Reduce, don't quit

Jun 26, 2026

I've just read this great post by Brennan. It's mostly about the fact that we as society turn away to a lot of the meat industries' horrific actions and just eat the meat we want to eat. Who cares if animals have suffered, right? For me it was an interesting read, as I've grown up in a family where the examples he shows was normal lingo when talking about dinner. Things like "Oh yeah, we're eating cow tonight" or just using the normal names for the animals we're eating were used often, the more abstract names were also used, but I've always had the animal-food association.

The points he makes are very valid though. We as a society kind of dehumanize the cattle we're eating and a lot of people don't really know that they're eating animals. I've never been a vegetarian and when I was little, I've shocked a few primary school classmates by explaining that rabbits truly make a great stew, making me realize that this was a problem.

After learning more about climate change and the meat industry, I've tried to cut down meat some more. My biggest issue always was the fact that meat and fish are one of my favorite dishes, so I didn't want to cut it out of my life forever. I've just done what Brennan suggests in his post: reduce, don't quit all the way. Nowadays, I try to eat some plant-based alternatives for things like burgers and schnitzels and I'm more aware of the amount of meat I eat, instead of if I'm eating it.

This will probably piss a lot of people off, as I'm not doing everything in my power to stop the meat industry from existing. I totally get it, but as the world gets into more and more shit, you can't go 100% in every battle. I'm writing this while a large part of Europe (where I live) is in a "heat dome", with temperatures getting more and more extreme, due to climate change. Besides that, we have multiple wars going on, a full oil crisis, an AI bubble, privacy nightmares online and for the Netherlands specifically a horrible housing crisis (paired with energy crisis and an aging society). We have a lot to live with. Doing things in baby steps and just trying to do what's possible for you, makes you a contributor. Eating a steak at a family barbecue doesn't mean you can get a 10-kilo mound of ribs the next day and just give up. Contribute and do what you can do, and support everyone who is trying.

Getting back from all the doom and gloom from the large amount of crises going on in the world, you can do a small thing that doesn't support the meat industry and allows you to enjoy those amazing flavors. I'm not vouching for the entire world, but in Europe hunting is quite heavily regulated. This means that game isn't available all year round, because young animals need to grow up and we wait until the fall to shoot their parents. Game also isn't as horrible for the climate as cattle, because it just lives in the wild. If you want to be more environmentally conscious, be a vegetarian for most of the year and get some game in the fall (maybe just every weekend or every other weekend) and enjoy the meat you're eating. Remember: you don't have to fully quit, just reduce what you're using.

I'm just trying to get to the middle ground of these things. A lot of the things we deal with on a daily basis can be quite horrible. Getting mad at each other for trying won't help anyone. Just cheer each other on for trying and educate everyone around you on what they can do to do better if they ask for it.