straight talking

When we’re giving our opinion or giving out information we should come across as genuine.
Where most of us make mistakes is by relying on speaking with emotion and paying too little attention to how that will sound. Given the potential for this subject to ignite passions and stir up confrontation, we should be straight talking but leave lots of space for other opinions.
It’s likely that some of us amateur communicators don’t see ourselves as others see us, as if our stand is admired and people want to take our side. In fact most people simply want help understanding and getting some useful information from us. Just because we (think we) have ‘the truth’ doesn’t mean we shouldn’t be careful with details and verifiable facts.
Behind everything we say there must be a backup, a hammer blow of information, ready to be brought out if necessary. For example, all animal products are unhealthy and cruel - behind this must be some sort of reference to support the association between these products and certain ailments. The same with the cruelty argument - behind the cruelty we need to give details of animals treatment: the sow stall, the cage, the biology of a cow’s lactation, what actually happens when animals go to an abattoir. It’s the story that counts. It’s the story behind our opinion that gives credibility to what we say. Even if not asked for (and therefore not offered), background knowledge gives us the confidence to speak out.
Whatever we say is likely to be provocative - we’re commenting on and questioning the morals of people, ordinary consumers, and they don’t take too kindly to that. No one feels too comfortable, hearing us talk when there’s a moral principle at stake, especially if they’re already feeling guilty. Animal advocates who are ‘straight talking’ about issues concerning animal torture and public compliance, are dealing with delicate matters. If we want to be heard we need to win respect for what we say, showing them we’ve done our homework and that we are trying to come across sincerely and non-violently.
If we are promoting veganism in public, personal sincerity is essential. If we seem at all fake while talking about animal rights, people will turn away. Things may even turn nasty. We talk about how things could be done beautifully, so it’s best not to sound ugly! If we show any hardness in our personality our words of wisdom will seem empty. Value-judgments and heated disagreements are guaranteed to lose us support. Instead of trying to convert people in the old fashioned, tub-thumping way, we need to listen to, and not be afraid of, opposite opinions. Then we are in the best position to offer our own solutions. In the absence of balanced conversation and debate we can lose sight of the issues and that would be ridiculous since, in the end, the issues are the point of our debate.