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Finally someone who didn't argue for moral relativism! This guy was one of the most open-minded people I've seen Ed interview. He didn't try to "win" the argument but actually listened and learned a lot. It gives me hope that there are people like this out there.
@@alipetuniashow is it? Is it a personal choice to kill someone? Or a choice is only personal until it doesn't harm anyone? Is it even a personal choice for me to wreck your car?
@@exisgenesis I agree cause I’m starting to try to make the transition cause I want to but have no idea where to start so I’m kinda all over the place with it and that can leave me to not eating properly
@@BlueNorth313 It entirely depends on the person you're talking to. Some people are just more open to having their minds and views changed in a calm and rational matter. Whereas, some may need a little more "intense push". Point is, there's not really a CORRECT way of being a vegan activist as long as violence isn't involved (including verbal abuse).
@@BlueNorth313 I agree with you when we’re talking about the general population. I still hold the view that activism of any kind that doesn’t involve unjust violence and blatant verbal abuse without constructive criticism, is welcomed and effective for getting the entire population to really “get the message”. I don’t disagree with your last comment, though.
He’s a smart guy! He was totally okay having his views challenged on camera and was not holding on to ‘being right’. What a great dude! And of course, excellent job done by Ed!
I agree, we need more people like this guy in the world. I think most peoples ego gets in the way of their development, this man certainly doesnt have that problem.
I’m particularly impressed that, when he is trying to represent Ed’s opinion, he doesn’t twist and alter it. It shows a sincere focus on understanding rather than “winning”.
He’s also naive. Why? What is the primary difference between human beings and all other animals? Humans have the potential for reason; animals have no such potential. Consciousness makes one a being, but reason makes one human. The reason that animals cannot explore self awareness is because they lack reason; they have no capacity to understand concepts of right and wrong, mine and yours, us and them. They act solely on instinct: the instinct to procreate, to eat, to survive, and that is all; there is no species other than humanity that seeks out a moral imperative. There is no dominant paradigm of right and wrong, good and evil in the animal kingdom outside of humanity. When a coyote kills my goats, or a raccoon pulls the heads off all of my chickens, or a black bear takes out one of my steers, can I press charges against them? Can I sue them for damages? No. Why? Because they don’t know the difference between right and wrong, or that they are giving any offense; they have no *potential* to know right from wrong; they are acting in pure instinct without any consideration of consequences, legal or moral. They do not regard the property of others, they cannot sympathize with the loss that any other experiences. That’s the difference. Why is it wrong to eat a human being lying on the side of the road? Because unlike a deer or an o’possum, there is are people out there reasoning worst case scenarios and worrying about this missing member of the community, and they have a mental and emotional need to know what happened to them. The average doe, on the other hand, pops out anywhere between 45 and 60 fawns in a lifetime if she hits her lifespan of 23 years; she has no idea from season to season which offspring are still around her territory in a lifetime, nor does she care. Her only imperative is to be bred, to make more deer, and to pass on her genetics using the most virile bucks around her as many times as possible. She does not miss her offspring when they become roadkill. So, the gist of the argument is this: Animals cannot be moral actors, have no potential to reason right or wrong, or to respect or consider the rights of others, therefore they do not have “rights.”
@@RestingBitchface7 Okay so the reason you think it is moral to murder animals is because they cannot reason. So would you be okay in murdering humans who share the same traits as these animals? So humans who do not understand the concept of right and wrong, who cannot reason. Such humans exist. Would you be okay in murdering them? Yes or no?
I use to be a federal slaughterhouse inspector. The things I witnessed will haunt me forever. Had I known there was a different option I would have changed much earlier. I think if most saw what I did they would be standing up in the streets against this atrocity.
@@pacmanmcgavin7034 I remember before I was vegan, I would actively seek out vegans on UA-cam comment sections and argue with them because I wanted to prove to myself that eating meat was right, vegans were whiny, etc. But I just found myself being proven wrong, over and over again. I hope you come to the same conclusions
Heart disease is nonexistent in carnivores. Do the math. …..#1 killer. Humans are unequivocally herbivorous. But in order to stop the Holocaust we need witnesses to stand up. Thank you
@@TheRedstonePhoenix thank you! I spent enough time on this clown along with others like him. Spot on they comment on everything I say as if it’ll deter me or lead me to debate them. Their ego driven until they lose that they’ll be lost. I’m glad you saw the light, I know I had some issues believing in it at 1st especially given my upbringing. The pure lies this industry sells (like the doctors saying smoking is okay back in the day).. so ridiculous.
@The 40 year old Vegan - I salute you! I hope you are proud of yourself and your decision to go plant based. As to the memories, perhaps they will fade slowly, with time. But, you can be at peace with today and tomorrow as you step forward and away from your old yesterdays. Much respect and love.
The hard part about becoming Vegan is definitely the social aspect of it. Food is almost always the central theme of celebrations and togetherness. As a Vegan you always have to remove yourself somewhat from those activities. I say somewhat because you can still be present and have a good time, but you're not eating what "they" are eating. Do you want a piece of my birthday cake and ice cream? No, thank you.
You could eat what they are eating, if the whole meal is vegan. For this Christmas me and my vegan partner are invited to his omni family. And they spacifically asked how to make a vegan dinner, since they wanna welcome us. I'm so exited!
@@fridadanke9076 Yes. That is why I said "somewhat" because many times people understand and welcome it. My mom makes vegan dinners for too. I appreciate it too.
Totally agree with you.. it comes to the point where people and family members see you as strange or snob for not wanting to eat what they are eating even if you are preparing side dishes on a family gathering.. another difficult thing is tradition, food that is passed in by your grandparents and you are supposed to make for Xmas but is not vegan..
I can 100% relate to this! It was my brother's birthday and the cake wasn't vegan, so I couldn't eat it. Especially the flavour was my favourite 😔. I felt so bad but my parents did not do it intentionally. I was sad that I couldn't eat that cake when everyone was enjoying :(
I always watch these debate's because it's funny to see how angry the non-vegans get but this man was by far the best I've watched. So respectful and open minded and knew when Ed was actually making valid points.
@@granta3044 normal ppl dont get mad at vegans view of the world, they get mad because vegans are annoying religious zealots who want to make it illegal to eat nutritious food.
The cognitive dissonance with vegans is quite amazing. I used to work a 20 acre produce farm. 20 acres is quite small and can only produce enough to feed a couple vegans their entire diet. The hard truth is....on just that small farm...15-20 deer would be killed, every year...dozens of raccoons, opossums, woodchucks, skunks, rabbits, squirrels, chipmunks, mice, rats, various birds, etc. would also be killed. Fortunately, most of the deer were taken home and used to feed families...the rest just went to waste. For the amount of food grown, to feed one single vegan their entire diet...there would be anywhere from 30-50 wild/FREE animals killed...every single year! Being vegan isn't so vegan after-all.
@@fermiticus4034 why or how were they killed? Like through accidents, hunting, bc they were destroying the field, im genuinely curious? I'll gladly admit that veganism has its flaws to, like of course, the food i consume grows somewhere that takes up space for local wildlife and nature too and whatnot, but it's the best i can do. So why should i change back to consuming animal products, which means a lot more harm done?
@@ponicxdestiny1601 I'm not trying to change you or your ways. Just trying to make those with a superior morality complex aware, that animals are being killed on their behalf. To your question...most of the smaller critters find poison pellets...the bigger ones are trapped and/or shot on sight. The deer are shot. Why? To protect the livelihoods of those who grow your food.
@@fermiticus4034 We’re trying to minimize the amount of suffering and deaths, we don’t deny that animals are still killed for a vegan diet. It’s not really an issue of moral superiority either, it’s just a matter of right and wrong.
Im already vegan but 19:40 hit me in a totally different way. The innocence of animals we exploit is truly heartbreaking. I'm actually not okay right now like that has really messed with my head.
There are not many of these debates that leave me with a smile on my face. Keep it up, Ed! You give me faith that the rest of the world will get there.
The cognitive dissonance with vegans is quite amazing. I used to work a 20 acre produce farm. 20 acres is quite small and can only produce enough to feed a couple vegans their entire diet. The hard truth is....on just that small farm...15-20 deer would be killed, every year...dozens of raccoons, opossums, woodchucks, skunks, rabbits, squirrels, chipmunks, mice, rats, various birds, etc. would also be killed. Fortunately, most of the deer were taken home and used to feed families...the rest just went to waste. For the amount of food grown, to feed one single vegan their entire diet...there would be anywhere from 30-50 wild/FREE animals killed...every single year! Being vegan isn't so vegan after-all.
