Genuine

Talking about goodness is dangerous. People think we have tickets on ourselves if we do. Nothing uglier than a do-gooder. Veganism can so easily seems like self punishment in order to appear good, and that never looks attractive. So vegans have to be careful not to let the focus on liberating animals veer around to highlight our own wonderfulness.
I remember a famous actor coming to a rehabilitation unit for wayward teenagers, to present them, on behalf of the Actor’s Union, with a new mini-bus. His smile was as warm as toast – but he was passed off by one of the kids as “fake as a Chiko Roll”.
If animal rights advocates want to promote a high ideal they have to earn respect. They have to try to do nothing that makes them seem fake, like boasting about their vegan principles or criticising those who are ‘unprincipled’. If we do it usually triggers hostility. Somehow we’ve all got to find a way of involving ourselves with people, listen to what they are saying, and let them want to discover what we have to say. If they give us some respect they may also give us the benefit of the doubt. Even listen to us. Even try out what we suggest. If we seem unfriendly or fake we’ll fail, because initially people would much rather take the easy option. They’ll be wanting to dismiss us.
If we give them the excuse, to believe we are do-gooders and are so dazzled by our own righteousness that we can’t see anyone else’s reality, then we’ll give them the excuse to rubbish vegans and rubbish our arguments.