What is "effective activism"?
- Thread starter JacobEdward
- Start date
beancounter
The Fire That Burns Within
Effective activism is being able to convince people that your position is good/correct without resorting to theatrics.
Also, teach by example
Don't point fingers/accuse.
Provide evidence/sources
Deal with differences of opinion like an adult/Don't act arrogant/know it all.
Be approachable and applaud any movement of others in the right direction.
Also, teach by example
Don't point fingers/accuse.
Provide evidence/sources
Deal with differences of opinion like an adult/Don't act arrogant/know it all.
Be approachable and applaud any movement of others in the right direction.
OP
OP
I dont endorse all theatrics but why rule them out entirely?
not pointing fingers sometimes isn't honest... I dont want to be dishonest
definitely agree with the other points
beancounter
The Fire That Burns Within
Well you get more flies with honey than with vinegar.
And unfortunately, vegans have a reputation of being unpleasant among the general public.
OP
OP
A point she made was you could be an activist just by passively living your life... living your life is not activism if there isn't sufficient cross audience exposure... if you happen to be this social butterfly with tons and tons of non vegans around you and who know nothing about veganism and will see and connect the dots on you being vegan etc. otherwise you really need to do something to have a cross audience exposure... if you're this veela egghead youtube activist you really should be doing targeted videos on political ideas that are in the mainstream focus (or might some day be if common sense prevails)
OP
OP
what happens when they realize you were using psychological strategies on them instead of being honest and collaborating as equals
beancounter
The Fire That Burns Within
It's not psychological strategies to just act like a decent human being. Being nice isn't being dishonest.
OP
OP
lol sure but we were talking about something as abstract as pointing fingers... sometimes it really is only PETA putting naked women in public in the name of the animals
In my opinion, I think we need to take into account people and their different personalities, both for those doing the advocating and those on the receiving end. I am not an “in your face” kind of person. It’s just not going to happen. So I need to find other less obvious ways of advocating. I have influenced at least 8 people, that I am aware of, over the course of two years, to turning to a vegan/wfpb way of life, just by example and answering questions honestly, without being obnoxious. I also shared lots of good food and baked goods, haha. I could do leafleting and non violent gatherings/protests. But not anything more pushy than that.
Some people don’t respond to being preached to but some others might. You can’t assume that you’re going to reach more people, the more forceful you are. Some will just dig their heels in deeper.
Some people don’t respond to being preached to but some others might. You can’t assume that you’re going to reach more people, the more forceful you are. Some will just dig their heels in deeper.
OP
OP
idk how a personality changes the philosophical moral concepts, I get that what education looks like is different for a 5 year old than a 25 year old but beyond that...
it sounds to me more likely that the narrative is less about personalities genuinely being incompatible with straight forward logical arguments and instead is more about this world being a wasteland (culture that should be canceled) type of psychological battlefield where lots of people are trained in this boundlessly nihilistic way to socially engineer and will lie about doing so...
as activists interested in being effective, taking account for the true nature of our society is important ^^
it sounds to me more likely that the narrative is less about personalities genuinely being incompatible with straight forward logical arguments and instead is more about this world being a wasteland (culture that should be canceled) type of psychological battlefield where lots of people are trained in this boundlessly nihilistic way to socially engineer and will lie about doing so...
as activists interested in being effective, taking account for the true nature of our society is important ^^
It doesn’t I suppose. But activism is only as effective as the means in which it uses to reach certain people. If I’m turning people off I’m not helping the cause.
OP
OP
and there are social engineers wanting you to believe honest conversations turn people off
Lou
Forum Legend
Some people have suggested that the definition of a vegan include something about being an advocate. I don't agree but I like then sentiment.
I also think we need more effective activism. However what constitutes effective seems to be somewhat debatable.
PETA has an excellent little pamphlet on the subject. Some of their main points are basically from Dale Carnegie. Other points they make are from authors like Peter Singer.
I think if there ever is a Vegan advocacy class, this would be required reading.
