My First Cube of Truth
"In the middle of every difficulty lies opportunity."
-Albert Einstein
Just Do It!
By the name of this blog – or if you’ve read some of my previous posts – you can probably tell that I’m not really a people person. I’m a proud introvert, preferring to stay home with my dog over going out and doing anything. After I’d been vegan for three years, however, I became more interested in animal rights activism. Most of the videos I saw on YouTube or Instagram were of Cubes of Truth, a fascinating idea but daunting to ever seriously consider doing. Despite the fact that I was scared out of my mind to do something like that, I had an urge to try it. So, I told myself to get over it and just do it – at least one time. This is my chronicle of what happened at my first Cube; I’m not going to try to make it sound better or worse than it was, though I do think every vegan has an obligation to at least try this kind of activism.
The Cube
If you haven’t heard of Anonymous for the Voiceless and their Cubes of Truth, I’ll quickly go over the process. A group of activists gather together in a public place, all wearing black and faces covered in Guy Fawkes masks, and form the Cube. The Cube is, well, a cube of people standing shoulder-to-shoulder facing outwards, some holding screens (laptops, tablets, or televisions) and others holding signs that say "Truth." The screens will be playing slaughterhouse or factory farm footage for the entirety of the Cube. There will be a few activists outside the Cube not wearing masks that will outreach with people that approach the Cube.
Why the Masks?
As far as I understand, the reason is because the animals have no voice, no one cares about them. They are faceless victims whose body parts arrive perfectly packaged in the grocery stores or neatly arranged on dinner plates. People don’t see the animals they pay to kill. For the duration of the Cube, however, the activists take the place of the suffering animals, removing their own individuality in order to force carnists to see only the true victims: the animals. This is the only time they are given the right to be called individuals, when they are in the process of suffering or dying. Additionally, it makes nonvegans more comfortable approaching the screens, as the activists’ faces are obscured and do not cast judgment upon them.
"But I'm Not the Type of Person That Can Do This"
I should make clear that I’m not just an introvert; I have social anxiety. I’m not some hermit weirdo (well, not too much) – I just feel very anxious being around people or in public areas and situations in which I could come across people. Imagine your biggest fear – maybe heights or spiders or darkness or loneliness – and having to deal with it every day. Actually, that might be a bit of an exaggeration, because you can somewhat get used to that feeling inside you telling you to run whenever you’re in these situations. But these feelings are heightened when doing something new, doing something with people, doing something new with people you don’t know, and definitely doing something new with people you don’t know that confronts the way everyone in society lives.
"But I'd Be Too Nervous"
For the month prior to the Cube, I had this sinking feeling every day closer to Cube day. I worried about where I would park, if I would be able to find a place to park, if I would go to the right place, if the place would be changed last-minute and I wouldn’t know, if I’d be late, if I’d be too early, if my fellow Cubers would think I was weird, if I wouldn’t be prepared enough, if my outfit would be ok, and on and on and on. By the morning of the Cube, I could barely eat or drink anything, my stomach was performing perfect cartwheels, I felt sweaty and flustered, and I kept staring at the clock – checking my phone, laptop, oven, microwave – to make sure I left at precisely the right time. Now, this might sound like strange or obsessive behavior, but this is basically the same process that I go through for most things like this.
Being Nervous Is Normal
I don’t want to turn this into a mental health post, but I want you to experience my feelings as well as you can through my words. I know most people probably don’t feel quite as nervous as I do about these sorts of activities, but I do know that the majority of people are still too scared to do them because of how they believe people will perceive them. But I’m telling you that if I can do this, then so can you. What you have to remember is that people don’t really care about you, which doesn't always feel great, but it also can relieve a lot of that pressure you feel. I get that it’s not as simple as just "getting over it," but remind yourself that, especially if you’re in the Cube, you are not the focus. It’s all about the animals.
Upon Arrival
When I arrived at my Cube location, I was a little early and there was only one other person there. I felt awkward – par for the course, really – but she was very nice and we spoke easily about our vegan stories and her only prior experience at a Cube. When the organizer finally arrived, several others had already congregated at the location. My first piece of advice is to prepare beforehand as much as possible. Even if you feel awkward or have to do so multiple times, make sure you reach out to the organizer(s) and request some footage. (My organizer seemed a little frazzled and scatter-brained, and I had to message her multiple times after my first Cube to get some footage for next time.) When I arrived without a screen and footage, the organizer seemed a little put-off by that, like I should’ve known to acquire that somehow. But it ended up being fine, and I held a sign instead. People gathered there weren’t overly friendly, mostly because they didn’t know each other very well; that’s not to say they were unfriendly. It was more like we all knew we were there for this purpose, like a mission; we were preparing ourselves for what we were about to do.
Within the Cube of Truth
In the Cube, there’s really not much to do. You can’t talk unless directly spoken to, and you can’t move around excessively. One great thing about this, though, is that you can listen to outreach conversations. Especially if you’re a new vegan, Cubes are one of the best ways to learn how to communicate with carnists about these issues. But you do just have to stand there, unmoving, for a long time. It gets uncomfortable pretty fast, especially if you’re not used to standing still for extended periods of time. If you wear comfortable shoes, clothes, and shake out your legs and arms frequently, that will definitely help. But if you’re outreaching, which is very unlikely for your first few Cubes, you have the option to move around. And if you can’t stay for the whole Cube, you always have the option to let the outreachers know you have to leave early. One of the outreachers at my Cube went around every so often, especially after the first hour, to make sure everyone was ok, let everyone know the time, and asked if anyone needed to switch out. Us vegans are such considerate people!
Decompressing
Afterward, we all went out to a local vegan restaurant and had a nice meal. I was actually there for two hours, though I initially debated retreating to my safe place at home immediately after the Cube, which I’m glad I didn’t. And if you’re worried that you might not get along with the people, I can assure you that you will. You’re all vegan, and you’re all activists. That’s all our table discussed over the entire meal: our favorite vegan movies, books, podcasts, activists, and foods; our pet peeves with carnism; and basically everything that vegans keep locked inside most of the time they’re not around other vegans. It was a really great experience to be with other people that share the same values as me.
Why You Should Do It
Lastly, though I’m not going to claim I’m an expert on Cubes or that I even go to them often, it really does matter for every person to go that can. The more people in a Cube, the more impactful it is to outsiders. Additionally, it brings a sense of camaraderie and hope to the group when there are so many people there for this purpose. I hope that this has been insightful, interesting, and intriguing. At the very least, I hope it’s made you consider going to your first Cube of Truth also. If you are interested in getting started, visit their website to see if there are any Cubes in your area (or start your own chapter).
be conscious, be kind, be vegan