Sunday, October 1, 2023

Book Review: This is Vegan Propaganda by Ed Winters

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I’ve been vegan for twelve years and if you’d told me at the beginning of my journey that I would one day see a book about veganism advertised on billboards and by bookstores, I simply wouldn’t have believed you.

For me, this just demonstrates how much the world is finally starting to talk about veganism and to take these arguments seriously. The truth is people are waking up; things are changing and there are more of us now than ever. And we really need to keep talking because this is a conversation that has the potential to completely change the world. The future is vegan, it must be.

Image: https://www.instagram.com/earthlinged/


I feel like I’ve been waiting for this book (or a book like it) for a very long time. It’s really a pivotal piece of writing. And it’s written in such a way to be accessible to both vegans and non-vegans alike. This is a book written to make you think. It’s not written to demonise you for your choices or to make you feel judged. It wants to challenge you. And it wants you to consider the reality of animal agriculture.


Earthling Ed sees the big picture 

And that’s why his writing and advocacy is so powerful. He understands that changing our perceptions, the way we see and think about animals, will fundamentally alter our behaviour and eating habits. Breaking down barriers is the key. Becoming educated about the reality of our food choices and the consequences of them is essential in understanding the truth of animal exploitation. Simply put, we live in a world where we do not have to inflict cruelty on another sentient being every time we go to the supermarket. We have a choice. And we need to make the better one.

“Every time we eat, we have the power to radically transform the world we live in and simultaneously contribute to addressing many of the most pressing issues that our species currently faces: climate change, infectious diseases, chronic disease, human exploitation and, of course, non-human exploitation. Every single day our choices can help alleviate all of these problems or they can perpetuate them.”

Without turning my review into too much of a regurgitation of these arguments that I clearly agree with and uphold, I want to establish once more just how significant the decision of what we chose to consume is. We can either chose to live and consume in an ethical way or we can continue to support industries that are destroying our planet and causing death on an unimaginable scale. It’s really that simple. Please choose the kinder option. Please go vegan.

It’s time to get active 

Image: https://www.instagram.com/earthlinged/


And now I want to talk a little bit about how Ed has impacted my life. His words at the London Animal Rights March in 2019 are a large part of the reason I decided to dedicate the rest of my life to the movement. I remember sitting on the ground in Parliament Square, surrounded by thousands of other vegans listening to his speech, and coming to the realisation that if we want change then we must work for change. We cannot be silent. The animals need us. 

This is Vegan Propaganda demonstrates perfectly why change is necessary and it will empower you with the knowledge to facilitate such change. 

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You can follow Earthling Ed on Instagram and his book is available to purchase through the following links from his website.

Sean Barrs
Sean is a vegan activist and academic. He is writing his English Literature PhD thesis on the politics of diet. He is also an ultra-runner and a proud member of Vegan Runners UK. In the past, he has written for numerous publications including Plant Based News. He came to The Vegan Review to help promote the work of others, he is especially interested in writing on individuals who advocate for the vegan lifestyle through sports and other forms of activism.