Treading carefully

1113: 

The principle of harmlessness is inspiring - great ideals and great ethical principles.  There are drawbacks of course, like the reality of being vegan in a non-vegan world, and becoming aware of the hardness of people.

The biggest mistake vegans make is assuming others will appreciate having their eyes opened to this.  It’s a shock to find out how badly many people react to what we tell them.  And then there’s a tendency for us to resent them for reacting badly ... which leads to making value judgements of them.  Once this ball is rolling it keeps on rolling.  It leads on to attacking them, even when we knows how that puts people’s backs up.  We often don’t realise how easily we can lose any advantage we might have had, and it often happens precisely at the moment we choose to ‘talk Animal Rights’ to someone who is not too keen to listen.

So, maybe I shouldn’t be trying to change anyone’s mind.  That’s something they must do for themselves, in their own good time.  If I have anything to offer it will be to get a little useful information across, and preferably to be quick about it and to the point, before their attention and interest wanders.

Any talking I do must include listening and waiting till it’s my turn to speak.  And then not to take umbrage if I don’t like what I hear -  I say something ‘vegan-inspired’ and they rubbish it.  My ego gets  bruised, and I get offended. 

         

What I have to say might seem important and a potential changing-point in anyone’s life.  However, others might not see it that way.  They might not realise why I’m getting excited over this animal thing or why I’m ‘being urgent’ about it, both on the animals’ behalf and theirs too.

Perhaps there’s a need for subtlety, since the logic behind vegan principle might not sink in straight away.  It might be thought about when alone, in the privacy of one’s own thoughts.  If we try to come on too strong we’ll seem to be getting too confrontational or personal or even unfriendly.  If you disagree with me, you might think I’ll withdraw my affection for you.  It might bring on my nasty side, and that more than anything will stop people listening.