30 - Tobias Leenaert on the Pragmatic Path to a Vegan World

The Most Interesting People I Know

Tobias Leenaert is the author of How to Create a Vegan World: a Pragmatic Approach, which has been translated into five languages. He is the cofounder of ProVeg International, which aims to reduce the consumption of animal products by 50% by 2040. Tobias also writes the Vegan Strategist blog, where he shares strategies for convincing people to reduce their animal product consumption.

We discuss:

• the difference between pragmatism and idealism in animal advocacy
• why intentions matter less than we think
• “vegalomania” and whether a vegan diet is really the healthiest
• when behavior change leads belief change
• how vegetarians reduce almost as much harm as vegans
• how reducetarian do more for animals than vegans
• how much easier it's gotten to be vegan
• veganism's bad brand and why so many people hate on vegans
• a thought experiment for vegans
• why strict veganism can be counterproductive
• how you can help animals without being a vegan or vegetarian
• where analogies between animal agriculture and other crimes break down
• how to be an effective animal advocate
• what he’s most looking forward to

I think this episode is useful for both vegetarians and vegan activists and people who are interested in consuming less animal products but aren’t sure how.

Links:

• Vegetarians reducing almost as much suffering as vegans
• 60% of veggies ate meat in last 24 hrs
• MOST AMERICANS DIDN'T APPROVE OF MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. BEFORE HIS DEATH, POLLS SHOW
• Chomsky on the lack of early meaningful opposition to the Vietnam war
• Rules for Radicals