Saturday 24thApril, 2010
Once we stand on a base of optimism we’re more likely to feel stability and experience permanence. Being born in a violent world we have to work hard on harmlessness (a central vegan principle) but working at it brings a sense of permanence and that is a stabilising force.
Vegans understand that a lot of the negativity, which omnivores feel against us, is coming from an infectious pessimism about the world and its future in general. If this pessimism is allowed to dominate reality, we’re very likely to say: “There’s too little time to stop the coming catastrophe. The damage is so great that change can only happen if we exert force, thus showing we mean business”. And: “If it’s going to work it must be big and fast otherwise major change just won’t have enough oomph to come about”.
Veganism is slower and not so dramatic but once it is acknowledged it establishes itself deeply. Veganism is so profound that most people hardly dare recognise it. Its ‘solution package’ seems unreachable.
Veganism makes a hard-to-accept case for no less than fundamental change, to the way we view life. Is it any wonder philosophical views like ours aren’t popular? Vegans are, however, in tune with the character of the 21st century. Our root and branch change is all to do with optimism and even though our philosophy doesn’t promise flowers yet (in fact most of us may not get to see any signs of ‘flowering’ in our own lifetimes), there is something timeless about it which encourages optimism.
The pessimist says: “It’s already too late, so why bother?” and “Bugger the future”. Not very altruistic! It won’t impress the inheritors of our world, today’s younger people, one little bit!
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