Beliefs, Opinions and Social Grace

Politics and religion: two things we are taught not to discuss at the dinner table, not to discuss with acquaintances for fear of offending someone we do not yet know. Add eating habits to this list. Don't share your beliefs about eating animals at the dinner table. It's rude, impolite.

These rules surely stem from the fact that we are taught not to make others uncomfortable, and I agree with that. But I am also frustrated that, at times, I feel I can't share my vegan beliefs, for fear of making others uncomfortable. What if the intent is not to argue but to inform?

Natalie Portman has, until recently, felt the same. Her article in the Huffington Post begins:

I've always been shy about being critical of others' choices because I hate when people do that to me. I'm often interrogated about being vegetarian (e.g., "What if you find out that carrots feel pain, too? Then what'll you eat?").

But now she doesn't mind. After reading about the huge human cost of factory farming, she became more vocal, less "socially" polite. The environmental destruction due to the incredibly vast amounts of animal waste created at these farms (that then leaks into our water supply, is sprayed into our atmosphere, corrupting our rivers and choking our lungs) detailed in Eating Animals was so shocking that she felt she had to share. I would add the less-known health impacts of eating meat detailed in The China Study to this list of information to share.

Maybe it is time to be less socially graceful and more concerned about our families, friends and colleagues. Maybe we should express our views not because we want to force others to believe them, but because we want to provide our loved ones with information that could potentially help them make the best decisions regarding how to live long, healthful lives? Shift the angle from negative and preachy to positive and helpful. Could this be the best approach?