Wayne is a prime example of success in independent thinking leadership. He has consistently shown that groupthink and cancel culture do not foster support for the cause. Through his critical thinking skills and commitment to open dialogue, he earned the public defense of Rick Pitman--turkey farmer and owner of Pitman Family Farms in one of the biggest cases in animal rights history--one that could have resulted in a lengthy prison sentance. The model is there, we just have to apply it.
People make mistakes, find the side they aligned with went too far, recognize that their group is not what they thought it was. Not everyone sees things as black or white. Give those who want to defect and venture to the other side a chance. How else can you win over the masses?
Maybe it comes down to who needs to worry? Someone shopping for food or eating in a bistro always has the fallback line of "it's dead" to relieve tension. If there's something like a worn-out welcome between people, or something else taking the piss out of silly or innocent camaraderie, think of where a Jerry Lewis movie might have gone with Stella Stevens as the co-star? I think that's where we're at, for reasons beyond industrial agriculture, whose captains might need to worry if, as you say, we look beyond what brought us here as co-opters or defectors.
Another terrific, nuanced analysis. I think there has been social psychological work on the heightened credibility held by those speaking for a cause when their interests do not align with it. This isn't quite the same thing, but (from what I've read) the success of the Wood River Wolf Project in advocating for non-lethal wolf control methods in Blaine-County, Idaho has come in part from the organizers' reaching out for support from ranchers and other stakeholders who aren't normally sympathetic with wolf protection.
Well, you've also written about opponents in court spelling out that they agree with your cause & principles, --- I suspect they do logically speaking at least --- but then turning against you saying the more valuable issue is not accomplishing your goals along with you, but rather punishing burglary and trespassing, etc. We can see right now the US Dept of Health chief, who among his various fixations has also shown concern for lab animals. In the story you tell in this post, we can see that the values issue spans ideological & vocational boundaries and once you show people a way of being someone like themselves doing something that feels decent, you've turned their innate sensibility into praxis. Likewise, many of your collaborators and supporters were brought up as meat-consumers, consenting to all kinds of systemic abuse. So yes, another principle is to keep on speaking to the thinking/feeling person/s about the kind of world that is possible without the inherited pursuit of species supremacism being confused with getting nutrition. Maybe you've converted others along the way also, it'd be fascinating to hear their details about how their reasoning played out.
Wayne is a prime example of success in independent thinking leadership. He has consistently shown that groupthink and cancel culture do not foster support for the cause. Through his critical thinking skills and commitment to open dialogue, he earned the public defense of Rick Pitman--turkey farmer and owner of Pitman Family Farms in one of the biggest cases in animal rights history--one that could have resulted in a lengthy prison sentance. The model is there, we just have to apply it.
Excellent analysis, Wayne. Thank you as always!
People make mistakes, find the side they aligned with went too far, recognize that their group is not what they thought it was. Not everyone sees things as black or white. Give those who want to defect and venture to the other side a chance. How else can you win over the masses?
Maybe it comes down to who needs to worry? Someone shopping for food or eating in a bistro always has the fallback line of "it's dead" to relieve tension. If there's something like a worn-out welcome between people, or something else taking the piss out of silly or innocent camaraderie, think of where a Jerry Lewis movie might have gone with Stella Stevens as the co-star? I think that's where we're at, for reasons beyond industrial agriculture, whose captains might need to worry if, as you say, we look beyond what brought us here as co-opters or defectors.
Great piece.
Another terrific, nuanced analysis. I think there has been social psychological work on the heightened credibility held by those speaking for a cause when their interests do not align with it. This isn't quite the same thing, but (from what I've read) the success of the Wood River Wolf Project in advocating for non-lethal wolf control methods in Blaine-County, Idaho has come in part from the organizers' reaching out for support from ranchers and other stakeholders who aren't normally sympathetic with wolf protection.
Well, you've also written about opponents in court spelling out that they agree with your cause & principles, --- I suspect they do logically speaking at least --- but then turning against you saying the more valuable issue is not accomplishing your goals along with you, but rather punishing burglary and trespassing, etc. We can see right now the US Dept of Health chief, who among his various fixations has also shown concern for lab animals. In the story you tell in this post, we can see that the values issue spans ideological & vocational boundaries and once you show people a way of being someone like themselves doing something that feels decent, you've turned their innate sensibility into praxis. Likewise, many of your collaborators and supporters were brought up as meat-consumers, consenting to all kinds of systemic abuse. So yes, another principle is to keep on speaking to the thinking/feeling person/s about the kind of world that is possible without the inherited pursuit of species supremacism being confused with getting nutrition. Maybe you've converted others along the way also, it'd be fascinating to hear their details about how their reasoning played out.