Sam Harris: Why I Quit Veganism

Philosopher and author Sam Harris has been criticised for his inconsistent approach to veganism. Harris has publicly recognised the arguments for veganism and has called factory farming a horror show, yet he has stopped short of embracing the movement himself. Harris has tried vegetarianism in the past but stopped because he felt he wasn't getting enough protein and became anaemic. He has also said that he didn't feel great and that his unhealthy fats had actually gone up. Harris has been criticised for his weak arguments and pseudo-scientific evidence for abandoning veganism. Many believe that Harris is making excuses and that he simply prefers the taste of meat.

Sam Harris's anaemia

Sam Harris, a philosopher and author, has been a vocal supporter of veganism, recognising the ethical arguments for the diet. However, he has been unable to commit to the lifestyle himself, citing health concerns, particularly anaemia.

Harris has been criticised for his inconsistent approach to the topic, with some accusing him of intellectual laziness and a lack of rigour in his reasoning. Harris has stated that he tried veganism and vegetarianism but experienced negative health effects, including anaemia, and so returned to eating meat. He has also said that he found it difficult to get enough protein on a vegan diet, and that he did not enjoy eating fish, which he tried as an alternative to meat.

Harris has been open about his struggles with veganism, and some have defended him, arguing that different people respond differently to diets, and that it is hard to make such a significant change. However, others have pointed out that Harris has access to resources that could help him address these issues, such as dietitians and nutritionists, and that his health concerns could be addressed through supplements or changes to his diet.

Harris's stance on veganism has been a source of frustration for some of his fans, who feel that he is not practicing what he preaches, and that he is not taking the issue of factory farming seriously enough.

His preference for meat

Sam Harris, a philosopher, has been a source of frustration for vegans due to his public recognition of the arguments for veganism, yet his failure to embrace the movement himself. Harris has been open about his struggles with vegetarianism, which he tried for about six years, but ultimately stopped because he felt he wasn't getting enough protein and became anemic. He has also stated that he doesn't like fish, and that he feels better when he eats meat.

Harris has been criticised for his "weak arguments" and "pseudo-scientific evidence" for eating meat again. Some believe that he is being lazy and that he should simply admit that he likes meat and misses it. Others have pointed out that Harris has a busy schedule and that it would be challenging for him to plan a vegan diet. Some have also suggested that he could afford a dietitian to help him plan his meals.

Harris has responded to criticism by saying that he supports "natural, grass-fed, more ethically sustainable ways of raising animals" and that he doesn't "make crazy sacrifices" to ensure that the meat he eats is ethically sourced. He has also said that he imagines his approach to the problem of factory farming, cultured meat, is in a "zero-sum contest with veganism".

His inconsistent reasoning

Sam Harris is a frustrating figure for vegans. He has publicly recognized the arguments for veganism, yet stopped short of embracing the movement for unsatisfying reasons. Harris’s public engagement with vegetarianism began as he stumbled into the conversation with Paul Bloom on his podcast. Harris says that he had already tried vegetarianism for about 6 years and became very sick—anemic, he says at one point, and “due to a lack of protein” he says elsewhere. Following the podcast with Bloom, many listeners asked him about his journey toward vegetarianism and, perhaps, veganism, but every time the topic came up from this point forward he seemed defeated.

Harris says that he has “recanted” on vegetarianism altogether, comparing his dietary change to a heresy. He calls vegans the “vegan mafia,” and compares leaving vegetarianism to a heresy. He also says that he tried veganism again but didn't feel great. He says that his blood work came back and his unhealthy fats had gone up. He also says that he generally didn't feel great. He then says that he started eating fish, but he didn't like it and it didn't work for him. So he started eating meat again and he felt better.

Harris’s reasoning is inconsistent with his usual standards of rigor. He is generally incredibly articulate, clear, and logical. He is also highly rigorous – he breaks down arguments, demands evidence where possible, follows through to all their possible conclusions, considers different permutations and so on. But on vegetarianism, he suspends this attitude. It is the one topic where Sam offers/accepts very weak arguments. For example, the “protein issue" is a very common point. It’s also a weak intellectual position. I equate it with other positions many people hold such as “if there is no God then why care about morality?” In other words, very common but philosophically and scientifically weak. Sam, of all people, throws this vague line out there and offers no further justification for it. And yet whatever dietary lifestyle you have, it should be blatantly clear to anyone who does minimal research on the issue that you can get enough protein from a vegan diet, let alone vegetarian. There are vegan ultramarathon champions, vegan UFC fighters, vegan “world’s strongest man” etc. All of which demand not only sufficient protein for “regular” people, but enough for extraordinarily demanding physical lifestyles.

