Telling it as you see it

730: 

How do I, as a vegan, see things?  I see the violence in the ugly foods people eat, because of the things done to animals, and I find it’s hard to eat with people while they eat animals. I even feel awkward mixing with them socially, because of their insensitivity. It’s no wonder I seem to be a social pariah. But there’s an up-side for me.

If this is the lonely reality for me, you  might think it sad, but at least it builds up my will power. I need that, for those times when I say “no” instead of  “yes”. It’s easier to fit in, to do what others do, to indulge in the evident food pleasures on offer. But once the line is drawn there’s no going back, and I’ve often been surprised to find that, when I stick to my principles I find it’s not as hard as I thought it would be.

            For me, as for other vegans, it’s important to build a resistance to the popular culture. If I can’t do it then how can I expect others to do it?

The most important driver for me is that I must want to make the attempt to counter the culture. And be convinced that by following a vegan lifestyle it will be liberating, and will bring me happiness. If I’m gritting my teeth and only ‘doing it for the animals’ it will never work. If I don’t think it will make me happy then I won’t be able to persuade others of anything. Why would you take any notice of me if you didn’t think I believed that veganism made me happy?

In truth, there’s always a struggle. It isn’t a breeze. To stand up against such an entrenched culture isn’t in itself  meant to make me happy. Because it’s not an easy game to play, I must also say to myself that I do not necessarily have the right to be in a constant state of happiness while so many animals are suffering. Why should I expect to enjoy my freedoms when so many creatures languish in cages? This is at the heart of social justice.

Becoming a vegan isn’t just about me. It’s not about my feeling good about myself, it’s just as much about developing empathy whilst being part of a world of indifference. And if I ever  resent missing out on all the goodies on offer I must be able to balance that in terms of my sadness for what my own species is doing to other species, knowing that nothing can change for the animals until something changes in humans.

            Instead of our becoming more compassionate as the human advances, we become less so; animal suffering gets worse; the planet dies another death every time we miss our chance to revive it, every time we procrastinate. And we must wonder why people are so blind to the crime of exploiting animals, and why we can’t see animal slavery for what it is.

            Vegans don’t want to offend people unnecessarily. As individuals we don’t set out to lose all our friends. But, whatever the cost to us personally, we can’t condone the zombification of the human species. We can’t stand by and passively watch the drone mentality take a hold.

I don’t want to whinge. That will get me nowhere. My attention should be on how to talk effectively, how to talk from the heart and how to talk so that even kids can understand. I want to talk to fellow adults so they don’t become embarrassed but do grow in their understanding. All I want to get across is that whenever we buy anything from animal sources we attack them. And if this can be understood then it’s upto the animal advocate to find a way to appeal to people’s hearts. It’s really not so much about healthy eating or saving the planet but about the human ability to rise above the ubiquitous habit of animal-eating. Once the habit is broken then there will be no stopping the advance of the human.