If I’m Stepping on Your Toes, Please Step Back
“Why do people hate vegans?” the headline read.
I was not surprised to see this gluten-free, Non-GMO project verified chip on the shoulder of many people in my Facebook groups. I’d seen it many times before: A group member posts a link and pulls the victim card, other group members chime in, they all have a pity party and go about their day. This one shouldn’t have been anything new to me… but this one made me think a little harder.
In the following opinion-based essay, I have a few points I would like to make. I may step on some of your toes and for that I say: Take a step back and re-evaluate yourself.
To the people who think they know more about agriculture than agriculturists:
You don’t.
It pains me to see some of the posts of misinformation shared to these groups. People post false information about animal agriculture, climate change, GMO production, conspiracies surrounding the food system… if you can think of a bogus claim, I can guarantee I’ve seen it.
Many of these people think that just because they read a study financially backed by PETA or the Humane Society, a book published by a quack doctor or, better yet, just read a random blog post from a blogger with a following smaller than me (and trust me, as of right now that’s below average) they know more than agriculturists.
They believe they know more than collegiate professors and people who spent every single day for four years of their life researching ag, writing about ag and taking quizzes and tests on ag.
They believe they know more than unbiased government organizations such as the Environmental Protection Agency or the United States Department of Agriculture. Organizations who, I can promise you, would love to find someone to blame for climate change.
They believe they know more than farmers, ranchers and any other professional of the agricultural industry, the people who use agriculture to put food on their table and yours — trust me, they don’t.
I’m sorry to tell you, but you do not know more than people who dedicate their entire life to the furtherment of agriculture. Just because you read some opinion piece on “Why agriculture is hurting the environment,” or ate one Impossible Burger does not give you the authority to discredit the men and women who keep your belly full.
To the people who like to argue:
Think before you speak.
I’ve discussed this many times in this column and I cannot stress this enough: You can’t win an argument with a radical.
Speaking in the sense of a simple bell curve, there are actually three key players in any argument.
There’s the two sides of the argument. One side is 100 percent for the argument while the other side is 100 percent against it. These two sides cannot and will not ever be swayed to the other side. They have their strong opinions and they will not budge on them, no matter what information you provide them.
Then there’s the middle, which is the majority of the people involved in said argument. I’ve referred to them as “the in-between-ers,” “on-the-fencers,” and as a blogger friend once called them (and my favorite term) “the moveable middle.”
The moveable middle doesn’t have a strong opinion — they have a relatively open mind. Their opinion can be swayed if provided valid arguments, and often is.
You can argue with the moveable middle and actually get somewhere. However, you cannot argue with a radical.
I’ve received a lot of comments, questions and criticisms as to why I don’t comment in these Facebook groups when someone shares a negative or false agricultural bit of information. I don’t comment because I would never change their mind.
And while we’re at it, don’t be rude… I’m looking at you on this one, agriculturists.
Don’t be rude to someone because they don’t know what end a cow gets up on first. Politely, civilly and warmly welcome questions. Don’t get upset, don’t engage just for a few likes or retweets — be kind. If we all chose to be a little bit nicer, maybe we’ll be able to sway some of those from the moveable middle.
To the vegans who think we hate them:
We don’t. Well, I don’t, anyway.
I don’t hate vegans. I actually know a handful of vegans who I get along with just fine, I even consider them my friends.
However, I would say that collectively, the agricultural community gets pretty tired of hearing the same old bogus claims.
Choosing to adopt an herbivore’s diet because you can’t stomach the idea of eating an animal is a valid argument. Restricting yourself to a vegan diet because it works better for your body specifically is a valid argument. Both of these are personal preferences and valid reasons.
However, eating vegan because you are under false pretenses regarding the agricultural industry is not valid. And to put the cherry on top, sharing articles, books, videos and podcasts which contain this misinformation is especially irritating to any agriculturist out there.
You are not the victim here — we are. We are the ones taking the hit from the rumors which are spread about climate change and the way we care for our livestock. We’re also the ones feeding you as well as the other 7.7 billion people on the planet.
We don’t hate vegans — we hate the people who spread false information about our livelihood.
