Category Archives: Veganism

Conservative MPs have formed a new vegan pressure group in order to expand the proud British tradition of the philosophy and way of living that seeks to exclude all forms of exploitation of, and cruelty to, animals for food, clothing or any other purpose.

The Vegan Conservatives were launched on Thursday to promote a meat-free diet and prevent dangerous climate change, reduce pandemic risk, and protect animals.

To mark the launch of the new caucus, 10 Tory MPs pledged to take part in Veganuary adoptinga plant-based diet for the month of January.

The group includes Crawley MP Henry Smith who gave up meat three decades ago because of what he described as animal welfare concerns during the meat production process and its impact on our global environment.

The MP for Watford, Dean Russell, said he was not expecting an eureka moment to convert to veganism permanently but wished to adopt a plant-based diet in the short term to try new experiences and be more mindful of the food we eat.

He added: I have had several constituents and friends tell me they have tried a vegan diet over the past year or two. So Im keen to walk in their shoes to see what the challenges are and the health benefits.

Other Parliamentarians taking part include deputy chairwoman of the European Research Group Andrea Jenkyns and MPs Christian Wakeford and James Daly.

Former minister Tracey Crouch, who is currently undergoing treatment for cancer, will also adopt the diet one day a week.

Andrew Boff, spokesperson for the Vegan Conservatives, said: Were thrilled that so many Conservative MPs are going vegan for January, and to officially launch the new Vegan Conservatives group.

At the heart of Conservatism is a desire to conserve and protect our environment. Moving towards a plant-based food system is critical if we are to prevent dangerous climate change, reduce pandemic risk, and protect animals.

The modern vegan movement was born here in the UK, and as Vegan Conservatives we want to build on, and expand, this proud British tradition.

Meanwhile, Matthew Glover, the co-founder of Veganuary, said it was inspiring to see MPs take part in the movement.

He said: Their leadership will hopefully encourage many more people to make a positive change in 2021 and try vegan this January.

The Government hopes to pursue a 'green' recovery from the coronavirus pandemic and has been keen to highlight its eco credentials ahead of the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP) in Glasgow in November 2021.

In November Prime Minister Boris Johnson unveiled a 12 billion 'Green Industrial Revolution' to help Britain tackle both climate concerns and economic damage.

As part of the 10-point plan, he announced a ban on new sales of gas and diesel cars to start in 2030 five years earlier than anticipated.

The recovery of our planet and of our economies can and must go hand-in-hand, he said in a statement.

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Conservative MPs form group to expand proud British tradition of veganism - Telegraph.co.uk

Whether its a healthier diet, reducing your carbon footprint, or helping to end animal suffering, there are a slew of reasons to choose a vegan lifestyle as your New Years resolution. But, similar to many other resolutions, a question arises: where to begin? The answer to this question varies depending on your situation. For instance, if youre a broke college student, perhaps your meals consists of French fries and Oreo cookies. Or, maybe youre on a cleanse and want to consume nothing but green drinks. Whatever the case, the most important thing to remember is that a plant-based lifestyle doesnt come with instructions. As long as youre helping to end animal exploitation, youre doing the right thing. However, to help you along in that New Years resolution, weve devised four ways to start you on a path that will literally change your life. You can thank us later.

1. Crush the stereotypesSome people equate veganism with people who live on hippie communes. However, nothing could be further from the truth, as there are well-known vegan lawyers, doctors, athletes, writers, musicians, and, yes, hippies. Furthermore, there is this idea that you have to live a certain way or believe certain ideals to be a real vegan. Again, this is untrue, as there are no personality prerequisites to leading a plant-based lifestyle. You dont need to be a health nut, a yoga teacher, millennial, or live in California to care about animals and the environment. In fact, there are so many different types of vegan: raw vegan, whole-foods vegan, low-fat vegan, no-carbohydrate vegan, and the type of vegan who will eat anything as long as its plant-based. Often, vegans are lumped together as the same, even though, similar to any other lifestyle group, we are a diverse and varied people.