One of my favorite parts is this:
Always, always, always remember this: Veganism isn’t a dogma. Veganism is about stopping suffering. Veganism is not a list of ingredients or a set of rules. Being vegan is about doing our best to help animals. So it requires thought, not a checklist.
I also think we need more effective activism. However what constitutes effective seems to be somewhat debatable.
PETA has an excellent little pamphlet on the subject. Some of their main points are basically from Dale Carnegie. Other points they make are from authors like Peter Singer.
I think if there ever is a Vegan advocacy class, this would be required reading.
One of my favorite parts is this:
Always, always, always remember this: Veganism isn’t a dogma. Veganism is about stopping suffering. Veganism is not a list of ingredients or a set of rules. Being vegan is about doing our best to help animals. So it requires thought, not a checklist.
How does one have an honest conversation (I’m all for that) with someone who doesn’t want to hear it? I think maybe we are on the same side but I might be misunderstanding something lol. Admittedly, I did not watch the video...maybe I need to do that...
OP
OP
thats the point, we should all be updating how we view the world, some people are social engineers, they wont be honest with you... you shouldn't allow social engineers to change how you approach other people who are honest...
OP
OP
Lou
Forum Legend
This article turned up in my news feed. although I mostly agreed with the author before I read that article, the article is very well done and I think I am even more in agreement now.
www.refinery29.com
I think if you gave me this article to read a few years ago, I might have said the author is looking for a problem where there isn't one. She does give a few examples of the problem that are pretty current. Plus some of my experiences here at VF make me think that this is something the vegan community needs to be concerened with. Maybe especially today with all the decisiveness in society.
Here are a couple of good quotes from the article
The People Sabotaging The Veganism Movement? Vegans
A number of activists have used social media to spread their use of controversial language in their efforts to 'shock' people into veganism.
I think if you gave me this article to read a few years ago, I might have said the author is looking for a problem where there isn't one. She does give a few examples of the problem that are pretty current. Plus some of my experiences here at VF make me think that this is something the vegan community needs to be concerened with. Maybe especially today with all the decisiveness in society.
Here are a couple of good quotes from the article
animal activist Moon Onyx Starr said, "I feel as vegans we need to be more sensitive about the kind of language we use. From my experience, the best way to drive the vegan movement forward has been to lead by example and share with people how amazing and important a vegan lifestyle is."
Whatever a person's reason for exploring veganism, they deserve to feel supported, welcomed and included by the vegan community while they make the difficult transition.
I think we do a pretty good job at that here on the VF.
I agree we shouldn't make comparisons to the holocaust or slavery.
I'm not convinced we should avoid using the word rape. Using the same word for the same violation helps put animals on a more equal moral footing. Calling meat murder and artificial insemination rape is acknowledging that the same concepts apply to human and non-human animals. (Treating another living being as property and means of production is slavery but that word needlessly injects racism into the discussion)
Anytime someone pushes back and says forced artificial insemination isn't rape that's a win IMO - simply thinking about the act in a moral context is a huge improvement over not thinking about it at all. And if they want to claim it's insensitive to rape survivors...how is calling out rape and demanding it end insensitive to survivors? It may not feel comfortable but it is right and necessary.
I'm not convinced we should avoid using the word rape. Using the same word for the same violation helps put animals on a more equal moral footing. Calling meat murder and artificial insemination rape is acknowledging that the same concepts apply to human and non-human animals. (Treating another living being as property and means of production is slavery but that word needlessly injects racism into the discussion)
Anytime someone pushes back and says forced artificial insemination isn't rape that's a win IMO - simply thinking about the act in a moral context is a huge improvement over not thinking about it at all. And if they want to claim it's insensitive to rape survivors...how is calling out rape and demanding it end insensitive to survivors? It may not feel comfortable but it is right and necessary.
Oh I meant to add something about context. I don't think it should be used frequently or casually. We can draw attention to the violation without all the baggage that comes with the term, and that's probably best in most situations. But I'm fine with using it strategically.
This is effective activism
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