On the nose

479: I’m at my most hurtful when I am value judging, and when I’m demanding to be listened to. If I think the rightness of our cause gives me the right to make demands, then I’m presuming that people are going to excuse my rough edges and instead admire the stand I’m taking … and that secretly they want to be like me. Err, no!! For most people ‘our cause’ is way off target and anyway there are other more important things to consider (name any one of a dozen issues ranging from global warming to human slavery). Of course from my point of view ‘their’ concern is not consistent. ‘They’ think differently. They think they are on course. If they do have anything constructive to say to me they’ll be telling me to polish up my act. All vegans want change, big change, animal-liberating-change, and as soon as possible. We’re reluctant to believe that we face a wall. We refuse to accept that there are huge forces swaying people’s minds, all being nicely cemented in by people’s willing acceptance. Not only can’t we break down the wall we can’t see it for what it is - a food-wall. People love the food that vegans choose to hate, which makes us the common enemy and makes swift change unlikely. ‘Enlightenment’ might not be due any time soon, and let’s be frank, most vegans themselves can’t foresee a vegan revolution in the near future. We keep looking at this wall and will it to fall over. We wait and wait, and stir and get angry and feel upset and lose heart. It’s understandable if vegans get a little tetchy, sometimes feel defeated, pessimistic. Meat and animal stuff is so utterly omnipresent and we can’t escape that fact. I’m always finding myself downwind of meat being cooked. In my local park I’m forever dodging the smell of animals being cremated. It drives me nuts. That’s why I’m tempted to say, “To hell with it, let’s just make war on the carnivores and have done with it”. But this devil-may-care approach is not the best idea. Diets are changing anyway, plant-based foods are becoming known as ‘safe foods’, and probably most adults will agree in the end that, in theory, meat is on the way out on dinner tables. We probably have a much bigger audience of potential listeners than we realise, even if it’s not quite as full-on as we’d like. Omnivores might be warming to the idea, even interested in what we’ve got to say, even attracted … but whoa … that doesn’t mean they want to join the ‘vegan club’ in an impulsive fit of solidarity with us. Some may be curious but not yet agreeing. The gulf between omnivore and committed vegan is huge. It’s likely that, at present, most omnivores would prefer we weren’t around to pester them. But things are changing and we should be seen as far-sighted forerunners. Vegans are essentially resource people, sitting on the sunny side of the hill, being the access point for an alternative and attractive lifestyle. We can keep our aims polished up brightly - we can drive on our own road, draw people to our view and yet keep well out of their way at the same time, especially during their special cremation ceremonies. Be with them … but not too close to them!