Self-righteous company execs tell you what to eat.
New York Times, June 20, 2018:
Quote:
The headline has been ‘meat-free,’ but this is a much larger effort to develop personal accountability in our team,” Miguel McKelvey, the chief culture officer of WeWork, said of the company’s move toward vegetarian practices. Credit Cole Wilson for The New York Times
WeWork is no longer a safe space for carnivores.
Earlier this month, the co-working juggernaut announced that it was essentially going vegetarian. The company will no longer serve red meat, pork or poultry at company functions, and it will not reimburse employees who want to order a hamburger during a lunch meeting.
In a memo to employees announcing the new policy, Miguel McKelvey, WeWork’s co-founder and chief culture officer, said the decision was driven largely by concerns for the environment, and, to a lesser extent, animal welfare.
“New research indicates that avoiding meat is one of the biggest things an individual can do to reduce their personal environmental impact — even more than switching to a hybrid car,” he wrote. Additionally, WeWork could save “over 15 million animals by 2023 by eliminating meat at our events.”
Mr. McKelvey, in his first interview since the decision was announced, said the policy was also aimed at raising consciousness among the company’s nearly 6,000 employees.
“It’s multidimensional,” he said. “We’re coming at it from an awareness and a mindfulness perspective. The headline has been ‘meat-free,’ but this is a much larger effort to develop personal accountability in our team.
|
THIS is exactly what I despise about veganism and companies that sell vegan products: the blatant promotion that if you eschew all animal products, you're obviously a better person.
For example, Alicia Silverstone and her "Kind" diet. Being vegan means you're kind, and by extension, doing otherwise implies that you're a cruel bastard.
"Beyond Meat" - if you buy our product, you're obviously a far-sighted individual who looks to the future!
"Good Karma Plant-Based Milk" - and you better not be eating yogurt, either, or you may end up as a cockroach in your next life.
If you use animal products, either you're a selfish glutton who doesn't care about the environment, or just plain ignorant. If you're vegan, you're an eco-warrior. Never mind the extensive environmental damage sustained by the practices that provide you with all those soybeans and wheat; never mind the carbon footprint of that "pulled, smoked jackfruit" you're deluding yourself tastes just like meat. And the decidedly non-eco-friendly plastic packaging.
"I won't eat anything that has a face." - (subtext: "How could YOU?")
Extending the concept of alien intelligence and pain recognition to animals, but not to the vegetable kingdom. Well, how could they? What would be left to eat - rocks?
I probably wouldn't be working for this company in the first place, but if I were, at this point I would be sending out my résumé. How can I attend a company retreat if there's nothing I can eat? If I don't go to the retreat, I'm seen as not being a team player, thereby putting the kibosh on any hopes of a promotion or raise. And what if the retreat is mandatory?
I bet they have codified company policies that promote inclusivity, too. But not inclusivity with respect to dietary needs. They create and manage "shared" work spaces for small businesses. These "offices" look like boiler room sales operations - with nice art on the walls.