veganism: I noticed that not only does wikipedia have them marked like that, but most people consider veganism a lifestyle choice and vegetarianism just a dietary choice. Is there any distinction, or is this a matter of diction?|||From what I've learned here, vegans are vegetarians whose views about human-animal relationship involve more than the former eating (or not eating) the latter "Vegetarian" is a simple word description of someone who does not eat meat (including poultry and fish/seafood) and slaughter by products such as gelatin etc. A vegan is a lifestyle that includes vegetarianism PLUS some other principles involving, as I've said, the human-animal relationship. For example, a butcher who kills and processes hundreds of animals a day is still a vegetarian if he/she does not eat any of his own product. A vegan (probably) won't even consider working in a slaughterhouse much less kill the animals her/himself. Personal reasons, moral, health, religion etc, as to why people are vegetarians, are not part of that description.|||Because that's what they are. Vegetarianism only governs what you eat, veganism is an attempt to remove all animal products from your life. Anonymous, vegans do use wool, it's ok as long as it doesn't harm the animal, which sheering doesn't.|||vegetarianism is when you just don't eat meat true veganism has people not eat or use and animal products, cutting out eggs, milk, leather, wool, etc.|||Vegans try to use absolutely no animal products of any kind. While vegetarians just won't eat meat. Example, some vegetarians eat eggs, but a vegan wouldn't because it comes from and would of been an animal.|||Because many vegetarians actually have no ethical concern for the animals, they just consider it to be a healthier diet choice. While veganism, by definition, does include just diet, but includes boycotting the use of fur, leather, wool, silk, attending circuses or zoos, which cage animals for public entertainment, and vegans avoid the use of animal tested products, or products that include animal ingredients. To say you have a vegan diet, can be easily accurate, but to say you are straight up vegan would mean adhering to a strict lifestyle of "least harm possible." Someone who eats vegan but wears leather is not vegan. Make sense?|||That's an interesting question! Vegans do not eat, wear, or use any animal products, so that's why it's considered a lifestyle choice. Vegetarians can choose to wear leather, eat honey and eggs, etc. I'm almost vegan, but I do wear leather shoes because I have some foot "issues" and where I live, it's difficult to find comfortable non-leather shoes. =(|||Vegetarians avoid meat and slaughter by products. Vegans avoid meat, animal by products of any kind, and they exclude anything containing animal parts or by products in cosmetics,cleaning supplies, personal hygiene products,clothing etc.The concept behind veganism is to reduce the individuals contribution to animal exploitation.They avoid products tested on animals as well.|||no it's just what your chosen to be really because anyone dislike things like for example I am a veggi so I don't like meat ,fish,eggs,ect|||it is just words to get in a funk|||That's what some people think. But the vegetarianism of India is based on the thousands of years old concept of Ahimsa (non-violence). Gandhi's successful campaign for India's independence was based on Ahimsa, for example. So the British relinquished control of India because of a diet? Did anyone ever do anything like that with the Atkins or South Beach diets? Veganism may try to take it a step further, but it seems demeaning to me to dismiss vegetarianism as "just a diet choice."|||As a vegetarian, I would say that if you just dont eat meat that that is a diet, but if you wont have animal derived clothing that is a lifestyle. BUt thats only my opinion.