@@fermiticus4034 facts and they fail to acknowledge thousands of years of developing genetic mechanisms to assimilate vital nutrients from animal sources that can’t be synthesised from plant sources after removing them cold turkey in one generation
@@apollosun2725 I agree up until you said one generation. This has been happening for as long as agriculture has been around, whether by choice or otherwise. entire populations have survived primarily off potatoes, corn, or wheat for much of their diet. we have not had the abundance of meat, if anything, as rapidly as we have to grains, veggies, and fruits. so, to your point, we've been relying on plants for as long as anything else we consume. if you're referring to the rise in vegan alternatives, that is definitely quicker, but, even then, it's already been years as the shift is slow and steady. it could be a couple generations before even half of the world is vegan
There’s something about the way you argue Ed that is just so persuasive. You don’t force your opinion on people, you lead them through the conversation so that they understand by themselves. It’s just incredible.
Let me just say, I'm Polish, I still enjoy ALL of my traditional dishes that I have before I went vegan, but now made vegan. Not hard to change out a couple of ingredients. The flavor of the food comes from herbs and spices and the way in which they are prepared.
Me too! I remember when I was making ruskie pierogis, I was a bit scared how it would taste if I swapped the cottage cheese for vegan cheese spread (the closest thing I could find to plant-based cottage cheese). But it was actually pretty nice! A little more buttery taste than usual, but my aunt actually liked it and said that she couldn't tell the difference.
As a vegan, do you agree we should create legislation to stop male genital mutilation (MGM) in the absence of consent ? I'm asking because Ed is against female genital mutilation but doesn't mention MGM. He speaks to the honors of killing animals because of suffering yet he fills to realize MGM. He fails in the same way he crates his Just because something is traditional doesn't mean its moral. MGM is tradition. However its a human rights violation and sexism against men. Women in US and UK are legally protected against mutilation. Men are afforded no protection against genital mutilation. Ed makes a big point in stating animals are victims because of the lack of consent. Boys do NOT give consent when their genitals are mutilated.
This is the most pleasant discussion I've seen In a while both showed each other respect. And not emotionally charged or heated and a very logical discussion and deconstruction.
I like how Ed dismissed beyond meat. We don't need these substitutes to realize that animal suffering is wrong and I appreciate that. Is beyond meat/impossible nice? Sure, but who cares? I can eat chickpeas and green beans all day.
Taste changes so quickly, I ate burgers for 40 years, then after being vegan for 3 years, I ate a beyond burger. It seemed so real to me, that I almost threw up. I was in a local restaurant where I know the owner, and I had this horrible thought that she had played a trick on me, and given me real meat. Don't let taste dictate kindness.
Taste does change so quickly. When I was transitioning from vegetarian to vegan, i tried some Feta cheese, which I used to really like. It tasted and smelled like rotten milk.
I can't eath those beyond burgers as well, it smells so disgusting but I think for people who have problems going vegan they are such a great achievement 😊
Awww Dennis was so sweet at the end, asking for a picture with you and then saying “I’m GLAD I stopped to do this!” Hope the 💡went on for him! He would be a great addition to team veg ❤️🌱
Love this guy 💚 I see so much potential in him, he is open minded and took every bit of Ed’s information on board :) Hopefully another non vegan influenced to lead a more ethical lifestyle 🌱
This guy is actually very open-minded and not allowing himself to be stuck in his carnivorous ways. I appreciate this because many of the people Ed interviews do not allow themselves to truly listen to Ed.
Thank you Dennis for being respectful and actually trying to make good points. This was a very enjoyable discussion to see, and while I don't agree with you, I understand that your point is actually convincing for you. Thank you 🙃
I am always blown away with how considerately you accept and acknowledge the other person's opinion, then pose to them an amazing point that makes them really think and reconsider what they've said. Pre-ordering your book now!
As a vegan, do you agree we should create legislation to stop male genital mutilation (MGM) in the absence of consent ? I'm asking because Ed is against female genital mutilation but doesn't mention MGM. He speaks to the honors of killing animals because of suffering yet he fills to realize MGM. He fails in the same way he crates his Just because something is traditional doesn't mean its moral. MGM is tradition. However its a human rights violation and sexism against men. Women in US and UK are legally protected against mutilation. Men are afforded no protection against genital mutilation. Ed makes a big point in stating animals are victims because of the lack of consent. Boys do NOT give consent when their genitals are mutilated.
I like this guy honestly, he's genuinely open and not defensive. Like right after your first point he essentially went "ok yeah you got me there" and I can highly respect that
It seems like a camera is necessary. The conversations I have with people about veganism ends pretty quickly when apathy becomes an acceptable position to them that they don't have to answer for. If I can defend myself it only means I'm not a fool, but it in no way means they have to change their behavior in their eyes.
You've planted a seed, whether you or they recognise it. Sharing videos that, at some point, include flashes of the brutality involved, is also a good way to get people to see the reality. Then, you don't need to argue your point, because the visuals are devastating. People like to argue to be right, prove their point and convince themselves that eating flesh is justifiable. Videos prove them wrong every time.
I loved Dennis' openness, I think it's that spark of enlightenment that changes us. You can't forget what you learn in that moment and the more you look into it the more obvious the choice. I 'discovered' my self-imposed blindness about 6 years ago, it made me uncomfortable enough to research it a little more. 3 days later I switched to a vegan diet and stayed that way. I regret all those years of ignorance and my acceptance of what is considered 'normal'.
I agree with you. I feel very sad when I think how I contributed to animal suffering. On a positive note though, thankful I eventually woke up and can call myself a proper animal lover!
@@Dantheman-nf9xk your comment is irrelevant. There is absolutely no need to eat animals bodies. No need whatsoever. So don’t give me that cave man toxic male bullshit. There is so much food out there which gives you protein without the need to end the life of animals who want to live and certainly no need to intensively factory farm animals causing immense suffering.
Good to see the guy earnestly engaging, even if the arguments are lvl 1. I like the part where he brings up an argument but then immediately realises how illogical it is, and states the counter to the initial argument out loud as if to pre-empt what Ed was gonna respond with. Conversion 101
Is he though? Is this not exactly how a politician would answer? Nod a lot, be complimentary to play into the audience, pretend like you're friends and like you're so open minded because you smile and compliment the guy everytime you can't think of a response?
It's disappointing to see some people in the comments who are being very negative towards this guy. He's better than almost every other meat eater in terms of intellectual honesty in debates like this and changed his mind significantly in a single 20 minute conversation. Even though it wasn't all the way, this is one of the best outcomes you can have. As a community that recognises the dissonance of meat eating and how widespread the dogma that eating meat is normal throughout society, I expected better of some commenters (almost all are very positive, it's just a small minority ruining things)
Bruh almost every follower of Ed has a hatred towards non vegans, for some reason they can’t grasp the concept that eating animals is normal, anything that goes towards their ideology or belief they will shit on that person
@@alipetuniashow Eating animals isn't necessary. You only do it for taste. Farmers around the world mistreat their animals and see them as products and not as animals they care for. There is no argument against veganism we can't debunk.
Brilliant. A very intelligent obviously nice guy. I'm sure he will investigate a bit now. He needs to know that the life these animals have BEFORE slaughter is horrendous.
@@jonjonwp so kill them off, doesn't sound very caring and sharing more meat eater mate. You do know a single bull can service many cows everyday so you don't need special breeding programs once they are free to eat, hump and breed all day
@@AlphGen I can't take you seriously when you ignore what I said. I never mentioned killing. I said stop artificially breeding them and phase them out. Over 90% of animals are factory farmed and never have natural sex. I'm sure you have seen how they anally electrocute the bulls to collect the semen. A few bulls with cows are irrelevant to the big picture. No way is there land enough for billions upon billions of animals to be outside.
@@jonjonwp but you have now freed the animals and are looking after them in your vegan sanctuary. Of course natural sex for you and the cattle is possible. Stop looking backwards and think about how to save them and not murder them by letting them die, they are sentient beings
Love it when an intelligent human sits down, listens to an argument, and can reconsider their position. It’s ok to be wrong. So refreshing. Great stuff Ed!
