The Lost Cause (chapter 2) (work in progress)

Chapter 2: Vegan Capitalism

About 10 years ago when this book was conceived it was uncommon for vegans to be catered for throughout our society, well in South Africa at least. I remember earlier back in 2007 I had to convince people that yes I only eat plants, and that yes I do not want cheese or cream on my salad, and I will pass on some cheesecake, or not have milk in my coffee, and that I definitely do not feel the need to eat meat ever again, or scrambled eggs for that matter. It was such a frustrating experience trying to communicate with people about this that back then it was a real chore to be a vegan especially if you were trying to be a die hard one. 100% Pure. (which supposedly is literally impossible) All these impossible questions, and demands, were set on your plate for no apparent reason, thinking back.

Most people these days though still do not know what a vegan is, or even consider becoming one. At whose fault is that? For those that know, veganism is seen as nothing other than a temporary fad diet, just like its cousin the infamous vegetarian. The social outcasts back then are now partly accepted in the average day of life here on planet Earth, while luckily being spared the lengthy explanations, and lectures about how human physiology, and psychology actually work. Why? Because one, meat eaters do not feel exposed anymore in relation to the cruelty they advocate when it comes to their diet, with the advent of free-range, and organic animal produce to the general populace, which vegans, and some vegetarians at some point in a heated discussion raised in the past.

Also, secondly, many meat-eaters have now been exposed to a plant-based diet somewhere in the media so as not to think it is that strange, or restrictive, to eat a plant based meal now, and again. Emphasis is to be placed that a permanent plant-based diet is unhealthy, and unsociable in the eyes even of those well-educated, well-meaning meat eaters. Yet this awareness of a plant based diet does not fuel the fire to end the fascist culture surrounding our meat, and dairy addiction. It does not alleviate the suffering of billions of animals on an annual basis. The meat, and dairy diet is not and will not be excused for doing this, and being the cause of this, even if they know the names of the founders of the Vegan Society or ex-convicted ALF (Animal Liberation Front) members which they had a chance to mingle with over a beer, and a peanut or restrict their Mondays to being “meat-free”.

This contradiction, as to the awareness found, and excused based on irrational principles can come no closer than the animal rights activists themselves. Believing that one convert at a time takes time. And that also one must be aware that our goal as activists should not be to get everyone to go vegan, but rather to change the mentality, the fascist one as was mentioned, by the general meat eating populace, to one of inclusion, and prohibition (towards non-human animals), yet the damage has been done up till this point where I do not think it is fair for these exploiters to get away for this like in the infamous Truth and Reconciliation Commission here in South Africa, at the end of apartheid. Surely there must be some kind of justice implemented as to the consequence of this barbarism practiced by our human society in general? To be clear, it's not a matter of how we humans feel about this matter, no, we have to consider the amount of “livestock” bred, and slaughtered for our wanton wants. In either way this will, and should be considered as to the magnitude of what has occurred unto this time when humans finally realize that we share a common bond with all things in existence, and not just on an emotional level, such as our feelings towards our companion animals like dogs, cats, rats etc.

In any case the meaning of this chapter is in direct accordance to the nullification of the importance of animal rights, and animal activism, since it is now being brought forth through a democratic capitalist trend of “supply and demand” by its very agents. Our wording is correlated towards impact of change in an unreal fashion of understanding. Such as, how we assume that man is a democratic capitalist animal merely based on the notion of the last couple of centuries of existence, which seems to drag on by quite extensively unto the point that we no longer notice who we are, and what we have become, which will, or should, rather be easier to see since we're confronted by this dull, and miserably bored past time we call modernity on a daily basis. However real this is, and easily demolished through self-realization, and the culmination of logic, the argument of being this way, or that, is irrelevant as of yet, other than how it suits our needs to spend valuable time solving an urgent issue that we currently face constantly. Basically, animal rights, and its coinciding activists have decided to fight this fascist menace with fascism. Arguing that if we can manipulate, and transform democratic capitalism, then we will be able to stem the tide of this disgusting reality. This shame that society is trying to hide from itself, through processes of improvement. Something which modern day democratic capitalism expects if it were to survive another day. The green army under the guise of being liberal neophytes is using fire to fight fire. Sadly this will not solve anything ever.

Democracy within itself is flawed, and will abruptly be dissolved by society as soon as it sees, and notices its true value. The majority has committed heinous acts already in many civilizations, and societies, under the pretense of might makes right. Might as in power. Power as in sovereign. Sovereign as in republic, government, system. Vegan capitalists assume that once our society draws itself permanently away from non-human animal produce we will enter an age of utopia. Where hippies, and ex-Nazis, will hold hands, and walk through the dandelions of tomorrow, and the fields of glory forever towards heaven, our ultimate, and destined, abode. Which is not true because through the meticulous process of perceiving, and creating vegan capitalism, we already sacrifice that which is not ours to begin with. We create the reality of truth through lies. Though this is still what one may consider “system” or “dependence”. Not void, and independence. Freedom from want. Want being anti-human. Related to otherness.

In a capitalist world where opportunity is profitable, and we assume that wealth is health, but is not, though it does cover at least your extensive medical, and living expenses within the last moments of your life, alone and not yet buried, I understand that diplomacy is a two-way street, though I disagree that the animal rights movement should utilize capitalist dogma, and understanding to change, or halt, the machine bent on exploiting earth for its resources, whether it be fauna, or flora. This system, as will be explained later, is what it is, not a natural entity, but a fully created structure to empower not all, but few. If we assume that change will occur within said structure, that is measured through expense, and income, then we are wrong to assume that this change will ever be positive, since even as Vladimir Putin has said, we should give “all citizens” the chance to taste modernity, and that this change will only benefit humanity for it encourages growth, and innovation. Though Mr. President, why is it that this same structure even within the most established capitalist nations on earth fail to encourage growth, and innovation, but rather stagnation, and exploitation? Where poverty, the semblance of neglect on the end of society, is still persistent, and growing at such an exponential rate due to the masses being uneducated as to how capitalism can work for each individual, or family? Including substance abuse, which is seen as an expectation, and motivation to further immerse oneself into this slavery with cream on top. Erich Fromm the German psychoanalyst, has stated that the ideal of capitalism will never be found for it is based solely on the process towards the end, and not the end in itself. How will society fare in utopia, other than being mentally controlled, and physically restrained to express natural instincts, and ideas which may, or may not, be to the betterment (an unknown concept) or life itself? To be slaves to a godlike reality, and not masters of their own destiny.