The Best Argument Against Veganism | Gary Yourosfky

There’s no doubt that there exists a wide array of arguments against veganism, some more formidable than others.  If you’re vegan, or even thinking about going vegan, chances are you have come up against more than one objection to your path.  While legitimate questions and concerns from non-vegans can serve as teaching moments and are valuable opportunities for education, some anti-vegan arguments are purely baseless and made only to provoke.  In his many years of interactions with non-vegans, vegan activist Gary Yourofsky has probably heard every last one in the book.  So, I decided to ask him what is the best anti-vegan argument.

To hear Gary’s full perspective on this topic, be sure to check out the video for this post, but here is a featured excerpt:

“I really don’t know of one good, logical argument.  It doesn’t exist.  But don’t think that I’m exaggerating or being hyperbolic when I say this, because there is not one good argument for raping a child.  There is not one good argument for murdering a homosexual in Uganda.  There is no justifiable argument for denying women the right to equality in Afghanistan—the right to go to school, the right to vote in Middle Eastern countries. So there is not one logical reason to enslave, murder and oppress the animals and consume their body parts.

I have to say my thinking is quite in line with what Gary shared.

In my recent interview with the popular blog Vegan Street, when asked what I thought was the biggest strength of the vegan movement, my response was that we have the truth on our side.  There’s no way to logically justify what we do to animals for our food, fashion, medicine, and entertainment. This is reflected in the absurdity that often arises when people try to justify their behaviors.  You can read my answers to the other 9 questions in the interview on the Vegan Street blog.

Now all of that said, I do have to admit there is one argument someone can lay down for eating animal products that I have absolutely no defense against.  And that is the statement “I don’t care.”  If someone simply does not care what happens to animals, the environment, or even their own health by the continued breeding, torturing, exploitation and slaughter of billions of animals, I certainly can’t say anything that would change that.  Complete and utter apathy cannot be argued away.

Of course, it’s not an actual defeat of vegan principles.  As Gary and I have said, veganism has logic on our side.  All the arguments against it are shell games, admittedly some by honestly curious, well-intentioned individuals genuinely wanting to know if this way of life is possible.  And for those people, I will always have time and patience

I’d love to hear from you on this.  Have you ever come up against a formidable argument against veganism?  Perhaps you have one yourself?  I’d love to hear it…

Unless it’s “bacon.”

That’s just a word, not an argument, but someone’s going to post it anyway. ;P

Stay tuned for more installations of Gary’s interview series.

— Emily Moran Barwick