As a vegan, do you agree we should create legislation to stop male genital mutilation (MGM) in the absence of consent ? I'm asking because Ed is against female genital mutilation but doesn't mention MGM. He speaks to the honors of killing animals because of suffering yet he fills to realize MGM. He fails in the same way he crates his Just because something is traditional doesn't mean its moral. MGM is tradition. However its a human rights violation and sexism against men. Women in US and UK are legally protected against mutilation. Men are afforded no protection against genital mutilation. Ed makes a big point in stating animals are victims because of the lack of consent. Boys do NOT give consent when their genitals are mutilated.
@@mortgageapprovals8933 Personally, I am against circumcision. I have no idea how Ed feels on the topic but I don’t think that it’s his job to advocate for every cause under the sun just because he’s an activist. It’s been awhile since I’ve watched this clip but if memory serves, Ed doesn’t bring up FGM because he’s trying to convince the student that it’s wrong- he’s just bringing it up to make a point about moral relativism.
@@taliamiller3381 yes that's exactly my point He uses moral relatism with fgm as an example. He doesn't even think of using mgm as an example. This speaks to his dismissive and uncaring attitude about men. Why always focus ok fgm and not pinpoint other horrors. Child labour, sex slaves, mgm. Im trying to highlight the incredible difficulty in constructing a hierarchy of morality Many vegans argue they are better people because they don't eat meat. That may be true . The bigger push seems to be not so much for the well being of animals but the ability to tell the world I am better then you. Its a form of virtue signaling . What happens when 100% of the world becomes vegans. Then you cannot be better than someone on the basis of not eating meat. So we need to shift away from thinking I am better than you and focus on how our actions can make the world better . I could be 100% wrong about something. That doesn't make me less right about something else. However this question is much harder to address when talking about morals rather than truths and facts I donate to food banks. Does that mean I can eat meat now? I steal food. But only vegan items. Is that ok ? I build houses for homeless kids but I drive without insurance. (These are examples not about me) I can't even begin to imagine how we would start evaluating morality and comparing people. Who is more moral. The vegan who steals clothes from shelters or the non vegan that doesn't steal . Who's more moral the HR rep who only hires black people but treats all her staff to BBQ once a year . I really don't have the answer to any of this.. neither do you. Neither does Ed. So to make a blanket statment that vegans are better than non vegans highlights the virtue signaling aspect of vegans For many vegans the well being of animals is secondary. The main objective is to say I am better than you You might have an unemployed vegan or a heart surgeon who eats meat. Is the heart surgeon now a piece of garbage ? Is her dedication to saving lives diminished because some vegan contributes nothing to society and collects well fare benefits Again I don't know.. neither do you. Many vegans say meat waters are less moral. Thats very difficult to demonstrate. If you want to say choosing vegan diet over non vegan diet is more moral I might agree with that. Thats a reasonable and measurable thing to say. Do you understand now you tribalism bigoted closed minded can't even begin to stop being an asshole. Thats your problem. You think just because veganism is more moral than eating meat that ALL vegans are more moral and better and more superior people than meat eaters . I've had vegans tell me they won't be friend with any non vegans. Ok.... fucking bitch . Then do you also stop being friends with anyone that doesn't support mgm. No you don't. So fuck you. fuck head moron shit head bitch cunt. It only makes that action more moral . I plant trees but scam people out of their money. Fuck you dumb ass idiot
@@alipetuniashow Did you even watch the video? The wrong part is the abuse and killing. We don’t need to eat animals nor their secretions to live. How do you morally justify killing an innocent sentient being who doesn’t wanna die?
Many people give credit to the guy for being open minded which is true. But to Ed is the one that makes it work. You can clearly tell that he’s built report with him before the chat. You can see the mutual respect that they have. THAT IS huge skill. Very impressive!!
Well done Ed… you picked a perfect guy for this conversation. Open minded, intelligent and logical. When you hear people say “That’s a good point” so many times, you know that changes are happening within his/her moral framework. It didn’t even sound like a debate at all. But I don’t think he’ll ever go vegan. Lol just kidding.. I’m almost 💯 percent certain he’ll go vegan soon because of that conversation. Great questions as always Ed. Looking forward to the upcoming event at Harvard! 👏
Ed, i am slowly slowly moving towards being a vegan on regular days (quit milk, quit eggs, quit meat most of they days) but with yoghurt and cheese and sauces it is very hard to quit; because i really am not a good cook. Plus i have big fish cravings from time to time. Still i am on a way, and although i have fears because of protein malnourishment, you really made me see that compassion is so so important. Thank you Ed!!!
It sounds like you're doing great. I started on my path to veganism by boycotting the animal products I considered to involve the most cruelty to produce (pork products, poultry and eggs) and after a while eliminated all the rest. But it took me several years to become vegan completely. So slowly does it and you'll eventually make it an effortless habit that doesn't even feel like a sacrifice.
Right off the bat he recognizes that he hasn’t had the first-hand experience and, hence, the inability to actually come to terms with reality. If he did, yes Eddie: he’d be at Veggie Grill all day.
I used to live in Portland, Oregon. I had Veggie Grill on my email account. I moved to Mexico in 2019. I still get Veggie Grill emails...and I don't have the heart to remove it from my account. BTW the place I moved to in Mexico had no vegan restaurants or vegan alternatives, so it forced me to become a complete whole food vegan. Just this year tofu has arrived so now I am completely whole food except for some recipes with Tofu...which my wife loves because now she can have her tacos now for dinner (with tofu). lol
Absolutely love this guy, Dennis. He is so honest and more importantly delightfully open to fresh perspectives. He was able to rise above all the conditioning and fixated cultural-culinary norms and embrace the new ideas presented so politely and concisely by Ed. Ed is a star and Dennis is a lovely open minded wondering child in this conversation. I felt really great watching this. I live in Sydney and some day it would be an honour to meet the incredibly loving Ed.
Very enjoyable to watch Dennis lightbulbs go on and cogs turning in his head. Always impressed by Ed, your friendly approach, keeping the vibe up like a Master, while answering back encouragingly and filled with kindness.
As a vegan, do you agree we should create legislation to stop male genital mutilation (MGM) in the absence of consent ? I'm asking because Ed is against female genital mutilation but doesn't mention MGM. He speaks to the honors of killing animals because of suffering yet he fills to realize MGM. He fails in the same way he crates his Just because something is traditional doesn't mean its moral. MGM is tradition. However its a human rights violation and sexism against men. Women in US and UK are legally protected against mutilation. Men are afforded no protection against genital mutilation. Ed makes a big point in stating animals are victims because of the lack of consent. Boys do NOT give consent when their genitals are mutilated.
@@mortgageapprovals8933 I’m sure he is against it in principle as well, but the whole reason he brings up female mutilation is because it is widely seen as wrong and problematic by those who are outside the culture where it is practiced, and so he knows it’s an ethical wrong that meat-eaters will be able to relate to and draw logical conclusions from. I think it also is a reasonable thing to use as an example rather than male mutilation for two main reasons (that I’m aware of): One, because males are circumcised while infants, whereas females might be cut well into their teenage years, which is certainly a much more traumatic experience, and two, there are some health benefits to male circumcision whereas there is no medical/healthful reason to enact it on females. Ultimately, in modern society, with the availability of modern medicine, neither practice makes much sense, but I think we can appreciate that at least male circumcision has historically had more than just traditional value, while female mutilation amounts to no more than a misogynistic practice.
These warm my heart. I wish more people were able to have these conversations without getting annoyed and upset and digging in their heels to support their way of living.
love this guy! amazing to witness someones point of view being challenged in such a positive way - would love to see where he's at a year from now, and how he looks back on this convo. Great work as always, Ed!
I really enjoyed watching the conversation, mostly because no one is pushing each but really sincerely and honestly express themselves! Things r learnt and voices r heard! Sweet! And most importantly, thanks to Ed for making the conversation possible and available for all of us!
What an open minded guy Dennis is! So great that he admitted when he learned something different and said „good point“ so much, you can really see his moral framework shift. Great conversation Ed, I’m very impressed by your empathetic, respectful and open-minded way of debating and conversating! Keep it up!
definitely my favorite conversation of these so far. it's great that he is able to reflect so much. he doesn't go into the conversation with his opinion set in stone. he is a very intelligent, logical thinking person and therefore the conversation was very inspiring. thank you both!
