The Rise of Veganism in the US: Counter-culture and beyond

The counterculture movement in the US developed around the late 1960s, lasting to the mid 70s. It was a time period where the youth turned against the cultural standards of their preceding generation. These people, known as “hippies” were made up of mostly educated white middle class members. Their mission was to reflect America’s morals and values on peace, freedom and equality. Music festivals and art and music were prevalent during this time as a way for the youth to express themselves and their values (Boundless).

As defined by “The Vegan Society”, “Veganism is a philosophy and way of living which seeks to exclude - as far as is possible and practicable - all forms of exploitation of, and cruelty to, animals for food, clothing or any other purpose; and by extension, promotes the development and use of animal-free alternatives for the benefit of animals, humans and the environment. (Definition n.p.)”

Veganism was defined early on by the society around 1944 but wasn’t put into terms until 1949. Vegans are commonly known for their diet, which is plant-based and avoids all animal-derived foods. However, it is not commonly known that veganism extends beyond diet. Vegans also avoid products tested on animals and places that use animals for entertainment (Definition).

Gaining popularity at similar times, the rise of veganism aligned with the counterculture movement. Because the two have similar goals and achievements in mind, the counterculture movement was key in carrying veganism to where it is today.

Many anthropologists believed that most early humans survived on a primary plant-based diet, showing more of a gathering behavior rather than hunting. Pre-historic man survived by the means of hunting and gathering, which is essentially nomadic living where food is obtained by searching. The decline of hunting and gathering arose when societies started to domesticate large animals, birthing the concept of animal agriculture. Jared Diamond, author of “Guns, Germs and Steel” published in 1997 explores how food changed the world through human behaviors and actions, while emphasizing the importance of geography and climate. Diamond argues for farmer power, and says that if a society wanted adequate food supply, farming as a means of animal agriculture was the easiest way to sustain food production. 

In the article below, Michael Bluejay shows that humans are naturally plant-eaters through the evidence that early beings ate mostly or exclusively plant foods. He compares carnivores, omnivores, herbivores and humans through bone, muscle and general body structure.

The American economy flourished during the Counterculture movement and by the 1960s, it was even easier to obtain food. Supermarkets were selling 70% of America’s groceries (Macfadyen), which meant people no longer had to shop at separate stores for each category of food like they did previously. This “all in one” benefit of supermarkets shaped the way Americans shopped for food. In addition, the rise of refrigeration in the 1930s, allowed people to store products for a longer period of time such as fresh produce that would go rotten in days or even hours. Without a doubt, these advances allowed Americans to live a more convenient than ever lifestyle. These advancements changed shopping behaviors, as the upper class were allowed to buy more goods with the hopes of storing them for future consumption. It also changed the way Americans ate, and this convenience slowly shaped what is known today as the Standard American Diet. It was so easy for people to reach for highly processed foods with a plethora of goods out in the open. 

Due to these advances, the rise of Animal Product consumption skyrocketed in the US. Suddenly, we were no longer mimicking our ancestor’s diets of mainly fruits and vegetables. Instead, we let modern advances guide us, changing our behaviors and our lifestyle regarding food. With modern advances and the boom in economy, US animal agriculture sparked. Today, the US has the largest fed-cattle and poultry industry in the world, and is the world’s largest producer of beef. Milk and other dairy products are also produced in all 50 states (Animal).

Convenience and the rise of the economy had shaped the increase in meat production and consumption in American society. Meat was a staple in the American cuisine as many dishes revolved around it. The book Appetite for Change: How the Counterculture Took On The Food Industry by Warren J. Belasco illustrates the amount of meat consumed by Americans as time went on. In the 1930s the average pounds of red meat eaten per person yearly was around 121.7lbs and in 1970 it was approx. 160lbs (Belasco, 54). Belasco says that the lower cost of meat after World War II was a contributing factor to the increase in consumption. More and more people had access to meat, as its price was decreasing and accessibility was wider. 

As the ways of food production changed, food itself got tastier and cheaper with the addition of animal products. There was a shift in nutritional needs which can be located in the comparison between pre-historic man diet and our modern diet. Dean Ornish, an American Physican and founder. Of Preventive Medicine Research Institute highlights this change. He says 

"Until this century, the typical American diet was low in animal products, fat, cholesterol, salt, and sugar, and high in carbohydrates, vegetables, and fiber.... Early in this century, with the advent of refrigerators, freezers, good transportation, mechanized agriculture, and a prosperous economy, the American diet and lifestyle began to change radically. Now most people in the United States eat a diet high in animal products, fat, cholesterol, salt, and sugar, and low in carbohydrates, vegetables, and fiber." ~Dean Ornish (Bluejay n.p.) 

