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Veganuary 2026: Karen's Vegan Journey (Originally released 2024)
87 Plays3 days ago
This January we are re-releasing all eighteen of our 'Going Vegan' series, to shine a spotlight on the huge variety of everyday normal folk who choose to avoid animal expoitation through choosing a vegan lifestyle.
In today's rerun, we hear from occasional Enough of the Falafel guest Karen.
For the original shownotes for this episode, visit Episode 20 directly https://zencastr.com/z/cyJMsHID
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Enough of the Falafel is a community of people who love keeping on top of the latest news in the world of veganism & animal rights. With our podcasts, we aim to keep listeners (& ourselves) informed & up-to-date with the latest developments that affect vegans & non-human animals; giving insight, whilst staying balanced; remaining true to our vegan ethics, whilst constantly seeking to grow & develop.
Each week we look through news stories from the past 7 days in the world of veganism & animal rights, as well as picking a 'timeless' vegan or animal rights issue, and discussing it in more depth.
If you spot any news stories that might catch our fancy, or have an idea for a discussion topic, get in touch via enoughofthefalafel@gmail.com.
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Thanks everyone for listening; give us a rating and drop us a message to say "hi"; it'll make our day!
Karen & Ant
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Transcript
Introduction to the Podcast
00:00:01
Speaker
Hi there, this is Anthony from the Enough of the Falafel Collective. We're a group of just everyday vegans who for the last two and a half years or so have been releasing two podcasts a week bringing you vegan and animal rights news as well as philosophical discussions.
Veganuary 2026 Episodes
00:00:17
Speaker
And many of the contributors on the show have released a special episode in the past where they've talked about their journey of going vegan. And for Veganuary 2026, we are re-releasing all of those episodes and the episode you're about to listen to now is one of those so it's been recorded at some point in the last three years and it features one of our contributors we really hope you enjoy it and that you continue to join for other episodes that we release over the course of 2026
00:00:53
Speaker
Karen, thank you so much for joining us today. i'm really looking forward to to talking a bit about your your vegan journey and bits that came before and bits that came afterwards. Do you want to get the ball rolling with with telling us a little bit about how veganism first started to pop its head above the soil and and sort of make a little dent in your life, but perhaps before you started calling yourself vegan?
Karen's Early Vegetarian Journey
00:01:16
Speaker
Were there any signs that that might be a direction that you might be heading in one day? Definitely, yes. So i was vegetarian before I became vegan. and I'd actually been vegetarian. I first went vegetarian when I was nine years old Wow.
00:01:31
Speaker
ah Yeah, after I'd seen a TV programme that was about the the meat industry and found it very distressing and couldn't face eating meat after that. So I was vegetarian from a young age and it sounds really naive now, but I'd never thought about the fact that the cruelty that's involved in the dairy and egg industries.
Transition to Veganism
00:01:55
Speaker
And one of my friends had transitioned to veganism. He was a vegetarian and he transitioned to veganism and he was sharing lots of information on his Facebook page about veganism and his reasons and the cruelty involved in the dairy and egg industries.
00:02:14
Speaker
And it was something that I remember just completely shocked to me because I just hadn't ever thought that it would be such a cruel industry. And I think it sounds ignorant now, but I'd never thought about the fact that obviously for a cow to have milk, she has to have a baby. She has to be pregnant, just like ah a human female would be. And I'd never thought about that. I'd never thought about what happens to the baby cows. um I'd never thought about obviously hens and the egg industry, what happens to male chicks. So when I saw all of this information on his Facebook page, it shocked me. And I went off and did my own research. And yeah, I couldn't couldn't be a part of those industries anymore. That's really interesting. like did I'm interested in how your vegetarian identity at the time, like would you say you had a vegetarian identity at the time? Yes, definitely. Yeah. Like how did that interact with what you were seeing? Like was there an element of defensiveness or denial or it i mean it sounds like you just completely had your eyes open but was there any pushback? No, not not for myself, no. I think I am a really empathic person. i would say i I really do have a lot of empathy and as soon as I saw those things it was just like you say ah eyes open straight away.