This was a pleasure to watch! It's fantastic to see that this guy was so open to having an honest, productive conversation. I hope more of Ed's future debates go like this.
More of those. We need more of these. MORE MORE MORE PLS Watching these videos teaches me how to approach these conversations in my own personal life. Thank you.
Much respect to this guy, he's honest and genuine. He doesn't go around in circles because he hasn't listened to you. This is someone who is comfortable enough in himself to be vulnerable and not jump on the defensive.
Amazing conversation! I thought at times that Ed could have given him more space to talk, he often took the mic away from him in the middle of a sentence 🤔
I dont always comment on your videos but this was a fantastic interview and Dennis was so thoughtful in his answers and more importantly, he was honest with himself throughout. Thank you for this great video
I really enjoyed this one. Mostly because Dennis made a very good stand-in for myself. Thing is, I know all the moral and actual implications eating meat has. I've watched tons of documentaries and even more hours of videos by Ed, Alex and others as well as discussing with friends. I just struggle to override my inherent desire to eat certain foods at certain points. Especially with take-out or when in a restaurant. But these videos do good work. I'd say I'm around 95% vegetarian already and probably around 60-70% vegan (in terms of meals I eat). I really like, how you, Ed, go about these discussions in a very logical and factual way and refrain from shaming your discussion partners or claiming moral supperiority over them. It makes it so much easier to listen to what you are saying. I guess I just have to continue listening to this kind of "propaganda" :P and with time it will become more and more nauseating to decide for eating meat and instead to eat plant based food.
I absolutely love his responses to your questions. The way you can see he is actually thinking about what you are saying and engaging with the ideas really shows a willingness to learn.
One of the best debates I've seen so far! Really restores faith and hope in humanity and urges us all to engage in more such conversations even if it's hard at times, because there are open minded people out there just waiting to know the truth. Very very heartwarming to watch! Made my day, thanks Ed.
Watching Ed work makes me genuinely emotional. Great conversation, and nice to see the meat eater be so open and flow with the conversation instead of shutting down when backed into a corner.
Fantastic discussion! That point about the animals' "fear of the unknown" was brilliant, and something I've never thought about before, but it's awfully depressing and upsetting. Of course, the subject of animal suffering on the factory farm was always depressing, but that was like a new layer to add to the pile of my perception of their misery.
As a vegan, do you agree we should create legislation to stop male genital mutilation (MGM) in the absence of consent ? I'm asking because Ed is against female genital mutilation but doesn't mention MGM. He speaks to the honors of killing animals because of suffering yet he fills to realize MGM. He fails in the same way he crates his Just because something is traditional doesn't mean its moral. MGM is tradition. However its a human rights violation and sexism against men. Women in US and UK are legally protected against mutilation. Men are afforded no protection against genital mutilation. Ed makes a big point in stating animals are victims because of the lack of consent. Boys do NOT give consent when their genitals are mutilated.
Excellent convo!!! Both Dennis and Ed are intelligent. The argument for veganism will always supersede any other argument. I hope Dennis goes vegan!! I can see his cognitive dissonance because his words do not align with his moral beliefs, which are seemingly compassionate. ❤️
@G They're outdoors and not right next to each other. I'm saying this as an inveterate masker and social distancer who is vaxxed and boostered, and hates that people at-risk are still being threatened by careless people.
@@Dantheman-nf9xk No, they are having a debate, not just a conversation. One person in the conversation is using rational arguments to support veganism as a lifestyle, and the other person, as usual, is using fallacies, rationalizations, and equivocations to contradict the idea of veganism as a lifestyle.
Do you think Dennis will go vegan?
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I hope he will!! 💕 Can't wait to get the book in the mail!
Love what your doing .... this discussion was great to watch 👌 Keep going Ed!! 💚🌱
I think he might!
He will. He’s followed the white rabbit. 🐇
Nope
Finally someone who didn't argue for moral relativism! This guy was one of the most open-minded people I've seen Ed interview. He didn't try to "win" the argument but actually listened and learned a lot. It gives me hope that there are people like this out there.
At the end of the day it all boils down to your choice, I eat non vegan foods you eat plant based foods, just respect other people
@@alipetuniashow respect other spizies in general, I'd say.
@@alipetuniashow ¬ What about the choice of the victims?
They are who matter when we decide whether or not to be vegan.
Also he was deeply honest unlike almost everyone else.
@@alipetuniashow is it? Is it a personal choice to kill someone? Or a choice is only personal until it doesn't harm anyone? Is it even a personal choice for me to wreck your car?
what a frickin sweetheart he needs a group of vegan friends to make some bomb ass food with
'Bomb ass food' - is that very hot chili?
@@verityandstumclellan8585 duh
i think more people just need to get shown how easy it could be. just learning something new
Good one
@@exisgenesis I agree cause I’m starting to try to make the transition cause I want to but have no idea where to start so I’m kinda all over the place with it and that can leave me to not eating properly
Ed, I really love how you never seize a “gotcha” moment as an opportunity to demoralize or embarrass people.
@@BlueNorth313 It entirely depends on the person you're talking to. Some people are just more open to having their minds and views changed in a calm and rational matter. Whereas, some may need a little more "intense push". Point is, there's not really a CORRECT way of being a vegan activist as long as violence isn't involved (including verbal abuse).
@@BlueNorth313 I agree with you when we’re talking about the general population. I still hold the view that activism of any kind that doesn’t involve unjust violence and blatant verbal abuse without constructive criticism, is welcomed and effective for getting the entire population to really “get the message”. I don’t disagree with your last comment, though.
He’s a smart guy! He was totally okay having his views challenged on camera and was not holding on to ‘being right’. What a great dude!
And of course, excellent job done by Ed!
I agree, we need more people like this guy in the world.
I think most peoples ego gets in the way of their development, this man certainly doesnt have that problem.
I’m particularly impressed that, when he is trying to represent Ed’s opinion, he doesn’t twist and alter it. It shows a sincere focus on understanding rather than “winning”.
He’s also naive. Why?
What is the primary difference between human beings and all other animals? Humans have the potential for reason; animals have no such potential. Consciousness makes one a being, but reason makes one human. The reason that animals cannot explore self awareness is because they lack reason; they have no capacity to understand concepts of right and wrong, mine and yours, us and them. They act solely on instinct: the instinct to procreate, to eat, to survive, and that is all; there is no species other than humanity that seeks out a moral imperative.
There is no dominant paradigm of right and wrong, good and evil in the animal kingdom outside of humanity. When a coyote kills my goats, or a raccoon pulls the heads off all of my chickens, or a black bear takes out one of my steers, can I press charges against them? Can I sue them for damages? No. Why? Because they don’t know the difference between right and wrong, or that they are giving any offense; they have no *potential* to know right from wrong; they are acting in pure instinct without any consideration of consequences, legal or moral. They do not regard the property of others, they cannot sympathize with the loss that any other experiences. That’s the difference.
Why is it wrong to eat a human being lying on the side of the road? Because unlike a deer or an o’possum, there is are people out there reasoning worst case scenarios and worrying about this missing member of the community, and they have a mental and emotional need to know what happened to them. The average doe, on the other hand, pops out anywhere between 45 and 60 fawns in a lifetime if she hits her lifespan of 23 years; she has no idea from season to season which offspring are still around her territory in a lifetime, nor does she care. Her only imperative is to be bred, to make more deer, and to pass on her genetics using the most virile bucks around her as many times as possible. She does not miss her offspring when they become roadkill.
So, the gist of the argument is this: Animals cannot be moral actors, have no potential to reason right or wrong, or to respect or consider the rights of others, therefore they do not have “rights.”
@@RestingBitchface7 Okay so the reason you think it is moral to murder animals is because they cannot reason.
So would you be okay in murdering humans who share the same traits as these animals? So humans who do not understand the concept of right and wrong, who cannot reason. Such humans exist. Would you be okay in murdering them? Yes or no?
Yes...! Never seen such a humble guy where he is open to accepting and not blinded by his beliefs.
I use to be a federal slaughterhouse inspector. The things I witnessed will haunt me forever. Had I known there was a different option I would have changed much earlier. I think if most saw what I did they would be standing up in the streets against this atrocity.
