Have you ever heard of...? (Part 2)?

Question

...a vegan who doesn't use anything that runs on petroleum? I mean, think about it; it is made from the heating and compression of 'organic materials' (which is often carcasses of dead animals that are buried underground)! I can understand it, but do you know anyone who actually does so?

Answer 1

Using petroleum products is not un-vegan.  Veganism seeks to eliminate animal exploitation and suffering.  The organic matter that makes up petroleum deposits is millions of years old.  It's really hard to accuse humans of exploiting dinosaurs by using oil seeing as how they roamed the earth tens of millions of years before we even got here.

re: your additional comments

I'm not being petty, I'm explaining to you why your logic is faulty.  Veganism is about reducing one's reliance on LIVING animals.  It's an ethical stance and the fact that petroleum is made from organic matter that is millions of years old means the same ethics that apply to a living, breathing cow do not apply to a petroleum deposit.  It's not about arbitrarily eschewing animal products for the sake of eschewing animal products.  The only people who shout from the rooftops that vegans shouldn't be using petroleum products because of their animal origin are non-vegans who are trying to find holes in our ethics.

Answer 2

I knew a couple back in the 70's. They lived off the land and grew all their own vegetables. I'm sure there are some still around in the back woods. It's the kind of life people lived back 125 years ago. Mankind lived like this for thousands of years, so It can be done if you have the knowledge needed.

Answer 3

Vegetarians, vegans, fruitarians, breatharians are the diet and spiritual evolution beyond recognition! Life is about being AS IDEAL AS POSSIBLE, but not being as IGNORANT as possible. Great sages in Himalayas and Buddhist monks are well known for being fruitarians and Breatharians, and they have reasons for distance themselves from us. (Look at the way your question is). Just imagine how a real fruitarian would feel. I just a vegan, but I agree to some point... it is not easy for them to live among us.

Answer 4

The only people I know who went ultimate vegan only lasted that way for about a week. I think it's mildly impossible to follow a pure vegan lifestyle. So I did know people who refused to use petroleum but since they wanted to leave their houses eventually, they no longer do :P