Just because a group of people share a lifestyle choice rarely, if ever, means they all share the same opinion. Vegans are no exception; in fact, they’re the rule. Certain utterances can surprise, shock and occasionally segregate vegans from each other. Here are a few oddities that can be heard amongst vegan circles, and what you can do instead.
1. “Violence is worth using against people who don’t understand animal violence.”
This is perhaps the most ridiculous and backwards, yet unusually commonplace, statement heard among the vegan community. If vegans are working to prevent violence, then using violence as a solution will only worsen the problem and darken the world. This mindset is like using a torch to douse a fire.
The last action any vegan should be taking against a non-vegan is one of violence. Take the time to offer a listening ear, and be understanding towards a non-vegan’s opinion, even when it conflicts with your own. Respect earns respect. Regardless of another person’s perspective, the best way to spread a lifestyle based on compassion and love for all sentient beings is to show that compassion to members of your own species, as well as every other one.
2 . “I tolerate all people and beliefs. Except [specific people group/belief].”
Hearing this also creates a very strange and unwelcoming environment. Most vegans are on a quest to provide freedom to all sentient creatures, and tolerance is a key factor in providing freedom. To welcome all viewpoints on life except for one fosters an attitude of exclusivity that is detrimental to the message of inclusion vegans want to share and inspire in others.
One of the most effective ways to spread a message is by sharing it with all. It’s best not to hold preconceptions about groups that share a faith or belief because that group is made up of individuals. Just like the numerous vegans in the world, just because they share a belief does not mean they share everything. Groups are made up of individuals, and it is different individuals working together that creates a better world.
3 . “I can’t stand meat-eaters. They’re the scum of the earth.”
Most people are not born and raised vegan, so they may have difficulty understanding the best ways to transition to a vegan diet, and that’s only if they are interest in veganism in the first place. It is not right, or frankly nice, to put yourself on a pedestal because you are now vegan and someone else is not. Some people may make the transition faster or easier than others, but everyone is different, and people often oppose change.
Remain patient as people learn more about veganism, and encourage them in a friendly way to keep going. Many people need to take small steps towards a vegan lifestyle so use their progress as cause for enthusiasm, nothing else.
4. “You ate a regular doughnut this week?! How dare you!”
Yes, more often than not, especially for newer vegans, people will still want to treat themselves with what is familiar and proven to satisfy. Humans are creatures of habit, and we are prone to act based on what we know and where we have been before.
In a world that is trying to progress out of violence and ignorance, inch by inch, into one where vegan ideals are upheld in greater strength, most food-related businesses are still at odds with being vegan-friendly. For those that have just crossed the line into vegan territory, it is a challenge to wave goodbye immediately to their food homeland, especially for sweets-lovers. Give people some leeway as they come across new information and knowledge, and remember one regular doughnut is truly not the end of the world.
5 . “I hate Conservatives. They’re just trying to destroy certain freedoms.”
This is very similar to the toleration of all beliefs except for one or two. Some vegans are liberal, but some are not. One’s political beliefs can depend on any collection of factors, but this is another area where it is best to look for what can bring people together, rather than apart. As soon as vegans start sequestering other vegans (or potential vegans) for reasons such as spiritual or political beliefs, the unity of the vegan community starts to lose momentum, and the voice of the vegan message starts to lose power.
6 .“Why can’t vegetarians just go vegan already?”
Some, though not all, current vegans may have experienced a very smooth road on their journey from carnist to vegan. Consequently, it can be easy to forget the emotions and challenges almost everyone experiences when they make any drastic lifestyle change. It is easy for vegans to become zealous, and at times, a bit too pushy toward their vegetarian counterparts.
It is also easy for vegans to view any diets less restrictive than theirs as inferior and disapprove of anyone who adheres to such a diet. This is perhaps what makes vegans so restless around vegetarians. Vegans just want them to jump aboard the vegan bandwagon already and don’t understand what’s taking them so long to “see the light.” As it goes with many other circumstances, it helps if all parties involved are patient and understanding. The truth must certainly be spoken, but kindly and without judgment.
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