2. Make your own definitionOnce you have proven that there is no such thing as a stereotypical vegan, you are on your way to making your own definition for plant-based living. For instance, you might focus on environmental concerns by avoiding plastic because of its harmful impact on nature. Or, you might choose to convince fitness aficionados to eschew whey-based protein powders. Whatever you choose, remember that theres no such thing as being a proper vegan, so long as you are plant-based and against the exploitation of animals. Many nuanced topics plague the vegan community, and its impossible to determine the correct answer. So, make your own definition, and live vegan by your own values.

3. Do what you need to doAvailability and access to certain resources should not define good or bad vegans, as we are all doing our best with what we have in order to live a compassionate, eco-friendly lifestyle. And, as vegans, its important to remember that not everyone has the resources to go to the farmers market, vegan bakery, local soap shop, and bulk store for every grocery trip. Sometimes, a persons only option is a large, corporate supermarket. For times like these, supporting other people is whats important, not condemnation.

4. Make a differenceVeganism is a journey with obstacles and hardships. Every situation is different, and if you do your best everyday, you should not feel guilty because of the perfect people you see online. Those people also make mistakes like the rest of us, and we are all working for a better world. Learn from your mistakes, and move on. Accidentally eating something that isnt vegan can be frustrating and horrifying, but, when these things happen, dont beat yourself up. Reading labels is a large part of this lifestyle, and making this a habit can be difficult if you have never done so before. Instead of getting down on yourself, give yourself credit for working hard to make change and help others.

Kathryn Lunger is a passionate vegan on a mission to help people working toward eco-friendly lifestyles.

Love the plant-based lifestyle as much as we do?Get the BEST vegan recipes, travel, celebrity interviews, product picks, and so much more inside every issue of VegNews Magazine. Find out why VegNews is the worlds #1 plant-based magazine by subscribing today!

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If Going Vegan is Your Resolution This Year, Read This - VegNews

Mumbai: While most citizens continue to blame the BMC for several civic issues, there are some who think its not solely the municipal corporation's task to maintain the city. These few have taken the responsibility of keeping the city green in their own hands and have been working tirelessly to achieve their goal.

One such good Samaritan is a former engineering student and activist, Sushant Bali, who has been promoting green Mumbai for the last four years. I dedicated my life to make this city a better place to live in, and that decision was an overnight one, says Bali, a resident of Mulund.

From promoting segregation and composting of waste at home, and planting more trees in association with the BMC and NGOs, Bali is working hard to meet his target. I read certain news stories on dumping grounds and the rising quantity of waste generated in the city. Thus, I decided to do something on my own. We cannot keep blaming the BMC for it, says the manager of Saahas NGO.

I started segregating waste at my house and even composted it. I then created awareness about it in my society and vicinity. Later, we tried to reach out to citizens of nearby areas, he adds.

According to Bali, because of the collective effort, he and his team have managed to composte at least 50 tonnes of waste in the last one and a half years.

Further, Bali has been closely working with the BMC to plant more trees in Mulund and other parts of the Eastern suburbs. We plant saplings in public places, open grounds, etc. I learnt a tree-planting technique from Himachal, and the same is being used by the civic body, he points out.

Not only tree plantation, but Bali is also keeping a watch on felling or trimming of the trees. For the first time, when I pointed out to the civic officials that they were not following the rules while chopping trees at Mulund, I faced a lot of opposition. However, I ensured that law is followed, he adds.

Since then, Bali can be spotted at almost every tree cutting drive of the BMC in the Eastern suburbs, which he visits armed with appropriate permissions, and ensures no excessive chopping is done. Bali is also a staunch supporter of veganism.

I have been promoting veganism for the last four years. My family, including wife and child, don't even consume dairy products. We urge people to go green, that is, consume nutritious food that we get through plants alone," Bali said.

I promote veganism everywhere I go. Initially, people opposed my ideas, but when they were confronted with statistical data about how animal are tortured even in the dairy industry, they are convinced. I aim to make this city clean, green and vegan one, Bali concludes.

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Angels of Mumbai: This man from Mulund is on a 'green' mission - Free Press Journal

The water temperature is around 9C far from freezing but theres something about jumping straight in that feels like being hit in the chest with a lump hammer. Ive been cold before but truthfully nothing like this.

