How to Overcome Your Fear of Activism

Aug 27, 2020

"The scariest moment is always just before you start."
-Stephen King

Why Be An Activist?

If I'm vegan, then aren't I doing enough already? To answer this question, let me share with you a common example: While out one day, you come across a man beating a dog, which presents you with three courses of action. One, you can join the man and beat the dog together (non-veganism). Two, you can do nothing (veganism). Or three, you can intervene and stop him (activism). By being vegan and not activists, though we are not the ones directly hurting the dog, we are complicit in the man's actions by allowing him to continue.

Obviously, this is a very simplified version of an incredibly complex situation, but as vegans are people who claim to be nonviolent and live in a way to minimize the suffering we inflict on others, we can't simply sit back and wait for people to realize that what they're doing is wrong; we must show them. And though veganism is growing in popularity, we are still far smaller than the carnist population, particularly since there are many times more carnists being born every day than carnists converting to vegans. Animal exploitation is growing rapidly, and if we don't do something to change that, we're soon going to pass the point of no return.

Why Be Afraid?

Having anxiety, in my experience, is like constantly being on alert, vigilant for signs of imminent danger; even when resting, you never fully feel at peace because there's still this nagging worry or fear about something that you can't always grasp. Oftentimes, my anxiety feels like a prison, and in order to complete even a seemingly mundane task, I must break out of that prison. And afterward, I feel free because I overcame a difficult situation. The more challenging the obstacle is to pass, the more accomplished I feel afterward, especially if I know I did my absolute best. Being an activist is like getting that jolt of euphoria with every action you take.

I say all this because I absolutely understand your fears, and I have them too, but I try to overcome them every day; I know that my moments of discomfort are worth it because I'm doing the right thing.

Most often, our fear of activism is not about the act itself but about being challenged. We are afraid of someone confronting us and questioning our beliefs, not because our beliefs are in any way invalid, but because we're scared of having to justify deep moral principles to people that probably won't understand. We're scared of saying or doing the wrong thing; we're scared of confrontation. But remember this: Change only occurs when a group of people challenges the majority's ideology. Without standing up for what we believe in, we will never see change.

Basics

First, understand that activism is different for every individual, and it is not exclusively grassroots activism. It can be tailored to your personality, to your strengths. So, first, widen your perspective of what activism means to you, and you'll find it to be not a laborious task but an enjoyable hobby.

Second, before jumping into any kind of activism, it's important to learn more about different areas of activism -- protesting, civil disobedience, direct action, social media -- and what effective activists in those areas do. Once you get a grasp of some of your options, it's easier to make decisions about what you'll do best.

Third, never criticize another vegan's form of activism unless they're legitimately doing something wrong, like discriminating against a certain group or spreading misinformation. It's not our place to determine how other vegans choose to be active, so long as they are active. For example, maybe you're an artist and you choose to be active by expressing the torment you feel over animal suffering on a canvas. What if some other vegan said that that wasn't activism or that you weren't doing enough for the animals? It'd probably make you feel pretty bad, maybe even resentful towards other vegans. We are a community rife with infighting, and that's not going to get us over the finish line. So, instead of criticizing others, we should all be focusing more on how we can be the most effective activists we can be!

Finding Your Voice

Probably the trickiest part of getting active is figuring out what works for you. Generally, you'll figure this out through trial and error. When I first wanted to become active, I signed up for my local Anonymous for the Voiceless chapter. However, as I discussed in "My First Cube of Truth," though I enjoyed getting to know other vegans and being in the presence of likeminded people, the thought of going back after my second Cube was still terrifying. So, I had to make a decision if my mental health was more important than standing outside holding a screen for two hours once a month. Because of that experience, I learned that as much as I may want to be a grassroots activist, I need to be more realistic. That's not to say I'll never participate in that kind of activism again -- in fact, I really do want to try more forms of grassroots activism -- but I shouldn't put all my energy into it. I should be focusing on other areas better suited to my personality.

Finding your inner activist is difficult when you don't know your own strengths. I've always enjoyed writing, but I never thought I had the initiative or creativity to do anything with the words swirling around in my head. However, once I actually sat down and started writing, ideas began flowing out of me faster than I could've imagined. And I've always hated social media, but once I started crafting original posts, I found how much I enjoyed creating my own unique content. And with a little work, I'm actually pretty good at it. So, my best piece of advice is to start with things you enjoy and find ways to turn your hobbies into activism.

Grassroots Activism

If you want to participate in grassroots activism and get your boots on the ground, the best option is to not sit around and wait until you've seen enough videos or until you know all the answers or until the pit in your stomach goes away. That will probably never happen; there will always be some apprehension, and you can never possibly know all the answers. So, relieve yourself of that burden, and dive in! Because the best way to determine if that's the kind of activism for you is to just do it. You will feel so accomplished afterward, and you'll realize that your worries were all for naught.

Starting something new is always easier when you have someone to join you. If you are able, ask a vegan friend or family member to get involved in activism with you. Even if you find at some point that your activism styles aren't suited for the same activities, continuing on without them will be easier because you already have your foot in the door. But if you aren't in a position to be accompanied by someone else, join local vegan and activist groups on Facebook, and get to know the people in your area. Ask them questions and learn more about what they do; they're always happy to help. As vegans, we are all working toward a common goal -- animal liberation -- and even if you have nothing else in common with the vegans in your area, you are still connected through veganism.

Online Activism

Online activism is my preference, and it allows even a quiet, non-confrontational person like me to share the animal rights message with thousands of people every day. You will almost never get that kind of audience in grassroots activism. It's also a really great place to start for new activists or for people, like me, who are more introverted. You don't even need to create original content; you can share videos, photos, and posts from other activists and animal rights groups.

How to Start

Really, the only way to get started is to just do it. Don't overthink it and psych yourself out. Until you become a seasoned activist, and maybe even after then, there will always be some trepidation, but you can work through it. Like I said in "5 Years Vegan: What I've learned," you're stronger than you think you are, and you may even find that you're a better activist than you ever thought you could be.

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