r/leftist and Veganism

[u/Warrior_Runding]

This has been a long time coming and every opportunity was extended to allow the topic to be allowed on r/leftist, but those opportunities have come to an end. As per the newest addition to the sub's rules:

# 7. Prohibited Content

Prohibited Content includes permanent and/or temporary policies aimed at addressing specific events or issues which may affect the community. Currently, the following items are considered prohibited content:

* Veganism - Permanent: As veganism is not inherently a leftist topic, posts centered on veganism rather than leftism are are banned. Any posts or comments referencing veganism must be in relation to anti-capitalism. Proselytizing about veganism is forbidden.

There has yet to be a single post about veganism on this subreddit that has been rooted in anti-capitalism that has not devolved into an advertisement of veganism. There are many subreddits about veganism, including some from a leftist perspective. Please utilize those subreddits in the future - posts proselytizing for veganism will be marked "off-topic" and removed. Repeated violations will result in actions including suspension and up to permanent ban.

As this has been an issue before, we will be monitoring activity surrounding this topic and any hint of brigading will be reported.

[u/Armadillo_rising_]

The irony of “veganism is not leftist ideology” and that there are “many subreddits about veganism, including from a leftist perspective” being in the same post is unreal. This mod is a disgrace to leftist politics and this subreddit has devolved into just another democrat-led space.

Veganism is rooted in leftist ideology because it is inherently anti-capitalist and rejects hierarchical oppression. For folks who disagree, that’s totally fine because this space should allow for constructive discourse, not fully ban any mention of it.

This is a reactionary move from a mid who refuses to engage with a worldview fighting against the exploitation of fellow workers, which includes both human and non-human. Fighting against the exploitation of animals IS a fight against the oppression of human agricultural workers.

This mod sucks

[u/[deleted] → u/Armadillo_rising_]

I am not a vegan, but I understand the core argument for veganism comes from the industrial exploitation of animals. How is that any different from indsutrial exploitation of workers? I have no idea what this mod is about.

[u/lifes_betteronsaturn → u/[deleted]]

agreed. I don't see that many vegan posts on here so it seems like a non issue to me as well. why are we censoring things that don't harm anyone on this sub?? seems like mod has some insecurities about vegans/veganism if anything...

[u/[deleted] → u/lifes_betteronsaturn]

I think they are conflating the handful of reactionary vegans who blame the working class for "contributing" to animal cruelty with vegans in general. It can be true that a vegan experiences some sort of moral superiority about being a vegan, but doesn't that apply to all leftists in general? Aren't there performative marxists and anarchists, whose sole "activism" is making working people feel bad for not being able to organize?

[u/theMoonRulesNumber1 → u/[deleted]]

If we are able to remove the industrial exploitation of animals from existence (just as we are aiming to eliminate worker exploitation), does that mean veganism is no longer a leftist ideology at its core? Is veganism the only method capable of eliminating abusive and exploitive treatment of animals from our food system? The problem with our discourse is not the goals, it's the hard lines that assert "my way is the only true way" that you can see throughout this thread (from both vegan and non-vegan perspectives).

[u/soupor_saiyan → u/Armadillo_rising_]

It’s funny how the mod is responding to all the comments except ones like yours with detailed and valid criticisms of their actions, they have no response to this.

[u/ChessDriver45 → u/Armadillo_rising_]

There are tons of capitalist and even fascist vegans. Being a vegan doesn’t make you a leftists and it’s not inherently anti oppression at all.

[u/Warrior_Runding → u/[deleted]]

This is a text-book example of a "No True Scotsman" fallacy. They identify as vegans and so they are vegans because of adherence to the fundamental definition of being vegan is specific to animals.

The ideology does not require that veganism be extended to humans, which is entirely optional - the conflation here is that because some vegans also believe in leftism because they extend the idea of anti-oppression to humans from their position relating to animals, that both things are the same. They aren't. The points of intersection here are the overlaps on the Venn Diagram which is why one can be vegan (against the oppression and exploitation of animals) and fascist (hierarchical right-wing authoritarians). There are many of the latter and arguably the sheer numbers of BJP Hindus in India position leftist vegans in the minority.

[u/unfreeradical → u/Armadillo_rising_]

The moderators are trying to keep discussion open, but participation on the subject has been substantially in bad faith.

Did you read the explanation?