О сообществе (и веганстве) (веган / веганы / веганство)

19 June 2016 [YT link]

Russian translation of my video (titled, "On Community") provided by Anastasia Lovtskaya.

Dumbest Vegans On YouTube: The Vegan Cheetah!

18 June 2016 [YT link]

A lecture on tolerance. Click ahead to see reflections on Cheetah's subsequent "descent into madness" in a video from several years later, here: https://youtu.be/0JBNjAGy2Mw Support the creation of new content on the channel (and speak to me, directly, if you want to) via Patreon, for $1 per month: https://www.patreon.com/a_bas_le_ciel

Why are comments disabled on my youtube channel? Here's the answer, in a relatively uplifting 5 minute video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EHb9k30KTXM

A searchable list of all of my videos (more effective than searching within youtube, IMO) can be found here: https://aryailia.github.io/a-bas-le-ciel/all.html

Find me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/a_bas_le_ciel/?hl=en

You may not know that I have several youtube channels, one of them is AR&IO (Active Research & Informed Opinion) found here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP3fLeOekX2yBegj9-XwDhA/videos

Another is à-bas-le-ciel, found here: https://www.youtube.com/user/HeiJinZhengZhi/videos

And there is, in fact, a youtube channel that has my own legal name, Eisel Mazard: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuxp5G-XFGcH4lmgejZddqA/videos

Update & Reflections on the Success of the Fundraiser

17 June 2016 [YT link]

Introducing Veganism as a Political Struggle (Not a Diet, etc.)

17 June 2016 [YT link]

With views of the streets of Kunming, China (2016).

Put Durianrider in Prison: DONATE NOW, Legal Action Against Violence & Defamation.

16 June 2016 [YT link]

LET'S AIM FOR $6,500 IF POSSIBLE: MANY THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO DONATED SO FAR, REACHING $5000 IN THE FIRST 10 HOURS!!! THERE ARE TWO WAYS TO DONATE:

(1) Through "generosity.com", run by Indiegogo:

https://www.generosity.com/fundraisers/vegans-against-violence-and-defamation-vavad



(2) Through Paypal (some donors may prefer paypal for technical reasons), making payments to my publicly-stated e-mail address:

http://www.eisel-mazard.com/email-how-to-contact-me-etc

Either Durianrider Goes to Jail, or I Do.

06 June 2016 [YT link]

Morality isn't just something that you do when it's convenient for you. Honesty isn't just something that you do when the facts are flattering to your side. If you don't have time to watch the whole video: if you know a lawyer (or law-firm) in Australia that would provide an initial consultation (given the basic outline of the case), please let me know.



As stated before, Patreon really is the best way to keep in touch with me: any website owned by google is blocked in China, so even my ability to use email (via gmail) may be intermittent (or nil).



With me, "keeping it real" isn't an empty slogan: this video contains both laughter and tears. I have left it unedited quite intentionally: no makeup, no editing, no intro, no outro. Real talk.

Chiang Mai, Heaven or Hell? (Tourist Destination Review)

05 June 2016 [YT link]

Paradise for some. :-/ On Patreon you'll get the full video, and a bunch of other exclusive content: I'm increasingly recording Patreon-only podcasts (due to the difficulty of uploading video in Asia/China). You'll also get to cross paths with other vegans who are serious about getting organized for social activism. Currently (June 6, 2016), I'm taking questions (from subscribers) for a Q&A session. https://www.patreon.com/a_bas_le_ciel



This video is a conversation about the reality of Chiang Mai, Thailand, in 2016 (in contrasts to what some tourists might be expecting).

The "I did it all for my daughter" fallacy.

04 June 2016 [YT link]

It's a common trope in Hollywood movies, but I'm really not the sort of character you meet in a Hollywood movie. Odds are: neither are you.



Some reflections on parenting and its implications for the decisions we make, how we justify them, and how we explain them to the next generation.

Not quite a fist fight (Vegans in Chiang Mai)

04 June 2016 [YT link]

For more podcasts and updates, sign up at Patreon (much of my content is Patreon-exclusive): https://www.patreon.com/a_bas_le_ciel



Chiang Mai, May 30, 2016

My Love Life: Freelee and Durianrider Want to Know!

