It is hard to be totally vegan. Many of us fall a little
short of that goal. Therefore, I offer this guide for determining just how
vegan we are.
Vegan Level One - Doesn't ask if there is chicken stock in
the rice, doesn't ask if there is lard in the beans.
Vegan Level Two - Occasionally buys milk chocolate
products. Doesn't worry about how the wine they drink is clarified.
Vegan Level Three - Only eats milk chocolate if someone
else bought it. Eats doughnuts at work if someone else brought them in.
Eats their roommate's ice cream. Also known as a Freegan.
Vegan Level Four - Still wears the old leather and wool
products they had before they went vegan, but feels guilty about it.
Vegan Level Five - Stopped using their car because of the
animal products in tires, the animal testing of vehicles, the animal
products in the pavement.
Vegan Level Five point one - Stopped riding with friends
to the movie theater because of the above and the fact that film is
processed with animal gelatin.
Vegan Level Six - Has given up all products that involve
animals in any way. Hires someone to sweep the path ahead of them as they
walk so they don't tread on insects.
Vegan Level Seven - Similar to a Jain. Wears a mask to
keep from breathing in small critters. Uses a mild vegan soap that doesn't
kill microbes, it just floats them away. Washes their raw organic produce
outside with bottled water so that any little beasts will return to the
earth rather than going down the sink. Realizes that having someone sweep
ahead of them hurts the insects and so doesn't move around much anymore.
(Actually, the above list is just a fanciful fabrication.
We shouldn't feel guilty if we have a weakness for an occasional non-vegan
chocolate or whatever. Animal ingredients are so pervasive in our society
that it is nearly impossible to avoid them all. More important than being
a "pure" vegan is to keep compassion for all animals as an important goal
and to live our lives so as to be examples for others.)
Go on to The Flesh
Factory of the Future
Return to 30 January 2005 Issue
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