Vegan education is about helping people connect with their values, not forcing them to change their values

Posted on by animalandmind

Is vegan education about forcing people to care about something they don't care about? Sometimes I hear people say "you can't force people to care about animal rights" as an argument against vegan education. Or that we should continue eating animals because everyone can care about different things, "so I'll care about humans over here … Continue reading Vegan education is about helping people connect with their values, not forcing them to change their values

6 Thought traps: How the way we think can influence our activism

Posted on by animalandmind

"The mind is its own place, and in itself can make a heaven of hell, a hell of heaven" - Milton, 2007 How does what we think influence our activism? Have you ever wondered how the thoughts that enter your mind influence your experience of the world? From the way you behave, the emotions you … Continue reading 6 Thought traps: How the way we think can influence our activism

You’re allowed to call yourself a vegan even if you don’t have it ‘right’

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Does someone need to be 'perfect' at veganism before they call themselves a vegan?  What if calling yourself vegan leads to learning more about it? Or motivates you to do more to help animals? Or makes you take pride in the title and spread it positively, encouraging more people to look into this whole 'vegan' … Continue reading You’re allowed to call yourself a vegan even if you don’t have it ‘right’

Animal activist whistle-blowers: why defending them is defending democracy

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Recently the Australian government has been cracking down on vegan animal activist whistle-blowers. Activists entering farms to capture footage may be able to face up to $200 000 fines as of this year, this is despite the fact that activists have captured countless footage of animal cruelty (both legal and illegal practices) in Aussie farms … Continue reading Animal activist whistle-blowers: why defending them is defending democracy

Vegan FAQ: Responses to Common Debates about Eating Animals

Posted on by animalandmind

Currently conversations about eating animals and veganism are happening countrywide after the recent bold and controversial nationwide animal rights protest. Many questions and comments that arise tend to be commonly held. So below are a list of 18 of the most common ones I come across, with my responses to each. 1. "We should continue … Continue reading Vegan FAQ: Responses to Common Debates about Eating Animals

The Australia-wide vegan protest: A reflection on the different responses

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This week has been big in Australia. Never have I seen a protest create so much heated debate! In case you missed it, on Monday 8th April 2019, hundreds of animal activists held a bold nation-wide animal rights action. In Melbourne, they stopped the CBD with a peaceful protest holding signs about the film Dominion, … Continue reading The Australia-wide vegan protest: A reflection on the different responses

Veganism is not a black or white concept

Posted on by animalandmind

It can be easy to see things in black or white - that something is good or bad, right or wrong, perfect or a failure. Termed as 'polarised thinking' in psychology, this type of thought pattern is recognised as unhelpful due to its irrational and simplistic approach. Most of us think in this way from … Continue reading Veganism is not a black or white concept

The first rule of vegan club: do not make it a club

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  As people who aim to protect animals with each meal we eat, identifying as vegan can become a badge of honour. It can permeate into so many aspects of our lives that we no longer see ourselves as simply living vegan, behaving vegan, or thinking vegan, but rather we see ourselves as being vegan. … Continue reading The first rule of vegan club: do not make it a club

Responding to the infamous ‘But plants have feelings too’

Posted on by animalandmind

During a recent presentation I gave about veganism, I was asked by a member of the audience during Q&A - "plants are living things too, so why eat plants?"   I know many advocates roll their eyes at this question, and fair enough, many people ask it to be deliberately antagonising. But then there are … Continue reading Responding to the infamous ‘But plants have feelings too’

Coping after witnessing animal suffering

Posted on by animalandmind

Bearing witness to the suffering of animals can be powerful yet traumatic. Not only are we exposed to violence, but the empathy we feel for the victims can cause us to suffer vicariously. Add to that the vastness of the cruelty, and the knowledge that it is largely unknown or ignored by most of society. … Continue reading Coping after witnessing animal suffering