I'm finding it difficult to live up to my morals. How do I know when it's OK to compromise?

"I'm finding it difficult living up to my morals where is the line between compromising a little, versus becoming complicit in what I don't agree with? I'm one of those people who believes we can each take a role in solving big problems, and that we should try to make things better where we can. For this reason, I've ended up working in public service and try to reduce how much meat I eat. I'm vegetarian 60% of the time, which is not perfect, but I believe doing something is better than doing nothing."

"It turns out I'm intolerant to most sources of veggie protein and gluten, and it's really affected my health and limited my ability to socialise and exercise. I don't want to keep feeling ill, but I also feel shame for not being able to keep it up. Similarly, with my job I am restricted from things like campaigning. I could move to the private sector, but they also have gag clauses and do less good."

"One of the features of a profoundly unjust society is that engaging with justice can look so onerous. You've been trying to eat less meat, work a more meaningful job. That's something! That's much better than nothing! Now what about cars, are you driving less? Do you fly? Donate blood? Do you have disposable income? Do you donate to charity? For $5, you could provide a bednet that could prevent malaria in another country."

A person faces a moral dilemma balancing ethical commitments with practical constraints from health and family responsibilities. Dietary restrictions and food intolerances make sustained vegetarianism harmful and socially limiting. Professional rules and limited options constrain meaningful activism within public service, while private-sector jobs pose ethical tradeoffs and gag clauses. The combination of health, economic necessity, and institutional limits produces shame and the fear of complicity. Small efforts like reducing meat and working in public service are meaningful contributions, but moral demands can quickly feel overwhelming and open-ended, creating uncertainty about where reasonable compromise lies.

Read at www.theguardian.com