You do it, so shall I

512:


In the face of greatly differing views, we each seem implacable; vegans are ‘in judgement’ of non-vegans and they are in judgement of us, for whatever reasons. We have fixed views of each other and, today, perception rules, so views stay fixed.

In all matters of food, omnivores support the status quo, and more or less have to; they fear stepping into the dangerous waters of boycotting things … which leads to a huge daily inconvenience. “Where does it all stop?”

Omnivores are not far wrong – it is inconvenient trying to be consistent all the time, about what and what-not to boycott. But of course it gets easier as time goes on. But that’s not how it’s perceived by non-vegans. For them it all sounds too difficult to even contemplate.

By the time we’re adults we’re used to life and decision-making; we know life’s a matter of fitting-in; if we don’t fit in with the way others do things we’re soon enough cast out by them (often, in the nicest possible way). We’re benignly regarded as being slightly too whacky to be taken seriously. “They take things too far”

It’s evident, to most people, that vegans want to alter things in a quite incredible way. It’s likely we’re people who deny others the simple pleasures of life. “You can’t talk to a vegan”. We’re seen to be obstinate to common sense. To non-vegans we’re the ones who “just don’t get it” – “I mean, how can you object to cheese, when it’s something so familiar to daily life? What’s so wrong about a cheesy pizza or a quiche?”

That’s the accepted line, and it’s based on a flimsy perception!

So, for starters, vegans need to point out (if we ever get the chance to open our mouths) that the collective consciousness, regarding animal food, is based on an ill-informed or misinformed perception of vegan-thing and the herbivorous-diet. Ultimately, it’s down to us, as vegans, to better inform people.

But not to frighten them. That’s the tricky bit. It’s always my intention to research the connection between animal products and ill health. If any questions are going to be asked, this is where they’ll start. But not to dwell too long here - it’s so easy for people like me to scare the bejesus out of people, to get them to go vegan. My telling my friends they’re all going to die horrible deaths isn’t such a good idea. However I know I must know the vital stuff, about ‘the connections’ and about basic nutrition, even if I don’t actually get to mention it.

This connection between eating animal protein and contracting heart disease, cancer, diabetes, poor circulation, loss of leg power and (with the worry of all this) dementia, is the nuclear arsenal of our arguments. I think we should lock it safely in a cupboard and use the material sparingly.

Instead of a fear-impelled change I’d rather see some energy going into perception-eering. I prefer to see myself (and my fellow vegans) looking for useful clues on how our omnivore friends perceive things; how we trick ourselves into seeing what isn’t there; and how we appease our taste buds to ease our addiction-worries. I want to understand how some humans take up great ideas which others push away. And instead of speaking with ‘vegan fire’, I want first to learn why some people with brains think for themselves and why others with equally good brains hardly think at all, about important issues; nor act at all.

I imagine the more insecure one is the more one wants to fit in. It’s almost primal complying with fashion - “Because you do it, so shall I”.