Stick to the message

1457:

Talking about goodness is dangerous.  People think we’ve got tickets on ourselves, and there’s none uglier than a do-gooder.  And there's none more ridiculous that a masochistic, as in ‘being vegan’ seeming like self punishment.  And adding to this difficult mix is the reason any of us want to be vegan, as if we do it to appear good. For vegans, it’s hard to strike a balance.

So, for my part, I have to be careful not to let my animal-liberation focus veer towards my needing to show off my own wonderfulness.  Even the vaguest hint of that will let people think I’m ‘in it’ for the wrong reasons.

If Animal Rights advocates want to promote a high ideal like ‘vegan principle’, we need to find ways of making it digestible.  For a start, we have to earn respect, and that means no boasting or appearing fake.  And not being too quick to condemn those we regard as ‘The Unprincipled’.

Instead of shaming people or encouraging them to feel guilty, I prefer not to show my hand too quickly.  I’d rather stick to the business in hand by speaking as though I assume your agreement with me. I don't want to speak as if issuing a challenge. I'd rather just deliver the essentials without any emotional embellishment.

When people are at the introduction-stage (and let’s face it, most people know very little about what goes on in the rearing of ‘food’ animals) they’re shy to admit how little they know.  At this stage they must never get the impression I’m out to convert them, but just to get some talking going, pass on a little information.  I don’t want to spook them.  If I seem to expect anything at all, it’s a little reception (with no strings attached).

If I can give you something to hang on to, something that will get you thinking when you are on your own, I’ll have achieved a lot.  I would like you to think my intention is simply for you to be considering what I’m saying (about animal-use). To be taken seriously.

If people can feel us trying to consider their feelings, they won’t mind what we have to say.  So, mainly I want to give off an ‘I’m-on-your-side’ sort of feeling, and act as though I am ready to give you the ‘benefit-of-the-doubt’, and therefore have no interest in making any judgement of you.  My interest is NOT about what people are doing now, but what they could be doing later.  My interest is in a person’s potential, for considering certain things which they might never have considered before. 

         

This might seem like a mild approach, but by addressing each person we meet in this way, there’s instant mutual reception and reciprocation.  When each person is listening, each giving the other the person the benefit of the doubt, then dialogue can exist - each person involved in the discussion is then feeling freer to speak their mind and consider what each is suggesting.

 On the other hand, if I seem unfriendly or fake in any way, my mission fails.  People usually want to take the easier way out - to NOT rebel, NOT think, and particularly NOT talk about it.  If I can’t jolly you along towards a mere chat, I fail. 

But this ‘chatting’ - am I just trying to mess with your mind?  Don’t most people, who are no more than lightly curious, want to inch their way into this subject, at their rate not at mine?  Which means I must be careful not to throw people into the deep end, careful to let them keep control of their own ‘squeamish’ button, whilst at the same time not making them feel uncompassionate.

         

It all goes wrong if you see me as being unfriendly.  It’s likely you’ll see a ‘people-hating vegan’ before you, someone loyal to animals who hates those involved in hurting animals.  If I give you any reason to think of me as a hater of meat-eaters, I hand you the opportunity to rubbish me, and that makes it easier for you to rubbish my arguments.