Carnist veganism has emerged as a major threat to the animal rights movement.  This seemingly self-contradictory philosophy may seem bizarre at first blush.  But it’s a rational, self-serving choice for a person who seeks to maximize his or her own personal popularity.  And that’s why carnist veganism is the first threat to the animal rights movement that has caused me genuine concern.

The chart above summarizes how carnist veganism works.  Since vegans will resist a non-vegan, and since carnists will resist anyone who exposes the psychopathology of carnism, the way to maximize one’s own personal popularity is to follow a  “vegan lifestyle” while remaining “non-judgmental”—and, indeed, supportive—of the carnist way of death.  In other words, the point of equilibrium for people-pleasers and popularity-seekers is that of carnist veganism.

(Original pub date:  2/10/16 (FB))