Eureka

630:

We might think that by morally disapproving of animal-product users that it’s going to stop them in their tracks, and impel them to discover the facts for themselves. We reckon we can shame them … and then, after that, it’s a piece of cake.

If only it were that easy! Values are so warped that wrong can seem right, when lots of people say so. Eating meat and therefore abusing animals, for example, might be contrary to our core values but we choose to eat it anyway. Under any threat that something might be taken away is when people are at their most implacable.

The human dilemma is whether to regard such values as important  or not. There’s choice. We can choose to endanger ourselves (and others) by letting vested interest sway us. Or not. Usually our decisions are based on what we want for ourselves. Or not. If not, then there has to be a lot of inner debating to persuade ourselves to draw away from social norms, especially those to do with food.

So, here we are, going along as normal in life, and then someone alters the perception of something so familiar. What a difference that makes. Blinding for some, bliss for others. New attitudes, new values and new principles look impressive but we can’t help but keep staring at it until all the implications have been thought-out. In our mind’s eye we test it out and if it convinces us then … what? We either ignore it or act on it.

People might see change as a threat and fear social pressure. Or they might see a good outcome ahead, sparking imagination, letting us see Eureka! Eureka tells us something special is happening, where we can almost feel we have no choice in the matter, but to simply follow it through, to see where it takes us.