veganism: I ask this from a philosophical perspective. When I went vegetarian I had this feeling inside, I felt it was the right thing to do. It gave me such a great feeling to go veg. It feels right for my body. How has veganism affected your life? What does it mean to you? Do you feel a sense of belonging? Thanks, all answers will be read & appreciated. Scottie x|||Like you, my body loves vegan fuel. I've never felt so good physically or mentally as I have since I went vegan. Then, there's this remarkable feeling of being "clean on the inside" that's hard to explain, but I'm guessing you understand what I mean. I lost a bunch of weight, too, which was much needed. Those things alone are enough to make me want to be vegan for life, but of course, that's not the whole story. I tend to get pretty bothered by things going on in the world. Sometimes I think I should ban myself from reading/watching the news, lol. What's so troubling, often, is that it feels like there's nothing I can really do as an individual to improve things. Veganism changed that. I find peace and happiness in the knowledge that I AM doing something to help, and that my efforts do make a difference to suffering animals and a damaged environment -- maybe even to meat-industry workers and hungry people, too. Even if the difference is so small as to almost go unnoticed, at least I know I'm doing my part not to make things worse. In "The Art of Happiness", the Dalai Lama talks about thinking about the suffering of others as a way to develop more compassion. Before I went vegan, I found that to be paradoxical. How could thinking about suffering make anyone feel better? But what started with allowing myself to be affected by a few ugly factory farming videos, has changed into a greater overall sensitivity to suffering, animal and human alike. I feel better about myself when I'm being compassionate, even if it does involve unhappy knowledge. I didn't really have this ability before I went vegan. I'm still fairly cool and logical as I have always been, but it's been tempered now. I feel good about that. I wouldn't say I have a sense of belonging as much as it is a sense of interconnectedness. We're all denizens of Earth, and we rely on one another. There's almost nothing you can do or buy that didn't involve other people or animals in some form. I pay much more attention to where things come from, how they were made, what's in them, how it got here and so on than ever before. I didn't used to think about things this way.|||I would assume that it makes you feel like the "food police" and like a kook who has bought into a load of rubish. lol I don't dislike vegans but some of your lot are like a cult. Look at it this way if you and your mates like to eat a nut loaf then hey have at it. If I on the other hand would like to have a nice steak then please let me be as well ok? If I feel like a steak and a glass of shiraz is right for me then you leave me alone. If you think a nut loaf and some soy milk is good for you then hey I won't bother you either ok?|||For me it means that I'm doing what I can to minimise my personal contribution to animal suffering and exploitation. And that's all it means really; it's only one part of my life, it doesn't define me in some way. If someone asked me to describe myself and list my beliefs and convictions, vegan and veganism wouldn't be among the first things that came to mind.|||How has veganism affected your life? It has really opened my eyes to the consequences that every single one of our actions has on the rest of the world. I never questioned a simple glass of milk before, but now I realize how much pain, suffering and environmental damage came as a result of that glass. What does it mean to you? I guess my view sort of differs from lo_mcg regarding identity. Veganism has become a deep part of my personal identity now. It is no longer a diet or lifestyle choice, it is part of my moral and ethical code. One that I hope to continue for the rest of my life. Do you feel a sense of belonging? I do feel a sense of belonging. But I feel sometimes like being vegan isn't enough. I wish I could drop real life work & uni and travel the world to help animal rights groups. Like joining the anti whaling campagn, stopping the brutal seal hunts, and saving wild animals. But it all feels like a bit of a dream... while i'm sitting here typing it.|||Well I'm a vegetarian, but my best friends vegan. And YES, it has a GREAT feeling, it feels good to be healthy and helping animals. I've become more aware of what we really eat and never knew how amazing being vegetarian is. Veganism is a strict lifestyle that one wishes to possess and to believe that using any animal related products or foods is inhumane. Which is VERY true. :]|||1. Fanaticism 2. Irritated me at PETA 3 See#1 4 I belong to the human race.|||isnt vegan when you dont eat/use any products made from animals milk/wear furs n leather/