this post was submitted on 10 Mar 2026
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Science Memes

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[–] TigerAce@lemmy.dbzer0.com 15 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (2 children)

I'm a vegan, although not super strict. But I knew some terror vegans who do not consider vigs vegan.

The definition of "vegan" differs. Like, I don't like products that had a nervous system. So technically I could eat oysters. But some vegans consider oranges not to be vegan because there might be an animal product in the pesticides used on oranges. Some claim they only use plant based products, but they get mad when I ask them about fungi, as their cell structure looks more like an animal cell than a plant cell (I love to make terror vegans mad).

Being vegan means you buy products which fit your idea of being vegan.

And sadly for some it means you need to be a fucking asshole to anyone you meet.

[–] HugeNerd@lemmy.ca 3 points 1 day ago (2 children)

But do they realize all atoms eventually cycle through the ecosystem?

I'm sure all carbon atoms were part of animal at some point. I guess your fake vegans are just molecular vegans and not atomic vegans.

[–] TigerAce@lemmy.dbzer0.com 3 points 1 day ago

Hahaha next time I meet one who is starting a discussion to fish (pun intended) for something to trigger on, I now have the perfect comeback 😎

"you're just a molecular vegan, not an atomic vegan, you're just a poser"

[–] mathemachristian@lemmy.blahaj.zone 1 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Veganism are the consumption practices of people advocating for animal liberation. It's not just about diet but also leather jackets/zoo visits etc. It's not like being part of an animal that imbues the individual molecules with some mystic energy that renders them off limits, it's that 99.99% of the time that obtaining these molecules in sufficient quantities requires overstepping boundaries of consent if not outright murder/slavery.

But I would consider scavenged meat for instance vegan, I still wouldn't because meat gives me the ick now, but I don't see how it is contrary to animal liberation (provided it doesn't disrupt other animals mourning rituals or something similar). Or rescued sheep still require shearing. It's not as brutal as farmers shearing and obviously not done with the wool in mind but rather the sheep. So the sheep are typically shorn(?) sooner than enslaved sheep and not as close to the skin, making "vegan wool" quite a bit harder to work with, but I would consider socks made out of that wool vegan.

[–] LH0ezVT@sh.itjust.works 1 points 1 hour ago (1 children)

That is one definition of vegan, and you seem to be happy living by it. But others might have other definitions. A good chunk does not even share your motivation for being vegan, there are plenty of religious practices, dietary reasons, ecological concerns... That doesn't diminish your definition of it, but that is something to keep in mind when talking about other people.

[–] mathemachristian@lemmy.blahaj.zone 1 points 1 hour ago* (last edited 1 hour ago)

No this is what veganism is. Veganism goes back to the Vegan Society and it's fight for the rights of non-human animals. Many people claim to be vegan without actually being vegan and I will not be diluting the definition. Veganism is at it's core about animal rights. There are plenty of reasons to go with a plant-based diet. A plant-based diet is part of veganism, but they are very much not the same thing. If someone claims to be vegan but still goes to the zoo or buys pets they did not understand what veganism is.

Edit: here is the vegan societies definition

"Veganism is a philosophy and way of living which seeks to exclude—as far as is possible and practicable—all forms of exploitation of, and cruelty to, animals for food, clothing or any other purpose; and by extension, promotes the development and use of animal-free alternatives for the benefit of animals, humans and the environment. In dietary terms it denotes the practice of dispensing with all products derived wholly or partly from animals."

- https://www.vegansociety.com/go-vegan/definition-veganism

[–] Arachnidbrilliant@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 points 1 day ago (1 children)

I’m just saying this specific fruit has a literal animal inside of it

[–] TigerAce@lemmy.dbzer0.com 3 points 1 day ago (1 children)

All fruits have that, if you enhance your view enough. Put any fruit under a microscope and it's crawling with creatures.

[–] Arachnidbrilliant@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 points 21 hours ago (1 children)

Where do we draw the line? Seems like it’s impossible not to eat an animal

[–] TigerAce@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 points 7 hours ago

Also depends on whether you consider fungi an animal of a plant. As their cell structure resembles more of animal cells than plant cells. And fungi are everywhere. Humans, animals and plants would all die if fungi would seize to exist. They are in our body, create our food and medicine, they are the cycle of life as they break down dead tissue, they feed plants and trees. The oldest living organism is a fungus. They are what keep us all alive, they are basically mother earth. And we eat that. Seeing The Last Of Us suddenly makes a lot of sense. Revenge of the fungi.