As a ~7 year vegan, I eat a fair number of substitutes. As others have said, I don't do it for my health or because I don't like the taste of meat.
That said, in line with the article, when I was in college, I had the Maddox "For every animal you don't eat, I'm going to eat three" image blown up as a poster on my dorm door. I had a "PETA: People Eating Tasty Animals" t-shirt that I wore around. My aim was to upset the vegetarians, and I made fun of them whenever I saw a window. I can't speak for others' motivations, but the fact that there was a group of people living a lifestyle that I thought was borderline impossible cast inherent doubt and judgment on my own choices. Having to confront the fact that they might be right led to a lot of unresolved cognitive dissonance and anger.
If you'd have told me that ~20 years later I'd be vegan, married to another vegan, and raising a child on an entirely plant-based diet, I'd have laughed in your face.
Isn't it so often the case that those so staunchly "anti-gay" are, in fact, in the closet themselves? And those so in favour of censorship are likely the most debauched?
People who don't care don't care. You cared. So I think going veggie/vegan was inevitable, unless, perhaps, you were just a genuine asshole like Bourdain. Most people aren't assholes, though.
How's the kid doing? (Asking as a vegan of about 16 years, and my SO is vegetarian about as long. We don't have kids though.)
My understanding (possibly a decade or more out of date... been a while since I last did any real research on the topic) was that vegetarianism was well-tested and easily made healthy, but veganism is still kinda experimental in terms of its long-term effects, especially for newborns and young children. I think the uncertainties were especially focused on bone and teeth development & maintenance.
Have you noticed anything positive or negative? Do their check-ups come back OK?
Hey, thanks for asking! Kid is almost 4 now and doing great. She eats a pretty varied diet, fortunately-- if she were picky, I expect we'd have had to have made some changes early. We made the call after consulting with her pediatrician and a dietician, both of whom were on board. All check ups have gone well, and she's been ahead on all of her milestones. She's never had any clinical or lab evidence of any deficiencies. I'm a physician myself, and I take care to watch out for anything concerning. There's a reasonable body of literature out there now supporting the safety of a well-implemented plant-based diet in kids. We actively supplement B12 and DHA/EPA.
I call her diet plant-based rather than vegan, as she's not old enough to make the ethical calls herself, but it's been interesting watching as she notices the difference between our diet and others and begins to ask questions and comment on it. As she gets older and spends more time at friends' houses, we'll probably ask that parents/school/etc. not serve her meat, but we're not going to be militant about eggs or dairy. As she gets older and can make more of her own choices, she'll make her own calls on all fronts outside the house. As of yet, she's asked about other people's omni food, but she's always turned it down when offered. We've been careful to specify that these are our own personal choices and have encouraged her to start thinking about where she stands on them herself. We're curious to see how things go from here.
That said, in line with the article, when I was in college, I had the Maddox "For every animal you don't eat, I'm going to eat three" image blown up as a poster on my dorm door. I had a "PETA: People Eating Tasty Animals" t-shirt that I wore around. My aim was to upset the vegetarians, and I made fun of them whenever I saw a window. I can't speak for others' motivations, but the fact that there was a group of people living a lifestyle that I thought was borderline impossible cast inherent doubt and judgment on my own choices. Having to confront the fact that they might be right led to a lot of unresolved cognitive dissonance and anger.
If you'd have told me that ~20 years later I'd be vegan, married to another vegan, and raising a child on an entirely plant-based diet, I'd have laughed in your face.