6 minute read
AN INTERVIEW WITH JORDI CASAMITJANA
Jordi Casamitjana showing off his new book 'Ethical Vegan', available now in all good book stores
‘Ethical Vegan’ was published in December 2020, bringing to print the whole story behind the concept of ethical veganism and its subsequent enshrinement in law. Author Jordi Casamitjana talks to Forca Vegan about this epic journey.
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HOW’S LIFE TREATING YOU CURRENTLY JORDI?
I can’t complain. I was lucky to be able to use the first COVID-19 lockdown to write my book “Ethical Vegan” (which I wrote in four months) and since its publication in December, I have been busy promoting it and writing several blogs for vegan websites on subjects I discuss in my book.
I would like to work again on animal protection or in advancing the veganism cause, but because of the pandemic, there haven’t been many opportunities for me to do so yet.
FOR SOMEONE NEW TO YOUR BOOK – DESCRIBE IN 100 WORDS WHAT IT’S ABOUT.
My book explores the concept of ethical veganism with three true stories converging into my present: the history of veganism from ancient times to today, my entire life protecting animals in different countries, and my two-year-long litigation at the Employment Tribunal leading to the historical 2020 landmark ruling which declared ethical veganism a protected philosophical belief. Full of science, experiences, history, philosophy, animals, and practicalities of the vegan lifestyle, my book simultaneously looks at veganism as an ethical belief that affects all aspects of one’s life, and as a socio-political movement that can solve our current global crises.
WHAT’S THE RESPONSE BEEN LIKE TO THE PUBLICATION OF THE BOOK?
So far it has been very good. Because I write about some of the grey areas and controversial issues surrounding veganism (such as lab meat, vaccines, service animals, intersectionality, wild animal suffering, etc.) I expected there would be some negative reactions by people who may disagree with me on these issues, but it has not happened yet. On the contrary, so far those who read it are posting very good comments. I am especially grateful to prominent vegans such as Peter Egan, Jay Brave, Juliet Gallatley, Kim Stallwood, Alex Lockwood, and Kerry McCarthy MP for their glowing reviews.
Jordi with actor Peter Egan
HOW VALUABLE DO YOU SEE THE ESTABLISHMENT OF ETHICAL VEGANISM IN BOTH LAW AND CULTURE?
It’s extremely valuable because, without it, our efforts in solving the current global animal, environmental and health crises may be in vain. Law and culture are built on ethical foundations, and if such foundations are weak, we will not be able to control our behaviour. Ethical veganism provides strong, coherent, and effective ethical foundations, because the principle of ahimsa (Sanskrit word meaning “do no harm”) which lies at the core of the vegan philosophy, applies to any human action. Solely relying on individuals changing their habits alone at their pace will take too much time, so we need to do more.
WHAT ARE THE BIGGEST BLOCKS TO THE SPREADING OF THE UNDERSTANDING OF ETHICAL VEGANISM?
There are several, but one obstacle that worries me is ideological pragmatism, which relativises everything and leads to moralless attitudes that push consumers towards temporary reductionism rather than lasting change. This should not be confused with logistical pragmatism (which is an implicit part of the definition of veganism, which aims to act with whatever resources are available to everyone and whatever options are practical according to personal circumstances), but ideological pragmatism always aims to less than what can be achieved, and always compromises regardless of if there is a need to, and I think this is strategically unsound. Without a reducetarian choice, there would be more vegans, and more animals would be helped.
HOW WOULD YOU BEST DESCRIBE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ETHICAL VEGANISM AND PLANT-BASED CULTURE?
Ethical veganism (which is the term we now use for the concept of veganism as defined by the Vegan Society), is a philosophy and lifestyle that seeks to exclude all forms of animal exploitation and cruelty, while the plant-based culture is a commercial and cultural trend based on a diet that avoids animal products. As such, the former involves ethical imperatives as strong as those created by religions or other non-religious philosophies, which affect most aspects of someone’s life and behaviour (food, clothes, cosmetics, household products, hobbies, etc.), and these are abided aiming to help all sentient beings (including humans) and the environment. Conversely, the latter only involves the avoidance of particular foods and drinks, often only for health reasons rather than moral reasons.
HOW SIGNIFICANT DO YOU SEE THE FORMATION OF THE VEGAN SOCIETY IN 1944, AND WHY?
It’s very significant because they not only gave us a clear term and useful definition of a concept that had already been circulating all over the world for millennia, but they also gave us a lasting secular inclusive civil organisation which has opened the concept to people from all cultures, nations and religions, making it truly universal. It was the natural evolution from the Vegetarian Society which had already done the first steps towards secularisation but fell short by only avoiding some animal products, and only dealing with dietary behaviour.
Jordi taking part in 'chalking' activism
WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO SOMEONE WHO HAS JUST VENTURED ONTO A PLANT-BASED DIET, PERHAPS THROUGH VEGANUARY?
They should look at this as just the beginning of an exciting journey, and the longer they travel in it the easier it will become. By beginning to reject animal products in their diet, and realising that it is easier than they thought it would be, they will learn something very valuable about themselves. They have now an opportunity to become better persons if they keep going on rejecting all the forms of exploitation to any sentient being, and they will never be alone in doing so as there is a community out there that can help them.
VEGANISM HAS COME A LONG WAY IN A DECADE – WHERE WILL WE BE IN ANOTHER DECADE?
It’s difficult to know, especially because the current pandemic has shaken the entire world and will continue to do so for quite some time. I expect the number of vegans and vegan-friendly products will continue to grow (although not exponentially as many hope), but I also expect that the carnist industries would step up their PR efforts to stop this growth, so we’ll see all sort of new ‘battlefields’ between the two sides. I also hope that the vegan movement will enter a new ‘policy’ phase seeking new laws and regulations, including more countries also accepting ethical veganism as a protected philosophy.
DO WE HAVE THE TIME TO MAKE THE CASE FOR ETHICAL VEGANISM AND ANIMAL RIGHTS, GIVEN THE CLIMATE CHANGE EMERGENCY? SHOULD WE NOT BE FOCUSING ON PROMOTING A PRETTY MUCH PLANT-BASED DIET, WHICH IS EASIER FOR PEOPLE TO ATTAIN THAN ETHICAL VEGANISM?
Without the right motivation, the right action will not be sustainable. Just promoting a plant-based diet will not solve the climate crisis. You cannot stop such a global problem with the temporary change of only one behaviour, which is often motivated by transient fashion and self-interest. We need to look at the ethics affecting all our actions, not only our lunch habits, and which affect everyone else, not only us. As the preservation of the animals’ home (our planet) is integral to ethical veganism too, cultivating this philosophy is the most urgent part of the solution as it leads to the responsible human behaviour in a much more effective and lasting way. One million committed ethical vegans ‘for life’ can contribute more to the climate solution than several billion people keeping a plant-based diet for just a few months.
