Initiating discussion

826:

If we vegans insist on being Society’s judges we need to be prepared to weigh all arguments like a judge. We must even listen to the carnivore’s arguments in order to know precisely what they’re thinking, but mainly we should be listening out of respect for discussion itself.

            By showing how we value the process of discussion we give our own arguments a better chance of a hearing. Their argument might be that killing animals is within the law and so the killers can kill and the consumers can consume. Our argument might be that the law protects humans and doesn’t protect those animals used for food.

I’d suggest that these positions can’t change until the whole subject is properly discussed in a very civilised way. It’s easy to forget that the omnivore’s acceptance of a vegan’s right to their beliefs is quite different t the vegan’s acceptance of the right of the omnivore’s to theirs. We are the judgemental ones and we give off a strong odour of it, which is why we have to work on our approach, to make it clear right from the outset, that we are NOT about to be insulting. This subject of animal-use is crying out to be discussed, fully and frankly but in a friendly way. If we can’t establish the codes of conduct from the outset, then no amount of clever argument will result in any sort of agreement. And there won’t be any boycotting and very little identifying going on.

We do have a unique approach which isn’t immediately obvious and needs some careful explanation, and that requires true listening and willingness to listen; what vegans are driving at is about acting for the greater good and not solely for one’s own comfort. That’s way beyond choosing ethical foods and considering the welfare of farm animals. It speaks to a whole new way of approaching life. Once there can be an agreement about this, then all the rest will follow. Or, at least, what we have to say will be taken seriously.

If that altruistic slant isn’t emphasised right from the word go, then it’s doubtful if the rest of our arguments are going to be considered. Because this is such an ambitious goal we, as vegans, need to come across as neutral or as genuine people. We must be seen as people who aren’t into winning kudos or scoring ego points.  Omnivores won’t give us the time of day if they see us as fanatics who just hate ‘meatheads’.

            If they want anything at all from us they want us to be ‘educational’. Personal identification with us will only come by being impressed by what we say on our subject.