activist and proud to say it

I got compliments regarding my blogs yesterday and that inspired me to write another little wondering to add on to my huge list of texts...

See, activists can be funny.


What do people think of activists? Well, firstly, many people say they feel that because the word 'activism' seems to invoke some negative, aggressive, restrictive of downright hostile emotions, the title seems better shunned altogether. Therefore, they do not call themselves activists.

As you may have guessed, I use the word freely. Why? To have exactly the opposite effect: make one think of an active, positive, empowered person with the capability for independent thinking and courage to work for things they have reasoned to be unjust in the World. The idea is that they would come up with this image by looking at me :)

See, yet again, a humorous activist. Doesn't that just crumble your prejudices away?

I just had a talk with my friend about the importance of words. That, even though we often do not think of it at all, they have meanings. I'm sure this is an often-discussed and thoroughly researched topic, but since I am not an academic (yet), I think I am allowed to ponder these things in my extremely simple ways... 

The meanings that we attach to words most surely often have a strong base in our cultural surroundings and habits. Just like all our other actions. Somewhere or by someone we have learned these attitudes and preconceived ideas.

It is not easy to recognise our patterns of behaviour and thinking as most of us are not used to critical self-observation. That's why it's so easy to eat animal products, with those warm memories of childhood, grandpa's meat loaf (or for me: potato milk) backed up by the wholesome images animal agriculture marketing is lolling us into.

Luckily habits and ideas can also be unlearned. The route can always be turned towards another direction.

This is the reason I use the word activist, going as far as to tell the social workers at KELA or the (un)employment office that it is my professional title. And if you thought that was a bit funny, you should look me up in LinkedIn.

So I stand up straight and look people in the eye as I proudly introduce myself to new acquaintances as an animal rights activist. (although if you read my previous post you know I am wondering what term to use for my activism and other species. Obviously I'm not there yet with my conclusions) To my surprise, most do not seem to make anything much of it. Are they too scared to say anything or is it truly a thing which seems normal to them?

Some are interested and ask what being an activist actually means. That always makes me happy, the fact that people find the courage to ask. It's not at all a given they do.

Seeing a wide variety of activists may help people relate to them, understand or at least listen to them. In the end, talking with them and building up the courage to think about oneself's actions and reasons for them.

So, to change peoples' thinking and attitudes in an unnoticeable way, I try to change the meaning for words like activism. The same interests me with words like 'animal rights', 'humane', 'person' etc. I'll probably be wondering about the definitions and meanings of these along the writings in this blog. You of course are welcome to join in the conversation! What definition of yourself are you afraid to use and why?

I tried a more serious approach today with zero smileys in the text. Just so you know it is not my usual style. You'll see. But variety is an essential piece of life!

Wondering why I haven't written anything yet..

I suppose the first steps are always the hardest. Since this is my first blog, I guess I can go easy on myself and write just a simple wondering to start off with. Also as my grammar needs improving, we shall start with expecting no miracles.

I wondered for a good while whether to write in English or Finnish. Reading some articles and books about social media and blogging I decided to have one blog in each language. So if you can read both, check back later for the link for the Finnish one!

Two things are circling the skies of my mind at the moment. I'm thinking of starting university, for the first time in my life. Social sciences. To help with my work with species rights. (Has anyone ever use the phrase 'species rights' or taken it seriously? I'm starting to tire to use the word animal all the time, as a separating 'us' from from 'them', only with no good reason.)

The other thing is, that I'm meeting a real live pig farmer today. He asked to talk with me, which is in itself great, because he wants to talk! When I told my colleagues (fellow activists) about this, I met with some response that I found quite interesting. Some of the other activists reacted the same way I did and saw the approach as a positive sign of willingness to communicate. Others, however, basically told me 'good luck, but who cares'. They said that they thought it would a waste of resources (probably meaning my good activist time that could be used for something more useful) and that they could not and would not do what I did.

I was, frankly quite shocked about this. Are they working 'against' the people in the animal industry so vehemently, that they can and will not leave room for two-way communication? On the other hand, the gentleman I'm meeting, is admittedly the first farmer who has actively proposed a meeting. Just to talk. Not because of a news piece or to convince me that the industry is doing the individuals in their care good. We're meeting just to talk. To understand each other. I hope.

I'll post another wondering about the usefulness or uselessness of a university education from a point of view of an species rights activist later.

:) (is it correct to have smilies etc. in a blog post??)

 Vegan activist - or a species activist?