I think that plant-based diets are the wave of the future. They are simply more ethical and sustainable because they are less harmful to fellow earthlings and the ecosystem (but not totally, neutrally harmless, which is not even possible for any biological life on earth). I do not think that non-plant-based diets and animal product consumption of all kind will ultimately disappear, but they shall be significantly minimized.
Yet, I also surely discredit the claims of modern vegans that they have stricken the magic cord and found the most ethical and healthiest diet. It is simply a wrong claim. The main reason for my stance is my agreement with the opinion that consumerist societies are inherently incapable of leading the world’s ethical train, especially the car of ‘mindful consumption’. The lifestyles of individuals and groups in consumerist societies are simply untenable without harming others around the planet, both humans and non-humans. There is a much bigger problem at hand and it cannot be reduced to dietary choice.
It should not come as a surprise to anyone that there are many local diets around the world today – such as in rural communities of developing societies – that are more ethical and ecologically sound than those of modern vegans, even when these local diets have a sizable content of non-plant-based food. The equation of harmony with the environment and earthlings has many factors to count, and has to be addressed with realism and genuine humility.
For further contemplation, see this link:
Can vegans stomach the unpalatable truth about quinoa?
(old blog)