00:03:37
Speaker
a bit of ah a revolution in the sense of how I was thinking. So I didn't ever feel any defence or or sort of push back against that.
Going Vegan: Challenges and Decisions
00:03:44
Speaker
I just knew that once I knew how cruel those industries were, I didn't want to be contributing to that anymore. yeah So it said that you started doing your own research.
00:03:55
Speaker
Yeah. What were the next steps? Was it quite a quick like succession of things that that led to veganism then? Or was there was there more learning, more development that took a little while? I'd say it was probably only a couple of months. We went vegan, myself and my partner went vegan on 1st January 2018. We signed up for Veganuary. So it was probably a month or two before that, that I'd realised about the core team and the industries and done a bit more research. And yeah, we decided obviously January being Veganuary, it was a good time to start. So it wasn't a very long time. And now in hindsight, I wish I'd done it much sooner. i would definitely do it obviously much sooner if I could go back and open my eyes sir to that to that side of things much earlier. ken Can I ask, was your partner vegetarian at the time as well? He was, yes.
00:04:43
Speaker
Yeah, he was vegetarian and for cultural reasons more so than anything else. and Myself, it was always ethical reasons. and he was more from a cultural point of view, but also because of the ethical side of things as well. Yeah. So you've decided ah quite a significant date, I guess. I guess that's that's kind of planned to an extent. like can you Can you zoom in as as much as you can remember, like what that buildup was like, what you were thinking, what your fears were, what your questions were, what your anticipation was? What what was that buildup like? Yeah, so I remember thinking, oh gosh, what are we going to eat? And it obviously wouldn't have been as much of a shock for us because we weren't eating meat already. But I would say that we did have a lot of dairy products and eggs in our diet. So I was trying to think, oh, what are we going to eat now? And obviously some of the vegetarian meat substitutes weren't vegan. So it was definitely a bit of a panic thinking, well, I'm going to have to plan meals, whatever, you know, if I don't want to just hit first of January and suddenly think oh we've got nothing to eat ah which sounds silly now but I remember feeling a little bit panicked about it then and I remember Raj my partner just uh eating all of the chocolate yeah he was a big fan of dairy milk before and I remember him saying I need to have it all before we do this and and before we go vegan and So yeah, I'd say it was a little bit, a little bit planned, but still not to the point where I wasn't surprised by anything, I suppose. Yeah. And I ask, did you tell people that you were going to do this? Or was it like, ah let's wait and see how we get on before we publicise this? and I did tell family, yeah, I definitely spoke to my parents about it and my brother and his family.
00:06:28
Speaker
And they knew, obviously, from me being vegetarian, that It wasn't that much of a leap for me. i told friends about it and some work colleagues. And I did expect a little bit of ah you know a pushback from them just because, you know, they they weren't vegans themselves, the majority of them. So, yeah, I didn't keep it a secret and was very open with everybody when we were when we were going through Veganuary and the experience that we were having.
Family Influences and Changes
00:06:54
Speaker
And my parents actually. So we obviously did Veganuary in January. And then my parents, who had been meat eaters all of their lives, they became vegan in April. Whoa, that's incredible. Yeah.
00:07:07
Speaker
Yeah, yeah. So that was nice that they obviously ah heard us talk about it and heard our reasons and then decided to make that change themselves. That was something that was really positive for us as ah as a family. Yeah, and and quite soon afterwards as well. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Again, I think from their point of view, they had just never thought about it in that much detail. And I think because I'd been watching a lot of things and and doing a lot of reading about it, when you tell people what happens and and how cruel it is, I think for them, they just had never really thought about it themselves before. And once they heard the things that happen in those industries, they didn't want to be a part of it either. yeah And I think they saw that we were obviously doing it okay and and we weren't starving or anything like that. So I think they felt confident that they could do the same. And can I ask, was that the same when you decided that you wanted to be vegetarian when you were nine? Because they're very different contexts, aren't they?