This is the kind of cold that soaks right through to your bones in seconds. Its so cold, in fact, that getting out of the water and standing dripping on the stony beach feels positively warm. And yet at 8.20am on a grey Thursday morning in December, there are around 30 people at the cove in Greystones to partake of this daily ritual.

As recently as November, that number was apparently up to 60 a day or 100 on weekends. I eagerly accept a cup of steaming hot tea and a piece of gluten-free madeira cake from David Flynn one half of the Flynn twins better known as The Happy Pear and he asks me, Do you get it now?

And I have to admit, I do. Its invigorating and I dont think Ive ever felt so alive. The other swimmers gathered around in Dryrobes and flip-flops are amazed that after 20 years of living in Greystones, this is the first time Ive swum in the sea there.

And while Ive always meant to do it, it was an invitation from the Pear brothers and an order from the Weekend editor that got me here for a sunrise swim. The occasion is a chance to talk to the Flynns about their new book, The Happy Health Plan, as well as the ins and outs of running a health-based business that employs 150 people and has made the pair social media stars.

I think this is the seventh year weve been swimming here every day and the numbers have grown steadily in that time. First there was a small group of maybe five people, then that became 10 and then 20. This year the numbers exploded during lockdown because people didnt have much to do and they realised that a swim in the sea is healthy, gets you outdoors, doesnt cost anything and gets your day started on a fantastic adrenalised high, says David.

We swim at sunrise, which is around 8.30am at the moment but is around 4.50am in the summer. It doesnt take long: just jump in and out and you reap the rewards all day. Theres also something primal about watching the sun come up over the waves. You get this amazing light in the morning and you become plugged into the tides and what phase the moon is in.

Spend any time with the Flynn brothers and it quickly becomes apparent that what you see is what you get. They are relentlessly positive people who describe themselves as naturally optimistic by disposition. But behind the social media presence, the handstands and topless six-pack selfies, and the consistent message that plant-based eating is good for you, there are also two canny business people and a business thats been going for well over a decade.

There are also complicated personal lives. David was married to his partner Jan but has been separated for six years and together they have two daughters, Elsie, aged 10, and Izzie, aged seven. Today hes with a new love, Sabrina.

Stephen Flynn is married to child psychologist Justyna and together they have three kids, May aged 10, Theo, aged seven, and Ned, who is four. The twins brother Mark also works in the company. Throughout the interview we do upstairs at the caf in Greystones, around the corner from the cove, the pairs kids wander through to grab a cuddle with their dads before school.

The trick to cooking for kids is: dont ask. Cook whats good for them and put it down in front of them. Make sure they havent had snacks between meals and theyre much more likely to eat it. That said, while were both vegans, the kids arent. Were not hardcore about that at all, says David.

Stephen adds that his wife is Polish, and trips back to Poland were hard enough for himself as a vegan, but asking his mother-in-law to feed the kids vegan food was a non-starter.

I really wanted our oldest to be vegan when she was born but then we went to Poland. Our family there live on a farm and have all their own animals and they wouldnt know what a vegetarian was if you explained it to them. Good luck trying to leave the kids there and telling them they can only eat veg. I quickly learned that it takes a village to raise a family, he says.

When the kids are at home, they eat a vegan diet but when theyre out, they can eat what they like.

Our message has softened in recent years. Were not about pushing veganism or vegetarianism: theyre binary terms and arent helpful. There is no perfect but we want people to feel good and have better health, and that means eating a predominantly plant-based diet, says Stephen.

For example, nine out of 10 people in Ireland dont get their recommended daily amount of fibre. As a nation were doing appallingly in that regard we just dont eat enough whole foods. Being a vegan doesnt automatically make you healthy. You could eat a diet consisting of vegan sausages and vegan ice-cream and vegan doughnuts and still be incredibly unhealthy.

The Pear brothers want more Irish people to turn away from processed foods that have been overly interfered with to increase shelf life, and to make them look and taste better, at the expense of their health.

Processed food is designed to hijack your mammal brain. Our prehistoric ancestors had no access to refined sugar and refined fats: it was all about roots and shoots, says David.

Despite having published multiple vegan cookbooks in the past, The Happy Health Plan is the first health-based book that the brothers have released. It contains 90 recipes designed specifically with medical experts to help with various aspects of health. Under the microscope are heart health, skin condition, gut health and weight loss.

