Harmlessness can’t be forced

1087: 

By adopting an overall non-violent approach, we don’t have to weaken our connection with people, or weaken our support of animals.  The underlying principle of non-violence is guardianship.  A vegan should be caring for all.  We consider animals to be in dire need of protection, which is why we encourage responsibility towards them.  But this also means we feel a similar protectiveness for one another.

Harmlessness implies being patient enough to allow people to change at their own rate and within their own capacity, without our attempting to force it or without being judgemental, if only because it always fails to impress most free-willed people.

Certainly change is urgent, certainly the horrors of animal farming must be stopped as quickly as possible but when we are dealing with free-willed people who have firmly held opinions.  Which mean nothing can be hurried.

Free-will, freedom of speech and thought, is what humans have fought so hard for.  We treasure our freedom to think for ourselves.  We are most proud of our opinions on things, but unfortunately we’re pretty good at celebrating these hard-won freedoms, but less enthusiastic when it comes to taking responsibility for what we do.  And that applies especially to the matter of how we treat our animals.  We, the consumer, blindly consume without asking the questions we know we ought to be asking.  So much of our food and clothing comes to us courtesy of the abattoir, and we the consumer are not taking responsibility for what happens there; we don’t want to know the details. 

           

The reality may not be pleasant; that people are willing to turn a blind eye in order to enjoy the benefits of animal slavery.  But if that is so, then people like animal rights activists have a hard fight on their hands.  If we want to alter people’s irresponsibility we mustn’t use aggression because it makes it too easy for people to dismiss us and then dismiss what we are saying.  We have to learn to swallow our outrage and start to connect with people.  We must persuade change but without rushing people into it against their will.  We have to listen, even to opposite views, as to why they believe it is right to eat or exploit animals.  Our biggest test is to show we can listen.  And slowly introduce our ideas in easily digestible chunks.