Published in 1971, Diet for a Small Planet by Frances Moore Lappe was the first major publication to touch on the topic of the environment effects of vegetarianism. The inspiration for her book came from her curiosity about world hunger as she discovered that it took 14 times more grain to feed an animal than what you get out of it in meat. With over three million copies sold, the book inspired many to adopt a vegetarian diet. Lappe knew that there would be bias and hesitation, so she talked about protein complementation. This essentially meant that she discussed multiple alternatives for people to obtain an adequate amount of protein while neglecting animal products, so that a healthy, balanced diet could still be achieved (Diet).

1971, a group of San Francisco hippies started a vegetarian community in Lewis County, Tennessee called “The Farm”. They established a community founded on the principal of respect towards all people and beings. In that, one of the agreements was to not raise any livestock, fish or fowl in the community. In addition to setting an example regarding food practices and promoting the message of peace and non-violence, “The Farm” made critical contributions to our society today. They spread the use of soybean and tofu, some staples we see in our lives even today (The). 

A weekly ritual of “The Farm” was the “Monday Night Class” lead by former English professor Stephen Gaskin. The class was an open meeting to discuss how to unite the community through the farm’s goals of peace and non-violence. In the photo, we see Gaskin speaking to his members. Though we do not know what they were talking about, this source emphasizes connection and how people in the community came together to establish change in their community (The). 

Everyone on “The Farm” followed Stephen Gaskin as their personal spiritual teacher. He taught his members how to improve their lives by being peaceful and honest in all aspects in life, especially in food choices. This example shows the goals of the counter culture movement lining up nicely with the beliefs of veganism. In a report published by “The Farm” in 1971, Stephen Gaskin talked about his motives behind setting up “The Farm” and leading the group. He said...

…We did a whole bunch of this stuff on purpose, set out to do a thing and do it right and all that. And it’s still happening, and what we’re doing is we’re making the assumption that people everywhere like the same things, that we all really are all one, and that nobody’s such a stranger that he’s going to have radically different ideas of what he likes. So we’re saying that most people are going to like the same kind of things we like, and what do we like? Peace? and quiet, something to do that means something, a chance to grow, a chance to do something.” ~Stephen Gaskin – October 18, 1971 (The n.p.)

Over the years, “The Farm” started to gain popularity. From its original group with around 300 members, the population rose to 750 people by 1975. Eventually, the group had up to 1,200 residents and it was then, that they had to change policies due to the limited resources to support their growing community. They did this by opening up more centers across the country, and the original ranch in Tennessee eventually settled with a population of around 250 residents. The group members were successful, as they published many books, opened a bakery, formed a band and even a school.

Today, “The Farm” continues to serve as a model for how humans can live their lives with non-violence and peace. The community believes that awareness and education is a priority and that the ability to evolve, change and develop flexibility to live within life’s challenges enables us to grow as a society. Their goal is to pass down these core values for the future generations (The).

In the 1990s and today, people are becoming vegan primarily for three main reasons. A plant-based diet has shown to improve the environment, align with one’s morals and ethics and benefit one’s health, curing disease and illness. Despite the numerous benefits, there are many myths surrounding veganism that cause the public to hold a wary attitude towards it. Stephen Gaskin notes in a report published in January 1975 that “Eating a totally vegetarian diet has lots of benefits – Healthwise, land wise and Pennywise. Our kids are nice and fat; we can feed 10 times more folks by what we grow and it only cost $0.40 a day per person to feed us – including farming expenses and purchases of sugar, margarine, and other commodities. (The, n.p.)”

“Earthlings” a documentary narrated by Joaquin Phoenix and directed by Shaun Monson focuses on the ethical reasons behind a vegan lifestyle. Through the documentary, he exposes the “behind the scenes” aspect through factory farming, research labs and puppy mills. After witnessing the truth behind slaughterhouses, he was inspired to create a film that cultivated change. People go vegan to avoid inflicting harm on all beings, bettering the lives of animals. Director Shaun Monson opens about his inspiration to make the documentary, which opened the eyes up to many viewers in the YouTube video below.

Similar to how Frances Moore Lappe gained inspiration to write her book Diet for a Small Planet, Kip Andersen, filmmaker of "Cowspiracy" was inspired to make his film when he “found out that animal agriculture is the leading cause of environmental destruction” (The Sustainability n.p.). “Cowspiracy”, a documentary that dives into the environmental harms of animal agriculture strives to show viewers the harms of the industry and what the consumption of animals does to our environment. It touches on how animal agriculture contributes to water supply, land use, waste production, ocean and rainforest quality, wildlife, humanity and greenhouse gases (The Sustainability). The facts argued in the documentary are summarized in textual and infographic form on their website, to make it easier for viewers to access. The facts also challenge what Jared Diamond had previously noted on animal agriculture. Though both sources emphasize farming, Diamond says that animal agriculture was the way to go, whereas Andersen says that growing crops were more sustainable.

