Persuasion

1127: 

I’m in a tricky position as a self-appointed advocate for animals, because I’m assuming I have the right to talk about them on account of no longer eating them.  Maybe I think I’m in a strong position, but it doesn’t give me the right to tell anyone what they should be eating.  It doesn’t give me the right to expect them to agree with me.  It only makes me slightly experienced, enough perhaps to earn an invitation to speak on this subject.

If anyone wants to listen to what I have to say, I need to earn their respect and interest.  They may already think I’m likely to bore them on the subject.  So, if they give me the chance to speak, I then have to be convincing, whilst going easy on the moralising.

Sure, I might want very much to be an effective activist, communicator or educator, but I also want them to know I’m sensitive to their specific problems regarding food and their attitude to animals.  If they have addictions so too do I.  If they find self-discipline hard, well so do we all.  I can’t assume a role of authority just because I want to get their attention.  Nothing more off-putting.

         

Some practising vegans don’t want to be activists at all.  For them, Animal Rights isn’t a realistic cause to promote, if only because it seems like a ‘hopeless case’.  They’d rather speak about it only with people they know well.

         

Others decide to go further and attempt to persuade people to protest, to demonstrate or to get into direct action.  For that you have to believe the cause is worth promoting, despite the seeming lack of interest amongst people.

I’m not one of those hopeless-case-people. I’m sure people’s attitudes will eventually change.  However, at present, I realise there’s a very low awareness about the level of animal cruelty and the health dangers of eating animal foods.  Which is why any of us advocates need to be prepared to cop negative reactions.  People are generally in a very different head-space: “The sun is hot, the water’s cool, the beach is inviting.  Who gives a stuff about animals?  Just enjoy life”

With an attitude like that it’s probably not a good time to be talking about Animal Rights.  But this sort of attitude would be an extreme.  Perhaps at other places on the spectrum, it might go something like: “I don’t agree, but I admit it’s a serious issue.  I’m listening.  I’m ready to consider.  I hear what you have to say”.  Or, further along: “I agree in theory, I’ll give it a go.  I’ll try a plant-based diet”.  Or further: “I’m happy eating vegan food, I consider myself a vegan and I’m moving towards political activism”.  That might just about cover the whole range of responses.

At first, people have to break down their mistrust and their dislike of ‘people like us’.  If we can show an interest in them, then trust grows and dislike diminishes.  If there’s a spark of interest or even a serious question asked, then we’re almost in business, no longer needing to tread on eggshells.  Once someone takes the initiative of asking, it makes our job so much easier.  However, if I’m the one who tries to take the initiative, as if I’m putting my foot in the door, it’s likely I’ll get the door shut in my face.  I’ll have lost my chance.  And for them, ‘once bitten twice shy’, they’ve closed the door on me and that ends the whole matter, for ever.