Should I Watch Earthlings?

[DutchVeganWoman]

Ok. This mind seem like a strange question. So first an introduction. As said in my introduction on the forum: I'm mostly vegan but I have food slip ups, mostly cheese and icecream. I have a problem with overeating, and basically always dieted for weight loss, so denying myself certain foods is an issue. My veganism is first and foremost for the animals so I really want to do this right.

So: should I watch Earthlings to 'force' myself into more radical veganism? The thing is: I'm a very sensitive person, and I'm very afraid of what the movie will show me.

Thank you!

[Red]

Ethics is a good motivator.
Well, the way I see it, you only have 2 options.
-Don't watch it and still cut out dairy.
-Do watch it and still cut out dairy.

I understand, it's hard to resist urges, most of us have been there. But it's better to resist than to give in and feel like shit later. C'mon, you can manage it, right?

[miniboes]

To be honest, I didn't get anything about watching earthlings and you may not either. I also think cowspiracy is a much better documentary, and it's not a difficult watch.

You're doing much, much better than the average person. That doesn't mean you shouldn't try to do better by completely cutting dairy, but you shouldn't feel like a terrible person if you don't either. You need to find a balance between what you can do and what you should do; whatever diet you settle on, you need to be able to stick to it and not revert back to carnism because veganism is too hard. I'm probably 99% vegan, but for you it may be necessary to stick to 95% or less. That's okay, we do what we can.

I think we already have some amazing vegan ice cream in the Netherlands, and to be honest I eat far too much of it. Both Jumbo and Albert Heijn carry great sorbet ice cream (the coconut flavor is insanely addictive) and Ola 'Swedish Glace', which is exactly like regular ice cream but vegan. On top of that, Albert Heijn carries a vegan brand with Ben & Jerries-esque weird flavors called 'Professor Grunschnabel', which is delicious but expensive. As for cheese, there are vegan cheeses but they're harder to find. I think there are some stores in Amsterdam with vegan cheeses, and you can also buy them online. I never liked cheese much but many consider Chao to be the best vegan cheese.

[brimstoneSalad]

Watching it may help inspire you to avoid the animal products, and give you mental images to fall back on when your will is challenged. I suppose it depends on what your challenges are, but if the challenge is lacking a strong visual memory of the suffering involved to offset cravings, it could help.

[brimstoneSalad]

I'm probably 99% vegan, but for you it may be necessary to stick to 95% or less. That's okay, we do what we can.

I never know what percentages like that mean.

Like 99% or 95% of things are certainly vegan, and others may or may not have traces of animal products or byproducts?
Or like 1% - 5% of total calories certainly from animal products?

[miniboes]

I'm probably 99% vegan, but for you it may be necessary to stick to 95% or less. That's okay, we do what we can.

I never know what percentages like that mean.

Like 99% or 95% of things are certainly vegan, and others may or may not have traces of animal products or byproducts?
Or like 1% - 5% of total calories certainly from animal products?

I would say the former definition makes more sense, particularly because you also have non-food animal products and byproducts/traces are very low in calories. I don't actually care about these percentages, but I find it a useful way to think about what it means to be vegan so far as is practicable.

[DutchVeganWoman]

Thank you all, for your feedback! I've watched cowspiracy (and every other relevant docu except earthlings). I think I will not watch earthlings, and will buy some vegan ice cream I'll talk to my husband about having cheese in the house. The meat doesnt tempt me anymore, but cheese does (damn you casein). So if we become a cheese-free household, I can get adjusted more easily. I will also search for some written text about how animals are treated, I've read it all years ago, maybe I need a non-visual reminder.

Thanks again!

[ModVegan]

Thank you all, for your feedback! I've watched cowspiracy (and every other relevant docu except earthlings). I think I will not watch earthlings, and will buy some vegan ice cream I'll talk to my husband about having cheese in the house. The meat doesnt tempt me anymore, but cheese does (damn you casein). So if we become a cheese-free household, I can get adjusted more easily. I will also search for some written text about how animals are treated, I've read it all years ago, maybe I need a non-visual reminder.

Thanks again!

Earthlings influences different people in different ways, obviously. It had a HUGE impact on my husband (who was more of an environmentalist/90% vegan before he saw it). I had seen it years before, and I never really went completely vegan (I'm less emotional, which my husband would agree with). So if you have a lot of feelings, Earthlings will strongly influence you. If you are a little more in denial about your emotions, it won't make much of a difference.

[DutchVeganWoman]

Happy to report that without watching Earthlings I now eat fully vegan. And, even happier news, my husband as well, after watching Cowspiracy, What The Health, Forks over Knives and Food Matters. For him it's more the health aspect. Same end result though.

[PsYcHo]

That's great!

When I initially joined this forum, I had no interest in changing my diet, but a few members suggested I watch those and I did. I would recommend everyone watch them.

If you're already Vegan or Veganish, it reinforces your already held beliefs. If you're a proud carnivore, maybe it'll make you think a little bit. Or not, but it doesn't hurt to watch...