Posts tagged hierarchy
Toward vegan language
Dec 5th
There is some debate in vegan circles over how “practical” it is to consider issues of language. I believe that thinking about language issues is very useful because it allows us to understand speciesism and veganism more holistically, helping us to more fully understand the problems we face and the world we want to create. With the title “Toward vegan language,” I don’t mean to suggest “increased requirements” for vegans. (I tend not to understand veganism as a set of requirements in the first place.) What I’m suggesting is that we can put our language to use to help us achieve the goal of liberation for everyone. We can align our language with the vegan ideal in the same way that we align our diets with the vegan ideal.
Language = categorization = meaning
My understanding is that language affects—sometimes bluntly, sometimes more subtly—how we see the world. With language, we categorize our experiences: “small” things, “fun” things, “bad” things, “wise” things, and so on. These categories have consequences. Every day we make decisions based on what fits into our “good” category, our “food” category, our “people” category.
For example, I think a lot depends on whether or not the word (category) “ethical” implies an equal distribution of power. I think a lot depends on whether the word (category) “egalitarian” means equality for all species or just for humans. I think a lot depends on whether a chicken is a “someone” or a “something.”
While writing this post, I found myself using individual words to point out the impact of other individual words. I wrote: “Whether we say ‘our’ or ‘your’ determines whether we’re with or against the people we speak to.” So if this discussion seems a bit messy, I hope you receive that as merely evidence: Language and meaning are helplessly intertwined. If you change the way a thing is said, you change what is said.
(If you’re interested in personally researching the interplay between language and thought, some starting points are linguistic relativity, linguistic determinism, and in a basic way, Saussure’s “Course in General Linguistics.”)
Language & ideology
As foregrounded in the above section, I think our language can help spread speciesism or help stop speciesism. Our pronouns communicate a lot about other animals. Do we say “it” and “that thing”? Or do we say “she” and “that individual”? Phrases like “They’re just animals” allow people to hurt other animals without feeling conflict.
Transphobia and sexism can be, like speciesism, spread through our pronoun usage. By habitually using “he”—“A boss does his work”—we suggest that only men ever do anything important. By habitually using “he or she” or “she or he,” we suggest that there are only two valid, acceptable genders.
Ableism, fat-phobia, and heterosexism are, like speciesism, often spread through insults. When we call someone “stupid,” “fat,” or “gay” as an insult, we suggest that those characteristics are bad or unacceptable, or that those characteristics somehow make a person less worthy of respect. Veganism, for me, is about extending respect to all.
Language & hierarchy
If we’re not careful, our language can create hierarchy. This is especially true when writing about ethics. I’ve written before about my experience with “should” thinking. “Should” thinking is based on obedience. If we say, “You should go vegan”—especially if we say it with conviction—we establish a relationship where we are attempting to dominate the other person. We demand that the person obey our command: “You must support this cause! It’s a moral imperative!” This is an attitude of coercion.
As an artist, I’ve been guided by the quote, “There is no must in art because art is free” (W. Kandinsky). This logic seems sound to me: If you “must” do something, then you don’t have a choice, so you aren’t free. I think we can apply this quote to our vegan practice: “There is no must in veganism because veganism is free.”
Language & respect
Instead of creating hierarchy, our language can facilitate respectful conversation. As Victor has noted, the use of inclusive pronouns (“we,” “our”) can be a gesture of respect. This is an active step toward extending respect toward all. We can, with our language, establish relationships with others that are more equal. Sometimes, thinking that we’re important activists with an important cause, we might give off a tone of elitism or, as mentioned above, dominance. Being conscious about our language, however, helps us to stay open to everyone.
I think being attentive to our use of language is rewarding many times over. Aside from presenting pictures and video, language is the medium through which we express our reasons for being vegan. I think trying to change our world without changing our language is, at best, working against the grain. At worst, it might be dooming ourselves to failure.
Further reading:
- The Vegan Ideal, “Think Harder Before You Speak”
- L.O.V.E., “Holistic veganism”
Hierarchy, privilege, and companion animals
Dec 9th
This question came into our COMMUNITY mailing list this morning, and we have moved it to the blog to open it up for discussion. Please post your comments and thoughts!
