Straight talking

When we’re giving our opinion or giving out information we should come across as genuine but also to pay attention to how we sound. Given the potential for this subject to ignite passions we should be straight talking but leave lots of space for other people’s opinions.
It’s likely that some of us amateur communicators don’t see ourselves as others see us. We talk as if people want to take our side, whereas most people simply want information from us. We have to be careful with details and facts. Behind everything we say there must be a backup, for example, all animal products may be unhealthy and cruel but behind this must a 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 and the verifiable facts behind our stories that convinces. Background knowledge also gives us the confidence to speak out.
Whatever we say is likely to contradict what people have been led to believe but our conclusions are likely to be provocative - we’re commenting on and questioning the morals of ordinary consumers who won’t take kindly to what we say. No one feels too comfortable agreeing that they’ve made mistakes regarding the healthiness of their foods let alone hearing us talk when there’s a moral principle at stake, which makes them already feel guilty.
To a certain extent people will accept what we say about nutrition on the basis that they can go away and check the details out for themselves, but the cruelty side is more difficult to escape from. It’s something already known about and already swept under the carpet. Animal advocates who are ‘straight talking’ about issues concerning animal torture and public compliance, are dealing with delicate matters. If we want people to listen to this we need to show them we’ve done our homework and that we are trying to be objective. We need to come across sincerely and entirely non-violently.
If we are promoting veganism in public, personal sincerity is essential. If we look a bit fake, however wise we sound, people will turn away. Things may even turn nasty. If we are talking how things should be done beautifully, we mustn’t sound ugly! If we show any hardness our words 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, and be unafraid of opposite opinions. Until that is established we can’t get to first base, to a position to offer our own solutions. In the absence of balanced conversation and fair debate we lose sight of the issues and the very point of debate.