Education or Ignorance: What Will You Choose?

Why do we do the things we do?  Why is change something so uncomfortable?  Is it just our minds perceiving this threat, or are we genuinely threatened and anxious?  Why is my conscious choice to go vegan a threat to so many?

It is baffling how, when people ask questions regarding the vegan lifestyle, they are completely uninterested in the answers and instead become defensive over their behaviours.  Perhaps it is because on some deeper level, conscious or not, they feel guilty and know that they are morally justified to be taking another life for consumption and abusing a sentient being for our own comforts.

It is questionable how my choices, and the choices of other vegans, can leave a filthy taste in the mouths of those who once supported us in our endeavours.  We all make choices, conscious or not, and when making these choices, we have a decision to consider: do we wish to be ignorant or educated?

If you choose ignorance, you are choosing your own pleasure and satisfaction over compassion for everything you engage with.

Meanwhile, if you choose education, you are choosing, at the very beginning, to open yourself to the pains, ills and cruelties of the world.  I understand why people do not want to be exposed to merciless suffering, but ignorance simply continues to buy into greed and consumption based on sadistic practices.  Those that are ignorant fail to realise that beyond this pain is something better, whereby positivity radiates and constructive action can be taken.

I have chosen to expose myself to the ailments of the world and to weep for the darkness of humanity and the pain of the animals, but I know that in the long-run, it is a choice worth making.  Animals are sentient beings.  They are creatures of this planet, made of blood and earth and the same things as us.  They feel emotions: pain, suffering, sadness.

But we can change that.  We can show these animals love and affection; loyalty and compassion.

Education leads to people comprehending the atrocities of factory farming; of dairy production; and of the egg industries.  When people understand where the food on their plate is coming from, despite how "good" this specific animal tastes, they will realise that our momentary sensory pleasure is not worth their lifetime of pain and suffering.

Therefore, what will you choose?  Education?  Or ignorance?