Article 28. Non-Violence Becoming a Habit

On the face of it, dynamic non-violence calls for right-thinking which in turn depends upon our ability to discriminate right from wrong. But this leads us into the moral quagmire of making value judgments. Vegans, for instance, secure their position in the ‘right-thinking’ camp. But they often go on to compare themselves with others. With the ones who aren’t as ‘right-thinking’ as they should be. Vegans often become judgmental and this can make them look dangerous.
We’d be on safer ground if we left aside good and bad values and concentrated more on good and bad energy. By becoming non-violent, vegans tap into a highly efficient energy production machine. Energy used for non-violent activity contrasts with the energy-drain associated with violence. As such, violence is never directly advocated. It’s more like a fall back position. It scoops us up when we get lost. It appeals to our vulnerable or weak willed side. It’s a temptation but not because it is wicked, because it sucks energy out of us. One of the worst energy losses comes when we force things and then hope to get away with it. That is probably how most informed but obstinate meat eaters think. They hope they can "get away" with their meat diet without too much damage. The less obstinate eventually become vegan. They won’t take such a risk with their lives. So they start to consider making a major personal change.