I know I’m not the only guy that’s been called a hippie for being vegan. It’s not uncommon at all, question is, is there truth to it?
Vegans can be perceived as hippies for a bunch of reasons, this post is going to go through some of them and why that may be.
Aligns with a non-violent ethic
As anyone could guess, a vegan diet aligns with the ethos that thou shalt not harm for my daily diet.
Hippies, stereotypically, known for the peace and love lifestyle, likely would resonate with that ethic, which isn’t even a bad thing?
Historical stigma
Looking back to the 1960’s, hippies have been known to be the leaders of rallying against government and standing up for causes, which includes animal rights activism.
That stigma was wrongly attached with all vegans, not taking into account that not all vegans are animal rights activists, much like how not all animal rights activists are vegan!
Lack of education
Another key reason why people view vegans as hippies could literally be from a simple lack of education. Most people don’t even know what hippies are, and having us compared to them just goes to show how easily people can be influenced.
The stereotypes that came with hippies included drug abuse and sexual obsession, but also with how they were seen as more conscious, so it’s a bit of a mixed bag.
If more people knew what hippies were really like, they most probably wouldn’t call a vegan one.
Not all vegans are alike…
Despite the common misconception of vegans that we’re all alike, not every vegan is the same you know. The “hippie vegan” might be a die hard vegan activist, animal lover or simply someone who went vegan for their health.
Much like how not everyone’s alike when they eat meat and dairy, the same can be said for different types of vegans.
Did hippies even eat healthy?
To be fair, in the 60’s and 70’s, hippies did play a part in normalising consumption of whole grains, legumes and other organic, fresh options, helping shape culture.
However, not all hippies were alike; many of which still had cookouts, ate meat and dairy, and lived a somewhat similar life to their non-hippie counterparts.
Are all vegans hippies?
Not all vegans are hippies, a vegan is simply someone who chooses to abstain from eating meat or dairy, or feeding an industry that benefits from animal exploitation.
That doesn’t mean they necessarily care about the environment, animals or even other people. The same can be said for the other side of the coin.
Are all hippies vegan?
No, not all hippies are vegan. Although they’re associated with activism and it seems logical to assume so, not all hippies can be guaranteed to follow a vegan diet.
Many hippies live by the “back to nature” type approach. In that they’d likely eat closer to paleo, or even things like raw milk or eggs from their own farm, with that approach it means a good portion of hippies aren’t vegan.
I hope you enjoyed this post of why vegans are viewed as hippies, feel free to share with a friend or loved one if you found this post useful. Thanks for considering Veganising it for your vegan lifestyle inspiration, stay blessed.