00:08:08
Speaker
Yeah, not at all. And I suppose that would have been back in the early 90s when I was nine. And I don't think that, I mean, personally, I don't remember knowing anybody else at the time who was vegetarian. Obviously, there would have been lots of vegetarians and possibly some vegans around then too. But I don't remember knowing any in my sort of friend circle or family. And it was a very different reaction then. I think my parents at the time just found it a bit awkward trying to think what were they going to to feed me when I first became vegetarian.
00:08:40
Speaker
So very different. I think obviously as time has gone on and it's become more of a popular movement, it just made them realise, I suppose, that that's the direction they wanted to go in as well. Yeah. Yeah. What was the adjustment period for them, would would you say, for your decision when you when you' were a child? So and initially there's there's some reluctance, perhaps some worries, but presumably there there came a point where they were okay with it, they're accepting it, that that they're happy that you're not you know wasting away or anything like that. yeah How long would was that period in your case, do you think?
00:09:15
Speaker
Probably maybe a couple of years, I suppose. I know that they always used to say, are you sure you want to do this? Are you sure you don't want to just have a little bit of meat or a little bit of fish? Things like that. So I would say that obviously for a few years, it was, they were a little bit unsure, but again, I think it's just something that they got used to. Yeah, they they started to figure out what they could feed me and what I'd be happy to have. And then they got used to it. So there was no real issues after that initial period. Yeah. I mean, forgive me for continually asking questions about when when you were nine, and particularly as it's it's about vegetarianism, not veganism. But I think yeah what what we're talking about is
00:09:57
Speaker
somebody choosing to make a change in their life that is countercultural and you've got people around you who who are loved ones who care about you and and they're finding it difficult. So I think it's, I think it is relevant. Yeah.
00:10:10
Speaker
And I'm interested how, how that transition felt for you it it at that age and, and with some loving concerns, let's call them from yeah from your parents. Like how,
Social Challenges and Acceptance
00:10:22
Speaker
how did that feel for you? How did you deal with that? I remember it being quite heated at times. I can remember arguing um and saying my reasons for it and I didn't want to be part of of such a cruel industry. and I think my dad, particularly at the time, was quite worried about it and and didn't want me to to obviously not be having the right nutrients and things. So I can remember having lots of debates with them about it. I can remember people at school friends really not understanding it. Like you say, it was very counter-cultural for for most people. And I can remember sometimes
00:10:54
Speaker
maybe not telling people in like the wider. So, you know, if we have, I remember we had a religious education lesson once where they were asking if anybody was vegetarian and I was reluctant to say I was because I knew that I'd get lots of questions and it's just not a nice feeling sometimes to feel like you're the odd one out. So I would say that I did feel like that sometimes, like the odd one out and constantly having to explain to people why I wanted to be vegetarian and Same thing with when I went vegan. That is the biggest thing I would say that lots of people have so many questions and you're constantly sort of justifying your your reasons sometimes in order to satisfy people's curiosity. Yes, which which for some people is that I think some people will enjoy the attention and their They like being different. They like being a bit going against the grain. But think a lot of us as social creatures that like to belong and like to be in community, it can be quite difficult. Which camp do you sit in, do you think?
00:11:55
Speaker
I would say I definitely sit in that one. I i i would don't like to draw attention to myself or to appear at different. But if I do feel strongly about something, then I will make that that stand. But yeah, I definitely wouldn't sort of advertise it or bring attention to it unless I had to. Yeah. How how possible do you feel that is for veganism in 2024? How easy is it to be a vegan that's, you know, if if you want to, you can go under the radar? Yeah, I'm not sure it is that easy, really, is it? in terms Because obviously, we're social, like you say, social beings, when we're out seeing people going out for meals, even having drinks at work. I mean, my workplace doesn't provide any non-dairy milk. So that is something that always gets noticed. Yeah. So I think it's very difficult being with friends and family not to to have them know. I think it'd be quite difficult to to be under the radar with it these days. Yeah. What what tips do you have then? Because there's going to be that there's going to be other people who have sort of inclinations and instincts like yourself you know not not wanting to rock the boat necessarily or not wanting to stand out and go look everyone look at me I'm different like there's yeah there's other people in that position you you seem to be navigating it really well like what tips do you have I would just say be honest with people and explain your reasons in ah calm and reasoned way I don't think getting defensive is a good idea.