04 June 2016 [YT link]

Durianrider has been trying to make a scandal out of nothing, drawing attention to my Couchsurfing profile, and wildly speculating about my sex life. Let's take a look at that profile, shall we?



For more about my private life, my public life, my political life, and (frankly) about the meaning of life in general (not just veganism), HMU on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/a_bas_le_ciel



Links to sources "quoted":

(1) THE WALRUS on "A-bas-le-ciel vs Durianrider"

https://youtu.be/2IZHZxnOv_Q

(2) HENYA talking about… well… she's talking about me, I guess.

https://youtu.be/qzD3-KcYqz8

(3) The jokingly-named "VIOLENT VEGAN":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=77hHcUZabB8

(4) The guy in the outro is DOMBOWER:

https://www.youtube.com/user/dombower/videos

My Apology to Freelee (Not a Joke, Not Sarcastic).

03 June 2016 [YT link]

Durianrider's Threats & Allegations (in his own words).

03 June 2016 [YT link]

You will need to hit the pause button to read each slide. All of these messages were stated publicly: none of them are private correspondence.



Chiang Mai, Thailand, June 3rd, 2016.



Shout out to some of the forgotten affiliates of the Wu-Tang: "Killarmy" is the group of recorded artists here featured as background music.



Comments are allowed on this video as a special courtesy to Erin Janus, who requested it. For the sake of friendship: request granted.

Karaoke tonight (Chiang Mai, Thailand) (vegan / vegans / veganism)

03 June 2016 [YT link]

Durianrider threatens arrest, violence & defamation.

02 June 2016 [YT link]

Ask yourself, seriously: what would we be doing if any of us were (sincerely) motivated by the common slogan, "save the planet"? Not this. This, definitely, is not what we would be doing, and is not what we should be doing.



I'd encourage you to take the opening words seriously: bad things happen when good people sit by and do nothing. Durianrider is (again) making defamatory remarks, and trying to instigate violence (as well as conjuring up rumors out of thin air). If you consider yourself a good person: act. Act now. Speak up. Draw the line, and make it clear who is crossing it.

"It's Not My Problem" (Activism & Vegans in Chiang Mai)

01 June 2016 [YT link]

The Problem With "It's Not My Problem." This discussion address a range of political issues (and the difficulty activists have in addressing them, or in overcoming public indifference to them), with veganism and ecology being referred to repeatedly (but not exclusively). There's also some discussion (en passant) of vegans here in Chiang Mai, Thailand, where the video was recorded.

Passion vs. Reason (Vegans & Ex-Vegans)

29 May 2016 [YT link]

Juxtaposition. Sources juxtaposed:

(1) JAZMIN GONZALEZ: "WHY I'M NO LONGER VEGAN" = https://youtu.be/TB5eadctVk0

(2) GEMMA GOLD: "WORKING IN A SLAUGHTERHOUSE" = https://youtu.be/-8vEsXem8dc

(3) TOMMY'S RECOVERY JOURNAL: "MY EXPERIENCE..."= https://youtu.be/LaaUEQo2Sck

Effective Activism: The Boycott Mentality. (vegan / vegans / veganism)

28 May 2016 [YT link]

This video contrasts the morality of the boycott (shrinking your contribution to a "bad" social system, while the system remains the same) tot he morality of political intervention (attempting to change the system itself). As a method, the boycott has some advantages, but it also has some implications for how we think of ourselves (as citizens, if not as activists) and how we organize (or fail to organize) to bring about social change.



BTW, this is what I look like, jet-lagged as hell, with 3 hours of sleep: hashtag no makeup for real. ;-)

Nationalism & the mere concept of "Good People". (vegan / vegans / veganism)

23 May 2016 [YT link]

Vegan Steez: PlantBasedHippy & Tofu Goddess.

22 May 2016 [YT link]

Links to the two channels mentioned:

(1) PlantBasedHippy: https://www.youtube.com/user/lockstures88/videos

(2) The Tofu Goddess: https://www.youtube.com/user/234leanna/videos

Meanwhile, in Adelaide (Podcast Excerpt)

22 May 2016 [YT link]

The comments section is on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/a_bas_le_ciel?ty=h

On Historical Nihilism (历史虚无主义) and "Having a Philosophy" in General.