@@pacmanmcgavin7034 I remember before I was vegan, I would actively seek out vegans on UA-cam comment sections and argue with them because I wanted to prove to myself that eating meat was right, vegans were whiny, etc. But I just found myself being proven wrong, over and over again. I hope you come to the same conclusions
@@TheRedstonePhoenix no really get used to it
Heart disease is nonexistent in carnivores. Do the math. …..#1 killer. Humans are unequivocally herbivorous.
But in order to stop the Holocaust we need witnesses to stand up. Thank you
@@TheRedstonePhoenix thank you! I spent enough time on this clown along with others like him. Spot on they comment on everything I say as if it’ll deter me or lead me to debate them. Their ego driven until they lose that they’ll be lost. I’m glad you saw the light, I know I had some issues believing in it at 1st especially given my upbringing. The pure lies this industry sells (like the doctors saying smoking is okay back in the day).. so ridiculous.
@The 40 year old Vegan - I salute you! I hope you are proud of yourself and your decision to go plant based. As to the memories, perhaps they will fade slowly, with time. But, you can be at peace with today and tomorrow as you step forward and away from your old yesterdays. Much respect and love.
I like this dude. Very open minded and capable of admitting when Ed makes a good point
Agreed, such people can change over time if they can overcome their addiction as they are open to critical thinking!
@@VeganSemihCyprus33 may be you should overcome your vegan addiction....peace out
Agree, he was cool! Everybody should be openminded like him then the world would be a lot better!
@@మిత్రమాఏమంటావ్ I like how you end your idiotic point with “peace out”. He really thinks he dropped a truth bomb on us silly vegans lmao
@@Jack13001 why are you pressed
The hard part about becoming Vegan is definitely the social aspect of it. Food is almost always the central theme of celebrations and togetherness. As a Vegan you always have to remove yourself somewhat from those activities. I say somewhat because you can still be present and have a good time, but you're not eating what "they" are eating.
Do you want a piece of my birthday cake and ice cream? No, thank you.
You could eat what they are eating, if the whole meal is vegan. For this Christmas me and my vegan partner are invited to his omni family. And they spacifically asked how to make a vegan dinner, since they wanna welcome us. I'm so exited!
@@fridadanke9076 this is so heartwarming! I love it.
@@fridadanke9076 Yes. That is why I said "somewhat" because many times people understand and welcome it. My mom makes vegan dinners for too. I appreciate it too.
Totally agree with you.. it comes to the point where people and family members see you as strange or snob for not wanting to eat what they are eating even if you are preparing side dishes on a family gathering.. another difficult thing is tradition, food that is passed in by your grandparents and you are supposed to make for Xmas but is not vegan..
I can 100% relate to this! It was my brother's birthday and the cake wasn't vegan, so I couldn't eat it. Especially the flavour was my favourite 😔. I felt so bad but my parents did not do it intentionally. I was sad that I couldn't eat that cake when everyone was enjoying :(
I always watch these debate's because it's funny to see how angry the non-vegans get but this man was by far the best I've watched. So respectful and open minded and knew when Ed was actually making valid points.
Yes! He listened and effectively vocalised what a lot of people thought before going vegan!
he will still eat meat and laugh at vegans later
Nonvegans get mad at the way the vegans are looking at the world. And a majority of vegans would go crazy if they talked to an actual dietary scholar.
@@granta3044 normal ppl dont get mad at vegans view of the world, they get mad because vegans are annoying religious zealots who want to make it illegal to eat nutritious food.
@@GarudaLegends thats their view on the world. Huh?
This guy was ME 2 years ago. Seeds are being planted… things are starting to make sense in his mind. He’ll be vegan very soon!
The cognitive dissonance with vegans is quite amazing.
I used to work a 20 acre produce farm. 20 acres is quite small and can only produce enough to feed a couple vegans their entire diet.
The hard truth is....on just that small farm...15-20 deer would be killed, every year...dozens of raccoons, opossums, woodchucks, skunks, rabbits, squirrels, chipmunks, mice, rats, various birds, etc. would also be killed. Fortunately, most of the deer were taken home and used to feed families...the rest just went to waste.
For the amount of food grown, to feed one single vegan their entire diet...there would be anywhere from 30-50 wild/FREE animals killed...every single year!
Being vegan isn't so vegan after-all.
@@fermiticus4034 why or how were they killed? Like through accidents, hunting, bc they were destroying the field, im genuinely curious?
I'll gladly admit that veganism has its flaws to, like of course, the food i consume grows somewhere that takes up space for local wildlife and nature too and whatnot, but it's the best i can do. So why should i change back to consuming animal products, which means a lot more harm done?
@@ponicxdestiny1601 I'm not trying to change you or your ways. Just trying to make those with a superior morality complex aware, that animals are being killed on their behalf.
To your question...most of the smaller critters find poison pellets...the bigger ones are trapped and/or shot on sight. The deer are shot. Why? To protect the livelihoods of those who grow your food.
@Dhruva Punde Fair 'nuff!
@@fermiticus4034 We’re trying to minimize the amount of suffering and deaths, we don’t deny that animals are still killed for a vegan diet. It’s not really an issue of moral superiority either, it’s just a matter of right and wrong.
One of the more reasonable humans you've interviewed 😆
Yeah really open minded
Great to see someone who is open minded and not playing defensive omnivore bingo. Well done Ed.
I love the term "defensive omnivore bingo" - gonna steal that haha
Zoologically we are omnivores
@@alipetuniashow and gratefully, in modern society, we are able to let morality guide our actions instead 💛
@@lou__ley I mean if you say that it’s morally wrong to kill animals for food than that’s an opinion
@@alipetuniashow is it ever morally acceptable to cause any degree of suffering if it isn’t strictly necessary?
It’s rare that you see this openness, he’s definitely a smart guy. And not afraid to “lose” and argument. Class act.
Im already vegan but 19:40 hit me in a totally different way. The innocence of animals we exploit is truly heartbreaking. I'm actually not okay right now like that has really messed with my head.
Khalani, i know, me too. Ed made a deeply profound point.
There are not many of these debates that leave me with a smile on my face. Keep it up, Ed! You give me faith that the rest of the world will get there.
The cognitive dissonance with vegans is quite amazing.
I used to work a 20 acre produce farm. 20 acres is quite small and can only produce enough to feed a couple vegans their entire diet.
The hard truth is....on just that small farm...15-20 deer would be killed, every year...dozens of raccoons, opossums, woodchucks, skunks, rabbits, squirrels, chipmunks, mice, rats, various birds, etc. would also be killed. Fortunately, most of the deer were taken home and used to feed families...the rest just went to waste.
For the amount of food grown, to feed one single vegan their entire diet...there would be anywhere from 30-50 wild/FREE animals killed...every single year!
Being vegan isn't so vegan after-all.
Ikr he literally subliminally restores faith to at least 5.4% of the global population with every video defo the second coming of Jesus Christ
@@fermiticus4034 facts and they fail to acknowledge thousands of years of developing genetic mechanisms to assimilate vital nutrients from animal sources that can’t be synthesised from plant sources after removing them cold turkey in one generation
@@apollosun2725 I agree up until you said one generation. This has been happening for as long as agriculture has been around, whether by choice or otherwise. entire populations have survived primarily off potatoes, corn, or wheat for much of their diet. we have not had the abundance of meat, if anything, as rapidly as we have to grains, veggies, and fruits. so, to your point, we've been relying on plants for as long as anything else we consume. if you're referring to the rise in vegan alternatives, that is definitely quicker, but, even then, it's already been years as the shift is slow and steady. it could be a couple generations before even half of the world is vegan
@@fermiticus4034 Is it really cognitive dissonance? It takes a lot more farmland to feed animals with which to feed ourselves.
There’s something about the way you argue Ed that is just so persuasive. You don’t force your opinion on people, you lead them through the conversation so that they understand by themselves. It’s just incredible.
I’ve been vegan for 7 years, but Ed’s point at 20:15 hits hard. It’s so sad what animals go through.
Let me just say, I'm Polish, I still enjoy ALL of my traditional dishes that I have before I went vegan, but now made vegan. Not hard to change out a couple of ingredients. The flavor of the food comes from herbs and spices and the way in which they are prepared.
Djien dobre
@@samdoyle3945 jak sie masz? :)
@@0wnuquik jestem bardzo glodny (ladne nogi)
Me too! I remember when I was making ruskie pierogis, I was a bit scared how it would taste if I swapped the cottage cheese for vegan cheese spread (the closest thing I could find to plant-based cottage cheese). But it was actually pretty nice! A little more buttery taste than usual, but my aunt actually liked it and said that she couldn't tell the difference.
