What challenged the "it’s always been done?" argument?

[kommen]

Hello, so I've been reading The Great Rat Race Escape and I'm at Chapter 97: "The Porous Belief strategy".

Just out of curiosity, what has challenged MJ's old belief of "Well, that’s how it’s always been done?" of eating meat? Was it a book? I want to learn more about it, thank you!

 

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[MJ DeMarco]

Well, that’s how it’s always been done?" of eating meat? Was it a book? I want to learn more about it, thank you!

This story has multiple layers to the onion, so it would take me likely at a few hours to report it here.

Short version:

For me, it started with a personal anecdote when I saw a bug in the kitchen while I was eating. I put my sandwich down to go quarantine the bug and put him/her outside. I rarely kill bugs, spiders, or any intruders in the house. After placing the bug outside, I applauded myself for being so respectful to life. Then I went back to eating my chicken sandwich.

That was the spiritual/moralistic side of the equation and kickstarted the process.

On the health side, I followed with books like The China Study and Whole. Also consumed a variety of documentaries on plant-based diets, as well as some others that were not (Paleo, Keto, etc.) Then I looked into some of the research, which to be honest, was quite limited, because most medical research has become a poor exercise in reductionism, instead of holistic. There's a pretty disturbing connection between wilful disease and profit, to the point, it pays to keep people sick and addicted to junk -- in other words, it pays to keep things "how it's always been done." After considerable investigation, I came to the conclusion that there was no reason for me to continue eating meat in a culture where it is no longer needed. I don't live in the Alaskan bush or have to face harsh winters where seeds/plants are scarce.

Then came my own empirical evidence, as well as others (like the 7th Day Adventists) where plant-based eating isn't a fad or a "thing to do", but a way of life. I concluded correlation to health and longer life.

Looking back at my own medical history (which I save in a 5 inch thick binder) I was a pretty big health shit-show in my 30's and early 40's. Ailment after ailment. Oddly though, I looked in great shape, but underneath, I was fighting many health issues.

Eating plant-based erased all of that and now at 52, I feel better than I did at 35.

To tie everything up with a nice little bow, I've never felt so spiritually at peace with my choices, and the resulting health benefits that came from it.