21 May 2016 [YT link]

Although this video ran long enough, I'd say there are two significant (autobiographical) omissions. (1) Thucydides is not mentioned: I could have spoken about Thucydides specifically, and several other ancient Greeks who have shaped (or re-enforced) my thinking on these issues. (2) I also did not mention the experiences in childhood that initially formed this question in my mind. When I was very small (still in grade 1, I believe) I was quite astonished to learn that there is no intrinsic difference between a plant and a weed, but that this was merely a human idea that we ascribed to (i.e., imposed onto) plants. Many, many years later, I would read a philosopher remarking, likewise, "The difference between plant and weed is up to me", i.e., using the same example to illustrate the extent to which many cultural notions seem to have a biological reality, but, in fact, we can decide for ourselves whether or not a dandelion is truly worse than a rose. That was a very simple childhood insight (that I thought about for many hours, at that early age) that never left me. I applied it, again and again, to very simple puzzles, such as our notion that beauty is in the eye of the beholder (etc.) --and yet, of course, beauty is tremendously important to each individual beholder, and also to society as a whole.

Vegan Elitism? A Small Minority Seeking Political Change.

21 May 2016 [YT link]

Advocacy itself involves elitism, of a kind.

Veganism vs. "Anti-Capitalism" (vs. The Vegan Anarchist)

21 May 2016 [YT link]

On the matter of mass starvation under Communism (only alluded to in this video), please do have a look at an earlier video on this same channel (more formally researched and presented), "The New Literature on China's Great Famine & the Great Leap Forward": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0rtfadswTdw

What Nobody Says Out Loud (the Vegan Anarchist)

21 May 2016 [YT link]

The views and opinions expressed in this program are those of the persons appearing on the program and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of à-bas-le-ciel Television Corporation.



You can find the youtube channel of The Vegan Anarchist here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKoks3cxExM1dhukdjZZf4g/videos

What I Value About Chinese Culture.

18 May 2016 [YT link]

The account of my unexpected departure from Laos (to Yunnan, China) is alluded to in this video. One short set of reflections on this can be found here: http://a-bas-le-ciel.blogspot.ca/2012/09/No-Nostalgia-for-Laos.html

Against "Leftist" Violence (On Effective Activism & Vegans / Veganism).

18 May 2016 [YT link]

Violence is not just a problem as a political means-to-an-end; it is profoundly distorting in the way the whole political process is conceptualized (even in examples like veganism and the Green Party of Canada, etc., where violence has so little to offer, it remains a dominant paradigm for the whole "left wing", due to the legacy of 20th century Communism... and while veganism is not intrinsically left-wing, it has been predominantly leftist so far).



[NOTE: this is an excerpt from a longer, patreon-only video.]



Yeah, BTW, I'm vain: this is what I look like with 5 hours of sleep (no makeup!). Recorded after waking up at 6:00 AM (having fallen asleep at 1:00 AM the night before). And, sadly, I still have way too much to say on the issue (and, sadly, I think this stuff is of real importance... I sort of wish it wasn't).



The essay alluded to, repeatedly, about the events in 1920 (revolution, violence, etc.) can be found here: https://medium.com/@eiselmazard/1920-the-other-russo-japanese-war-70deb2972c42#.zvgoq1tqb

Fake Diet, Real Politics: fads & the future of Veganism.

18 May 2016 [YT link]

Vegans vs. Palm Oil; Agriculture vs. Habitat. (Veganism)

18 May 2016 [YT link]

(This is an excerpt from a longer podcast on Patreon: I've been uploading quite a few Patreon-exclusives lately; sometimes, these are direct replies to messages sent in by viewers/subscribers.)

On Community (vs. Unnatural Vegan)

14 May 2016 [YT link]

Veganism: Don't Debate the Details. (Vegan Artichoke Response)

13 May 2016 [YT link]

My own earlier video "Dealing with disrespectful questions [about veganism]" = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rtfudw6t2Mc

Vegan Artichoke, "Veganism is Emotionally Exhausting" = https://youtu.be/5Pvf5HTJg3U

Vegan Artichoke, "Are Problematic Vegans Helping or Hurting the Vegan Movement?" = https://youtu.be/iCzNBu2KvMY

Vivisection, an insider's perspective [Shorter, edited version]