00:13:25
Speaker
i think it's best to just calmly explain to people why you've chosen this lifestyle and what it means to you. And I think a lot of people, when you are talking to them about veganism, there's such ah a hype about it and it gets a lot of bad press.
00:13:40
Speaker
as I'm sure you know yourself. So i think it's just about explaining to somebody, this means something to me, this is really important to me. And this is why it's important, because I don't want to, whatever your reasons are, some people will obviously, like myself, be doing it for ethical reasons, others may be doing it for environmental reasons or health reasons. And I think it's just a case of explaining to people your reasons and the reasons why it's important to you And and I think people are much more likely to understand then and to be a and little bit nicer about it if they can see that it's something that is important to you and that you have got a reason why you're doing it. And I know lots of people when we first went vegan, oh, it's just a phase. It's something that you'll stop doing. You'll get hungry or miss chocolate too much or things like that. And it's just a phase and you won't want to to carry on.
00:14:35
Speaker
But obviously, it's not not for us, certainly. And I think it's just being patient and having to explain to
Easing into Veganism
00:14:42
Speaker
people lots of times why you're doing it. And then people do get the message then that it's it's something really important to you. And it's not not a phase at all. Yeah, no that's that's really useful. If we can go back to that 1st of January 2018, you've had a little bit of build up to that, like you know it's coming and yeah you've got thoughts of of what it's going to be like or what it might not be like. Can I ask, if if you can remember this, is what things were happening?
00:15:13
Speaker
exactly as you thought they would be in terms of the experience of of going vegan and what things surprised you because they were different to your prior expectations. and So I expected a lot of social awkwardness about it. I was anticipating that again, I think at the time in that year, the January was sort of gaining a lot of traction, wasn't it? So it was much more in the the media. So I expected to have some people questioning me about it or not being quite so nice about it.
00:15:42
Speaker
I would say i didn't. I think I thought it was going to be much harder than it was. to change meals and to just get eating, to get used to eating in a completely different way. I did think that that was going, I thought I'd miss chocolate more. um Yeah, I thought I'd miss cheese more. And I didn't, I found it really quite easy to to give up those things. And whenever I did sometimes think about, oh, it would be nice to have that, then I would just remind myself of those reasons why and the the things I'd learned about the industries. And that would just put me off completely then. So yeah, I think I expected that it would be hard socially, which it was. But I didn't think from ah an everyday eating point of view that it would be quite as easy as it was. And I think it was helpful at the time because the the movement was gaining such a lot of traction that they brought out lots of different new vegan things, didn't they? So I think we did it at a really good time. So there was lots of of new, you know, vegan options out there. ah Lots of places bringing out, you know, vegan menus or new options on their menus and and things like that. So I think we had a good time to go vegan from an availability point of view. Yeah. Would would you say that was the the one sort of standout support and resource, the availability of products and i guess services in, you know, restaurants, takeaways, things like that?
00:17:08
Speaker
Yeah, definitely. Yeah, I think, yeah, we were pleasantly surprised by the availability of vegan food at the time. And also options in cafes and restaurants were were fairly decent. And as the years have gone on, they've got even better. and So, yeah, that was definitely a ah ah good point for us and something that made it much easier to navigate. Yeah, no, that's cool. In my own vegan journey, particularly the first couple of years, there were instances where I didn't stick to it 100%. I would say yeah that was that was largely in social situations where either I didn't want to rock the boat or I well I guess it's similar to not wanting to rock the boat but i didn't want to upset somebody or or kind of you know slap slap them in the face with regards to that the effort they've made if they accidentally included an animal product did did you have any experiences like that or if you found it straightforward to just dive straight in no problems I have found it straightforward so I was very clear with everybody if I was going to someone's house for dinner or meeting up with friends for a meal I was very clear about what this is what I won't eat, this is my choice, this is what I won't have, because I would rather be honest and and open about it than somebody obviously make something that I would then not want to to eat.
