The Big Discussion: Should Vegans promote the REDUCETARIAN approach? - at Vegfest Scotland 2015

After much anticipation, the full video recorded from the Big Discussion at Vegfest Scotland on whether vegans should promote the reducetarian approach is now available to watch here.

Big thanks to the Grumpy Old Vegans, Karin Ridgers (VeggieVision) and Tim Barford for hosting the discussion, and thanks to everyone who attended the discussion at Vegfest Scotland.

[austenforrester]

The more you think that animals don't deserve to be harmed at all (ie. that no one should ever consume animal products), the more you should promote reducetarianism, rather than veganism. This is because by promoting veganism, or vegetarianism, you will only get a small percentage of the population to convert and only a small percentage of those will stick with it. 40 years of the Western veg movement have proven this. Very, very few people have shown the willpower to permanently cut out all meat all-of-a-sudden and this is unlikely to change. However, a gradual reduction in meat consumption is far less intimidating to people so far more people will try it and being far easier, many more will stick to it, resulting in far fewer animals being killed overall in society (as long as it is poultry, fish and eggs that are reduced and not just beef which kills few animals because cows are so large). Sustainable behaviour change is gradual and incremental according to Stanford's BJ Fogg, the leading expert on the subject, so by gradually reducing you meat intake, you are more likely to become and stay veg. Not to mention, more likely to influence others to do the same.I am a long-time vegan and I promote reducetarianism because it is the best thing for animals, although I agree, as does Kateman, that veganism is the ideal that everyone should strive for. People who already eat little meat should cut out the rest and vegetarians should be encouraged to cut out the dairy. A reducetarian is one who is decreasing his or her meat intake. If the last time you reduced your meat intake was 5 years ago, you are no longer a reducetarian!Vegans have no authority to decide what strategies are best to protect farm animals. Most vegans have a large negative effect on animals because each of them will turn away several people from reducing their meat consumption so as to avoid the vegan's unending scorn and accusations of hypocrisy. I believe that society is starting to become wise to vegans as the demographic that harms animals the most (indirectly, as I have explained) and will relate to them accordingly.

[michelefox]

Glad to see the clarification of what the abolitionist approach ACTUALLY means in practice and hope it will cause 'reducetarians' to reconsider.

[robinhood]

Great talk... PLEASE get a better video/audio company.. Something as valuable needs to be taken seriously in order to share with the world..