Vegan Responds to 'Why Meat is the Best Worst Thing in the World'

Kurzgesagt recently put out a video that I have mixed feelings about.

Fact & logic based "Why Be Vegan" crash course:

Original video:

Animal Agriculture causes over $400 Billion in Externalized costs:

Great video about 'The Real Cost of Meat':

[robinbucur]

While your arguments are valid, kurzgesagt tried to introduce these problems and solutions to problems in a way without trying to attack their opinion on this subject. If they were to make a video like you did, constantly trying to attack how people perceive meat instead of showing it to them in a friendly way, there would have been a problem. The meat lovers would roll their eyes and think that the video isn't worth a thing and that meat is the best thing ever (due to the Backfire effect) and vegans would have seen this effect and they would have tried to attack the meat lovers even more. Creating more separation between these groups and more of a problem than a solution. Don't get me wrong, I support veganism but when you try to convince a group of people to accept an idea that you have, you have to do it psychologically effective so it doesn't backfire creating by this a bigger problem than before.

[dialecticalveganegoist]

I love my slaves! I only whip them 5 times a week. I will stop using my slaves when I can get robots that can replace them.

[Yusuf]

I think a huge reason why people feel they want meat and can't imagine being without it is that in the US and probably some European countries we live in a society where most meals are based around meat with pretty simple ingredients. We aren't familiar with how to make the variety of meals, sauces, spices etc that are possible from various cultures.

So when we give up meat, people think "well know my meals are all boring". But once you start learning how to really flavor meals and use a wider variety of ingredients, the meat doesn't feel necessary for flavor.

[zoltan]

Completely agree! Kurzgesagt was such a softie on this one, it's almost embarassing. They didn't shy away from taking a side when it was plastic, refugee crisis or legalizing weed, but when everything points to veganism they just stay silent to avoid offending people's feelings and choices.

[joaovitorschell]

I also used to love animal products, but now I'm just disgusted by them. I literally can't stand the smell of meat and dairy anymore. I was skeptical such a change would happen, but it did!

[MegaKaiser]

"Eating meat does not make you a bad person. Not eating meat does not make you a good one".

[joaobaiao]

Grammar disclaimer: I'm brazilian

I have to disagree with this video. I m a vegetarian in the way to become a vegan and I decided to stop eating meat right after watching Kurzgesagt's video. Sometimes I feel like vegans "forget" how was like before they have stopped using animal products, as well as how offensive it may sound when your moral is questioned in a subject as "ordinary" as eating. It's understandable when you have already studied the cause, but for a foreigner just isn't attractive. I don't really believe this comment is going to reach someone, but if you are vegan, consider trying a softer approach. What matters in the end is making more people reduce environmental and animal harm.

[dans]

Kurzgesagt understand their audience, there's no way that you can turn someone vegan/vegetarian in one ten minute video, this video is like a gateway drug, it opens people up to the idea of not eating so much meat, and then they may move onto the idea of vegetarianism, and then veganism. But you make brilliant arguments, especially the "killing something for a snack."
I personally had never considered how a single meal has ended years of life for a ten minute bit of enjoyment.

Edit: you've earned a subscriber by the way

[VegAnimation]

I would have liked to do some more fancy editing in this one, but really wanted to get this out there asap. Hope you enjoy anyway!

[ruthruthless]

Agree. It's insane that they show all the environmental and ethical reasons not to eat meat and then end with "meh, keep on eating meat."

[xLittleulipx]

I'm a vegan since 3 years even though my father used to call me "fleischfressendes Ungetüm" (meateating monster/monstrosity).
Not so uncommon that a vegan used to love meat when they went vegan.😅
Vegan forever✌


And I like this new format of your video🖒

[Schneeezum]

I agree that Kurzgesagt are really soft in this video but I don’t think it’s necessarily a bad tactic - in my experience (vegan 1 year), non-vegans often get defensive the moment you bring up the topic, expecting the vegan to try to persuade them to become vegan too, and the stronger you talk, the more it's seen as an attack and the bigger their walls go up. If your argument comes across less as an attack, like this video does, I think people might respond less defensively and it's possible the arguments are more likely to resonate with them and have more chance of changing their minds! Although it's also possible a viewer would think "sweet, kurzgesagt said i can continue eating meat" and just forget all the previous content, so I think they would have been better not ending with that exact sentence

[themen]

Kurzgesagt presented the subject in a grey area where viewers are able to decide for themselves what to do with the information. Telling people to straight up stop eating meat is biased in favor of one direction, and would go against their ideology

[bla]

They made a video to make meat eater question their decision to eat meat but you made a video to gain claps from people that already agree with veganism and already know why it's better to be vegan. So your cynicism in this video is annoying and ironic.

[roastbeefyweefy]

Positive reinforcement would work better than your current approach. I started this off annoyed at the L you were already taking with your title, then in the first few minutes thought, "ok, he's actually gonna be tactful about his appeal." And you lapsed into the same contemptible virtue signaling that everyone associates with vegans. If you're into taking responsibility for your actions, then take responsibility for your own rhetorical strategies.

For instance, don't say "if you like facts and logic". People don't _like_ facts and logic, they just try or like to think they abide by them.

Kurg's video was accessible. That's what it had going for it. Yours is not.

And by the way, I notice you referred to yourself as a previously diehard meat lover. That tells me something about you. That perhaps you're just an inflexible, dogmatic person, albeit an intelligent one with a good enough vocabulary to borrow the language of enlightened understanding.

Point is, you fell into all the vegan traps here, from a PR perspective. If you want to reach more people, which I support, then you ought to seriously adjust your approach. Kurg did it right. Maybe instead of ragging on them, you could try to take cues from them and do it better.

[herpsandseasons]

13:15 I wonder if lab grown meat will end both conventional meat-eating and veganism. He even says that until we have it, let's use our current solution (that is veganism). The way he says it makes me think he will abandon veganism once lab-grown becomes available.

I believe Kurz's video is more effective at encouraging people to do better. It's not a black and white "go vegan or you're evil" thing. They're realistic about how the majority of society functions and they deliver their message in a way that can be digested easier (pun intended) by their audience. I believe their video converted many people to vegetarianism and ultimately veganism.

[someanimeguy]

7:22 I don’t really think that eating animals is messed up, because a lot of wild animals eat other animals for sustenance. Not defending the meat industry, but most humans still need to get our nutrients from somewhere. Maybe lab grown meat can alleviate the suffering.

[LunaNK]

I love how vegans keep screaming "meat is not tasty", lol
steak is good, taste good. Kurz is right

[jedicat]

Was having horrible day. Ppl were jerks, my cat bit me in the toe and some had eaten all my oat yogurt. Just when I was sinking into despair, KABOOM, Vanir vid!!

It's all good again *does the moonwalk*

[Godspouse]

I used to love Bob's Burgers, but after a while the idea that it's based on a family that cooks and serves meat/animals for a living really started to bother me so I stopped watching 😐 I think it was one if their Thanksgiving specials that did it in for me. Same thing with Steven Universe, but they dialed down the meat jokes eventually and I started watching it.