Gandhi challenges us to ‘be the change you wish to see in the world’; in his directive, the world and the individual become a synonymous organism differentiated only by proportion. Just as the atom is a simplified blue print of a solar system, the individual is a microcosm: a potential vision for the world at large. When seen in this light, the power and gravity of our choices as individuals is revealed.
Vegetarianism is an acknowledgement of interconnection between beings. We yield to the fundamental truth that our actions invariably and significantly affect the lives of others. We then take responsibility for this power by tailoring our choices to support a wholesome result; wholesome, in that it is healthy, and “whole-some” in that it acknowledges the greater community.
This is the vision of the Vegetarian City; not merely a group defined by dietary restrictions, but a paradigm for awareness, compassion, and respect. The Vegetarian city is an embodiment of harmony, from the community of the individual, to the community of the world itself.
