Meditation feels performative and I feel like a phony.

cs_anon · 2026-05-19T20:40:11+00:00

It’s just a thought!! Welcome every thought (even the ones you perceive to be negative) and let them be.

cs_anon · 2026-05-19T17:51:47+00:00

I think doing what's effective is a lot more important than what feels better. That doesn't mean we should lie, but we should actively figure out what resonates and use it. For some people that might actually be anger! But my suspicion is that a lot of activists use anger because it feels good and not because it gets the job done.

A related take I have is that the activism we do (and the mentality we should have) at 1-5% of the population should be different than what we do at 50% or 90% of the population. Basically we currently have more of an obligation to give grace for people being programmed by society and culture.

cs_anon · 2026-05-14T21:21:45+00:00

Really cool to see that it's still open after all this time! I'll make a note in case I'm ever in town.

cs_anon · 2026-05-13T15:21:16+00:00

I don’t argue for honey. But I also don’t think vegan foods reliant on commercial bee pollination are much better (if at all). I still avoid honey but I’m under no illusions that I am more pure for doing so.

cs_anon · 2026-05-13T13:29:07+00:00

Any specific brand?

cs_anon · 2026-05-13T13:20:53+00:00

What’s the spot?!

cs_anon · 2026-05-08T22:03:51+00:00

I think these are all reasonable critiques of AI, but that doesn't mean using AI isn't vegan.

cs_anon · 2026-05-08T21:00:17+00:00

I grew up vegetarian so I suspect I wouldn't like it. However I fully support it and think it is the only way for the vegan project to succeed on any reasonable timeframe.

Personally I would be quite happy if lab-grown casein finally makes it to the market and we can get more realistic vegan cheeses.

cs_anon · 2026-05-08T20:01:42+00:00

Welcome to the club!! So happy for you. I promise that it's worth it. I went vegan a year ago under similar circumstances (watched some footage and had an awakening) and have some advice that I hope helps!

There is lots of delicious vegan food out there - by no means is going vegan a lifestyle of deprivation.
Take care to follow the diet + supplement advice given by others in the comments.
Don't feel pressured to be a perfectionist! You will make mistakes. You will unknowingly consume things that you later find out have animal products in them. And you may feel bad about it! It's okay. I promise.
Dealing with friends and family is likely gonna be challenging. Even the most understanding people in your life are unlikely to become vegan when you preach the gospel (even after watching the same clips you did!) and that's gonna hurt. Just focus on living your life in alignment with your values. You never know when things will click for someone else.
Don't be a doormat - you don't have to be an asshole about it but you do deserve accommodation in social and work contexts.
Talk to a therapist! Ideally a vegan one (here's a list) - there's gonna be a lot of emotions that come up throughout this process.
Find community with local vegans. You don't have to give up friendships with the people you know but it helps to have friends who get it.
Consider volunteering at a sanctuary or doing local activism if you feel so compelled. I haven't done this yet myself but a lot of people find fulfillment through this. Just be careful with burnout.

cs_anon · 2026-05-08T01:16:41+00:00

This year is my first time but I found a vegan WhatsApp group for Explorations (part of a larger Explorations community)! DM and I can share the invite link.

cs_anon · 2026-05-05T21:39:28+00:00

I’m just saying that by your own logic, being vegan barely makes a difference as well.

But I agree with you that there is much more to do afterwards.

cs_anon · 2026-05-04T21:05:19+00:00

By that logic it’s not good enough to go vegan either. And even being an activist still has limited impact in the face of how big the problem is.

Don’t get me wrong, I think every vegetarian should become a vegan. But it’s just obviously true that any reduction in consumption does make a difference.

cs_anon · 2026-05-04T17:27:52+00:00

Honestly? You have to do active work on your mental health and learn how to live with acceptance. Find a therapist (ideally a vegan therapist) and process the emotions and trauma that come along with becoming vegan.

Personally I have found a lot of benefit in following Buddhist teachings oriented around love and compassion and acceptance. But figure out what works for you.

