Meaning Comes from Action

An old friend wrote today with frustrations about the extreme claims and demands of various folks in her local veg community. It reminded me of a discussion I had with the folks at Vegan Mainstream about the potential pitfalls of acting as though “community” is required to be a successful vegan:

“This is why we emphasize the importance of both breaking the vegan stereotype and, more importantly, being an active voice for the animals. We want people to be a part of the world not as a vegan per se, but as an effective advocate for justice. Sustainability comes from being part of the progress of the moral arc of the universe — rather than part of a closed, self-reinforcing club. The “Meaningful” in “A Meaningful Life” comes from the actions we take and the lives we change, not the potlucks we attend or the angry posts we write about honey.”

Or, as Jack put it long ago, “We want a vegan world, not a vegan club.”

-Matt

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