00:18:25
Speaker
I would say Raj has struggled quite a bit more, my partner, in that sort of situation. And I think he did have instances at the start where he might have not been quite so strict with it just because he didn't want to again didn't want to stand out didn't want to draw attention to the fact that he was vegan so but yeah personally I have always just been really honest with people and explained that I don't want to eat that and and I won't do that so I'm sure I might may have come across a little bit preachy sometimes but But for me, it was important to to be honest about it and to not end up inadvertently eating something or or having something that I didn't want that would you know affect how I felt about it and my principles about it. Has that ever left you hungry? no it hasn't no i think so in terms of things like going out with friends I've always made sure that wherever we're going that there's an option or two sometimes you you know you have more options than others depending on where you're going but I've always made sure that there's been somewhere that we're going somewhere where there are options for me and my friends quite often point it out straight away to to the waitress or waiter and oh this one's a vegan so yeah so yeah it's something that that they joke about now is that because you've got them well trained or you just just have happen to have those kind of friends yeah i think they've just gotten very used to it now yeah and well it's a useful process and like everything like these things only improve don't they whether you're learning new recipes
00:19:57
Speaker
or whether you're educating your family and friends on what you do eat and what you don't. These things tend not to go backwards. They only get better. yeah Can I ask then, so what do you say were the the biggest difficulties for you or obstacles that, I don't know, perhaps could have been prevented or things that if more resources were available, it would have it would have been great and I would say the biggest difficulty, i think sometimes it can feel a bit lonely as as a vegan. and And I say that having obviously with with my partner being vegan at the same time and then my parents, I still felt that sense of loneliness
Finding Community Online
00:20:32
Speaker
sometimes. I think it can be very frustrating when you're trying to explain to people why you're vegan and they just don't want to listen. They don't want to understand or they get defensive themselves about it. And I think just the general, I can remember going through a really difficult time in that first year where I felt so down and distraught about what I knew was happening to animals and just feeling like I couldn't do anything. I wasn't doing enough and just yet really feeling that what I was doing wasn't enough and I wanted to go out there and and save more animals. And I think a lot of people go through that sort of stage where you just feel that, you know, you're in despair, you can't do anything. It can be quite difficult to navigate those feelings. So, yeah, and I think the way that I would advise people to get through those feelings is to probably just remind yourself again why you're doing it and that you really do make a difference. And for every time you make that decision not to have meat, dairy and eggs, you are really making such a big difference and it can feel as one person oh well what difference can I make but it it really does make a difference it does have a great impact um on animals and and also what you're doing often impacts others around you and it does sink into other people sometimes so I think yeah I did feel quite low about it sometimes but I've sort of got into that headspace now i'm thinking well
00:22:06
Speaker
I am doing as much as I can do. Yes, I would love to do more, but I'm doing what I can do on a personal individual level to to make as much of a difference as I can. And you've seen the influence on yeah on those around you, which is fantastic. And actually linking back to what we were saying earlier, I mean, though we we we don't necessarily want to rock the boat and and stand out like a sore thumb as somebody that's different. The fact is that just by being vegan, now and and using that label, whether it's all the time or just from time to time that you you bring it up or it's mentioned, that is having a stonking difference yeah socially, isn't it? Because it's it's just making people aware that it is a thing. People do live this way. they yeah They can be happy. They can... you know, live their best lives this way. yeah and And we're still, regrettably, early adopters of this this lifestyle, of this social justice movement. So just being physical parts of it is is massive, isn't it? It is, yeah, definitely. I'm really glad you've said about it sometimes being isolating, because i think I think that's something that people don't like to talk about, yeah because I think they don't like to say anything bad about veganism. Yeah. if they're vegan and as well it's something without an immediate response whereas if you say oh i just really used to love yorkshire puddings but i can't find a vegan answer like that's that's a yeah solution that somebody anywhere in the world can solve that problem for you but whereas if you say i feel isolated yeah like you might not be able to do something about that for somebody so i'm really glad you found um how how how effective have you found like online communities and things like that with regards to that
00:23:45
Speaker
Yeah, I think Veganuary at the time when we signed up for Veganuary, there was a Facebook group for the participants that year. So I joined that and I did find that really helpful yeah because obviously when you are having those feelings of of being lonely or isolated or. you know, if you've seen something that's upset you or you've had an argument with someone about it, you can go on there and speak to other people going through the exact same thing as you. So I found that really helpful. and I had some interesting conversations with people on there and I felt like it really was a good support network. And obviously having having Raj as well to to go through it at the same time was really helpful. But I think if you are someone who is doing it in your household and you're the only one doing it, then communities like that are really helpful. I know that there is there's lots of other, there's loads of web pages, isn't there, where people can join up and, you know, have mentors or, you know, join groups and, yeah, just be with like-minded people, which I'm assuming would make it much easier for them to to do it if you are doing it in your household on your own. I can imagine that that must be very difficult.