Aww, he was so friendly and positive and really seemed to have gotten something out of the discussion. Very nice! :)
This kid is definitely gonna end up vegan. What a great open-minded and rational listener.
The only kind Ed can deal with. Up against someone with real debating skills, Ed is reduced to talking points.
@@gardenofeels6872 your comment history is embarrassing
I’m not so sure on that
Nah, he seems intellegent and will follow the science. Lol
@@samsam060402 Your shoes are embarrassing.
I love this kid! He was willing to admit when he was wrong or when Ed had a good point. I have hope that he might actually go vegan.
As a vegan, do you agree we should create legislation to stop male genital mutilation (MGM) in the absence of consent ?
I'm asking because Ed is against female genital mutilation but doesn't mention MGM. He speaks to the honors of killing animals because of suffering yet he fills to realize MGM. He fails in the same way he crates his
Just because something is traditional doesn't mean its moral.
MGM is tradition. However its a human rights violation and sexism against men.
Women in US and UK are legally protected against mutilation.
Men are afforded no protection against genital mutilation. Ed makes a big point in stating animals are victims because of the lack of consent.
Boys do NOT give consent when their genitals are mutilated.
@@mortgageapprovals8933 I'm confused. can you explain when boys go though MGM without consent?
@@lawrencestanding5034 At birth.
Circumcision
@@mortgageapprovals8933 Hey, not the op, but I'm totally down for banning circumcision, and vegan.
This is the most pleasant discussion I've seen In a while both showed each other respect. And not emotionally charged or heated and a very logical discussion and deconstruction.
I like how Ed dismissed beyond meat. We don't need these substitutes to realize that animal suffering is wrong and I appreciate that. Is beyond meat/impossible nice? Sure, but who cares? I can eat chickpeas and green beans all day.
Taste changes so quickly, I ate burgers for 40 years, then after being vegan for 3 years, I ate a beyond burger. It seemed so real to me, that I almost threw up. I was in a local restaurant where I know the owner, and I had this horrible thought that she had played a trick on me, and given me real meat. Don't let taste dictate kindness.
Taste does change so quickly. When I was transitioning from vegetarian to vegan, i tried some Feta cheese, which I used to really like. It tasted and smelled like rotten milk.
I can't eath those beyond burgers as well, it smells so disgusting but I think for people who have problems going vegan they are such a great achievement 😊
He waited for quite some time to have this conversation and yet he was willing to listen.
I saw the end too, that was heart warming.
Awww Dennis was so sweet at the end, asking for a picture with you and then saying “I’m GLAD I stopped to do this!”
Hope the 💡went on for him! He would be a great addition to team veg ❤️🌱
I wish I could debate like Ed! So calm and clear!!
You can.
I wish that non-vegans I debate with were as open-minded as Dennis ;)
Love this guy 💚 I see so much potential in him, he is open minded and took every bit of Ed’s information on board :) Hopefully another non vegan influenced to lead a more ethical lifestyle 🌱
This guy is actually very open-minded and not allowing himself to be stuck in his carnivorous ways. I appreciate this because many of the people Ed interviews do not allow themselves to truly listen to Ed.
Thank you Dennis for being respectful and actually trying to make good points. This was a very enjoyable discussion to see, and while I don't agree with you, I understand that your point is actually convincing for you. Thank you 🙃
Your content has helped me to express my thoughts regarding animal agriculture so much. Much love and respect!
I am always blown away with how considerately you accept and acknowledge the other person's opinion, then pose to them an amazing point that makes them really think and reconsider what they've said. Pre-ordering your book now!
As a vegan, do you agree we should create legislation to stop male genital mutilation (MGM) in the absence of consent ?
I'm asking because Ed is against female genital mutilation but doesn't mention MGM. He speaks to the honors of killing animals because of suffering yet he fills to realize MGM. He fails in the same way he crates his
Just because something is traditional doesn't mean its moral.
MGM is tradition. However its a human rights violation and sexism against men.
Women in US and UK are legally protected against mutilation.
Men are afforded no protection against genital mutilation. Ed makes a big point in stating animals are victims because of the lack of consent.
Boys do NOT give consent when their genitals are mutilated.
I like this guy honestly, he's genuinely open and not defensive. Like right after your first point he essentially went "ok yeah you got me there" and I can highly respect that
finally! someone who isn’t arguing just to win!
I enjoyed listening to this debate.
It seems like a camera is necessary. The conversations I have with people about veganism ends pretty quickly when apathy becomes an acceptable position to them that they don't have to answer for. If I can defend myself it only means I'm not a fool, but it in no way means they have to change their behavior in their eyes.
You've planted a seed, whether you or they recognise it.
Sharing videos that, at some point, include flashes of the brutality involved, is also a good way to get people to see the reality. Then, you don't need to argue your point, because the visuals are devastating. People like to argue to be right, prove their point and convince themselves that eating flesh is justifiable. Videos prove them wrong every time.
I loved Dennis' openness, I think it's that spark of enlightenment that changes us. You can't forget what you learn in that moment and the more you look into it the more obvious the choice. I 'discovered' my self-imposed blindness about 6 years ago, it made me uncomfortable enough to research it a little more. 3 days later I switched to a vegan diet and stayed that way. I regret all those years of ignorance and my acceptance of what is considered 'normal'.
I agree with you. I feel very sad when I think how I contributed to animal suffering. On a positive note though, thankful I eventually woke up and can call myself a proper animal lover!
You heard it right, veganism = enlightenment now.
@@Backwaterhuman and carnism
Sounds like some vile cult of death.
@@123thesophster lol it's really not. Being an omnivore is normal, humans are born omnivores and you simply can't deny that fact
@@Dantheman-nf9xk your comment is irrelevant. There is absolutely no need to eat animals bodies. No need whatsoever. So don’t give me that cave man toxic male bullshit. There is so much food out there which gives you protein without the need to end the life of animals who want to live and certainly no need to intensively factory farm animals causing immense suffering.
Good to see the guy earnestly engaging, even if the arguments are lvl 1.
I like the part where he brings up an argument but then immediately realises how illogical it is, and states the counter to the initial argument out loud as if to pre-empt what Ed was gonna respond with. Conversion 101
Is he though? Is this not exactly how a politician would answer? Nod a lot, be complimentary to play into the audience, pretend like you're friends and like you're so open minded because you smile and compliment the guy everytime you can't think of a response?
What a nice guy! I really enjoyed this debate/informative conversation!
It's disappointing to see some people in the comments who are being very negative towards this guy. He's better than almost every other meat eater in terms of intellectual honesty in debates like this and changed his mind significantly in a single 20 minute conversation. Even though it wasn't all the way, this is one of the best outcomes you can have. As a community that recognises the dissonance of meat eating and how widespread the dogma that eating meat is normal throughout society, I expected better of some commenters (almost all are very positive, it's just a small minority ruining things)
If this guy keeps thinking the way he started to here, he'll be vegan soon.
@@spaceylacey83 he reminds me a lot of me when i made the switch. I think you might be right :)
Bruh almost every follower of Ed has a hatred towards non vegans, for some reason they can’t grasp the concept that eating animals is normal, anything that goes towards their ideology or belief they will shit on that person
@@alipetuniashow Eating animals isn't necessary. You only do it for taste. Farmers around the world mistreat their animals and see them as products and not as animals they care for. There is no argument against veganism we can't debunk.
@@lonelyjelly9966 that argument is two sided I could say being vegan isn’t necessary
The fact that Dennis is positive and friendly in contrast of previous debaters who came to "fight" and "win" is wonderful.
Brilliant. A very intelligent obviously nice guy. I'm sure he will investigate a bit now. He needs to know that the life these animals have BEFORE slaughter is horrendous.
So what do you do with now you don't eat them?
@@AlphGen Obviously stop artificially breeding them by the billions. Phase them out.
@@jonjonwp so kill them off, doesn't sound very caring and sharing more meat eater mate. You do know a single bull can service many cows everyday so you don't need special breeding programs once they are free to eat, hump and breed all day
@@AlphGen I can't take you seriously when you ignore what I said. I never mentioned killing. I said stop artificially breeding them and phase them out.
