Self Esteem

1303: 

There’s no need to hold back on the many personal and practical implications of being vegan. It’s a move away from a security one has always known, and a move on to something we might not be quite so sure about. Even if we are convinced that the food side of things is safe, a plant-based diet isn't a particularly comfortable thought, but we still have to deal with other discomforts. Most of us know our comfort threshold. So, it isn’t just about food but about clothing, social interactions and, most importantly, self esteem. It’s this matter of one’s estimation of the self that causes such a stir inside us.

It can be deeply eroded by guilt, by being involved in something we really do disapprove of.  If we were to weigh our options, it would come down to what value we place on either having a clear conscience or doing something that brings us comfort but has with it all the worry of a guilty conscience. I'm not keen to bring up this matter of guilt but it is a factor, especially when it's self generated. It’s something people can’t help feeling when they know they've given their support and encouragement to those who do things which they themselves would never do.

Take for example the custom we give those who pollute the environment on an industrial scale. They brew toxic chemicals to produce packaging which we all use. We can’t avoid it. So we do what we can, by recycling it. Or we try to buy ‘green’ where possible. Or when thinking of our carbon footprint, for instance, we try to conserve energy. On the environmental front, there’s not a lot more we can do. But when it comes to the big damage to our self esteem and a major inducer of guilt, we find it in abundance when it touches our involvement in animal cruelty. Our lives are very often deeply involved in this ugly business. If it causes problems for us, then there's a lot we can do. There’s a lot of guilt generated where exploiting of animals is concerned, and alleviating that guilt is something anyone can do, if they really want to.       

By gradually raising awareness of each guilty habit we have, and seeing how changing that habit can affect the planet, and our own and other’s lives, we can repair things incrementally. The point is, that wherever a greater repair CAN be made, why wouldn't we do everything possible to reduce that sense of guilt that's gnawing away at us?

It seems that gestures are all the rage. By recycling and using environmentally friendly products we make an all-important gesture, but it’s often not much more than that. However, when it comes to the big guilt-makers, like the ethical issues concerning cruelty to animals, there’s a chance to make a much more than a gesture. The logical response to animal issues is to disassociate ourselves from it as far as we can, if only to reduce our own guilt about it all.

All I would say is that to totally ignore animal issues means we are producing unnecessary quantities of guilt for ourselves. Any amount of recycling won’t neutralise any of the guilt associated with our use-of-animals, for it’s so avoidable. But it’s likely that almost everyone is so afraid of addressing this subject because of the huge investment it will involve us in. We say to ourselves, "Better to lose out on self-esteem and suffer the discomfort of guilt than face such a level of self denial".

If you know any ‘enlightened people’, try asking them what they eat. You’re likely to see a lot of guilt disguised as obfuscation and dissembling.

When I was still buying unethical products, I was collaborating in the very thing I wanted to see changed. I wanted to promote sustainable systems. I wanted to show my concern for the planet as well as the animals. I wanted to ease my conscience. I wanted to see myself for who I thought I was, namely a non-violent person.  And here I was adding fuel to the fire.

By having an even deeper guiding principle, the code of logic and it’s demand for honest response, we can conduct ourselves with dignity. We don’t have to be burdened by guilt. We don’t have to slip into mildness or passivity either. We just need to practise dignified outrage, and then follow that through to its logical end.