5714

...and while we're at it: I doubt General Public ever led an army.

AFAIK, there is only one major cultural group with a history somewhat compatible with veganism (Jainism (?)) and almost every other culture has a carnist dominance. Sure, people in earlier periods ate less meat and did not have the nutritional abundance of today to sustain philosophies like veganism, but a lack of food culture is still somewhat a shortcoming.

I've been vegan for 8-9 years now and I'm now more aware that veganism as a philosophy sprung out of industrial society: On the one hand as moral reaction to agricultural industrialisation, but also building on top of the agricultural surplus and relative stability of logistics networks. There is also the increase in levels of education since the industrial revolution to consider.

Anyways, given the cultural recency and tendency of cultural nihilism of industrial society, I doubt that many longstanding food culture traditions can or will be convertable in the long run. This on its own isn't good or bad, but we're living in an odd era when it comes to veganism: Veganism is relevant enough to be viable without too much practical hassle, but it is still very far from socially normalised in most societal groups aside from certain leftist groups. It is still a conscious and conscientious and perseverant decision to be vegan. Everyone probably experienced a carnist cultural event where they had to explain how or if they specifically will participate - I see this as the indicator that veganism in its respective cultures is not normalised yet.