Significantly, the brothers say a key part of this initiative is that there is no calorie counting to be done and readers adopting the plans can eat as much as they want.

This is the big one, as far as were concerned. Over 50,000 people have been through the Happy Heart and Happy Gut courses weve run, and this book contains what weve learned in the process. Weve built these courses, both in person and online, with the advice of doctors and dieticians, and theyre medically sound, says Stephen.

The book also has a lot of stories from people who have improved their health and who enjoy their lives more as a result. Its all meant to be highly relatable. All the recipes are extremely tasty, but its the first book weve done where that hasnt actually been the main point this is about health and it happens to be tasty. Its all low-calorie food, high in fibre and low in energy density.

The big message is that people arent eating enough fibre and its having an effect on their health. So at this point, an awkward question has to be asked. How do they know? After all, the Happy Pear arent doctors and dont have medical qualifications. What puts them in a position of being able to offer others advice?

Its a good question. This is about hard data, not two lads in a vegetable shop selling veg. We started out reading books by people who really impressed us, like Dr Dean Ornish, who was able to reverse the indicators of cardiovascular heart disease, the biggest killer in the world, through diet. And we started realising that this could really help people so we read more, says David.

Next we went around the corner here in Greystones to Dr Brendan Cuddihy and asked could we borrow a nurse to help us run an experiment. We followed Dr Ornishs advice with a group of 20 volunteers and put them on a diet designed to lower cholesterol and improve heart health, and we measured their cholesterol, weight and blood pressure before and after. And we ran it as a cooking course, basically encouraging people to eat vegetables.

And we really didnt know what would happen but the results were amazing. There was a 20pc drop in cholesterol; people lost weight and reduced their blood pressure. From there we started to offer this course online, and we travelled and presented talks on the eating and cooking end of applying this scientific research.

The Flynn brothers have given talks at the Royal College of Surgeons in Dublin and at medical conferences in the UK. They ran a Happy Heart course for 75 medical professionals in the UK in one go.

The funny thing is that we were really nervous going in and trying to teach these guys about vegetables. We had total imposter syndrome and I was sure we were going to be caught out. Who are we to teach these men and women anything? But what we got was a really warm and receptive audience, says Stephen.

We gave one of our first presentations to doctors and when the first hand went up and the first question was asked, it was, Can I drink Diet Coke on this plan? That was funny but it really taught us these are people too. Theyre normal human beings as well as being doctors and they have their own health concerns. Its one thing to know the data and a different thing to put it into practice in your own life, says Stephen.

Similarly, the brothers gave a talk at the London School of Economics at a medical conference for 300 doctors, and again were worried about their qualifications to be there. The organiser took them aside and said basically, Youve helped 50,000 people through your courses and thats just as big an effect on peoples health as any doctors in the room. Youre just as entitled as anyone else to write a book on it.

But writing books on health and plant-based diets isnt the only thing the Flynn brothers do with their time. As well as being social activists, there is also a strain of capitalism in evidence, from the multiple business ventures to the successful cafs and courses on offer.

They work with supermarket chains and have their own range of ready meals. So what happens when the concerns of running a business clash with the ethics of promoting healthy eating?

Since the start of the business, theres been a conflict there. Basically, we do our best but none of our campaigning work would be possible without a means of paying our staffs wages. Last year we put up a post on social media saying we were taking a week off and would do a tour of schools for free, and we had to pull the post down because it was oversubscribed. We went to 20 schools but over 100 applied in 48 hours, says Stephen.

We saw 5,000 kids in the four provinces in one week. It was exhausting and very fulfilling but if we did that all the time, wed be broke. You need capitalism to get anything done. When we started, we wanted to do this as a charity but our dad sat us down and made us realise wed spend our entire lives looking for hand-outs.

So were using business to do this within the constraints of capitalism. Sometimes that works well and sometimes its a horrendous conflict, and basically you do your best. Sometimes it doesnt work.

Opened in 2017 and closed in June of last year, the Happy Pears Clondalkin caf and restaurant is an example of when the brothers extended things just that bit too far. Located in the Br Chrnin visitor centre, it was welcomed as an exciting departure for the town when it opened, and yet coronavirus put an end to it after the first lockdown in 2020.

