Flying on Vegan Airlines — Building Confidence with Safe Flights
The collective mass of a social movements participants can be likened to a gravitational field that influences the momentum and its ability to garner support.
Grassroots movements, with aspirations for transformative change, often resemble small aircraft navigating through turbulent skies while also contending with the substantial societal gravity of opposition.
This is particularly vital for those of us advocating for veganism. We must remain composed and not yield to the external pressures that mock our cause.
A single lapse in our united front can wreak havoc, much like a passenger in an airplane inadvertently opening a door mid-flight.
In contrast, Populous movements like Industrial Farming operate more like the earth itself. It has it’s own massive gravity, and little resistance to oppose it. It is constantly trying to pull our plane towards it from every angle.
Comprehending these dynamics is essential to successfully navigate the complex airspace of social change. As an aircraft vying against the gravity of mainstream beliefs, our endeavor is inherently more challenging.
“Not Vegan Enough”
The key to keeping people aboard the vegan movement is to provide a positive experience for those already engaged. Constant battles with detractors can sour our disposition.
Extreme gatekeeping reduces the size of our land. Let us move the gates outwards and be more flexible. Increasing our mass increases our ability to handle turbulence with ease.
Flexibility often trumps striving for perfection.
Allowing individuals to associate with animal rights, even if their approach isn’t flawless, can be more beneficial than ostracizing them for not meeting stringent criteria.
My experience supporting BLM
In the thick of BLM activism, the proliferation of the ACAB slogan felt akin to passengers smashing the windows, letting in the howling winds of opposition and destabilizing our collective effort.
Defending the nuanced meaning behind “All Cops Are Bastards” was an exhausting battle that did little to make our cause inviting to those seeking straightforward advocacy.
Personally, when I got called a bootlicker for not supporting ACAB, I didn’t want to take another flight on the BLM airplane. I’ll wait and see if they can fly with less turbulence before taking another flight.
Torture over Death
Similarly, in the Animal Rights sphere, defending black-and-white statements like “death is death” is arduous.
Is the perpetual suffering of animals in industrial settings equivalent to hunting for population balance, or the mercy of euthanasia?
Generally it’s a good idea to make statements that are easy to agree with and easy to defend.
Focusing on the torture of animals is simple, and easy to support no matter who you are. Even the most stubborn meat eater can agree that we should treat our farm animals better. This discussion can open their mind instead of closing it.
Populous Movements — A Totally Different Game
While grassroots initiatives grapple with counteracting societal gravity, populous movements operate under a different paradigm.
Engaging in discourse within these majority-backed movements carries less risk, as their sheer size provides a gravitational pull of its own.
A vegan adopting an uncompromising stance may stir controversy within the movement, but the widespread support for animal rights shields dog activists from the harsh opposition faced by broader animal rights advocates.
Check out the video below, consider how different the reaction of this militant dog activist would be compared to an animal activist!
As frustrating as it may be, the reality is that grassroots campaigns are inherently more delicate. We are bound by a stringent set of rules that demand finesse and compassion — a difficult yet rewarding path to tread. Stay resilient in your kindness, my fellow vegan chads.
