My thoughts about spreading veg(etari)anism

Hello everybody, my girlfriend is a vegan en since I know her I've had a lot of thoughts about veganism and/or vegetarianism. I totally respect anybody who is, I couldn't do it. Of course, I am doing as much as possible, or as much as I want, for animals. I eat biological meat (meat from animals that are able to live freely andhave much more space than the animals, but still get killed) and I won't go totally vegan.

I'll tell you why I won't, and I'll tell you why I'm telling you this. My girlfriend is quite ok with my decisions about veganism. We both have more or less the same meaning about veganism: it is an individual matter.

That means it's cool to be a vegan or a vegetarian, but it's totally uncool to try to talk people into being vegan or vegetarian. I think the worst you can do is dislike people who eat meat. It is the human nature to eat all food, we are omnivores, and food includes meat. Everybody has a different opinion about this, and a lot of people think it's unfair. Most people will not, however, stop eating meat or even any other product gotten from animals (like dairy). They just don't like that, and you ought to respect that decision.

So what am I saying? I'm saying that every vegan or vegetarian should go out and make people conscious of the bio-industry and animal rights. What they shouldn't do is try to force people, or dislike people because of their decision. If somebody really likes his sunday beef or lambchops or whatever, let him have that and tell him that there are loads of other ways to be nicer to animals (like eating biological food).

I just wanted to share my thoughts on this one, don0t feel provoked, because that's not the reason I'm doing this. Just think about it, and see if you agree with me or not. Don't dislike me for my honest opinion.

 

Well, I agree with you on one point. I agree we should not try to force things on people. This kind of aggression for any cause rarely works anyway. Angrily forcing a message on someone will only make them more resistant to that message. People's hearts and minds need to be opened, and this is done through positive examples, the presentation of facts, and appeals to the natural senses of mercy and justice. This is not done by yelling at strangers on the sidewalk.

However, although just about every action we engage in is a "personal choice", we must realize an innocent third party is being hurt here (in fact, about nine billion of them). The demand for meat isn't as harmless as choosing what color shirt to wear. It sentences large numbers of innocent beings to harsh treatment (of varying degrees) and death. For that reason, I believe meat consumption should be a matter of public concern and attention. Look at it this way. Say my neighbor was smacking his dog around every day. What should I do? Should I just ignore the dog's cries because it is my neighbor's personal life choice? Most people would say no, I should try to put a stop to it. I see no significant difference between what is happening to pigs, cows, chickens and that innocent dog. Just because society condones it doesn't make it ok.

 

For every vegetarian there must have been someone/thing that raised their awareness and changed their life. For me it was this forum, without it I'd still be an omni and an ignorant one at that. I am eternally grateful to those who opened my mind and provided such wisdom and encouragement. How could that possibly be wrong?

What you say is actually a contradiction. This education of sorts is going to change people's views. That's the point after all. For a compassionate vegetarian it is incredibly difficult not to say anything. People are entitle to speak out against child abuse, racism and other evils in the world. So why not the horrific suffering of animals.

If it takes passion and yelling from the rooftops, so be it. Neutrality and being nice doesn't make a diffrence. What would have happened if Martin Luther King had stayed quiet for fear of offending the KKK?
Nothing, basically. America would still be in the grip of racism and segregation. Obviously those racists didn't like hearing it, but so many others listened and joined the fight. Now the world is a far better place for it.

Of course there will always be those who don't listen, and I agree militance can backfire. But we have our reasons, and are just trying to make the world a little better.

 

Any radical or even slow change in peoples views on animal treatment will quickly be evaporated when people lose jobs ... thats the thing. Being kind to the world and its inhabitants directly effects peoples pockets. That why not a lot is done . However you word it most vegeterians would like more people to be a vegeterian but we will always be in a minority .... thats just the way it is.


safer cleaner 'happier' farms are great...but market time comes anyway.

 

As long as it's not preaching, I'm totally okay with it.
I don't like people who start preaching veganism out of nothing, I mean, like walking over to a complete stranger and call him murderer. If asked, I explain my reasons and my point of view, and that's it. If I notice someone is interested, I'll maybe try to convince him/her, but never "violently".
On the "Carnival of Cultures" this Spring in Berlin I saw a woman handing out leaflets about the meat industry and veg*nism - a lot of people came and discussed. A great thing, in my opinion. She didn't wait for somebody to mention the topic, but also didn't force it on somebody.

 

Who are these people that "force" veganism on you anyway? I've never heard of that, nor has anyone ever preached to me about it.

There is a difference between raising awareness and forcing your views on someone. I think meateaters don't like it because they feel guilty. And they should.

Face it, eating meat affects the world adversely. Everyone should know this and I commend those who spread that information.

 

i agree with peacegal. agression and going up to some stranger and ripping them a new one because they're eating a burger is silly and probably wont get you anywhere. however if someones life choice is affecting another life then i think at some point a line has to be drawn.


i also think that if onmis are sick of all these mysterious (i've never encountered one) evangelist veg*ns throwing their ethics all over the place, then omnis should stop lecturing veg*ns as a whole about being preachy. i have never once called any omni a muderer for eating meat. i have never once made any mention to an omni of my distaste for their diet, and i have not called any omni unethical. i can think what i want, but i can keep it in my head. i expect the same in return.

 

I totally agree

Ditto Rain...
I'm not militant, it's really not my style, and alienating people is no fun.
But I have no issues with standing my ground and explaining. Not point having free speech without using the privledge myself.
It's not like I provoke or heckle, and will walk away when it gets heated.

 

Well I don't mean forcing as in putting a gun against my back and telling me I should be vegan, but me and my girlfriend's best friends (also vegan) have had several heated discussions - a bit of an understatement.

By the way, I don't think you shouldn't tell other people about what's happening to animals, you have very right to try and convnice other people, but it IS after all their personal choice, so it's not really worth a discussion. I think it's important THAT you think about what to do with the bio-industry, not WHAT you think about it, however mean these thoughts may be.

 

If you are interested in vegetarian activism check out:

http://www.christianveg.com/

We can spread the word in a loving and peaceful way, and the more people that choose a veggie lifestyle the more peaceful our world will become. There is hope!

 

Nice looking site. I'm not Christian though, so it's a little off putting.

Floris, you say we should raise awareness but not bother having debates. Err how does that work then. Anything said/done, not said/done has potential to spark debate. Of course there will always be some who don't care, and it isn't always the time and place to debate.
I'll stop before I repeat myself.
To be honest you don't make a lot of sense.

 

It is true that there is a time for speaking up and for debate. More often than not, though, a peaceful, compassionate, and loving example will get you further than the most eloquent debate will.

 

Exactly, that's what I try to do.

My debates are kept mainly to forums where people understand and are interested.