I completely agree that individual lifestyle change shouldn’t be a barrier to entry for the movement. We need a broad message so we don’t trap people in an “all or nothing” binary where they feel forced to choose “nothing” just because they aren’t ready for “all” right away. However, I believe veganism must remain a (not imposed but) actively encouraged goal for several key reasons:
1-) The most overlooked power of the vegan position, in my opinion, is its ability to shift the Overton Window. We expand the boundaries of what society considers politically and socially acceptable and this normalizes concepts that once seemed radical. When we water down our message to avoid causing discomfort, however, we effectively keep the conversation anchored to the status quo.
2-) I believe, we sometimes underestimate the moral agency of those around us. While this might vary outside our specific circles, my experience facilitating fellowships (where I’ve run small experiments in how I communicate) has led me to think that by being ‘too quiet,’ I might actually be holding people back. I assume they aren’t ready, but in reality, many are just waiting for a social nudge. They are looking for someone to show them that this change is necessary, possible, and much easier than it seems. By failing to open that door, we miss an opportunity to help them transition.
3-) Research from the Welfare Footprint Institute reveals that the scale of agony in industrial farming is even worse than we assume. Animals endure thousands of hours of “severe” and “disabling” pain. These are beings that belong in our moral circle. So, when we are in a comfortable setting with a high-quality vegan alternative right in front of us, choosing the option that causes immense suffering suggests we haven’t yet fully grasped the moral weight of the issue. I believe we should be communicating the gravity of the situation effectively enough to influence people’s behavior in such situations, at least.
TL;DR: I believe we should avoid gatekeeping the movement but we must normalize the idea that an animal’s life is worth more than our discomfort, especially within our communities, where people might be more open to change than we assume.
I completely agree that individual lifestyle change shouldn’t be a barrier to entry for the movement. We need a broad message so we don’t trap people in an “all or nothing” binary where they feel forced to choose “nothing” just because they aren’t ready for “all” right away. However, I believe veganism must remain a (not imposed but) actively encouraged goal for several key reasons:
1-) The most overlooked power of the vegan position, in my opinion, is its ability to shift the Overton Window. We expand the boundaries of what society considers politically and socially acceptable and this normalizes concepts that once seemed radical. When we water down our message to avoid causing discomfort, however, we effectively keep the conversation anchored to the status quo.
2-) I believe, we sometimes underestimate the moral agency of those around us. While this might vary outside our specific circles, my experience facilitating fellowships (where I’ve run small experiments in how I communicate) has led me to think that by being ‘too quiet,’ I might actually be holding people back. I assume they aren’t ready, but in reality, many are just waiting for a social nudge. They are looking for someone to show them that this change is necessary, possible, and much easier than it seems. By failing to open that door, we miss an opportunity to help them transition.
3-) Research from the Welfare Footprint Institute reveals that the scale of agony in industrial farming is even worse than we assume. Animals endure thousands of hours of “severe” and “disabling” pain. These are beings that belong in our moral circle. So, when we are in a comfortable setting with a high-quality vegan alternative right in front of us, choosing the option that causes immense suffering suggests we haven’t yet fully grasped the moral weight of the issue. I believe we should be communicating the gravity of the situation effectively enough to influence people’s behavior in such situations, at least.
TL;DR: I believe we should avoid gatekeeping the movement but we must normalize the idea that an animal’s life is worth more than our discomfort, especially within our communities, where people might be more open to change than we assume.