We all have that friend, or met someone like this, that is the "angry vegan". You are out for dinner and choose that XXL burger with bacon and cheese. And off he/she goes: that you are eating dead bodies, that cows were violated and their babies took away for that slice of cheese, that baby piglets were mutilated and tortured for that bacon... 'Yes Yes we know, but bacon is so good, i don't care'. This triggers the youtube videos of animal cruelty while you are eating your burger; ruined your dinner, had a fight with your friend and then and there you might think this friendship is hitting down low.
This is what I call an angry vegan.
Yes guilt can make people do a lot of things. You might feel guilty and suddenly you don't want to eat that burger full of cruelty anymore. But guilt can work both ways, as above described, instead of guilt you might feel angry at that person for pointing this out to you and then be angry at that person rather than your actions. As they say ''don't blame the messenger'', is not always true.
The same way our minds are amazing at blocking out certain things (like a steak is a steak and is not a piece of a dead cow) it is also amazing at redirecting feelings, such as being angry at the person for them pointing out the obvious (or providing you with more information on what is on your plate) instead of looking at yourself and judging your actions. Because WE never do anything bad. Have you ever met anyone who thought about themselves as being a bad person? Of course not, we always believe we are the best we can be (and do) until someone shows us another, better, way.
So instead I prefer the "plant the seed" approach. Instead of bashing and screaming and telling someone how bad and terrible they and their actions are (which we of course never are) I like to think that the positive vegans as the ones that can make YOU think instead of telling you what is bad.
And that is the common rule to make most things happen: you have to want it. Have you ever seen a diet work just because you called someone fat or over weight? No. The person needs to want to loose weight and until that happens the weight is not going anywhere. The same for veganism.
Make people think.
Make people aware.
Help people feel.
Help people make the connection. A steak is not just meat, a steak is a piece of the body of a cow that was raised to be killed and processed into steaks.
But do this in a positive way. Show them how clever cows are, show them cows feel in the same way our dogs and cats feel.
Show them it is not necessary to eat other animals for our survival, less even for to increase our health. With time make your health bloom and show everyone how you are thriving since you started eating a plant based, compassionate diet. And bottom line: happiness is in fact something that comes from inside and reflects on the outside; if you feel good and if you feel serene about your choices you will be happier. Just try it.
Don't be angry at vegans; don't generalize all vegans as bad angry vegans. Some of us just are not vocalizing it the right way. Most of us were meat eaters, so we understand your side.
In the end we are all just trying to help others make more compassionate choices, be a better person, help the planet that we all live on and make it a happier place for animals.