00:24:53
Speaker
So I was very fortunate that we did do it together and then my parents came on board after. So, yeah, I think making the most of of those types of communities and that help that's out there is really important. do you think you could have done it without your partner going vegan as well? I definitely think I could, yeah, because I was so i was so into into that that zone at the time. Yeah, I don't think that would have. But I think it made it easier for me because we were both eating the same thing. If he hadn't have been vegan, I would have found that, being completely honest, I would have found that very difficult um from obviously a practical point of view of having to buy foods different and and cook different foods differently. And also from the ethical side of of things, again, it might not be a very popular thing to say, but for me, I would want a partner that sees things the same way as I do. I don't think I would have felt comfortable if he'd have said, oh, well, you've explained this quality in these industries. I've had a look at it myself, but no, I'm going to carry on being a vegetarian. I don't i don't want to be vegan. I think being completely honest, I would have found that very challenging. So yeah, it was fortunate that he does have the same sort of feelings as me, same heart as me. And and he wanted to do the same thing as well. Or maybe that's why you're together, because yeah you yeah you do hold those same sorts of values. That's nice to think, isn't it? yeah
00:26:16
Speaker
In terms of, we've mentioned some things that have been helpful. Are there any particular resources or approaches or or anything like that that have been especially unhelpful? Sometimes it's it's just as useful to be told, avoid this or don't don't fall down this pit that I i fell into. um Unhelpful. I'm not not sure if I would say I found anything particularly unhelpful.
00:26:40
Speaker
I suppose, obviously, with with social media the way it is, I think the one thing I would advise against is arguing with people about it on social media. That can get very difficult. So I think if you are discussing it on social media, it can be tricky to navigate and people will be quite inflammatory on there and will try to push you and you know judge you and and make you perhaps respond in a way that you wouldn't ordinarily do so I think for me I did see things on social media where I would have responded at the time and then in hindsight I would have gone back and changed how I responded because I would have been angry at the time and thinking oh this person just doesn't care about what's happening to animals ah and you sort of feel that that sense that you want to explain it to everybody and and get your point across and sometimes it's difficult to do that in a calm and reasoned way but in terms of things being unhelpful I don't I can't really think of anything that stands out have there been any any products that you've tried that you've thought oh my goodness that's that's absolutely hideous wow I speak if i suppose some of the vegan cheeses maybe My friend who went vegan did say to me, he said, don't eat any vegan cheeses for at least the first month because you want your taste buds to to to change. um And so that when you do try it, it will taste a bit better. So, yeah, I think probably cheeses. Milks, I found ah perfectly great. i think I mean, we had coconut milk and oat milk at the start and we tend to have soy milk as well now. And I have never noticed any difference. I've been really lucky that way. I know my mum in particular found it quite difficult with her coffee to change the milk over. But I've never really noticed that much of a difference. But cheeses, definitely, I would say some of them aren't the greatest. And I think his advice about not having it for at least a good month was probably good at advice. yeah Yeah, I would go along with that too. I remember I i sort of decided that I wanted to give veganism a go at a vegan festival and just watched ah and an introductory talk on things and I'd sort of been won over to the idea.
