As someone who has been apart of this movement for about a year and a half (then just had a relapse on a slice of cheese pizza + recommitted again to being at least fully plant based) just would like to go over something that has been bugging me about veganism and how it seems like there are many vegans creating more struggle, generating a toxic amount of shame, and ultimately less progress in the long run for converting people/making it a sustainable choice.
Love non-violent protest and that there are those apart of the community willing to risk their liberties to save these animals from the slaughterhouse and do something that sends a message to the meat/dairy industry.
With that in mind.. There is this massive vibe of emotional dis-ease and shaming others for their everyday choices, which although may be rooted in real truth and come from a place of good intention. It will certainly never, in any universe, reach the mass majority of our population who are not at all motivated by shame or don't possess the same empathetic capacity that many of you guys have. Also when you tell someone how they should feel and it differs from their actual experience, then that becomes an immediate ticket for them to write you off.
Many people/friends that are vegan just come from this authoritarian place ruled by high emotionality.. and enact very little change to try and gain power and influence in their own lives. How can you win a battle when you're personally so stuck in the ego trip, sadness, and high emotionality of your own life?
When you come from a place of getting angry, or protesting by showing dramatic pictures on the street (no matter how real), or sending a message that you people are "less than me for not eating my way" (no matter how rooted in truth it is) you will more often create those that will want to consume more meat in the general population and only exert influence on those that actually are in touch with that reality in some way already (if they think they should feel shame).
Some of the people I interact with in my life are sport hunters.
The only reason that I can sit down and talk with them about eating vegan/plant based is that I don't impose any obvious form of judgement. Instead my goal is to influence them much like the people that converted me.
We will never impact others from this snooty place of contempt or just assuming that they are so lost that they can't realize the truth. I used to be a butcher and animal fabricator at one point of my life. I never would have given it a go if it wasn't for the complete non-judgement of a friend.
How can we make progress at the rate we are going at now? Doesn't it seem like aspects of veganism are failing the animals and us?
Love non-violent protest and that there are those apart of the community willing to risk their liberties to save these animals from the slaughterhouse and do something that sends a message to the meat/dairy industry.
With that in mind.. There is this massive vibe of emotional dis-ease and shaming others for their everyday choices, which although may be rooted in real truth and come from a place of good intention. It will certainly never, in any universe, reach the mass majority of our population who are not at all motivated by shame or don't possess the same empathetic capacity that many of you guys have. Also when you tell someone how they should feel and it differs from their actual experience, then that becomes an immediate ticket for them to write you off.
Many people/friends that are vegan just come from this authoritarian place ruled by high emotionality.. and enact very little change to try and gain power and influence in their own lives. How can you win a battle when you're personally so stuck in the ego trip, sadness, and high emotionality of your own life?
When you come from a place of getting angry, or protesting by showing dramatic pictures on the street (no matter how real), or sending a message that you people are "less than me for not eating my way" (no matter how rooted in truth it is) you will more often create those that will want to consume more meat in the general population and only exert influence on those that actually are in touch with that reality in some way already (if they think they should feel shame).
Some of the people I interact with in my life are sport hunters.
The only reason that I can sit down and talk with them about eating vegan/plant based is that I don't impose any obvious form of judgement. Instead my goal is to influence them much like the people that converted me.
We will never impact others from this snooty place of contempt or just assuming that they are so lost that they can't realize the truth. I used to be a butcher and animal fabricator at one point of my life. I never would have given it a go if it wasn't for the complete non-judgement of a friend.
How can we make progress at the rate we are going at now? Doesn't it seem like aspects of veganism are failing the animals and us?
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