What’s going on here?

619:

Vegans can be so irritating, especially when they invade public space. Of course, they don’t have to be, they can be inspirational.

            There’s a difference between two types of vegan - those who don’t proselytise and those who do; some vegans speak out in public and are sometimes pushy and off-putting, some vegans don’t speak out and seem to be afraid of confronting people. Outspoken vegans do invaluable work, and quiet vegans do too, by setting a fine example in silence. I think both types are valid, but they’re not mutually exclusive. They can coexist in the one person. There are those who don’t ear bash their friends every time they see them but never miss an opportunity to speak out when appropriate, when invited.

If that part of us, which chooses to go into the public arena, is going to become stronger it must be able to deal with opposition, including those who just ignore us. We have to get used to the swagger of the vast majority; they are almost over confident because of that. So, we press on; as advocating vegans we can turn the obstinate public mind simply by enjoying the ‘game of reaching into the public ear’ and not getting huffy when rejected.

But this approach is never nonintrusive, but it’s a balance to stimulate discussion. We can take a few blows to the head, a few insults and jokes at our expense, just so long as we start discussing that most touchy of all subjects, animal issues.

As soon as we beg the public’s indulgence, beg them to listen, we lose them. And there again, as soon as we dispense with any pretence of getting permission, as soon as we challenge them to ‘bring-it-on’, or if we force them to listen, they run. And again we’ve lost them.

So, whereto from here? Humour works sometimes but it gives the impression that this is a light-hearted subject, which it’s not. I suppose one of our main problems is that, already, we have a bit of a reputation; we’re the newest evangelist on the block. They can almost smell us coming from a distance. As soon as I open my mouth they ask themselves - what’s going on here? Is he trying to convert me?