Over 90% of animals are factory farmed and never have natural sex. I'm sure you have seen how they anally electrocute the bulls to collect the semen. A few bulls with cows are irrelevant to the big picture. No way is there land enough for billions upon billions of animals to be outside.
@@jonjonwp but you have now freed the animals and are looking after them in your vegan sanctuary. Of course natural sex for you and the cattle is possible. Stop looking backwards and think about how to save them and not murder them by letting them die, they are sentient beings
Intelligent, thoughtful guy. Completely forgot I’d ordered a signed copy of Ed’s book too. Not long now!
I don't think I've ever watched or experienced an interaction with someone so genuinely thoughtful and open minded. What a lovely man Dennis is.
This was the smartest most logical person you've ever had a debate with. He'll be vegan any day now.
Love it when an intelligent human sits down, listens to an argument, and can reconsider their position. It’s ok to be wrong. So refreshing. Great stuff Ed!
Just want to add another voice saying that this guy was so sweet and open-minded… and cute too 😅 Great conversation, Ed!
As a vegan, do you agree we should create legislation to stop male genital mutilation (MGM) in the absence of consent ?
I'm asking because Ed is against female genital mutilation but doesn't mention MGM. He speaks to the honors of killing animals because of suffering yet he fills to realize MGM. He fails in the same way he crates his
Just because something is traditional doesn't mean its moral.
MGM is tradition. However its a human rights violation and sexism against men.
Women in US and UK are legally protected against mutilation.
Men are afforded no protection against genital mutilation. Ed makes a big point in stating animals are victims because of the lack of consent.
Boys do NOT give consent when their genitals are mutilated.
@@mortgageapprovals8933 Personally, I am against circumcision. I have no idea how Ed feels on the topic but I don’t think that it’s his job to advocate for every cause under the sun just because he’s an activist. It’s been awhile since I’ve watched this clip but if memory serves, Ed doesn’t bring up FGM because he’s trying to convince the student that it’s wrong- he’s just bringing it up to make a point about moral relativism.
@@taliamiller3381 yes that's exactly my point
He uses moral relatism with fgm as an example. He doesn't even think of using mgm as an example. This speaks to his dismissive and uncaring attitude about men. Why always focus ok fgm and not pinpoint other horrors. Child labour, sex slaves, mgm.
Im trying to highlight the incredible difficulty in constructing a hierarchy of morality
Many vegans argue they are better people because they don't eat meat. That may be true . The bigger push seems to be not so much for the well being of animals but the ability to tell the world I am better then you. Its a form of virtue signaling . What happens when 100% of the world becomes vegans. Then you cannot be better than someone on the basis of not eating meat. So we need to shift away from thinking I am better than you and focus on how our actions can make the world better .
I could be 100% wrong about something. That doesn't make me less right about something else. However this question is much harder to address when talking about morals rather than truths and facts
I donate to food banks. Does that mean I can eat meat now? I steal food. But only vegan items. Is that ok ? I build houses for homeless kids but I drive without insurance. (These are examples not about me)
I can't even begin to imagine how we would start evaluating morality and comparing people.
Who is more moral. The vegan who steals clothes from shelters or the non vegan that doesn't steal .
Who's more moral the HR rep who only hires black people but treats all her staff to BBQ once a year .
I really don't have the answer to any of this.. neither do you. Neither does Ed. So to make a blanket statment that vegans are better than non vegans highlights the virtue signaling aspect of vegans
For many vegans the well being of animals is secondary. The main objective is to say I am better than you
You might have an unemployed vegan or a heart surgeon who eats meat. Is the heart surgeon now a piece of garbage ? Is her dedication to saving lives diminished because some vegan contributes nothing to society and collects well fare benefits
Again I don't know.. neither do you.
Many vegans say meat waters are less moral. Thats very difficult to demonstrate. If you want to say choosing vegan diet over non vegan diet is more moral I might agree with that. Thats a reasonable and measurable thing to say.
Do you understand now you tribalism bigoted closed minded can't even begin to stop being an asshole.
Thats your problem. You think just because veganism is more moral than eating meat that ALL vegans are more moral and better and more superior people than meat eaters .
I've had vegans tell me they won't be friend with any non vegans. Ok.... fucking bitch . Then do you also stop being friends with anyone that doesn't support mgm. No you don't. So fuck you.
fuck head moron shit head bitch cunt. It only makes that action more moral .
I plant trees but scam people out of their money.
Fuck you dumb ass idiot
I really liked Denis. Very mature and logically without ego driven irrational arguments. Well done to both of you
You mean the vegans are the ones with irrational arguments
What is your basis for that comment?
I don't think you know a thing about the ego my friend.
I have no idea what you're talking about. If you want to discuss something specific you're welcome to. Empty comments are pointless. Have a good one
So important to eat a healthy vegan diet so people don't have excuses to eat animals and their secretions.
There’s nothing wrong with eating animals, if you want I could take you out deer 🦌 hunting and show you the ropes
@@alipetuniashow Did you even watch the video? The wrong part is the abuse and killing. We don’t need to eat animals nor their secretions to live. How do you morally justify killing an innocent sentient being who doesn’t wanna die?
@@filippomontini90 I agree with the abuse but how else do you get their meat
@@Wallace-mq5wl this is why I studied nutrition to help vegans that got sick from doing it wrong.
@@KevinLuna we need more of you !!!!
Many people give credit to the guy for being open minded which is true.
But to Ed is the one that makes it work. You can clearly tell that he’s built report with him before the chat. You can see the mutual respect that they have.
THAT IS huge skill. Very impressive!!
What a delightful conversation. Wish I could meet more genuine people like this guy.
Well done Ed… you picked a perfect guy for this conversation. Open minded, intelligent and logical. When you hear people say “That’s a good point” so many times, you know that changes are happening within his/her moral framework. It didn’t even sound like a debate at all. But I don’t think he’ll ever go vegan. Lol just kidding.. I’m almost 💯 percent certain he’ll go vegan soon because of that conversation. Great questions as always Ed. Looking forward to the upcoming event at Harvard! 👏
This is one of the best debates I’ve seen. Well done Ed👍🏻
Great conversation. So peaceful and understanding the both of them. Well done. They both respect each other's side
Ed, i am slowly slowly moving towards being a vegan on regular days (quit milk, quit eggs, quit meat most of they days) but with yoghurt and cheese and sauces it is very hard to quit; because i really am not a good cook. Plus i have big fish cravings from time to time. Still i am on a way, and although i have fears because of protein malnourishment, you really made me see that compassion is so so important. Thank you Ed!!!
It sounds like you're doing great. I started on my path to veganism by boycotting the animal products I considered to involve the most cruelty to produce (pork products, poultry and eggs) and after a while eliminated all the rest. But it took me several years to become vegan completely. So slowly does it and you'll eventually make it an effortless habit that doesn't even feel like a sacrifice.
@@sisypheanexistence8955 right. I hope it does not take years for me. I am grateful for empathetic peoole like you Living in my timeline
Right off the bat he recognizes that he hasn’t had the first-hand experience and, hence, the inability to actually come to terms with reality. If he did, yes Eddie: he’d be at Veggie Grill all day.
I used to live in Portland, Oregon. I had Veggie Grill on my email account. I moved to Mexico in 2019. I still get Veggie Grill emails...and I don't have the heart to remove it from my account. BTW the place I moved to in Mexico had no vegan restaurants or vegan alternatives, so it forced me to become a complete whole food vegan. Just this year tofu has arrived so now I am completely whole food except for some recipes with Tofu...which my wife loves because now she can have her tacos now for dinner (with tofu). lol
Tofu is basically a whole food don’t @ me
@@BrownOpsLeak I mean, right? I think of it as a whole food 😂
@@lou__ley The blocks of tofu are processed soy beans. The actual soy bean would be the whole food.
@@BrownOpsLeak If you don't want people to @ you, why make a comment. Plus you can turn off notifications.
What a wonderful demonstration of two people listening to each other and discussing. Well done Ed and Dennis! World leaders should watch and learn
Look forward to meeting Gerald! Well done Ed, and well done to this charming chap too.
Absolutely love this guy, Dennis. He is so honest and more importantly delightfully open to fresh perspectives. He was able to rise above all the conditioning and fixated cultural-culinary norms and embrace the new ideas presented so politely and concisely by Ed. Ed is a star and Dennis is a lovely open minded wondering child in this conversation. I felt really great watching this. I live in Sydney and some day it would be an honour to meet the incredibly loving Ed.
