Digital Dissenter

As you may remember, I said that in blogging post-BJourn, I only write when something grates my carrot sufficiently to inspire a post. Well today while I was minding everyone else's business on Twitter, I came across an especially annoying PR announcement from one of my arch enemies - Proctor & Gamble.

Those of you who know me would know that I am quite reserved, so for something to inspire an "Oh no you didn't!" reaction (with the finger snaps and head bobbing to match), it must be pretty serious.

Apparently, the company is now trying to align itself with green-initiatives, by releasing its own smartphone application that helps users measure their carbon footprint. HA!

Funny that. Especially since P&G is a major polluter, user of harmful chemicals and bane of many bunnies' existence as it still carries out various forms of product testing on animals.

Oh joy! Oh celebration! There is a new fast food veggie burger option on the horizon and I can hardly contain myself (as should be evident in the excessive use of exclamation marks in this post).

A bit too much excitement for a foodstuff you may be thinking - and you may be right - but here's why I have deemed blogging about a burger more important than work deadlines today:

In my last post I admitted how I used to love going to Spur and eating a plate full of ribs that was bigger than my six-year old sauce-smeared face. Since making the pig-pork, cow-beef association however, my relationship with Spur was on the rocks.

Too often do I hear people saying that they agree with vegetarianism "in principle" but just find it too hard to follow through with practically.

There's that priceless line, (which lacks both originality and thought): "But I just love meat too much!"

I'll be the first to admit that I used to love nothing more than biltong and even spare ribs at Spur when I was little, (and my mom unfortunately has the pictures to prove it).

But once I made the connection between the animals and the food that was on my plate (and the sauce that was smeared all over my face) it became very difficult to stomach. I went vegetarian gradually - my mom wouldn't have it any other way - and started by giving up red meat, then chicken, then fish.

So what is the point I'm trying to get at? Well, all I'm saying is that if I could manage the transition to vegetarianism - there's no excuse for not at least trying a couple of veggie alternatives (and a Meat-Free Monday wouldn't hurt).

Starting from now, I will be posting some of my favourite recipes and vegetarian tips on this blog. If you agree with me "in principle" then I challenge you to eat your "I just love meat too much" words. Try a couple of these ideas out - you may be surprised at the vast range of options that are opened up to you simply by being willing to give it a try.

So in my first post post-BJourn, I said I wouldn't be blogging until something grated my carrot enough to inspire a bit of e-ranting. This week my carrot was sufficiently grated.

I was really excited to attend the charity premiere of "Jane's Journey" the feature film that documents the life of Jane Goodall. Her work as a conservationist/environmentalist/humanitarian is truly inspiring. Of course, as an animal rights activist, for me the most important aspect of her legacy is the great insight that her work has offered into the lives of our very close relatives, the chimpanzees. The implications of these insights were aptly expressed by anthropologist Louis Leaky, when he received a telegram from Goodall exclaiming that she had witnessed the chimps creating and using tools. Leaky's response was: “Now we must redefine man, redefine tool – or accept chimpanzees as human.”

Don't get too excited - this is not an actual blogpost, I just really needed somewhere to test this out so it won't be up for long.

If you're interested though, it's a Soundslide on Bradley Stephenson, who is the SA Freestlye Skiing Champion, currently representing South Africa at the World Freestyle Championships in Utah - and he also happens to be a Grahamstown local. Who would have thought! ;)

I have never considered myself to be the blogging type. Nor did I particularly enjoy blogging for the sake of a coursework mark (this blog was set up as part of the requirements of my New Media specialisation). While of course I found the topic extremely interesting, there were limits to exactly how I could manage this blog and my opinion, without paying the price in a marking rubric later on.

So, as of now (and the previous post actually), if anyone is still paying attention, I will be posting what I deem to be interesting and relevant. And yes, I may use this as a platform to rant and rave about the types of activism I am most interested in. And yes, that could very well mean that this will become a space dedicated to issues surrounding animal rights activism. You have been warned.

Some of the posts may be completely random. Some may be in-depth commentary that make use of some of my (slightly rusty) journalistic skills. Others may simply share a thought or three. But most importantly, this blog will now be a blog for its own sake, and not for my Bachelor of Journalism degree.

And until something grates my carrot enough to blog about it, that is all. For now.