12 May 2016 [YT link]

The full text of the letter I received from this biologist (who is vegan, and yet involved with [un-vegan] animal research), can be seen on my blog, here: http://a-bas-le-ciel.blogspot.ca/2016/05/vivisection-letter-to-em.html



Please do take the time to see my earlier video, "Vivisection: The Next 10 Years" (this video, and the letter from a fan, were in response to it): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UXocDLHSZsE



As stated in the intro, the full discussion (37 min. long) is only available to subscribers via Patreon, here: https://www.patreon.com/a_bas_le_ciel

Gaining Weight: Freelee's Diet Delusion. (vegan / vegans / veganism)

10 May 2016 [YT link]

A conversation about much more than just weight-gain with Lea P., who attended last year's Thai Fruit Festival, and who will be in Chiang Mai again this year.

Vegan Politics: Blood & Money.

09 May 2016 [YT link]

Here's one answer from the hour-and-a-half long Q&A available via Patreon. The session included questions about my personal life, the books I read, possible fundraising for future projects, etc., not just veganism.



https://www.patreon.com/a_bas_le_ciel

Imposing on Girlfriends and Boyfriends (vegan / vegans / veganism)

07 May 2016 [YT link]

In many ways this continues from the earlier video with "arbitrary lines" in the title, although this deals with the most intimate level of political discourse: the people you love, and the people who love you.



Here's the link to Mike's channel (Mike on Raw, mentioned in the second half of the video): https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2k3qMLqBpfk1FSqf3qR2ow/videos

Arbitrary "Lines" in Ecology, Ethics, and Animal Rights. (Vegan)

07 May 2016 [YT link]

To say something is arbitrary doesn't mean that it's evil, nor that it's even wrong. Especially in the habitat-conservation approach to animal rights, we often deal with distinctions that are entirely arbitrary, and entirely man-made.

Two Vegan Activists from Two Generations. [1hr+]

07 May 2016 [YT link]

A conversation with Adriane Gilbert, covering various questions of how to organize dissent (in relation to veganism and ecology) in a democratic society --even a deeply flawed democracy such as Canada. As we're both Canadian, there are repeated references to the fur industry, and to the situation of our indigenous peoples (First Nations / Native Canadians).



This conversation is also available as an audio-only (MP3) podcast: https://archive.org/details/Vegan-activism-Adriane-Gilbert-a-bas-le-ciel-2016



In this video I'm speaking with Adriane Gilbert, a vegan activist from Southern Ontario. At the time of the interview, she was 18 years old and had been vegan for less than a year. You can find her on instagram, here: https://www.instagram.com/adriane__gilbert/

Veganism is NOT an excuse, Gary Yourofsky & the question of pluralism

07 May 2016 [YT link]

Several links are mentioned in this video. First and foremost, a shout-out to "Clare is Vegan": https://www.youtube.com/user/ClareIsVegan/videos

Secondly, here's "Shelley 123": https://www.youtube.com/user/Shell123ey/videos

Finally, here's the video of Gary Yourofsky himself that I've quoted:

https://youtu.be/4ykzTPvy4_Y

Vivisection: the next 10 years (vegan / vegans / veganism)

07 May 2016 [YT link]

Here's the link to the example mentioned (and, as I warned, it may give you nightmares): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pit_of_despair

Activism vs. "Digital Nomadism" (a Political Autobiography of sorts)

06 May 2016 [YT link]

You want to make a positive difference in the world? In many ways, it starts with having a fixed address. This video offers some reflections on my own life, and the contrast between the type of activism that was possible for me at Toronto City Hall, and the strange fate of living from one airplane ticket to the next as an expatriate ("nomad") in Asia.

My Daughter & My Divorce: Blackmail & Lies Told in Court.

06 May 2016 [YT link]

If you just want to hear the dramatic "twist in the plot", skip ahead to 20:49 …you can get the gist in just a few minutes from that point.



Here's a link to the cutest picture of me with my daughter imaginable:

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jgsdROjD-M8/U3h7fiu-V5I/AAAAAAAAI8I/J9ComxOB1DQ/s1600/father-and-daughter.jpg



That photo, above, shows us together in France. The one below shows us together in Taiwan, during the last full day that we spent together:

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nVHoh1nJyNM/U3h-DS8ILNI/AAAAAAAAI8U/H4HoVMUgwbQ/s1600/father-and-daughter-and-toothbrush.png



This is archived in audio-only format (as an MP3/podcast) here: https://archive.org/details/my-daughter-and-divorce-2016-reflections

Veganism is NOT an excuse: Gary Yourofsky & the question of pluralism.