Hi there:
I’m Annie. I’m not sure how many people are registered to this list, since I think the website just went up. I met Miranda through Vegan Outreach and did some leafletting with her at Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo. I have so many questions about animal rights, since I’m pretty new to this. I hope it’s okay to use this email community for that. I thought it would be a great place for me to ask questions relating to AR and outreach (in particular, dealing with people’s questions). As it sounds like the creators of this website are well aware of, there are so many different viewpoints within this “one” movement, if you can even call it that (as with any social justice movement), and it gets pretty confusing sometimes. I know what I feel in my heart, but
there are a lot of ‘gray’ areas when it comes to reality and rationality. I suppose I’m always thinking about how I can justify my beliefs or actions because I assume people will always question them (and attack them, unfortunately) . . . it’s like a pre-emptive defense of my point of view.
So here are my questions:
1. I do believe very strongly in the idea that the relationship between humans and other-than-human animals is based on hierarchy, power differentials and oppression. I always ask myself, “How is it possible that we can treat animals in such unfathomably horrific ways?” and I often the only answer I can find is “because we can, because we can get away with it, and as history has shown, if we CAN exploit something, we WILL, for the most part.” Exploitation and abuse of power are a part of human history, but so are compassion and ethical evolution. So anyways, the point is that I get that – the oppression idea – and believe in full animal liberation. I’ve heard the argument that it is ‘unnatural’ for animals to be fully liberated
from their human ‘superiors,’ and that like most other species, we too have always ‘used’ other species for our own needs. The first thing I think of is that humanity is in no way bound to the so-called ‘laws of
nature,’ or by our ancestral beginnings. We have also exploited and enslaved each other for thousands of years, and that is not ethically accepted. And IF we have the means to live compassionate, cruelty free lives, why wouldn’t we? Does anyone else have any input on this? I suppose I should read the book (“The Dreaded Comparison”). But I’m just curious what anyone has found in conversations about these issues with other activists and non-vegans alike.
2. So what about pets? I feel guilty about having my cat and dog (don’t worry, I know, I am their guardian not their owner, and if anyone owns anyone, they own me, as I’m excessively devoted to them). Anyways, I adopted my cat from a dumpster and my dog from a Navajo reservation in Arizona where the people (oppressed) do not have enough resources for themselves let alone the many stray, starving cats and dogs there). My dog has so many health problems, probably from the poor nutrition as a puppy and the genetic problems (there’s a lot of uranium and radiation there from the mining that has totally destroyed the environment and the ability of the Navajo people who remain out in the desert to sustain themselves), that sometimes I think he very likely would’ve died if he’d been left out there. I also am thinking about adopting another dog from the shelter, because if there’s anything that would make my dog happy, it would be to live with one of his own kind (I think, I guess I shouldn’t assume that, but it’s pretty obvious). I would NEVER ‘buy’ a dog from a breeder or puppy mill. I will always support spaying and neutering and adoption though, I think. We ‘enslaved’ and domesticated these animals, we can’t exactly just leave them to die in shelters or on the street (right?).
So I guess I’ve answered that question, but it still really confuses me and weighs on my conscience. I have complete control over them. My dog can’t do anything (like go out, or eat) unless I help him with it. I do the best I can to give him a great life and take him out all the time, but I still feel bad.
The other thing about pets, is, of course, the FOOD! At the animal rights conference in DC, there was a discussion about our ‘animal companions,’ and some people were saying that we animal rights people shouldn’t bare the burden of adopting all of society’s ‘throw-away’ animals because they eat meat. He was saying ‘why would you ever invite a carnivore or omnivore into your house and feed them meat?” Yeah, obviously, with people . . . I’m not gonna have family over and cook them up a ham, but when it comes to my pets (especially my cat), I just don’t know. They’re already in my life since long before I became vegan. I’ve heard that dogs can do pretty well on vegan diets, but I’ve heard that cats can get really sick without any meat. Does anyone have any input about that.
I’m sorry if this isn’t the intention of this email list. I just thought it would be cool to discuss some of the most ‘controversial’ issues and arguments that come up inside and outside of this movement.
I have SO much to learn.
Annie