Vegan Cheese Dilemma
00:28:53
Speaker
walked straight out of the little mini cinema, I suppose, that they had showing this, went straight to this store where they were giving out samples of vegan cheese and almost changed my mind straight away. i just thought, oh, God, actually, I'm really not sure. But yeah, it's...
00:29:08
Speaker
I think it's interesting because these things, whilst they are always getting better and they're always changing, in a sense, we're telling the same story definitely in 2024 as we were in 2018, as we were in 2010 with these things, because it's just yeah changing a taste, isn't it? Changing a palette. Definitely. which And I think it's finding, yeah, finding one that, you know, a cheese substitute or a milk substitute that just fits with you. And you might have to try lots of them before you find one that you enjoy. so yeah, I think it's they are getting better. There are many better alternatives now.
00:29:44
Speaker
What does Raj eat now instead of dairy milk chocolate? Has he found a substitute? Wow, Cadbury do have the plant-based, yeah. So he does have that.
00:29:54
Speaker
um Yeah, and we've we've we've tried, I mean, the Love Raw chocolates, we tend to have that as well. There's Raw Halo as well, I think is another one that we like. So there's lots, there's so many, so many brands now. Galaxy as well, I know he has the vegan Galaxy bars. So I think obviously it was a bit of a a shock at the time.
00:30:14
Speaker
um And he did have to wait a couple of years for Cadbury to bring mares out. But yeah, that was definitely ah a standout moment for him when Cadbury did
Exploring Plant-Based Alternatives
00:30:23
Speaker
that. Sounds like ah an excellent exercise in gratitude to me. Yeah. Yeah. Deferred gratification. Yes.
00:30:31
Speaker
So let's play a bit of ah a hypothetical time travel game now. So yeah I want you to imagine that instead of you seeing those those posts that your friend put on Facebook yeah at the tail end of 2017, let's pretend that that happened at the tail end of 2023. And instead you've decided your sort of vegan birthday, so to speak, is is the 1st of January 2024. How do you think your experience would have been different? Would it have been different?
00:31:02
Speaker
I think in terms of, again, the the the amount of new products that have come out, I think it would be different. I think there's a lot more awareness of veganism now, even from 2018. I think, again, it's been in the media quite a bit.
00:31:17
Speaker
whether that would have been something that would have have made it more difficult. I don't know, because I know it has had a lot of bad press sometimes. So, but yeah, I think if it was happening now in 2024, I think the amount of options out there are great. So I think it would be easier in practical terms for you to be able to switch over what you're eating and to be able to go out and have many more options available. I wonder, I don't know if this is just me or whether this has been your experience too, I feel like 2018, 2019, veganism was kind of really rising in a way and it wasn't particularly opposed.
00:31:55
Speaker
of course there were people that were sceptics, but yeah i feel like the industries and personalities, if you like, that are now yeah quite well known as being vegan opponents. I don't think they'd found their voice in the way that in 2024 they have. And so it can feel like a bit more of a contentious thing, whereas 2018, 2019, it almost felt like veganism could do no wrong. And of course, there's there's nothing we're doing differently, I don't think, anyway, um than five years ago. I think it's just that that the critics have rehearsed their ah responses a bit a bit more. Exactly.
