When some individuals announce that they are about to publish a book, you pre-order it because you know that they will do an incredible job. This is precisely how we got our hands on Ed Winters’ book “This is vegan propaganda (and other lies the meat industry tells you)” earlier this year.
In case his name doesn’t ring a bell: Ed Winters (@EarthlingEd) is currently one of the most influential voices within the vegan movement. His respectful and eloquent communication style in his many viral debates and video essays is an example for many, including us!
For many people, veganism is an emotive and often divisive topic, and the word ‘vegan’ alone has the ability to draw out a response; social confrontation is definitely one of the most challenging aspects of veganism. We can’t deny that veganism puts a lot of strain on relationships with others, especially with those close to you. This is one of the reasons why many shy away from openly discussing the moral philosophy of veganism or the enormous impact animal agriculture has on animal rights (including humans), the environment, personal health and pandemic prevention. But keeping that conversation going is probably one of the most critical aspects of vegan advocacy; normalisation is key.
According to Ed, “it’s education that builds confidence”. The more time you take to read into these subjects, and the more time you take to practice to vocalise what you want to say, the more comfortable social confrontation gets. This is one of the many reasons we highly value Ed’s book; it’s a comprehensive resource for those who want to better understand the arguments people use against veganism and wish to learn how to respond to them, making social conversations much more manageable. It perfectly lays out the complexity and the true scale of these issues and what we can do about them. It’s really a book that you need to get your hands on, even if you are just that sceptical friend or family member.
Interested in more? Here’s some classic Ed content to watch!