Preachy Vegan

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Twizelby
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Joined: Fri May 16, 2014 3:56 pm
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Preachy Vegan

Post by Twizelby »

How do we best communicate what our ideas are to the larger community. I often find myself as the butt of jokes and people generally regard us as preachy. We all know why we are passionate about this topic, and why bacon jokes not only stupid but incredibly disrespectful, but how do we change the perception people have of this topic? I have tried to communicate through pointing out fallacies common in carnist arguments like Tu quo quo, and the appeal to nature fallacy, making analogies, explaining the science behind animal sentience, talking about environmental impact, and yet still I am mocked. I think the key to my veganism was watching farming videos and finally making the connection between what I was eating, and the sentient creature that died through a proxy murder. But how the fuck do you make someone watch a video of farm animals? I have talked to several carnists who say "I can't watch that or I might go vegetarian" WTF? yea thats the point! why would you want to remain ignorant?
So really how do we, the vegan community, get people to think and talk. we need to get more dialogue without being instantly shut down as preachy.
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TheVeganAtheist
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Joined: Sun May 04, 2014 9:39 am
Diet: Vegan
Location: Canada

Re: Preachy Vegan

Post by TheVeganAtheist »

I found an avenue online through videos. In real life when interacting with people directly, I wait for them to ask me questions rather than approach them with it.

I think what it will take is more people knowing vegans, eating at vegan homes, and starting to approach vegan material online.
Do you find the forum to be quiet and inactive?
- Do your part by engaging in new and old topics
- Don't wait for others to start NEW topics, post one yourself
- Invite family, friends or critics
TheThinkingThinker
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Re: Preachy Vegan

Post by TheThinkingThinker »

I'd say just treat it the same as any other issue, such as religion, atheism, politics etc. It's just like we don't want annoying religious people preaching at us all the time, or you don't want people talking about abusing animals/chewing meat with their mouth open in front of you. The same goes the other way, they don't want us "preaching" atheism, and people don't want vegans/vegetarians telling them how to eat all the time. Don't force it or the conversation on people constantly, if at all if they aren't interested. That kind of thing will often only make people want to go against you more.

Nobody likes someone that constantly steers conversatioins toward a subject that they're constantly trying to change your mind about. Trust me, my brother is a young earth creationist, hyper-religious conspiracy theorist, He's anti-medical science, believes in faith-healing etc. and thinks there are literal demons in music that come out when you listen to it and cause spiritual/mental harm to you. Conveniently, not the music he listens too, of course. He constantly brings up conspiracy theories etc, he's always telling people what they should and shouldn't eat/take medically. On top of that he thinks MANY things that are a matter of opinion are matters of objective fact, such as movies, music, games, art etc being better or worse than others.

I could go on and on about all the annoying shit he does, but my point is that nobody (even a lot of us who are related to him) even wants to really hang out with him if we can help it. So being like that with anything, including veganism, is just going to get the same results.

I understand (even though I'm not a vegan) that it's often hard to keep your mouth shut about something like that. I'm the only atheist in my family and they constantly say crap like "thank you lord for healing me" after fucking surgery... But that's just the way life is sometimes. It's just going to come down to if you want to stay friends with them. If they aren't going to change and be more open to your suggesting of veganism, or you can't avoid the subject then there aren't many ways it can go. Either you're going to get sick of having to be quiet about it and stop being their friend as a result, or you're going to be like my brother who only has like 1 friend and even most of his immediate family doesn't want him around because he can't stop being "preachy".
Twizelby
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Joined: Fri May 16, 2014 3:56 pm
Diet: Vegan

Re: Preachy Vegan

Post by Twizelby »

I usually follow the Vegan atheist way of responding. I do not being it up unless asked, even then I preface my argument with "if this makes you uncomfortable then stop me" my problem is when people equate that with preaching like a religious person. To me it's like saying "stop preaching to me about slavery, its like your religious," yea I'm religiously anti violence...the very thing that atheists hate about religion.
TheThinkingThinker
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Re: Preachy Vegan

Post by TheThinkingThinker »

Twizelby wrote:...my problem is when people equate that with preaching like a religious person. To me it's like saying "stop preaching to me about slavery, its like your religious," yea I'm religiously anti violence...the very thing that atheists hate about religion.
In case you thought I was, I wasn't equating it with religion. I was just equating the 2 actions if done to the same extent, because regardless how it is meant, that's still how the person is going to take it.
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Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
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Re: Preachy Vegan

Post by Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz »

Y'know, if they aren't going to be open to logic and reason and civil debate, there is no point wasting our energy on them. We can only hope that the copious amounts of animal flesh they eat causes them to die of heart disease.
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