Is veganism an ideology and a worldview? If you're looking for an answer to this question, you've come to the right place. As a vegan, I often hear that veganism is just an "ideology". The word is often used in a derogatory way these days and in this context is meant to suggest that I am simply blindly and uncritically following an irrational belief and trying to force it on others. But is that really the case?
In this article, I would like to briefly and concisely examine whether veganism is really just an ideology that I and many other people are simply following without reason. Let's go!
You can find a brief overview here in advance:
Definitions: What is meant by veganism, ideology and worldview?
Before we move on to the evaluation together, I would first like to provide you with the essential definitions.
Veganism
Under the Veganism is understood by definition to mean "a way of life that tries - as far as practicable - to avoid all forms of exploitation and cruelty to animals capable of suffering."
In our everyday lives, it primarily influences the areas of nutrition, entertainment and fashion.
Worldview
A worldview is the an individual's personal system of order and valueswhich is based on experiences, feelings, knowledge and traditions. It describes how a person understands the world and explains what he/she considers to be right and wrong. A certain worldview can also have a more specific background and be, for example, science-based, religiously oriented, individual-centered or socially oriented.
Ideology
An ideology (often also called a doctrine of ideas) is understood to be a bound system of world views. Whoever represents a certain ideology shows that he/she agrees with the values of the respective idea. An ideology is usually tied to a social group or cultural behavior, is quite inflexible and cannot be regarded as fundamentally "wrong" or "right".
It can, for example rationally and logically explainable and an established doctrine. However, there are also countless irrational, fundamentalist and dangerous ideologieswho consciously oppose different views of other people and only allow their own worldview to be considered "right".
Minimize the risk of ideological blindness
If you no longer allow other opinions and information and only stubbornly consider your own convictions to be correct, this is known as ideological blindness. This is dangerous because personal Convictions actually flexible and adaptable should be. After all, there can always be new factual, explainable and verifiable findings that could contradict one's own beliefs.
That's why it's important, to always be open to new information and to regularly question your own world view or way of life. Beliefs can be changed - and the realization of the possible necessity is a good thing.
Is veganism an ideology, or not?
Ethical vegans are convinced that it is unethical to torture and kill animals for unnecessary and selfish reasons. Seen in this light, veganism is actually something of a worldview and Ideology that serves the rights and protection of animals. However, this conviction does not exactly sound unreflective, egotistical or irrational - and can hardly be meant in a derogatory way.
Conversely, the belief that it is okay to exploit animals for personal gain is definitely an irrational ideology. One Ideology that causes suffering, oppression, discrimination and exploitation. Regardless of whether you are talking about Factory farmingslavery or racism - holding on to a belief with the aforementioned consequences is much more difficult to justify from a moral point of view.
An ideology becomes threatening when it threatens one's own ideology
In the embedded video, YouTuber "Der Artgenosse" (aka Patrick Schönfeld) impressively explains that you often only recognize your own ideologies when they are challenged by opposing and perhaps more modern views.
Eating animals is a conviction that many people (like me) were and are born into. The consumption of animal meat is considered normal and is not questioned. It takes a few "extreme vegan:inside" come around the corner with an opposing opinion. They confront meat eaters with an unpleasant but scientifically confirmed fact. Namely, that it is absolutely not necessary to kill animals in order to survive. A point of view that reveals that meat eaters themselves follow an ideology - namely the ideology of the Carnism.
Confronted with this, you now have the chance to adjust old beliefs so that you no longer have to deal with the stressful, cognitive dissonance to live that yes Loves animals but eats them anyway. However, many meat eaters reflexively decide to vehemently defend their ideology, i.e. their habitual beliefs. If necessary, even with the illogical argument that veganism is an ideology.
Veganism and carnism are opposing beliefs with different consequences
Theoretically, anyone can follow an ideology stubbornly, blindly and uncritically. There are certainly some vegans who do this. However, as a rule, vegans have become vegan precisely because they have reflected on themselves and questioned their previous convictions. adapted for moral, ecological or health reasons have. They have not stubbornly clung to old beliefs. Rather, the realization that Animals are sentient beings like you and me, to think differently. They no longer want to spend money on animals being oppressed, tortured and exploited for their own pleasure.
I am sure that most meat eaters also share this realization and are against Cruelty to animals and violence against animals. However, the Adherence to one's own scientifically-refuted ideologythat you have to eat animals in order to survive, to not act according to their actual values.
Veganism is a lifestyle rather than an ideology
We can say that both veganism and carnism are ideologies in a way. However, most vegans also used to eat animals and act carnistically, but at some point adapted their personal beliefs for logical reasons. That doesn't exactly sound like stubbornly and blindly following an ideology, but rather following your own values. In my view, veganism is a way of life - and a conscious decision to act in an animal-friendly way.
The "ideology argument" can really only be used as a pejorative against the conviction to continue exploiting animals, as this view and the actions taken accordingly Suffering, oppression, discrimination and exploitation caused. Veganism counteracts these despicable injustices and in this respect is guaranteed to be a conviction and world view that most people should actually share.
I very much hope that I have been able to help you with this article. Do you have any questions, tips or your own experiences with veganism as an ideology that you would like to share? Then I look forward to your comment.
Stay open and animal-friendly,
PS.: Conspiracy theories are irrational and unfounded ideologies. In the linked blog post you can now find out all about them - from the definition to examples!
