Who is the angry vegan?

The angry vegan is always furious and shocked

that people are not making the same decisions

as the angry vegan.

The angry vegan has forgotten

that the angry vegan used to make

many of the same decisions.

The angry vegan has no patience

or understanding of cultural norms

or the time it takes people to transition

to a more thoughtful lifestyle.

The angry vegan makes statements like

“Nobody listens.”

“Nobody cares.”

“Nobody ever changes.”

“People suck.”

The angry vegan has unrealistic expectations

and shows constant disappointment and contempt

when those expectations are not met.

The angry vegan is more focused on

cursing, name-calling, and wishing ill upon people

than listening, inspiring, supporting, and resolving.

The angry vegan dismisses anyone who disagrees

and only talks to the choir.

The angry vegan makes statements such as

“I wish all meat-eaters would die”

even if most of them have never learned the truth

about animal agriculture

or been given the opportunity to process it and change.

The angry vegan doesn’t know how

to channel energy to impact reforms

so the angry vegan spends countless hours

venting disgust in public forums.

The angry vegan fails to understand

the difference between activism that alienates

and strategic advocacy that motivates.

The angry vegan is combative and sad

and looks to engage in wild rants

where there are no winners.

The angry vegan rarely ever celebrates small victories for animals

or congratulates people for making incremental progress.

For the angry vegan, it is an all or nothing proposition

often presented in all capital letters:

“STOP MURDERING ANIMALS MOTHERF*CKERS!”

The angry vegan scoffs at heroes for the cause

like Paul McCartney,

and rather than commending them for using their fame and money

to promote kindness to animals to their millions of fans

and cheer them on to do more

seeks to find fault with their imperfections

and demonizes them as traitors and impostures.

The angry vegan agitates prospective vegans

and fuels them to make comments such as

“I’m going to eat more meat because of you.”

Conversely, the thoughtful vegan does not get goaded

because the thoughtful vegan understands

the importance of rising above the fray

when the opposition’s sole purpose is argument.

The angry vegan becomes irate and critical

when other vegans do not attend a protest

or donate to a cause

whereas the thoughtful vegan

expresses gratitude to everyone

who attends an event or makes a donation.

The thoughtful vegan knows when to engage

when to disengage

when to smile

when to ignore an inflammatory comment

when to move on

and when to offer praise.

The angry vegan is dismissive.

The thoughtful vegan is considerate.

The angry vegan demands.

The thoughtful vegan listens and helps.

The angry vegan has enemies.

The thoughtful vegan has followers.

The angry vegan tells people to love while hating.

The thoughtful vegan shows compassion to breed compassion.

The angry vegan posts comments such as

“Go vegan or go fu*k yourself.”

“Go vegan or kill yourself.”

“Wishing all humans death in the New Year.”

“Kids killed at an elementary school means fewer people eating animals.”

The angry vegan feels satisfied and justified

making these comments

but does not consider

how the public receives these messages.

The thoughtful vegan has no less

anger, frustration, or determination

but the thoughtful vegan understands

the importance of channeling it in a positive way

that appeals to the masses

to achieve measurable performance outcomes

to benefit animals, people’s health, and the environment.

The angry vegan finds fault with

most everything the thoughtful vegan does

because it’s never enough

and pits one vegan against another

rather than working together for a common cause.

The angry vegan will read this commentary

and get angry and defensive.

The angry vegan will lash out with comments

that dismiss diplomacy, legislation, and reason

and insist on immediate change

without a prescription to make it happen.

The angry vegan will make comments such as

“You’re damn right I’m angry”

without realizing that the angry vegan can be angry

while advocating thoughtfully.

The angry vegan will demand a vegan world now

and continue being an angry vegan

until one day perhaps the angry vegan recognizes

the wisdom of the thoughtful vegan.