being vegan means only one thing

 

What? I can already hear you say.

Didn't I write being vegan means many things just three posts ago? Yep. But we're vegans right? Which means we're smart cookies comfortable with paradox (I have 2 more to add to the series) and contradiction. (In other words, we're Walt Whitman-esque. See the great quote Tom provided in the first comment here.)

Yes, even though we're all the things mentioned in the post above, what being vegan really boils down to is giving voice to the voiceless. In a way, you're a reporter. So, time to brush up on the Five Ws? ;)

Comments

veganelder said...

Speaking the human language for those too worthy to be reduced to such a low class communication mode...because we've turned it into the language of killers and harmers and oppressors.

I agree. :-)

ReplyJuly 20, 2013 at 09:39 PM

have gone vegan said in reply to veganelder...

Of course after posting this I got to pondering whether other sentient beings really couldn't be heard, or whether we're just refusing to listen. Semantics maybe, but it seems to me that they're communicating pretty clearly what they don't want, but because it doesn't serve our interests, most of us don't want to hear it.

And we really do pride ourselves on our communication mode, don't we? Cats, for example, usually only meow to humans. They don't need to do it with other kitties as they can communicate just fine without it. So why is it that we view our ability to use language as something that makes us superior, whereas it could be just the opposite? ;)

ReplyJuly 23, 2013 at 05:36 PM

Bea Elliott said...

I agree we vegans are journalists. We're all reporting the story of the silenced victims. We're all whistle blowers on the system. Sadly we're also as villanized as the others who show naked emperors. People fear truth... How do we change this while working our magic with the 5 W's? :/

ReplyJuly 25, 2013 at 01:03 AM

have gone vegan said in reply to Bea Elliott...

I wish I knew, Bea, I really do. :(

ReplyJuly 27, 2013 at 08:05 PM

have gone vegan said in reply to have gone vegan...

Well that was quite the lame answer!

All we can do is continue to see the truth, communicate that truth as best we can, advocate in whatever way we most excel, be an example of truth in action, and hope that everyone eventually catches on to the truth of animal use/abuse.

I am more hopeful though, because even in the last five years of being vegan it's starting to feel different. Everyday folk seem to know exactly what I mean when I use the term "vegan", and everyone seems to have a vegan friend or relative or know of someone in their vicinity who's woken up to the truth of animal ag. We really are at the beginning of a more widespread awareness, and veganism is becoming mainstream like never before. Obviously it's not moving as quickly as we'd like, but we're getting there. Of that I'm sure.

ReplyJuly 28, 2013 at 05:44 PM