Eating a plant-based diet is shown to have numerous health benefits. The diet strives for whole, raw foods such as fruits and vegetables. The Netflix documentary “Forks Over Knives” focuses on how a plant-based diet can improve our health, even curing and preventing numerous diseases. It is proven that a plant-based diet lowers blood cholesterol, reduces the risk of type 2 diabetes and even nourishes the body with more complete proteins (McMacken).

Another documentary, “The Game Changers” airing in 2018 followed plant-based athletes and their successful journey with veganism. The trailer below summarizes the documentary, addressing the stereotype on the fact that one needs meat to build muscle and demystifying the topic of animal protein's credibility. In the documentary, the athletes claimed that while on the plant based diet, they had more energy, gained strength and felt more alert and awake (Bedo). This inspired many viewers to attempt a vegan lifestyle, and many stuck with it as they saw the successes that came from it.

The percentage of Americans claiming to be completely vegetarian/vegan is around 2-3%, but many (30-40%) are “flexitarians”, which means they avoid animal products often and show support to meat-alternatives (Belasco, 247). With a plant-based diet becoming a mainstream phenomenon, restaurants and eateries have been adapting to the rise. Meat-free and dairy-free options are increasing in availability and becoming more mainstream. The graphs below summarize the fact that veganism is growing and more and more people are becoming interested in its values and what it has to offer. With Google searches for Veganism and the sales on meat free foods increasing, our future is becoming more aware than ever. Additionally, celebrities who are vegan such as Ariana Grande, Miley Cyrus and Ellen Degeneres are contributing to the spread of awareness. They have been using their large-following platforms to advocate for the message that veganism aims to spread. Veganism essentially sees the potential in pre-historic man's diet, with a philosophical meaning behind it. By tracking back in history, the idea is that veganism can drive a happier, healthier and more peaceful society - all goals of the counterculture movement. Chef Lina Castillo who’s expertise lay in the field of raw vegan desserts says that veganism is not just a diet, it’s an approach to a holistic way of life. It helps achieve a more meaningful and peaceful life (Caban).

“Animal Products.” USDA ERS - Animal Products, www.ers.usda.gov/topics/animal-products/. 12 Nov, 2020.

Bedo, Stephanie. “This Diet Is Taking the World by Storm.” NewsComAu, News.com.au, 13 Dec. 2019, www.news.com.au/lifestyle/real-life/news-life/this-netflix-documentary-is-turning-people-vegan/news-story/d3edfd38078c0443cefd6391a2588c74. 13 Nov. 2020.

Belasco, Warren J. Appetite for Change. Cornell University Press, 1993. 

Bluejay, Michael. “ A Short History of Vegetarianism with an Emphasis on the U.S. from 1970+.” Vegetarian Guide: History of Vegetarianism in the U.S., 1998, michaelbluejay.com/veg/history.html. 26 Oct. 2020.

Bluejay, Michael. “Humans Are Naturally Plant-Eaters.” Vegetarian Guide, June 2002, michaelbluejay.com/veg/natural.html. 

“Boundless US History.” Lumen, courses.lumenlearning.com/boundless-ushistory/chapter/counterculture/. 13 Nov. 2020.

Cabán, Cynthia López. “Veganism: From Counterculture to Mainstream Movement.” The Weekly Journal, 29 May 2019, www.theweeklyjournal.com/lifestyle/veganism-from-counterculture-to-mainstream-movement/article_6b1a2a22-818a-11e9-863e-a3369f2f54d2.html. 20 Nov. 2020.

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Diamond, Jared. Guns, Germs and Steel. W. W. Norton, 1997. 

“Diet for a Small Planet.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 15 May 2020, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diet_for_a_Small_Planet. 25 Nov. 2020.

“Director Opens Up About The Inspiration Behind Earthlings.” YouTube, YouTube, 21 Nov. 2019, www.youtube.com/watch?v=w4-CWr3QkC4. 

Jones, Lora. “Veganism: Why Are Vegan Diets on the Rise?” BBC News, BBC, 2 Jan. 2020, www.bbc.com/news/business-44488051. 25 Nov. 2020.

Macfadyen, Tevere. “The Rise Of The Supermarket.” AMERICAN HERITAGE, 1 Dec. 2020, www.americanheritage.com/rise-supermarket. 17 Dec. 2020.

McMacken, Michelle. “7 Things That Happen When You Stop Eating Meat.” Forks Over Knives, 2 July 2019,  www.forksoverknives.com/wellness/7-things-that-happen-when-you-stop-eating-meat/ . 13 Nov. 2020.

The Farm Community, thefarmcommunity.com/the-beginning/. 15 Oct. 2020.

“The Game Changers | Official Trailer.” YouTube, YouTube, 28 June 2019, www.youtube.com/watch?v=iSpglxHTJVM. 

“The Sustainability Secret.” COWSPIRACY, www.cowspiracy.com/facts. 13. Nov. 2020.