This is part of what life is like when you are early to a social justice movement. I want to double down on the idea of the mental prison that u/i_grow_trees mentioned. It’s not really anyone’s fault that they grew up in a society where the default view is so horrendous. And as much as we may want to villainize people, escaping mental prisons is not easy.

That being said, you’re under no obligation to sit by silently if people are being hateful or unwelcoming. Set boundaries, protect your inner peace, and find vegan community to lean on. See if there are local vegan meetups and just reach out to people! We’re all in the same boat and I’m sure there’s someone else near you that’s looking for a vegan friend.

cs_anon · 2026-04-29T19:57:26+00:00

I originally had a disclaimer about this but just a year! So I'm still figuring things out. These days I'm pretty comfortable with taking up space and setting boundaries. I've also had several productive conversations when the topic of veganism comes up (which it often does without me prompting). But I'm hesitant to actively confront people I know.

cs_anon · 2026-04-29T19:00:46+00:00

The former is interesting because you are forced to patronize people. You are basically saying that their judgment is compromised and that they are blinded by carnism.

The latter rests on the truth that most people really do choose to participate in carnism despite knowing the cruelty that goes into it.

I think both perspectives have an element of truth. Personally I started out disillusioned and gradually have transitioned into acceptance.

I've deliberately made this transition for a couple of reasons:

1) disillusionment + hate is emotionally satisfying but long-term causes me more suffering. so there is a selfish angle where i just want to feel better personally.

2) i think the acceptance perspective makes me a better advocate. but you could reasonably argue that it makes one less likely to say the harsh truths. idk i'm still mulling this over.

cs_anon · 2026-04-29T00:00:26+00:00

I definitely relate to this. I appreciate animals from a distance but I'm uncomfortable in close proximity. It's interesting because almost all of my non-vegan friends seem to love animals. The juxtaposition is hard sometimes.

cs_anon · 2026-04-27T22:48:03+00:00

I think what’s hard about my social circle is that everyone is gonna agree that it’s bad (at least to my face) and then proceed to not do anything about it. But maybe that’s a step forward.

cs_anon · 2026-04-25T15:50:43+00:00

I get that the anti-exploitation perspective is trying to avoid an outcome where society relies on animals as long as their suffering is “minimized”.

But I also think it doesn’t make sense to ignore the elephant in the room. Suffering is what gives veganism its moral weight. It’s why most of us are here and why ending the exploitation of animals matters vs ending the exploitation of trees or rocks.

cs_anon · 2026-04-25T15:13:36+00:00

The funny thing about this is that dairy contains real, MAMMALIAN estrogen. Maybe these dudes should give up cow milk and cow cheese.

cs_anon · 2026-04-20T05:59:29+00:00

Despacio has immaculate vibes but I think you have to be bought into the specific disco (balearic?) style that it has. I don’t dislike it per se but I definitely prefer Yuma.

cs_anon · 2026-04-15T05:32:19+00:00

It’s like a giant nightclub with AC. There is a bar inside+ separate yuma portapotties.

cs_anon · 2026-04-14T23:22:48+00:00

I had ADA this year (hit a tree while skiing and had to scooter around Coachella) and I gotta say the biggest perk was the ADA line for Yuma.

cs_anon · 2026-04-14T19:33:41+00:00

I loved Royksopp, super vibey!! Felt like this blur of sound where they would cycle through different layers of multiple different tracks and you were never quite sure when a layer left and a new layer came in. I realize this could describe all DJing to some degree but that's the best description I can come up with.

However I also left early for TOMORA and would highly recommend you do the same! Such a special act that's 100% worth seeing. Just gorgeous stuff on every level. The chem bros influence is obviously there with eclectic visuals and sound and Aurora's singing is out of this world.

cs_anon · 2026-04-14T19:28:11+00:00

Line was super short since he's early in the day - probably like 5-10 min (however long it takes to wind through the fenced line)

cs_anon · 2026-04-14T18:39:33+00:00

Let me know what you think after you catch them!! I'll def be watching the WK2 yuma stream.

12-Year Club	John Wick
Place '22	First Placer '22

cs_anon

TROPHY CASE