Vegan police

267a:

A friend of mine reckons I try to take over any conversation to put my case for veganism or animal rights, and she reckons I’m being like the ‘thought police’. “Leave me alone”, she says, “I feel okay about what I do, what I eat and what I wear”.
I can’t fight that! In her mind there’s no obvious damage being done - she’s only doing what others do … and it’s legal. More importantly she doesn’t want to discuss any of this. Leave me alone.
I go snooping, opening her fridge, disapproving of what I find inside. She says I’m no better than a peeping tom. I step over the line, or more importantly I show my fundamental misunderstanding of her freedom-of-choice … and understandably she reacts badly. Perhaps she’s too polite to object too strongly to my face but later, privately, she probably gets quite upset about me being a pushy vegan who tries to barge into her private life.
I wonder why she doesn’t invite me round to dinner any more?
For my friend, who is up-front about her omnivorous diet, her being offended by me is her favourite defence. She uses it to justify ‘not listening’. Other friends are listening however. They’re taking what I’m saying seriously, and they seem to have good intentions. They may be considering altering their food-buying habits, but for what reason? Are they trying to humour me? Are they changing because I’ve nudged them into it, or is it a true awakening for them? Compassion? Political correctness? Guilt? Wanting to win approval by doing the right thing?
Does today’s intention lead to a permanent state of things or, if it fails, does it weaken one’s belief in one’s good intention? Food is such a tempting business, like wanting to be thought of as a vegetarian but sneaking a sly hamburger when no one is watching, or, as kids, having a smoke behind the bicycle sheds. Is it just weakness or is it a reaction against someone who is pushing us around? Is there an element of the sweet taste of ‘stolen fruit’? Is there a refusal to give-in to the submissive side of one’s self?
There’s someone telling me all these good reasons why I shouldn’t do something I’m used to. Is that behind my decision to continue eating meat (or whatever). Does one become offended that one’s private space is being invaded?