We just didnt put enough energy into it. We overextended ourselves and around four years ago we borrowed 1.5m and had the idea of setting up a central production kitchen in Kilcoole, and opening up multiple cafs. We started with Clondalkin but quickly realised that this wasnt going to go the way we wanted it to, says David.

People wanted to actually see us there every day and we were spread quite thinly. Youd spend the entire day in the car between the multiple locations. We started to ask ourselves, Why are we doing this? I personally didnt feel connected to the business anymore and we had to ask ourselves: Whats enough?

The pair have also run into some of the perils of owning some of Irelands most followed social media accounts. Their Instagram account has 550,000 followers, and an average post attracts 10,000 likes and hundreds of comments. Great for advertising a brand, not so great if youre of a sensitive disposition people can be cruel online.

Negativity can get to you. You can post something and have it be misunderstood or whatever, and just find yourself thinking, I dont want to do this anymore. Overall, social is a double-edged sword. Were on a social mission so the reality is that if there was no social media, wed be standing by the road holding up signs, so it allows us to reach people, and thats great, says Stephen.

But at the same time... its a beast thats hungry and demands feeding. People are sometimes envious of the size of our following but they should know that it comes at a serious cost. There are algorithms that need to be fed and youre playing a game in which youre feeding the beast. And of the 500 comments left on a post, there might only be two or three that are negative but theyre the ones that stick with you.

The Happy Health Plan by David and Stephen Flynn is published by Penguin Life and is out now

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The Happy Pear: We just didnt put enough energy into it. We overextended ourselves... - Independent.ie

2021 is looking to be a promising year juxtaposed with 2020, but many of the wonderful things in the very near future were put in place during these dark months. Veganism held strong and advanced despite the odds. Celebrities adopted plant-based diets, restaurants continued to serve and more opened their doors for the first time, new products launched, millions of dollars in startup money was raised, and new laws were enacted to promote compassion and sustainability in 2021 and beyond. Here is just a snapshot of the good that came out of this tumultuous year.

1. Support + Feed did just thatWhat is now a transcontinental effort to support vegan restaurants and provide food for those in need, Support + Feeds two-fold mission has a ripple effect touching countless lives. The initiative has served nearly 60,000 plant-based meals to food insecure and BIPOC communities in addition to helping 42 vegan restaurants stay afloat amidst the ever-changing dining restrictions. While we wish there was not a need for this kind of work, Support + Feed is a reminder that good can rise from a bad situation.

2. Lizzo went veganAfter posting dozens of mouthwatering vegan how-to videos on TikTok, Lizzo announced in June that she had gone vegan. The mega-entertainer joins the ranks of other celebrities who have committed to (and perhaps unintentionally become spokespeople for) the plant-based lifestyle including Lewis Hamilton, Tabitha Brown, Ellen Pompeo, Joaquin Phoenix, Rooney Mara, and more. She may be a relatively new vegan, but her food looks fantastic, and were advocating for a primetime Lizzo cooking show in 2021.

3. Joaquin Phoenix gave an Oscar speech well never forgetTo accept his award as Best Actor at the 92nd Academy Awards, Phoenix raptured the celebrity audience and the viewers at home with a speech about compassion. He spoke of kindness not only toward humans, but toward animals most people think of as food. He specifically called out the dairy industry, confronting his listeners with their general acceptance to artificially inseminate a female cow, take her baby, and rob her of her milk all for the good of having something to pair with our cereal. Encore in 2021, please.

4. Vegan messaging went mainstreamThe vegan message is no longer confined to one-off billboards or the pages of VegNews magazine. From July through September, commercials featuring professional and Olympic dairy-free athletes ran on NBC with the singular message: ditch dairy. The PSAs were funded by Switch4Gooda plant-based nonprofit specifically focusing on the detriments of dairy. In 2020, vegans went bold. People arent just seeing ads for dairy alternatives, theyre being told to dump dairy completely.

