Comments on: On not mistaking social service for social change

By: victor

victor — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 07:54:59 +0000

Thank you for your comment, Alex. This post was not about Francione or the debate between welfare and abolition. It was also not about the work done by animal welfare corporations. Instead, it was intended to help us understand our work at the individual and community levels and how that work relates to the goal of social change.

I think it’s really important to separate individual/community-based efforts for social change from the corporate based work (which leans heavily towards social service) you wrote about because individuals tend to have a much different set of motivations, goals, and constraints than do corporations. A great starting point for exploring these differences is The Revolution Will Not Be Funded, the book cited in this post. As Kivel notes, “many social service agencies may be intentionally or inadvertently working to maintain the status quo.”

Along a similar line, I think it’s important to recognize that there are many different motivations among advocates for non-human animals. Some may do so for environmental concerns; others, to reduce suffering; still others to oppose oppression. Not all reasons are about social change; this post is concerned with those people who are acting out of a desire for social change, since that is our focus here at L.O.V.E.!

I do not make the assumption that people think that work in animal welfare leads causally to social change (though note that such an assumption wouldn’t be unfounded: I often hear this assertion). However, it’s clear to me from speaking with advocates that there is often the idea that such social service work will lead to social change. for those for whom the need to work for social change is strong, I think it is helpful to be able to assess whether or hard work is in line with our goal.

Did you read the Kivel article? If you haven’t read it yet, I highly recommend doing so.

By: victor

victor — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 07:43:05 +0000

Thank you for sharing your thoughts, Harry. Living veganism takes many forms and is broader than the set of activities that are traditionally understood as "activism"! Because each of us is in contact with different communities in different ways, we each are able to share veganism with those around us. Steve wrote about this most recently, in Putting it out there.

By: Alex Melonas

Alex Melonas — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 00:52:56 +0000

There seems to be an assumption in this kind of reasoning, similar to Francione’s critique of “new welfarism,” and it is that those who pursue welfare reform believe that it will causally lead to abolition. That’s how Francione sets-up the argument he so cogently challenges. However, your own insights about the nature of oppression, and PETA’s, for example, stated goal, show this to be a straw man. In between A and B there are a1,a2,a3,b1, etc.

So, when you argue that social service, or animal welfare, in itself, will not lead to social change, that is descriptively true but quite trivial as a methodological or normative statement because Francione’s “new welfarist’s” don’t disagree. Only Francione’s straw man falls under this criticism. You seem to accept the straw man as well because you argue that organizations who pursue welfare reform mistakenly believe that it will lead to abolition when in fact that is Francione’s straw man. PETA, Compassion Over Killing, etc. recognize multiple fronts, and act accordingly, with varying degrees of success. (Just like abolitionists, I might add.)

Ida’s post raised more questions than it answered, I think. I wrote about it here:

http://thatvegangirl.com/?p=1072

By: harry

harry — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 12:01:11 +0000

Victor, as I elected to grow in my knowledge of Veganism and its potential it resulted in me finding this blog. From it I read the expositions about speciesism and the exploitation that resulted from its practice. This line of reasoning enabled me to connect the dots and appreciate the magnitude of the problem as well as the difficulty of implementing the solutions. We all have to start somewhere and in my case I move within my limited range of activity open to me because of health constraints. My blog, website, and YouTube videos are my avenue of expression but I really wish that I were able bodied enough to physically help at animal shelters, or leaflet, or engage in other avenues of service. Probably having a ready answer to inquiry is of value. When somewhat praised for helping, some service workers will simply reply, “Well, I just like to do what I can.” It would be better is every praise bestowed were somehow tactfully used as an opportunity to enlighten. At the grocery store from time the check out clerk will note, “Harry you never buy any meat but instead all these vegetables, you must be a vegetarian?” I smile and reply, “More than that, I’m a Vegan, or rather I don’t want to be responsible for the death of an innocent creature just so I can enjoy tasty food.” As I say this with a smile, it is always well received. Sometimes I will smile and say that “The cows and chickens are my friends, and I don’t eat my friends.” Regardless of what I say, it interjects a thought possibly never before considered by the listener. So long as I am pleasant about it all, I feel it helps. Perhaps its only leaven that in time will do its work, but something is better than nothing. On a blog such as this we are sort of preaching to the choir and it is both edifying and a fellowship. Bit by bit, as we give a ready answer for the reason behind our actions some good will surely result. Often we can not both sow the crop and reap it all in one encounter.