You know the phrase: \u201cYou are what you eat.” Well, it turns out there is more to that phrase than what\u2019s on the surface. Becoming vegan forms a large part of who we are; it becomes another carefully-woven thread in the wider fabric of our social identity. I think a large part of how we are taught to view the world is based upon placing ourselves at the centre of this worldview (a human-centric model), and that makes sense; you are telling your story after all. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
But in order to transcend requires a certain form of enlightenment. To reach a higher place beyond this limited worldview, you need to be able to place yourself outside of it: you need to see yourself as an observer, on the outside looking in. Jane Goodall articulates this much better than I can I\u2019m afraid (I am not the most articulate creature): \u201cThe ability to see beyond one\u2019s self is the key to delivering a message that asks us to change our behaviour.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It is often said that metacognition is the highest form of intelligence one can achieve. Think of it as a form of reprogramming; you are rewiring your operating system; strengthening the neural pathways; but in order to re-program it, you must first observe your own operating system. Only by observing it first, can you then rewire the network and strengthen the connections that enable it. \u201cVeganism requires us to deprogram ourselves; to alter how we think\u2026.to avoid the indoctrination of carnism.\u201d (Vegan FTA). <\/p>\n\n\n\n
So how can we help others reach this point of enlightenment? What strategies can we incorporate into our vegan advocacy? And how can we use strategies to bypass those common and frustrating hurdles we encounter in order to foster meaningful one-to-one conversations? <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Well, I think it certainly helps if we can re-frame veganism as the status quo. We want to encourage people to flip the narrative so they see veganism as mainstream through their social lens. We know that our social identity forms a large part of who we are. Our sociocultural and political landscapes are unique to each of us and we must first understand that when we approach someone to engage in meaningful conversation. How can I tailor my vegan message to ensure that it resonates with each individual? That it meshes with a core part of their identity in order to tell their unique story.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Not everyone will be ready for the conversation. Some will be defensive; some will be in complete denial or engage in \u201cmoral gymnastics\u201d (thank you, Greg Dean), and that\u2019s okay. Some people just aren\u2019t ready yet. And that\u2019s not making excuses for them. But the reality is we are never going to turn everyone vegan. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Your overarching goal of course, is to induce behavioural change. In order to create change, you need to achieve an agenda. Think of the agenda as a moment of awareness; perhaps a new way of perceiving reality; it is often seen as a \u2018light-bulb\u2019 moment. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
This is where the \u2018Stages of Change\u2019 framework comes in handy; a psychological tool used for behaviour modification. I actually came across this from an old post on the Vegan Compass Podcast Instagram page with vegan psychologist, Ayanthi De Silva. Basically, before any action can occur, there needs to be a moment of contemplation; it\u2019s the seismic shift that occurs as part of a larger psychological process of metacognitive awareness. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
I am sure we all remember a conversation with a non-vegan with a goal of vegan conversion that was very frustrating – perhaps the conversation gets shut down completely, or the conversation goes around in circles, using various logical arguments. I remember once having a conversation with someone when I was doing street outreach (I\u2019m surprised I was able to talk to someone to be honest; I just can’t concentrate), because I was trying to draw him in (he was standing far back staring at the awful footage on our TVs). This man was saying how horrible it was; the way we treat animals in slaughterhouses. When I prompted a call to action on his part, he would draw the \u2018appeal to futility\u2019 card. But I suppose, at least he had contemplated. He was aware that a problem existed. And that is one further step forward in the right direction. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Meanwhile, there are millions of people still stuck in the pre-contemplation phase and they are walking around on autopilot, while further driving the story of consumerism. And they, as characters, have become products. They are living in a bubble with no awareness that a problem exists, and with no intention of changing their behaviour. Perhaps, they are happy to be a cog in the machine, one of many in a gargantuan system geared toward compliance. Or, perhaps they just don\u2019t want to know: it\u2019s a case of \u201camathia\u201d (a Greek word, translated to \u2018wilful stupidity\u2019). <\/p>\n\n\n\n
I think amathia aptly describes the reason why we have so many problems in the world today and are struggling to make real progress. And it\u2019s the reasoning behind many non-vegans and their thinking. It\u2019s not just ignorance, it\u2019s the ignorance of not wanting to know. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Jonny Thomson explains it much better than I could: \u201cAmathia is one of the greatest causes of human evil\u2026 it\u2019s when an otherwise intelligent person refuses to learn anything that might challenge their already held beliefs.\u201d I will link the video here:<\/p>\n\n\n\n