Claim: Being vegan is a privilege of modernity

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The claim here is that: - Vegans are a bunch of white zoomers sipping on organic kombucha outside their specialty market in Portland, Oregon, out of touch with people lacking priviledge - it's unreasonable to expect everyone to go vegan, especially if they live in poor communities or third-world countries where food deserts or lack of choices exist.

Problems With This Argument

1. Is this you?

If you're reading this, you're probably on the internet looking at an LED screen on a ~$1000 electronic device. You know how to read and write, and you definitely have the privilege of modernity. So what's your excuse?

2. By eating meat you're denying modernity to others

Third-world countries continue to struggle and widespread meat-caused global food shortages simply do not help. By eating meat, you are helping ensure that the ceiling is as low as possible crashing down on the people you supposedly care so much about.

3. It's just not true

"Beans and rice" is synonymous with cheap living. If you actually list off other "cheap foods" they are all vegan, like lentils, soybeans, or wheat. If you're concerned with third-world countries, just consider places like Koh Phangan in Thailand which is described as a "vegan paradise", or Israel, which has a completely vegan city. Plenty of other "third world" countries regularly make lists of places for vegans to visit, like Ho Chi Minh City. So it's vaguely true at best. In most of these places, the critical missing component isn't the actual food, it's just widespread ignorance and entrenched cultural beliefs.

Also, people of color in America are more likely to be vegan than white people so that also doesn't actually square with reality.

4. This is not an argument against veganism

It's an argument against vegans being "judgmental". But that's already just a carnist stereotype of vegans and not a good argument against veganism. This is just another claim intended to stigmatize veganism in order to deflect responsibility.


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[Claim: Being vegan is a privilege of modernity](http://www.carnist.cc/privilege)