Testing the waters

1545: 

When vegans say, “Change to plant-based food”, it’s about the most troubling suggestion anyone could hear because, on the one hand it sounds right but on the other it sounds painful.  Veganism touches the most sensitive nerve in our body concerning personal survival and peace of mind.  We’d rather live the life we know than risk a journey into the unknown.

However much vegans promise good times ahead, however fit and energetic and calm-minded we may seem, basic survival-instinct is the stronger persuader.  It overrides logic, compassion, imagination, the lot.  At a crucial point, between considering it and actually doing it, comes a dread of leaving behind a big part of our present life.  People do hear what we say to them but they don’t always process it, fearing how it might affect them.  When they purposely forget what they hear, it’s like tuning out of the voice on the radio or closing a book we don’t like - we avoid unpleasant information.  And it’s not that difficult to tune out of ‘vegan talk’ because most other people are doing just that, knowing they don’t HAVE to listen to us.

When I’m talking to someone about all this, because a lot of the information I’m passing on is to do with animal suffering, the whole experience of listening to me is unpleasant.  I reckon it’s my job to gauge how much unpleasant stuff I let out and how much uplifting stuff I use to sugar the pill.  Veganism isn’t only all about giving things up, it’s a lot to do with feeling better about ourselves, feeling more energetic and conscientious, and being able to feel more mentally alert and agile.  Dropping habits we’ve been feeling bad about, perhaps for a long time, is compensated by the new habits which take their place, and their many advantages.  But you won’t be convinced about this unless you’ve tried it out and found out for yourself.  At the edge of the water my toe tests the temperature.  My friend, already swimming, shouts to come in. “It’s really warm”.

Oh yes?