5. Starbucks leaned into vegan Realizing that an unveganizable Impossible breakfast sandwich wouldnt pacify its plant-based customers, Starbucks waded further into vegan territory by introducing vegan-as-is breakfast items to select Seattle locations. The chain further demonstrated its commitment to sustainability by launching oatmilk nationwide. Perhaps 2021 will finally be the year of the vegan PSL.

6. Chef Chloe Coscarelli won her lawsuitFive years ago, vegan culinary darling Chloe Coscarelli opened her first brick and mortar in New York City. Shortly after, she was terminated from the company, which ironically still bore her name (by CHLOE). The Forbes 30 Under 30 go-getter has since opened her own popup in Miami and collaborated with several esteemed chefs and corporations, but in December, she finally closed the four-year by CHLOE lawsuit and regained possession of her namesake brand.

7. Lab-grown chicken became available to consumersIn Eat JUSTs case, the egg came before the chicken. The vegan food startup (formerly Hampton Creek) had been working on lab-grown chicken for years, but the business first gained fame with its creamy vegan mayonnaise and mung bean-based liquid eggs and patties. The cultured chicken made from cellsnot slaughteris now available as part of a three-course tasting menu at a fine-dining restaurant in Singapore.

8. Tabitha Brown made TikToks Top 10If youve ever enjoyed a TTLA at Whole Foods, you have Tabitha Brown to thank. The vegan actress first caught the viral bug after posting a video about her love for the sandwich on social media in 2017. In March of this year, she hopped on the TikTok train and rapidly gained a massive following, earning the number two spot on the platforms Top 100 trend report. Keep making videos, Tabitha. Well keep watching.

9. Delivery has never been more deliciousCraving a vegan pizza from Brooklyn, but live in Seattle? No problem. Want a one-of-a-kind plant-based piecake to celebrate Thanksgiving? It can be delivered to your door. Out of necessity, 2020 became the year of nationwide delivery. Coveted vegan productsfrom meats to cheeses to sweetswere surrounded with packing peanuts and dry ice to travel across state lines and bring a bit of joy to our quarantined households. Now we know its possible, theres no going back.

10. Nordstrom banned furThis high-end department store became the first in the US to discontinue the sale of fur and exotic animal skins. The mandate will go into effect in 2021. To all other department stores and fashion retailers: the precedent for cruelty-free fabrics has been set.

11. Bon Apptit Hires First Vegan ChefThis long-standing culinary media company is bounding back after multiple allegations of discrimination and unequal pay set against it in June. Along with implementing more progressive workplace protocols, the brand vastly diversified its staff with a round of new hires. On-boarded in October, Chrissy Tracey provides the Bon Apptit digital sphere with a fresh vegan perspective.

13. McDonalds announced the McPlantThe highly anticipated vegan burger option at McDonalds received mainstream attention, though many were more focused on the name rather than the enormous reveal. The fast-food behemoth became the brunt of the joke as social media and news outlets criticized the simplistic name and offered alternative branding options. The Beyond Meat-based patty will be released in yet-to-be-disclosed testing locations in 2021.

13. Lewis Hamilton broke a world recordTo win 92 timesno matter what the mediumis a respectable accomplishment in itself. Vegan Formula One race car driver Lewis Hamilton secured a world record this year by earning his 92nd Grand Prix win. Yes, thats a lot of trophies, but also, thats a lot of vegan champagne. Raise a glassgoodbye 2020, thanks for at least a few fond memories.

Tanya Flink is a Digital Editor at VegNews as well as a writer and fitness enthusiast living in Orange County, CA.

Love the plant-based lifestyle as much as we do?Get the BEST vegan recipes, travel, celebrity interviews, product picks, and so much more inside every issue of VegNews Magazine. Find out why VegNews is the worlds #1 plant-based magazine by subscribing today!

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13 Fabulous Vegan Things That Happened in 2020 - VegNews

First Lady Michelle Obama's "eat healthy" White House garden ignited a battle in the divisive "culture war. (Manuel Balce Ceneta / Associated Press)

Andrew Breitbart, who founded the far-right website Breitbart and who died in 2012, coined an aphorism: Politics is downstream from culture. In other words, cultural commitments come first, political ones second.