Very positive discussion, nice to see someone debating you who is so open minded.
Very enjoyable to watch Dennis lightbulbs go on and cogs turning in his head. Always impressed by Ed, your friendly approach, keeping the vibe up like a Master, while answering back encouragingly and filled with kindness.
What a lovely kid and it’s so refreshing to see a respectful, friendly discussion. Open minded and kind. Kudos to him for being so respectful.
My favorite interview you’ve done by far!! Ahh this conversation gave me such hope!!! 💛
As a vegan, do you agree we should create legislation to stop male genital mutilation (MGM) in the absence of consent ?
I'm asking because Ed is against female genital mutilation but doesn't mention MGM. He speaks to the honors of killing animals because of suffering yet he fills to realize MGM. He fails in the same way he crates his
Just because something is traditional doesn't mean its moral.
MGM is tradition. However its a human rights violation and sexism against men.
Women in US and UK are legally protected against mutilation.
Men are afforded no protection against genital mutilation. Ed makes a big point in stating animals are victims because of the lack of consent.
Boys do NOT give consent when their genitals are mutilated.
@@mortgageapprovals8933 I’m sure he is against it in principle as well, but the whole reason he brings up female mutilation is because it is widely seen as wrong and problematic by those who are outside the culture where it is practiced, and so he knows it’s an ethical wrong that meat-eaters will be able to relate to and draw logical conclusions from. I think it also is a reasonable thing to use as an example rather than male mutilation for two main reasons (that I’m aware of): One, because males are circumcised while infants, whereas females might be cut well into their teenage years, which is certainly a much more traumatic experience, and two, there are some health benefits to male circumcision whereas there is no medical/healthful reason to enact it on females. Ultimately, in modern society, with the availability of modern medicine, neither practice makes much sense, but I think we can appreciate that at least male circumcision has historically had more than just traditional value, while female mutilation amounts to no more than a misogynistic practice.
Definitely one of the better convos!
This left me with a smile on my face. Such a lovely, respectful conversation
These warm my heart. I wish more people were able to have these conversations without getting annoyed and upset and digging in their heels to support their way of living.
this was the most open minded conversation I’ve seen so far. both sides were very respectful and actually listened. keep up the good work!
Love the deep quality dialogue here... 🙏🏻
How refreshing - what a lovely lad! Willing to think things through and really gets it. I hope he makes the change. Awesome debate, Ed, as always.
I love that he keeps acknowledging you have great points. Gives me some hope
Brilliant conversation! I want to shake that young man's hand for being so open minded 🤝. Ed was wonderful as always 💚
love this guy! amazing to witness someones point of view being challenged in such a positive way - would love to see where he's at a year from now, and how he looks back on this convo. Great work as always, Ed!
just gotta say before watching I'm so happy that irl interviews are back! Ed definitely helped convince me when I first turned vegan.
I really enjoyed watching the conversation, mostly because no one is pushing each but really sincerely and honestly express themselves! Things r learnt and voices r heard! Sweet! And most importantly, thanks to Ed for making the conversation possible and available for all of us!
This was the first debate I've seen where someone actually listened with the intent to understand.
Definitely MY favourite as well!
What an open minded guy Dennis is! So great that he admitted when he learned something different and said „good point“ so much, you can really see his moral framework shift. Great conversation Ed, I’m very impressed by your empathetic, respectful and open-minded way of debating and conversating! Keep it up!
Good on you Ed. Its great to see more and more open minded people these days. The revolution is upon us ✌🏾💚
definitely my favorite conversation of these so far. it's great that he is able to reflect so much. he doesn't go into the conversation with his opinion set in stone. he is a very intelligent, logical thinking person and therefore the conversation was very inspiring. thank you both!
Love to see people having a respectful and healthy debate. A skill which seems to be lost as the years go by, great video.
Great to see his good reactions to reasonable arguments
This was a pleasure to watch! It's fantastic to see that this guy was so open to having an honest, productive conversation. I hope more of Ed's future debates go like this.
More of those.
We need more of these.
MORE MORE MORE PLS
Watching these videos teaches me how to approach these conversations in my own personal life. Thank you.
Much respect to this guy, he's honest and genuine. He doesn't go around in circles because he hasn't listened to you. This is someone who is comfortable enough in himself to be vulnerable and not jump on the defensive.
Solid debate! It's so nice to see 2 people having a mature talk, with honesty and openness. Good job Ed! 👏
Amazing conversation! I thought at times that Ed could have given him more space to talk, he often took the mic away from him in the middle of a sentence 🤔
omg this was the best conversation! dennis is so open and such a good dude!
I dont always comment on your videos but this was a fantastic interview and Dennis was so thoughtful in his answers and more importantly, he was honest with himself throughout. Thank you for this great video
I really enjoyed this one. Mostly because Dennis made a very good stand-in for myself.
Thing is, I know all the moral and actual implications eating meat has. I've watched tons of documentaries and even more hours of videos by Ed, Alex and others as well as discussing with friends. I just struggle to override my inherent desire to eat certain foods at certain points. Especially with take-out or when in a restaurant.
But these videos do good work. I'd say I'm around 95% vegetarian already and probably around 60-70% vegan (in terms of meals I eat).
I really like, how you, Ed, go about these discussions in a very logical and factual way and refrain from shaming your discussion partners or claiming moral supperiority over them. It makes it so much easier to listen to what you are saying.
I guess I just have to continue listening to this kind of "propaganda" :P and with time it will become more and more nauseating to decide for eating meat and instead to eat plant based food.
I absolutely love his responses to your questions. The way you can see he is actually thinking about what you are saying and engaging with the ideas really shows a willingness to learn.
Warms my heart to see someone be genuinely nice to Ed. He deserves to be treated well :)
One of the best debates I've seen so far! Really restores faith and hope in humanity and urges us all to engage in more such conversations even if it's hard at times, because there are open minded people out there just waiting to know the truth.
Very very heartwarming to watch! Made my day, thanks Ed.
Watching Ed work makes me genuinely emotional. Great conversation, and nice to see the meat eater be so open and flow with the conversation instead of shutting down when backed into a corner.
When the ego doesnt get in the way.. this is what happen ! CHEERS
Great conversation and listening skills.
Fantastic discussion! That point about the animals' "fear of the unknown" was brilliant, and something I've never thought about before, but it's awfully depressing and upsetting. Of course, the subject of animal suffering on the factory farm was always depressing, but that was like a new layer to add to the pile of my perception of their misery.
ua-cam.com/video/lNtWs9-wNpQ/v-deo.html
What a great moment! Thanks Dennis- and Ed!
This was so refreshing to watch ~ he seems like a thoughtful, nice guy
I have a great feeling that you just changed his life. Amazing work Ed! :)
It's always nice to see a conversation where someone is open minded 💚
As a vegan, do you agree we should create legislation to stop male genital mutilation (MGM) in the absence of consent ?
I'm asking because Ed is against female genital mutilation but doesn't mention MGM. He speaks to the honors of killing animals because of suffering yet he fills to realize MGM. He fails in the same way he crates his
Just because something is traditional doesn't mean its moral.
MGM is tradition. However its a human rights violation and sexism against men.
Women in US and UK are legally protected against mutilation.
Men are afforded no protection against genital mutilation. Ed makes a big point in stating animals are victims because of the lack of consent.
Boys do NOT give consent when their genitals are mutilated.
Excellent convo!!! Both Dennis and Ed are intelligent. The argument for veganism will always supersede any other argument. I hope Dennis goes vegan!! I can see his cognitive dissonance because his words do not align with his moral beliefs, which are seemingly compassionate. ❤️
@G They're outdoors and not right next to each other. I'm saying this as an inveterate masker and social distancer who is vaxxed and boostered, and hates that people at-risk are still being threatened by careless people.
If I smile and nod at everything an interviewer asked me, am I also friendly and intelligent?
The argument doesnt always supersede any other argument. It's just how you want to live
@@Dantheman-nf9xk No, they are having a debate, not just a conversation. One person in the conversation is using rational arguments to support veganism as a lifestyle, and the other person, as usual, is using fallacies, rationalizations, and equivocations to contradict the idea of veganism as a lifestyle.
@@tamcon72 fallacies, sure bud. At least we don't have to take supplements to live 🤣
Thanks!