00:32:31
Speaker
Yeah, definitely. I think, yes, like you say, people have had that chance now to to develop their arguments about why they don't think it's a good thing. And I suppose it's the industries as well. They've seen the rise in veganism and obviously had a bit of a panic. And and that's why they're having a bit of a pushback now. So I do agree that in 2018, 2019, It was on the rise and I don't think there was as much negativity about it. You didn't have the whole Piers Morgan and sausage rolls, things and people like that. So, yeah, I think it's definitely, like you say, much more contentious at the moment. So, definitely something to to bear in mind if you are doing it for 2024. But I'm sure that most people, you know, they've got genuine reasons for wanting to do it, and it's important to them. And hopefully, that kind of, you know negativity in the media about it won't put people off. I think it's important to
00:33:27
Speaker
stand up for what you believe in and you know to to have your actions be based on what you feel and your ethics and your morals. So yeah, for me, I think it would be a bit more difficult. You maybe would find it a bit more isolating or more difficult in social situations now than a few years ago, but it wouldn't be something that would stop me if I was was doing that again now,
00:33:51
Speaker
if if I was starting in 2024 it definitely wouldn't stop me because I do feel so strongly about it that yeah it would it would be something that would probably make me more conscious of talking about it but it wouldn't stop me at all yeah from a moral and an ethics point of view it's just something that I'm so passionate about yeah and and plus now to console yourself you've got a whole range of vegan chocolates to munch down that weren't there six yeah years ago exactly yeah okay um last last question then if you could go back in time now to to 2018 and start your vegan journey again is there anything that you would do differently i'm not sure to be honest i'm not sure if i would do anything differently i would probably give myself the advice of nobody is is perfect so
00:34:45
Speaker
don't feel, don't put so much pressure on yourself. I did find it easy, but I still think that that, you know, there will be people out there who won't find it quite so easy and who might not take to it straight away and might struggle to come up with how they're going to make their meals vegan and and how they're going to make those changes. So I think it's important not to put too much pressure on yourself and to recognise that Nobody is perfect and we all make
Advice for New Vegans
00:35:12
Speaker
mistakes. And the the reason why you're doing it is a really great one. And it's just about obviously making those little changes. You don't have to do all of the changes at once. We did. and We just, you know, the first of January, we transitioned straight over to to being vegan. But some people may want to do it in a more slower, you know, ah a slower pace and just make some changes at the start and and gradually increase those. So I think it's important to just have patience with yourself and with other people. and to yeah recognize that you're doing it for a really good reason and don't put so much pressure on yourself no that's that's awesome can i said it was the last question there's one more thing i'm interested to know the friend that you have who put some things on facebook that sort of first got the ball rolling for you in terms of considering veganism can i ask what your interaction has been with them throughout your journey like have it I'm assuming that you've told them that that that's something that you've you've done now how how's that gone yeah definitely yeah so I messaged him and said oh you've inspired me to to go vegan and and he was really pleased about that I think it is really nice when you do you know when you do make a difference and you make somebody else think about it and make that change it's really nice to to know that you've done that so it was important for me to tell him that that he'd had that influence and and been that inspiration for me. And he was very helpful as well at the start. Like I said, he gave me the tips about the cheese. And yeah, I remember messaging him and and saying, oh, we're going out here. What what would you recommend getting and things like that? So yeah, it was it was really nice to have somebody who I knew who I could just message and and ask questions who'd already been through it.
00:36:57
Speaker
Amazing. And does does he know that your parents are now vegan? Yeah. I don't think I ever did tell him that no no no it's just quite fun isn't it just seeing how that how the uh yeah spreads and yeah how exactly ripples that one yeah all of the people that you do go on yeah that you go on to influence yeah Karen thank you very much indeed thank you
00:37:34
Speaker
This has been an Enough of the Falafel production.
Podcast Production and Credits
00:37:37
Speaker
We're just a normal bunch of everyday vegans putting our voices out there. The show is hosted by Zencaster. We use music and special effects by zapsplap.com.
00:37:49
Speaker
And sometimes, if you're lucky, at the end of an episode, you'll hear a poem by Mr. Dominic Berry. Thanks all for listening, and see you next time.
00:38:15
Speaker
This episode may have come to an end, but did you know we've got a whole archive containing all our shows dating back to September 2023?
Promotion and Archives
00:38:25
Speaker
That is right, Dominic. There's over 100 episodes on there featuring our brilliant range of different guests, people's stories of going vegan, philosophical debates, moral quandaries, and of course, around a dozen news items from around the world each week.
00:38:40
Speaker
So check back on your podcast player, to hear previous episodes. And remember to get an alert for each new episode, simply click like or follow and also subscribe to the show.
00:38:51
Speaker
Thanks for your ongoing support wherever you listen to us from.