Harris also made his conclusion without looking into obvious possible alternative explanations or confounding factors, such as: he was pushing 50 at the time. Were his fat levels rising anyway because of age? Was he getting tired with age? Did he pick up a seasonal cold? Alternatively, maybe he was eating a bad vegan diet, such as lots of pasta and oil and not much legumes, grains, veg, etc.

Harris also claims that he can't be healthy on a diet with fish either. It has to be the meat whose flavor he enjoys. Vegetarians, on average, live longer than non-vegetarians. This doesn’t prove that it’s healthier, but it's very strong evidence that vegetarianism is not bad for your health. And eating fish is almost universally recognized as very healthy.

Harris is essentially claiming to be a scientific anomaly and offering no evidence of it beyond his “general feelings” or pseudo-scientific evidence. This is really strange given what he’s like on every other topic.

His lack of commitment

Sam Harris's lack of commitment to veganism is a source of frustration for many of his fans, who see it as a failure to live up to his own moral philosophy. Harris has publicly recognised the arguments for veganism, yet stopped short of embracing the movement himself. This has led to accusations of hypocrisy, particularly as Harris has been vocal about other moral issues, such as factory farming.

Harris has cited health concerns as the main reason for his decision to stop being vegan. He has claimed that he became anaemic and deficient in protein during his time as a vegan, and that he generally "didn't feel great". However, many have questioned the validity of these claims, suggesting that Harris could have addressed any deficiencies through supplements or changes to his diet. Some have also accused Harris of intellectual laziness on this topic, suggesting that he has not thoroughly investigated the potential solutions to his health concerns.

Harris's wealth and resources have also been raised as a point of criticism, with some arguing that he could easily afford to consult dietitians or chefs to help him maintain a vegan diet. This criticism is particularly pointed given Harris's tendency to demand rigorous evidence and intellectual consistency from others.

Overall, Harris's decision to stop being vegan is seen by some as a failure to live up to his own moral standards and a lack of commitment to a cause he claims to support. While he has been open about his struggles with veganism, some fans feel that he has not provided sufficient justification for his decision to stop being vegan, particularly given his influence and position as a public intellectual.

His dismissal of veganism

Sam Harris, a philosopher and podcaster, has been criticised for his inconsistent attitude towards veganism. Harris has publicly recognised the arguments for veganism, yet stopped short of embracing the movement for unsatisfying reasons. Harris has a history of flip-flopping on the issue, at times expressing concern about his health and seeming sincere about making a dietary change, and at other times comparing leaving vegetarianism to a heresy. Harris's approach to the topic has been described as "lazy" and "unscientific", and his justifications for abandoning veganism as "pseudo-scientific" and "bulls*".

Harris's main argument for abandoning veganism is that he felt unhealthy and anaemic while following a vegan diet. He has claimed that he was not getting enough protein and that his bloodwork showed increased levels of unhealthy fats. However, critics argue that Harris did not thoroughly investigate other possible causes for his health issues and did not seek professional dietary advice. They also point out that it is well-established that a vegan diet can provide sufficient protein and be beneficial for health. Harris's approach to this topic has been contrasted with his normally rigorous and logical style of argumentation, and some have accused him of intellectual laziness and inconsistency.

Harris has also been criticised for his promotion of "ethical meat" and "happy cows" as an alternative to veganism. Critics argue that these ideas are grossly impractical and ignore the fact that even the happiest cow still lives a dramatically shortened life. They also point out that ethical meat does not scale and would require a significant amount of land to raise cattle on grass.

Overall, Harris's dismissal of veganism has been characterised as weak and unconvincing, and some have speculated that he simply enjoys eating meat and misses it. Despite his public recognition of the ethical arguments for veganism, Harris's approach to the topic has disappointed many of his fans who are vegans or vegetarians themselves.

Frequently asked questions