Aiden, thanks so much for continuing to argue for practical, pragmatic ways of making a difference.
My concern, after being vegetarian for almost 40 years and being in advocacy for over 30, is that I don't see any indication *in the actual per-capita consumption numbers* of paying for advocacy working.
You should be vegan and offset, because the goal isn't offsetting your bad deeds with good deeds, that's not how morality works, it's not accounting. The goal is maximizing the good.
I can understand someone who tries in earnest to go vegan and has difficulty, isn't perfect, makes exceptions etc. I know people like that and I show them grace and I encourage them because that's the right thing to do.
But if someone said to me that they think their "offsetting" absolves them of the wrongdoing they commit, or that there's some cancelling out of these two acts - I'm sorry but that's moronic. Even the Catholic Church got rid of indulgences in the 16th century.
Would you think it's okay to commit child rape and then donate to a charity that helps child rape victims to "offset" your actions?
The website seems to almost discourage people from going vegan - saying it's too hard, but it's okay because you don't have to. I think it's good insofar it does help animals, but this kind of rhetoric rubs me the wrong way.
But do I think it's better to commit harms and donate to a charity that prevents those harms than to just commit harms? Yes. Clearly yes. A bad act plus a good act is preferable to just a bad act.
"I think it's good insofar it does help animals" -- glad to hear it! Let's focus more on the evidence for whether this helps animals than how the rhetoric rubs you
Thanks so much for writing this! I’m mostly vegan (I’d say 90 percent) but donate to offset everything that isn’t included in that “mostly”. Offsetting is a great solution and we need more of it *for people who otherwise would not be vegan*! As a long-term solution (ending factory farming) I don’t think it works, but right now, offsetting is both attainable and effective.
Aiden, thanks so much for continuing to argue for practical, pragmatic ways of making a difference.
My concern, after being vegetarian for almost 40 years and being in advocacy for over 30, is that I don't see any indication *in the actual per-capita consumption numbers* of paying for advocacy working.
A specific look at data (first quote): https://www.mattball.org/2024/11/for-your-consideration-exchange-re.html
Actual meat reduction and an increase in per-capita animal consumption: https://www.onestepforanimals.org/blog/meat-reduction-hurts-animals
I think this might be a better cheat code. https://www.onestepforanimals.org/about.html
Or not. TY again for avoiding the "GO VEGAN OR GO F YOURSELF" mindset.
You should be vegan and offset, because the goal isn't offsetting your bad deeds with good deeds, that's not how morality works, it's not accounting. The goal is maximizing the good.
I can understand someone who tries in earnest to go vegan and has difficulty, isn't perfect, makes exceptions etc. I know people like that and I show them grace and I encourage them because that's the right thing to do.
But if someone said to me that they think their "offsetting" absolves them of the wrongdoing they commit, or that there's some cancelling out of these two acts - I'm sorry but that's moronic. Even the Catholic Church got rid of indulgences in the 16th century.
Sounds like the sale of Indulgences.
Would you think it's okay to commit child rape and then donate to a charity that helps child rape victims to "offset" your actions?
The website seems to almost discourage people from going vegan - saying it's too hard, but it's okay because you don't have to. I think it's good insofar it does help animals, but this kind of rhetoric rubs me the wrong way.
To your first question: No.
But do I think it's better to commit harms and donate to a charity that prevents those harms than to just commit harms? Yes. Clearly yes. A bad act plus a good act is preferable to just a bad act.
"I think it's good insofar it does help animals" -- glad to hear it! Let's focus more on the evidence for whether this helps animals than how the rhetoric rubs you
Thanks so much for writing this! I’m mostly vegan (I’d say 90 percent) but donate to offset everything that isn’t included in that “mostly”. Offsetting is a great solution and we need more of it *for people who otherwise would not be vegan*! As a long-term solution (ending factory farming) I don’t think it works, but right now, offsetting is both attainable and effective.