This month marks a year of me giving up meat consumption.

I decided going on this compassionate-living path, not because of my health, but because I didn’t want to support an industry that benefited from the exploitation of helpless living beings.

Being a vegetarian was fairly easy, as I already wasn’t that much of a meat person, in my house we were more of a rice, bread and couscous kind of people.

However, there’s always people who won’t understand this and will even pick on you for your eating choices (really, who does that?). But that didn’t hold me back from eating whatever I wanted to eat.
My mom often would get angry at me and says that I must be the most expensive child on earth.

Most people believe that this is just a fad, but I disagree. Do this people even know why someone has decided to become a vegetarian?

It could be because numerous reasons, from health to spirituality. There’s not just one story. For me, I did it for the animals.

In my experience, after a small amount of time not eating meat I started to dread it. To dread its smell or having it near me. And even more when I did the research to know what was actually on the plate.

I’m a food lover, I’ve always been. I thought I couldn’t become a vegetarian – let alone vegan – because I lack willpower when it comes to food. But hey, it’s 2015, as a vegetarian or vegan you will never miss anything, there’s tofu, veggie burgers, lentil burgers, vegan sausages and even vegan cheese.

While I could go on and on explaining how noxious animal products are for our health and how it takes us to a vicious circle that always ends up benefiting the biggest and wealthiest corporations, I won’t. Not today. I’m talking about what lead me to the decision of becoming a vegetarian.

I can’t help but believe that 18 year old me was very naïve.
You can’t get away from exploitation, darling.
Not in this world.

I didn’t have in mind another factor that came along with my new eating choices: eating veggies. (Of course!)
But who picks up those veggies and fruits under poor working conditions and below minimum wage? I didn’t think that by refusing to exploit animals I was therefore partaking in the exploitation of humans as well.

18 year old me would have said: “yeah, but I don’t care about humans, in fact, I hate humans, so screw them.”

19 year old me discerns. 19 year old me has become more empathetic and understands what economic struggle is, what being exploited feels like and the despair that comes with it.

As much as I understand this last point, I can’t help but seeing it as an excuse of meat eaters to continue eating living beings while simultaneously exploiting animals AND humans. Because as much as you love meat, chances are you also eat fruit and veggies on a regular basis (or at least you should).

This leaves me without a concise conclusion. It seems that anything I do means the suffering of someone somewhere. Maybe I’ll start growing my own food. But then again I’d be taking people’s jobs if I do.

In times like these I hate living in this world and the way history has developed itself. As much as people like to cross it off as “It’s a natural thing. The circle of life” I don’t buy that. We could’ve done better. And here we are, trying not to be exploited while at the same time exploiting the very next living being.

And no, this is not a fad. No, I will not get tired of it and yes, I plan on continue being a vegetarian some more time and eventually becoming a vegan. How will I do it I still haven’t figured out. Will I legit grow my own food or visit organic farms? I still don’t know, but what’s for sure is that there’s no returning point and I don’t regret a single bit. Honestly.

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Hannah
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Image Source: Model, Jazzma