to credibility may impede one’s work, at least in some circumstances.
With that in mind, persons that are very dedicated to a particular cause—in this case advocacy for nonhuman animals—probably ought to seriously consider the signal they send to others with their lifestyle choices.
I myself think hypocrisy in lifestyle choices is not that big of a deal; the climate activist that owns a gas guzzler or the longtermist who does not have kids is no less right or wrong about the issue at stake for having not done what is probably required of them within their own worldview. Similarly, the animal activist who cannot easily give up meat or dairy is no less right or wrong about the proposition that animal suffering is bad and ought to be addressed.
For me, it felt like the cost of being vegan was 5 − 10 hours of attention each week. I think that would have fallen over time, but when I went on holiday it was much of what I was thinking about every meal and indeed around meals—will I be hungry etc etc. If readers are people who find it easier to cook and incorporate new processes then maybe it’s a great idea. I don’t, so it felt pretty costly to me.
While I sympathize with the fact that going vegan is difficult for some, I do want to push back on the idea that the focus spent on adhering to a plant-based diet would be better spent elsewhere “if animals are [your] top focus.”
Broadly, the discussion around plant-based/vegan diets avoids the signal value of the dietary and lifestyle choices. If my top focus is non-human animals[1], then it seems to track pretty clearly to me that persons will take me less seriously if I do not make substantial lifestyle changes that indicate this. Whether or not this is justified rationally on part of the others is not the most important point,[2] but it remains the point that the populace at large do disregard the views of perceived hypocrites very heavily. I do not think it is a huge stretch to suggest that such a blow to credibility may impede one’s work, at least in some circumstances.
With that in mind, persons that are very dedicated to a particular cause—in this case advocacy for nonhuman animals—probably ought to seriously consider the signal they send to others with their lifestyle choices.
Broadly, it actually is.
I myself think hypocrisy in lifestyle choices is not that big of a deal; the climate activist that owns a gas guzzler or the longtermist who does not have kids is no less right or wrong about the issue at stake for having not done what is probably required of them within their own worldview. Similarly, the animal activist who cannot easily give up meat or dairy is no less right or wrong about the proposition that animal suffering is bad and ought to be addressed.
Okay but what is that signal value?
For me, it felt like the cost of being vegan was 5 − 10 hours of attention each week. I think that would have fallen over time, but when I went on holiday it was much of what I was thinking about every meal and indeed around meals—will I be hungry etc etc. If readers are people who find it easier to cook and incorporate new processes then maybe it’s a great idea. I don’t, so it felt pretty costly to me.
I doubt the signal value is worth more that that.