My Tips for Arguing Veganism
Let me preface this by saying that I am by no means a perfect activist. I can get emotional. I forget things. I sometimes speak without thinking. However, these tips have proven to be extremely beneficial when it comes to discussing and arguing veganism with nonvegans, and I hope they can help you out as well.
1. Try your best to remain calm and civil.
It can be so hard to remain patient when we are sitting there listening to someone talk about grass-fed beef, or cavemen, or lions, or how there’s “no ethical consumption under capitalism.” However, it is human nature to become defensive when the person you’re talking to is hostile. If you make someone feel stupid (no matter the lack of foundation upon which their arguments stand), they are not going to want to listen to you. The person might even start to think that you’re right but refuse to admit it if you’ve been condescending or angry. The fact of the matter is that if you establish yourself as someone who is there for them as opposed to against them, they will feel much more comfortable with listening to what you have to say. This also has the added benefit of increasing the likelihood that the person will return the favor.
That’s not to say that there isn’t a place for anger and passion within veganism. What is happening to the animals and our planet is horrible, we all know that. But generally speaking, I have found this to be very helpful.
2. Ask them to explain their arguments
This is one of my favorite tips. Sometimes when someone presents an argument, they will do it in a way that is too vague, too specific, too absurd, etc. to respond to effectively. However, if you ask them to explain their argument, such as asking them why they believe that or how that point is justified, you will often find that it boils down to something you are actually quite familiar with.
For example, if someone tells me that “animals don’t matter,” rather than try and explain why they do matter, I will ask them why they think that. The person then might respond using some argument along the lines of animals being less intelligent, less beneficial to society, etc. Those are all arguments I know I can work with. If I had merely decided to explain why animals matter then I would have completely neglected the opportunity to get to the root of the problem.
Asking someone to explain their argument is, in my opinion, the most efficient method of exposing hypocrisy or fallacies. You will also often find that it unveils inconsistencies between different arguments that person is making.
3. Don’t let them corner you with falsehoods
Something I have seen vegans distress over is not being able to respond to arguments that nonvegans have posed when in fact those arguments are just lies. Nonvegans, and antivegans in particular, LOVE doing this as it provides them with the illusion of being factually correct. An example of this would be if someone tells you that they won’t go vegan because a plant-based diet requires more land to be cleared for crops, and you wouldn’t want them to destroy the environment, would you? Of course, this is simply not true. However, a novice vegan might get flustered over this. They might think that they are left with the choice of either conceding or arguing in favor of a more environmentally destructive lifestyle. If someone does this, you can also employ tip #2. Ask them why they think that. It’s very easy to make generalized untrue statements, but a lot harder to support them with specific facts.
Similarly, do not let someone present you with a false dichotomy and pass it off as being valid. I recently had a farmer tell me that in this world, it’s either “be fed or be the feed.” But that’s not true at all. They’re suggesting there are only two options: either the animals eat you, or you eat the animals. They failed to recognize the third option: neither of us eating each other.
4. If you plan on advocating veganism, absorb as much knowledge from other vegans as you can
This might seem obvious, but it is so important that I felt compelled to include it. I would be absolutely nowhere if it weren’t for what I learned through activists like acti-veg, Earthling Ed, James Aspey, etc. I would have nothing to back up my claims and no way of responding to antivegan arguments. There would be nothing for me to say. Now, you are under no obligation to defend your lifestyle to others. If you choose to say “I appreciate your interest, but I would prefer not to talk about it,” that is completely valid. It is also important to recognize when you do not know enough about something to respond. Something I used to do was try and counter an argument despite not being familiar with it and consequently make myself look silly. Understanding your limits is vital in maintaining your credibility. When you find yourself in a situation like this, perhaps try directing the person to a source that you know would have more information on the topic.
The weight of the world is not on your shoulders. It is not up to you to disprove every antivegan argument you see or to put yourself in stressful situations in the name of veganism. You are an activist just by being vegan. You are making a world of difference just through the choices you make in the marketplace. We all know that nonvegans outnumber us significantly, don’t let the fact that they happen to be congregating on a Facebook or Tumblr post stress you out. If someone eats meat, they’re likely not going to become even “more” of a meat-eater (unless they’re someone like sv3rige, but he thinks the Earth is flat and drinks people’s blood, so…). I like to think of this as meaning that the only direction to move for them is forward. I mean, if there are dairy farmers and slaughterhouse owners going vegan, who’s to say that Tumblr user doctor-who-potter-universe-69 blogging about how “100 companies are emitting 71% of greenhouse gases” won’t eventually question her own cognitive dissonance too?
Well, those are my tips! Feel free to add your own as well. I hope someone found them helpful!
