Dr. Melanie Joy, a Harvard educated psychologist, discusses managing relational conflict between vegans and non-vegans, the importance of vegan allies, and the balance between sensitization and relatability as an activist. She explores the concept of being 'ready' for veganism and the significance of focusing efforts on 'low hanging fruit.' The podcast also covers secondary traumatic stress disorder among vegan activists, understanding carnism as an invisible belief system, and effective communication strategies in the vegan movement.
Effective and compassionate communication is essential for vegans to navigate relationships with non-vegans while staying true to their ethical values.
Developing relational literacy helps vegans communicate more effectively, manage emotions, and foster healthy connections with non-vegans and within the vegan movement.
Understanding different levels of readiness and asking loved ones to be vegan allies can help maintain close relationships without tension or censoring beliefs.
Deep dives
Importance of Vitamin D and Vegan Supplements
Sunlight is essential for our bodies to produce Vitamin D, which is crucial for healthy bones and a strong immune system. However, many people, including 41% of Americans, are Vitamin D deficient. Taking a vegan Vitamin D supplement can help ensure adequate levels of this important nutrient. One example is VivoLife's certified vegan Vitamin D supplement, which comes in liquid form and is made in a renewable energy powered factory in the UK.
Challenges in Communicating as Vegans
Communicating about veganism and navigating relationships with non-vegans can be challenging. It involves finding the right words and strategies to protect our relationships while staying true to our ethical values. Dr. Melanie Joy, a psychologist and vegan advocate, addresses the struggles of communication between vegans and non-vegans. She emphasizes the need for effective and compassionate communication, understanding differing levels of empathy, and focusing on low-hanging fruit in advocacy efforts to increase the chances of success.
The Importance of Relational Literacy in the Vegan Movement
Relational literacy, which refers to the understanding and practice of healthy ways of relating, is crucial in building a better world and sustainable relationships. In the context of veganism, relational literacy helps vegans communicate more effectively, manage their own emotions, and foster healthy connections with non-vegans. It also addresses harmful dynamics within the vegan movement itself, such as abuse, guilt-tripping, and toxic communication. By developing relational literacy, vegans can promote understanding, respect, and compassion in their relationships and advocacy efforts.
Navigating Carnism and Veganism in Relationships
One of the main points discussed in this podcast episode is the challenge of maintaining close relationships when one person is vegan and the other is not. The speaker, Melanie Joy, emphasizes the importance of understanding different levels of readiness when it comes to veganism. Rather than trying to convert loved ones, she suggests asking them to be vegan allies and respecting their individual realities. This can help reduce tension and allow for open communication without feeling the need to censor one's beliefs or comments. Empathy and understanding are key in navigating these relationships.
Improving Communication and Relationships for Vegans
Melanie Joy also discusses her book, 'Beyond Beliefs,' which aims to improve relationships and communication for vegans, vegetarians, and meat-eaters. She highlights the common issues of relationship breakdown that many vegans experience after adopting a vegan lifestyle. The book offers tools and principles for effective communication and advocacy, while emphasizing the importance of honoring others' realities and not forcing change upon them. The focus is on fostering healthier relationships and creating a supportive environment rather than aiming to convert loved ones to veganism.
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This week on ChickPeeps, Evy speaks to Dr.Melanie Joy, PhD., about managing relational conflict between vegans and non vegans, and the social conditioning that makes the majority of society resistant to embracing veganism. A harvard educated psychologist, international speaker and author, Melanie has long been exploring the question of what makes a person ready to learn about veganism, and this episode she speaks about the importance of vegan allies in this movement, how vegans activists can suffer from secondary traumatic stress disorder, and the self care practices that are essential to being a lifelong activist. Also on this episode...
Dr.Joy discusses the idea of being ‘ready’ for veganism and encourages vegan activists to focus their efforts on the ‘low hanging fruit’.
The perspective shift that happens when you go vegan - ‘You don’t see different things, you see the same things differently.’
The balance between being extremely sensitised to the plight of animals and being measured and relatable as an activist.
‘When you look at the major problems of the world, these are not problems that exist because people are too sensitive; they exist because people aren’t sensitive enough.’
Moral perfectionism - Melanie discusses what she sees as the shadow side of being a conscientious person, and why it sets the movement back.
Why self care is fundamentally important to being an effective activist.
Is bearing witness to animal slaughter a moral obligation for activists?
‘The animals don’t need a movement of walking trauma survivors. The animals need a movement of healthy, self-connected, resilient individuals who are not going to burn out and who are going to be able to be their advocates for the long haul.’
What is Secondary Traumatic Stress Disorder and how it materialises in vegans.
What is carnism?
Has ‘carnist’ become a pejorative used to describe meat-eaters in vegan circles?
What is a vegan ally and how we can ask our loved ones to be that for us.
The importance of relational literacy in the vegan movement.
What can vegans do better to communicate our message?
‘Vegan activists are doing an amazing job.’ Dr.Melanie Joy encourages us all to pause and acknowledge the progress we’ve made!
‘Give yourself permission to love non vegans even if you don’t love what they do.’
Links:
Explore more of Dr.Melanie Joy’s work at Carnism.org.