06 May 2016 [YT link]

[Note: this video had to be re-uploaded due to a technical error that causes the video to stop playing at about the 6:45 mark --however, you can click past it, and get the video to continue playing.]



Several links are mentioned in this video. First and foremost, a shout-out to "Clare is Vegan": https://www.youtube.com/user/ClareIsVegan/videos

Secondly, here's "Shelley 123": https://www.youtube.com/user/Shell123ey/videos

Finally, here's the video of Gary Yourofsky himself that I've quoted:

https://youtu.be/4ykzTPvy4_Y

Democracy: the Opportunity for Non-Violent Change (vegan / vegans / veganism).

06 May 2016 [YT link]

In this video I'm speaking with Adriane Gilbert, a vegan activist from Southern Ontario. At the time of the interview, she was 18 years old and had been vegan for less than a year. You can find her on instagram, here: https://www.instagram.com/adriane__gilbert/

Tana Mongeau is Right, Freelee is Wrong, Durianrider is Wrong.

04 May 2016 [YT link]

Real talk: no intro, no outro, no special effects, no makeup.

Ecology: Pragmatism & Local Activism (vegan / vegans / veganism)

04 May 2016 [YT link]

A recurring issue on the channel is the contrast between local (community-based) activism and more "nomadic" approaches to social change. In this video I'm speaking with Adriane Gilbert, a vegan activist from Southern Ontario. At the time of the interview, she was 18 years old and had been vegan for less than a year. You can find her on instagram, here: https://www.instagram.com/adriane__gilbert/

I'm on Patreon. Surprised? Me too. (à-bas-le-ciel, 2016)

01 May 2016 [YT link]

Here's the link to my Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/a_bas_le_ciel



Here are the links to the other channels "quoted" in the video (and my thanks go out to all of them, as well as the people who've taken the time to write in to me by e-mail during the last year).

(1) Dombower = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WGOpMU2vysM

(2) Vegan in Japan = https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGY7OMXN8N2gAJHXiyJY9Lw/videos?sort=dd&view=0&shelf_id=0

(3) Lea P. = https://youtu.be/KOC0hpIVD98

(4) The Vegan Transition = https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCO8x6mNtNi4647eBp6zr5IQ/videos?sort=dd&view=0&shelf_id=0

(5) TKJT = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zrB7qGtyy2Q

Against Violence: Against Gary Yourofsky. (vegan / vegans / veganism)

30 April 2016 [YT link]

The video being quoted (and refuted) is an interview with Gary Yourofsky hosted by Bite Size Vegan, and you can see the original here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4En39iyK4DA

Gary Yourofsky is Wrong: Vegans Kill Insects.

28 April 2016 [YT link]

Here's the link to the Yourofsky interview quoted: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cl-8Xl7qrhE



Here's my own video (from just a few days ago), with "Vegans Kill Cockroaches" in the title: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q6-5kQJSZZE

2. What if Beauty is Irrelevant? (vegan / vegans / veganism)

28 April 2016 [YT link]

Here are links to two of my earlier videos on related themes:

(1) Beauty ≠ Advocacy ≠ Activism (Vegans & Animal Rights)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wV82bCJqsh8

(2) Beauty is Meaningless.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OkRtcb4cryM



AND here's a shout-out to Dom Bower, who appears ever-so-briefly on-screen: https://youtu.be/WGOpMU2vysM

1. What if Science is Irrelevant? (vegan / vegans / veganism)

28 April 2016 [YT link]

Dealing with disrespectful questions (vegan / vegans / veganism)

28 April 2016 [YT link]

Here are the links to the (earlier) videos mentioned:

(1) Vegan vs. "What about Farm Workers?"

https://youtu.be/4DccgvUAgUs

(2) "But have you been to a farm / factory?" (Human Rights, Veganism & Labor)

https://youtu.be/dF_RF6YiI6I



(3) At the start of the video I also mention my (recent) interview with Zahria, titled, "The Agony of Activism", and you can see that here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ne6BMFTjZ44