You might at first be tempted to mark the date and write down the exact time, certain that this was the moment we really had heard it all. A new hypothesis is doing the rounds on social media, and it’s called Vegan but Bacon. Yeah, I thought flexitarian was annoying enough too, but apparently not.
Vegan but Bacon. Whatever next, eh? Virgin But Sex? Hang on though, because there might actually be something to this. A plant-based content creator called Liz kicked it off, replying to somebody who said they’d join her culinary crusade if it wasn’t for their relish for rashers. “So do it,” she told them, “Go vegan but bacon.” Three million views later, many had shared how they didn’t eat any animal products 95% of the time, or only at home, or allowed themselves a hall pass item. “Harm reduction is harm reduction,” said Liz (which is vegan for “it’s better than nowt”), before pointing out that most people make progress a step at a time rather than all at once.
Vegan But Bacon proved so popular, the idea was then mooted that it could apply to other areas of life, as a radical antidote to perfectionism. Rather than being all or nothing and setting strict rules that stop us from reaching our goals, we could just Vegan But Bacon everything. Do some rather than not at all, because, hey, it’s a start, and change can be challenging. Give ourselves and each other a break. At least we’re trying.
The most profound comment, and surely an unofficial tagline for this revolutionary movement? “Half-assing is the stepping stone to whole-assing.”
Two final thoughts. 1. Probably best not to advertise your adoption of this concept in the workplace. 2. Anyone else suddenly really craving a bacon sandwich?
• Polly Hudson is a freelance writer
