Do what you can — Adam Freebarnett

For ages now I've aspired to be a vegan. I have this idea (not new, not mine) that systems have moral weight insofar as they have the capacity to suffer. So a fish has more moral weight than a rock, and a cow has more than a fish.

So essentially I think eating meat is wrong, and dairy farming is also wrong.

The problem is that I also really love meat and cheese.

So what happens?

Well, I resolve to be a vegan. Then after a while, my craving for a bit of meat or cheese gets the better of me (akrasia in action) and I eat some. Then I feel shit about myself, tell myself I'm a bad person, and give up the endeavour entirely.

Sound familiar?

If not, well done, you have an iron will and you can stop reading now.

Stopped reading, all you superhumans?

Good - here's a secret: you know those guys, the ones who stopped reading? THEY'RE FULL OF SHIT.

Anyone who says they haven't had a similar experience isn't trying hard enough. That's the point of self-improvement - it's supposed to be a challenge.

I realised that instead of setting impossible goals and getting discouraged when I couldn't live up to them, a better approach is to do what you can.

Start small, build up.

Maybe give up meat half the time. Or during the week. Maybe still eat fish. I buy soya milk at home, but drink cow's milk when I'm out, as a treat.

Many of you will disagree with this (“would you let Hitler kill Jews every weekend as a treat” and so on) sure, go nuts, that's what the comments section is for. But consider this:

All the population eating half as much meat is exactly equivalent to half the population eating no meat.

So be kinder to yourself. You're trying to do the right thing. Make it easier - set achievable goals, and praise yourself if you meet them.

Another related point: Ricky Gervais once read about the Yulin Lychee and Dog Meat Festival in China. He was upset about it (and not because of cruelty to lychees), and decided to do something about it. So Gervais used his social media profile to highlight the abuses - and HE GOT SO MUCH SHIT FOR IT - mostly from people telling him that he was an awful person for “caring about dogs more than humans”.

I think that's ridiculous. Who are they to tell Gervais what causes he should care about? As long as someone is trying to do good and isn't hurting anyone then good for them, I say. No-one can say they “know” what the best way to make the world better is, so do what you can, whatever that is: help in your local area, support causes that are close to your heart, give whatever time or money you have. If things like Effective Altruism appeal, as they do to me, then do that. But if you'd rather help homeless people in your neighbourhood by having a bake sale, then do that instead.

The main thing is to do something to make the world a better place, and to feel good about doing it. Don’t listen to the haters, and above all don’t listen to the hater who lives between your ears.