Team Earthling had the pleasure of interviewing Vegan Smythe. He was so inspiring, we decided to include him in our Vegan Activist Profile Series.
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'Music can change the world because it
can change people' ― Bono
Vegan Smythe first hit YouTube back in
April 2012 with his groovy vegan vocals. The success of this vegan YouTube activist in such a short time can be attributed to his wit,
talent, and ultimately compassion. The variety of music styles, the
quality of the videos, and the fact that these are all originally
written by the Vegan Smythe himself are all massive wins for
veganism.
There is a balance in Vegan Smythe's
song between providing catchy tunes for the already initiated and
informing those those who are not yet vegan of issues such as the slaughter of males in the dairy and egg
industries.
'Vegan in a Flesh Hungry World' highlights cheekily the way the defenders of an omnivorous
diet bully those who pursue compassion and non-violence. Presented in
song, the attacks are entirely disarmed and lampooned, whilst the
marginalised radical group is seen as not taking the bullies seriously.
'Idiot' is the most effective
song in Vegan Smythe's repertoire for rejuvenating vegans. The chorus is
wonderfully contagious, it gets into your brain and echoes proudly
from the shower walls. Or, if you're like me, it resounds from the
produce section of the supermarket, much to the dismay of my fellow
shoppers. The common misguided myths and beliefs are stripped of all
power and intimidation. They are channelled into a character who is,
arguably, Vegan Smythe's pre-vegan self. So, whilst mocking the
shortcomings of mass mentality, Vegan Smythe makes it clear that
being able to laugh at oneself, and accept past mistakes are the
keystone to being a happy, healthy vegan. As those of us who are not
life-long vegans know, we too were once 'idiots'.
The calm and approachable way Vegan Smythe handles the haters is to be admired. It seems his wit and charm is genuine. Vegan Smythe has plans to turn his songs into a stage show. Listen to Team Earthling interview Vegan Smythe to get more juicy details!
There is never going to be a
one-size-fits all approach to vegan advocacy, just like there is no
one-size-fits all approach to pedagogy. Just like teachers we need
to learn to be flexible in our approaches, but like leaders in
other social justice movements we need to be inflexible with our message. Animals are not ours to use; full stop.
Whatever your talents, you can find a way to use them to promote veganism and help end animal enslavement.
Whatever your talents, you can find a way to use them to promote veganism and help end animal enslavement.
Subscribe to Vegan Smythe on the Tubes and check out vegansmythe.com.
Just for your enjoyment, here's a sample of the awesome work that Vegan Smythe does:
© - Stevie Schafer, 2012
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Team Earthling is vegan podcast and blog from Australia dedicated to the idea that animals are not ours to use.
