Vegan police

1570: 

Some vegans, whenever they think there’s an opportunity, try to take over any conversation in order to put the case for veganism or animal rights. When we intrude into people's lives, uninvited, we can sometimes act like ‘thought police’. So, it’s not surprising that people react negatively, saying “Leave me alone. I feel okay about what I do, what I eat and what I wear”.

We can’t fight that sort of reaction because the perception is that there's nothing wrong going on. Eating animals is what others do, and it’s quite legal. Which leads to most people not wanting to even discuss it. But that shouldn't lead to vegans getting heavy.

As an example: I’m a guest in your house. I've bought some beers and they need to be in the fridge. But then I go snooping in your fridge, and start to voice my disapproval of what I find inside. Of course, I’m no better than a peeping tom. I’ve stepped over the line. More importantly, I’m showing a fundamental misunderstanding of your freedom-of-choice. You react badly, but perhaps you're too polite to object too strongly to my face. I might think I’ve got away with it because you haven't really expressed how deeply offended you feel. But later, privately, you get quite upset about my intrusion into your private life, and decide not to invite me around to your place again.

You are quite justified, but this could also be a smoke screen, on your part. If you are quite up-front about your omnivorous diet, and can see no good reason to find fault with it, then what vegans are saying might feel offensive in itself. You may pick on almost anything we say or do to feel offended by it, which is perhaps your way of self-defending, and justifying ‘not listening’ to what is being said.

But there might be others who are readier to listen, who are at a different stage of acceptance. Perhaps they take what we’re saying seriously, and even have good intentions to change. They’re pleased to see the ‘awful truth’. They have the intention to do something about it. They are considering altering their food-buying habits, even their clothing, according to the principles of harmlessness. But what is their core reason to change? Is this a true shift of awareness, a new sense of compassion, or is it just political correctness, or guilt or their wanting to win approval by doing 'the right thing'?

Time will tell. And we may ask if today’s intentions are a fad or do they lead to a permanent state? Taking on veganism is a big step. If the intention is good but fails, there’s a danger that the failure will weaken the very idea of ‘good intention’. It’s like wanting to get fit, taking up a punishing exercise routine and then finding it all too much, and never then trying again to get fit. You failed once, so you think you'll fail again.

Being a couch slug is easier than running round the park. And food’s much the same – the wrong foods are so tempting, it seems a shame to have to give them up. One might like the idea of being vegan, but really want to sneak into MacDonalds for a sly hamburger, when no one is watching. It’s like kids having a smoke behind the bicycle sheds.

We need to explore self disciplines at our own pace, and not be pressed by the outsider who’s trying to push us around. With a demanding vegan regime, one should be careful not to take on more than one can continue with.

If there’s someone giving me good reasons why I shouldn’t do something I’m used to doing, it’s likely I’ll continue as I am, because I’m offended that my private space has been invaded.