Veganism seeks to exclude animal exploitation and cruelty as far as is possible and practicable.
For a Western audience, where one would have access to a well stocked supermarket, that would generally mean a complete boycott, but it does ultimately come down to the individual to decide what is and isn’t practicable. If you have nessary medication that contains animal products, or is tested on animals, for example, I don’t think you’d find anyone expecting you to give that up.
As for insects, they’re within the kingdom of Animalia, so yes, veganism applies to them too. That said, you can’t go through life without ever stepping on an ant, and I don’t know anyone who’d place the exact same value on an fly and a cow. One has a vastly more sophisticated brain and nervous system. That said, I generally don’t try to play “utilitarian calculus”.
Veganism seeks to exclude animal exploitation and cruelty as far as is possible and practicable.
For a Western audience, where one would have access to a well stocked supermarket, that would generally mean a complete boycott, but it does ultimately come down to the individual to decide what is and isn’t practicable. If you have nessary medication that contains animal products, or is tested on animals, for example, I don’t think you’d find anyone expecting you to give that up.
As for insects, they’re within the kingdom of Animalia, so yes, veganism applies to them too. That said, you can’t go through life without ever stepping on an ant, and I don’t know anyone who’d place the exact same value on an fly and a cow. One has a vastly more sophisticated brain and nervous system. That said, I generally don’t try to play “utilitarian calculus”.
Ultimately it’s a “do your best” situation.