Eye-Opening Talk With Sister

[The Quinoa Whisperer]

Hey Guys,

My sister is basically like my best friend. We're only 18 months apart and share pretty much the same views (besides veganism, of course. Nobody shares that!). We were having some drinks on Sunday for football and I ended up talking about the terrible things I've read about Apple. Now, I've always known they were an asshat of a company, but once I started to actually research the shitty labor conditions, suicide nets, etc. I decided I can't just ignore it. As an iPhone user, it's time to leave. I'll do more research into companies who aren't "as terrible," and get a new phone.

She didn't care about the things I was saying. Her stance is that if you worried about every cause in the world, you'd go nuts. She's picked her cause - pitbull advocacy (which I fully support). She's a HUGE dog lover, but makes no connection to other animals and eats meat freely.

It was an eye-opener, because I never really thought about that reason. Mostly I assume people aren't vegans because of 1) they truly don't give a ****, or 2) they buy the propaganda that we "need" it. How many good people, though, are disregarding veganism because there are simply "too many other things to worry about"?

I didn't push her further, because she's not completely wrong. There are plenty of injustices in this world that I don't make my mission. We are all, in a way, picking the causes we feel connected to. I just feel that veganism is such a huge one. Which cause impacts personal health, climate change, living beings suffering, torture, etc. more than this? Especially when one of our favorite causes in America is dog or cat rescue?

How would you promote veganism to someone who feels they already spend "enough time" on other causes, and can't "care about them all"?

 

[Jamie in Chile]

Explain that due to the sheet amount of farm animals involved, the amount of suffering prevented by going vegetarian, amounting to hundreds of animals per year not suffering and dying for you, is a moral bad that is larger than other things, and therefore more important.

Also, while other issues like sexism and racism are important, there are already many people dealing with them, and human causes usually have their own voice from the affected group, whereas animals need our voice.

Explain that you are not asking anyone to get involved with activism, but just make the simple step of giving up meat and fish (and maybe dairy/eggs). Explain that you are not asking them to do good, but to not do bad.

And remember to mention that going vegan reduces your carbon footprint by 10%-50% (studies vary) and is, for anyone that doesn't take a lot of long haul flights, one of the easiest and most effective ways to reduce your carbon footprint.

 

[Jamie in Chile]

Explain that if you worried about every cause in the world, you'd go nuts could be used as a reason not to go meat, then logically the same argument could be used to defend any moral bad that anyone is doing.

For example a racist could say if you worried about every cause in the world, you'd go nuts to defend his or her racism.

It doesn't work.

 

[OnlyLove]

I can see her point. I have to admit, that when I opened my eyes it has left me feeling increasingly distressed and overwhelmed.