Timothy Shieff – The Vegan Prince

Tim Shieff is a professional freerunner, the winner of the Barclaycard World Freerun Championship of 2009, and a vegan. As a YouTube vegan, Tim uses his channel to talk about his ideas and philosophy. He releases a videos on a combination of topics, including on becoming a vegan, spiritual growth, and fitness (mainly handstands, parkour, and freerunning), which show how is lifestyle choices have allowed him to maintain an excellent level of fitness.

Reasons for Becoming a Vegan

Timothy Shieff became a vegan in 2012 for ethical reasons. He disagrees with society’s way of treating species differently — for instance, how most people will find it reasonable to kill a pig but not a pet dog. Tim argues that most people follow their parents and traditions without thinking, something he hopes to change. Already, more people are changing their lifestyles and the vegan movement is growing.

Tim argues more people need to just try vegan food — it tastes just as good, it does less harm to the planet, it is better for you, and there are no victims. However, non-vegans still fail to see animals as victims, despite animals for food being the same as the animals we care for. All experience the world and have the capability to suffer.

Tim believes many people struggle to become vegan due to the difficulty of making a significant lifestyle change as well as an addiction to animal products. His problem is with those whom he calls “tunnel-headed” — the unhealthy who have no regard for the planet. Despite this, he finds it hard to understand why others are not following him to veganism.

For Tim Shieff, there is so much more to life than being the best athlete. He wants to be in the frontline in everything he does. At times, he has been ridiculed for openly being a vegan athlete, but often he is recognized by the vegan community and feels rewarded for his sacrifice. Tim knows he can help people relate to his message by showing how physically fit it is possible to be while maintaining a vegan lifestyle.

Tim’s Vegan Videos

Tim takes a different approach with his vegan videos to many people. He strives to be honest without being angry. This means no protesting in the street and no negative videos that only turn people off. Instead, Tim prefers to highlight the positive side of being vegan in a hope that more people will convert. He favors subtle messages that will lead people to seek the truth for themselves.

As well as his own YouTube vegan productions, Timothy Shieff has been involved in a few professional documentaries. Coming soon is the sequel of Cowspiracy, which will show the environmental impact of an animal product-based lifestyle, and Racing Extinction from Louie Psihoyos, director of the award-winning The Cove. Racing Extinction will feature a number of vegan athletes in addition to Tim. Finally, Tim recommends Forks Over Knives, for learning about the health benefits of veganism, and Earthlings, which shows how animals are treated due to non-vegan life choices.

Veganism in the Future

Tim believes that one day society will see animal cruelty as equal to slavery. He compares animal rights to black rights and women’s rights — in the past, few people saw these as an issue, but today anything less is widely accepted as oppression. However, most people still fail to see life through the eyes of animals.

Society already acknowledges animal cruelty on some level, becoming enraged at those hunting lions and elephants, and this does suggest we are progressing in the right direction. It all comes down to where we draw the line.

00:00 Trailer.
01:56 Brian’s thoughts on the episode.
08:48 Brian’s Introduction.
09:17 Always being, always becoming.
10:54 Tim the ‘Parkour guy’ moving on to the simple joy of trail running.
17:52 “Going forward you couldn’t see the route, but going back you can see the bullet points to where.”
21:41 Starting Ethics and Antics clothing business.
25:05 Friendships.
27:05 Veganism, what is the basis for Tim’s conversion?
31:57 Being on the front line of veganism.
33:25 Vegans and public relations.
36:05 Our disconnection to animal suffering as victims comparable to that of slavery 180 years ago.
38:49 Primeval instinct to hunt for food.
40:02 Cowspiracy, Forks over Knives and Earthlings documentaries.
46:52 UFC, what has sparked Tim’s interest in it?
51:38 What Tim thinks of Conor McGregor.
54:19 View of Nate Diaz fight with Conor McGregor.
56:16 Tim’s thoughts on Ido Portal a movement guy like him.
1:00:38 Will Tim participate in any Marshall Arts?
1:03:13 What a change of hairstyle means.
1:07:23 Is Tim attracted to a free flowing life with no roots?
1:09:39 Tim and Brian debate the flat earth theory.
1:22:22 What does the future hold for Tim?
1:25:29 Participating in Ninja Warrior UK TV series.
1:30:04 Success secrets
1:30:51 Tim does a handstand demonstration
1:32:12 Phone call to the 20 year old Tim.
1:34:10 Best advice ever received.
1:35:38 Advice to the 20 year old who wants to be a KPI like him.
1:36:59 Thoughts follow emotions.
1:38:37 Brian’s summing up.

Timothy Shieff links:
Timothy Shieff on Wikipedia
Timothy Shieff on YouTube
Timothy Shieff on Facebook
Timothy Shieff on Tumblr
Timothy Shieff’s website
Timothy Shieff on Instagram
Timothy Shieff on Jamie Oliver’s Food tube
Tim the Human on Twitter
Tim takes on Ido Portal’s bold claims about Veganism
Topics discussed:
Veganism
Freerunning
Parkour
Ninja Warrior UK
Tribe
Sai Kung Country Park
Lion’s Head, Cape Town, South Africa
Table Mountain, Cape Town, South Africa
The Godfather III
Salomon Trail Running videos
Watkin path, Snowdonia, Wales
Ethics and Antics
Made in Chelsea
Serges DeNimes
Jersey Shore
The Happy Vegan
Georgetown University
Cowspiracy
Joe Rogan Show
Forks over Knives
Earthlings
The Cove
Racing Extinction
Gut by Giulia Enders
UFC
Jackass
Martial Arts
Flat Earth
Nasa
Polaris
Jupiter
Saturn
GPS
Satellite
A New Earth: Create a Better Life
B-boying
10th Planet Jiu Jitsu
Airbnb
People mentioned in this episode:
Bruce Parry 
Kelly Starrett 
Jason Silva 
Bill Gates
Oliver Proudlock 
Usain Bolt 
Russell Simmons 
Louie Psihoyos 
Alexey Voyevoda
Patrik Baboumian 
James Cameron 
Ido Portal 
Ido Portal – A moving conversation 
Dana White 
Joe Rogan 
Conor McGregor 
Nate Diaz 
Ronda Rousey
José Aldo 
Patrick Vickers 
Chuck Liddell 
Kelly Starrett
Michael Page 
Lenny Kravitz 
Steve Maxwell 
Chris Hadfield
Neil DeGrasse Tyson 
Carl Sagan 
Neil Armstrong 
Patrick Moore
Kim Kardashian 
Albert Einstein 
Nikola Tesla
Rupert Sheldrake 
Graham Hancock 
Dan Hardy
Carlos Condit
Eddie Bravo 
Geo Martinez 
David Belle 
Russell Brand
Kilian Jornet Burgada 
Eric Dubay 
Gary Yourofsky