Intelligent change

Wednesday 7th April 2010

We know “shaming” doesn’t inspire people to change. What might move them is their fear of falling behind the current fashion. If we use ‘guilt’ to make people change, probably they’ll eventually oblige us; but it won’t be a permanent change. Until people can identify with a coming ‘fashion’, they won’t contemplate a ‘no-animal lifestyle’. Without that particular fashion already in place in society, the average omnivore will see no reason to boycott and so things will continue as they are. Our consumer dollar will continue to make the moneymen rich and vegans will continue to judge their friends as barbarians, who in turn will dismiss vegans as being judgmental.
It isn’t about who is right or who is wrong. It’s about being intelligent about one’s own life and values. If these ‘values’ point towards change, then we start to see it as a positive move.
Vegans need to encourage others to “test the waters”, to learn the arguments and believe in their own capacity to change. Once they have made the transition to regular vegan eating, everything else falls into place.