studiomikarts's reviews
81 reviews

Most vegans were more self-righteous as non-vegans believing that we had the right to exploit the lives of others for our own enjoyment. 

As an ex-sportsman who had studied nutrition at college and a gardener who had worked with plants for much of his life, it's odd - and slightly alarming - that I didn't know there was protein in an apple. 

There was the realization that not only have you unwittingly been contributing to suffering on an unimaginable scale, but also the consequences of your choices as a consumer are contributing to a number of ongoing environmental catastrophes around the globe. If that wasn't enough, you then have to deal with family, friends, and colleagues who not only refute, ignore or ridicule the plight of enslaved animals being tortured, raped, experimented on and murdered, but who also seem ambivalent to the negative effects that these actions have on the environment, health and a number of human rights issues. At this point, when your values (based on compassion, kindness and altruism) are being called into question by people you love and trust, the world can suddenly seem confusing and even hostile.

Have you ever noticed that when a shark kills a human it's reported widely as a shark attack, but when a human hunts a shark it's called sport?

I've since spoken to several doctors, each of whom confirmed that nutrition isn't taught in depth during their 7 years' training: about twenty-four hours in total at the most. The stark and slightly alarming fact is that a vegan who has taken time to do a little research on diet may well know more about nutrition than the average GP.

Many people think that giving up consuming meat and dairy products is the hardest part of being vegan. It couldn't be further from the truth. The reality is that it's actually quite easy. The most difficult aspect of being vegan is navigating your way in a world that all of a sudden seems disconnected and exploitative and where violence pervades almost everything you interact with. The risk of alienating friends and family is real. It's frustrating and, at times, sad when the people you are closest to won't listen or don't share the same values of honesty, respect, equality, kindness and compassion: values that you were taught during childhood. It's a price that many vegans pay, but is offset hugely by the knowledge that you are part of a movement that addresses so many of the world's problems and that collectively your small actions can effect positive change, even though it may not occur during your lifetime.

• A vegan is not the same as someone who adopts a plant-based diet. Every choice a vegan makes is underpinned by a central belief that it is wrong to use and exploit animals. Thus, they take direct steps to avoid anything that causes animal harm, including what they eat, wear, products they use, entertainment and consumer goods they choose, and investments they make. The vegan has looked deeply into what happens to animals in the industrialised process and made choices not to allow their consumer choices to finance these cruel industries. They feel compelled to act to end the abuses and yet are often ridiculed as difficult, conspiracy theorists, or judgemental and bossy.
•  Some vegans feel guilty for having any comfort or enjoyment, knowing animals have it so hard. I strongly encourage vegans to go beyond this and have “down-time,” because the animals need us to be well-resourced and strong to speak on their behalf. Also, the vegan lifestyle is exponentially healthier, and the healthy, abundant, fun, and interesting vegan is a powerful advert for veganism.
• Cowardice asks the question: Is it safe? Expediency asks the question: Is it politic? Vanity asks the question: Is it popular? But, conscience asks the question: Is it right? And there comes a time one must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular -- but one must take it simply because it is right. – Martin Luther King, Jr.
• The sheer number of animals whose lives stand to change for the better makes this the largest social justice movement on the planet.
• Not everyone needs to be on the world stage or doing frontline work with animals. We all have different gifts which, when shared regularly, have the capacity to change the world. Find out what your gift is in this global movement, refine and practice it regularly. It may be something you love to do but don’t allow yourself because you think it takes attention away from advocacy.
• Most people are nearer to veganism than you think because they recognise the truth when they hear it. 
• Remember, when you drop a pebble into the water, you don’t know where the ripples stop.

• Although many other characters were made out to be much more nasty or unpleasant or whatever in the movie adaptation, Denethor was not one. He's just as nasty in the book.
• The raising of the Shire is one of the most compelling parts of the entire series!
• The much longer book ending is so much better than the movie!
• The end of the story is so sad!!! I'm grateful for the appendices because they give me some emotional cool-down time, instead of forcing me to leave Middle Earth in tears 🥲