If this is a useful maxim, its high time we asked: Why do we keep drinking the dirty downstream water? American politics in 2020 has been a filthy swill, suffused with corruption, madness and soulless cruelty. For the new year, lets resolve to savor culture as beauty and intelligence, and call an end to culture war follies.

But first we have to understand Breitbarts maxim. However odious the man was, the line resonates.

Even trivial-seeming cultural preferences can lay the groundwork for politicking look no further than the Disco Sucks phenomenon of the 1970s. This was the ragtag movement in which white rock music fans in the heartland rose up, sometimes violently, against the new dance music, which was associated with cities, queer culture and people of color. At heart, Disco Sucks was a hazy form of what has hardened over the decades into contemporary white nationalism.

Likewise, the obsession with healthy, unprocessed food that gripped coastal residents in this century, and found an evangelist in former First Lady Michelle Obama, came across to some in red states as nanny-state condescension that required reaction. When Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) ran for president, he swore that his wife as first lady would bring French fries back to school lunches.

As for clothing and cars, opportunities for showdowns abound. People who drive hybrids and wear hemp, the cliche goes, vote left; in the reciprocal stereotype, people in tactical athleisure-wear piloting jacked-up pickups vote Trump.

Or say you like the chic, practical wardrobe of Rachel Maddow of MSNBC: thats a lefty style. If you prefer short, tight dresses in candy colors (think Ainsley Earhardt of Fox News), youre on the right.

And after years of having the meaning of such choices supercharged by social media, standup comics and especially the ideologues of the far right, people now get far more incensed about cultural artifacts ATVs, veganism, the national anthem, avocado toast, etc. than they do about public policy.

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Pundits, scholars and the unfake media insist that whats needed to cool off the passions and divisions of Trumptimes is better political reporting and civics education. But what if what we need instead is a richer culture?

I watch cable news and use social media, but, come on as culture, these things are pretty thin gruel. To the extent they can be considered theater or literature, they have a limited range of characters, predictable costuming, unsubtle dialogue, minimal emotional range and palette, and near-zero musical or visual artistry.

If were scrounging for morsels of sensory-emotional experience on CNN and Twitter, were not getting fed. Were being culturally underserved.

The internet destabilized the arts in thousands of ways, and beginning about 15 years ago social media, including YouTube, rolled in to supplant film, novels, and even music and fashion as central to identity-formation.

But YouTube tutorials and social media brush fires are not poignant, robust creations. Viewed via Instagram or a Twitter thread, a campaign or a crisis might have the outlines of something interesting, even operatic, but it cant slake our thirst for the complete narrative. It inevitably lacks the unity, coherence and emphasis that make art different from, more telling than, life.

It seems fair to say we are starving for what the 19th century British cultural critic Matthew Arnold called sweetness and light the beauty and enlightenment that can only be found in literature, theater, music and art.

Though Arnold would disagree, high culture does not have a monopoly on sweetness and light. Bob Dylans latest ballad, Key West (Philosopher Pirate), seems to do it for me these days. And Joshua Redman, the Pretenders and the Weeknd also released powerful and surprising tracks in 2020.

Culture as culture, rather than a lever in a political war, can be found everywhere. Chess, the books of John le Carr or old zombie flicks can also help crystallize who you are and ignite your curiosity or promote your well-being. Last week in this space I recommended the Hallmark Channel, with its soothing and moving stories that play cherished American memes in major chords.

Weve had to make a meal out of politics-as-culture for way too long. But that doesnt work forever. As the nations white whale, Donald Trump, leaves his place of prominence, heres to an America with more nuanced heroes and villains. Lord, do we ever need wilder soundtracks, bigger canvases. Paintings, poetry, a dance craze or two. When theaters and stadiums open up again and we get concerts, museums and plays back, I hope well recognize how deprived weve all been by both the pandemic and the phony culture war, and fill them all up.

In the very last weeks of an extraordinarily demoralizing political period in American history, its time to give other quarters of the brain and heart some attention. How hard can it be? Its not homework. Art gives pleasure and expands perspective. If politics are indeed downstream from culture, the water is bound to be clearer, cleaner and crisper at the rivers source and thats where we should drink.

@page88

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

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Heffernan: It's the end time for Trumptimes, and never a better time to trade politcs for culture - Yahoo News