The Battle Against Tradition
Summary
In the battle against animal cruelty, some people take it one step further than others. A small group of people in The Netherlands presents itself as vegan animal rights activists. With many different types of actions, they strive to create their ideal world free from speciesism, where everyone is vegan and no more animals are being used for food, clothes, entertainment, etc. Veganism, for them, is not just a diet or a lifestyle. It stands for an ideological cause to which they dedicate their whole lives. Their ideology is based on knowledge and research and shaped by their senses and emotions. This way, taking action forms their identity and gives meaning to their lives. Since the goal of vegan animal rights activists is changing society, and thus battling the tradition of eating meat and using animals, this thesis argues that vegan animal rights activism can be seen as a transition movement in the Chthulucene epoch.