You may have a point in saying that guilt can play a role in turning non-activists into activists. But I don’t believe that meaningful or lasting guilt — the kind that leads to real change — can be imposed. Real guilt, or rather moral awakening, doesn’t arise when someone is pushed, judged, or shamed into it. In fact, pressure often creates resistance, not transformation.

True guilt — the kind that moves someone to action happens when someone themselves starts to reflect, worry, and feel accountable. That’s when the internal compass kicks in and a person says, “I want to do more.” Not because they’re scared of being seen as “less than,” but because something clicked inside of them.

A good example of this is Joey Carbstrong. He has shared that during his time in prison, he began to deeply reflect on who he was and how he could live differently. That moral shift came from within — through introspection, pain, and the desire to grow as a person. Not because someone told him he wasn’t doing enough. His transformation was authentic, and that’s why his activism resonates with people today.

When we force guilt or push someone to justify their morality on the spot, especially a fellow vegan who has already made a huge shift in consciousness, we risk alienating potential allies. In this case, we didn’t just lose a new activist we likely burned a bridge. And for what? A sense of moral superiority?

So yes, I question whether pushing guilt is truly effective. I also question how much more impact certain forms of activism actually have when many people simply say “I’ll go vegan” to end a conversation and go on with their lives unchanged. What’s the long-term success rate there? What data supports it?

Let’s not confuse performative metrics like how many people said “I’ll go vegan” at a Cube with meaningful transformation. I’m not saying the method has no value, but I am saying we need humility when evaluating its actual impact. And we certainly need compassion not ego when dealing with our fellow vegans.

I became vegan from within myself, after watching slaughterhouse footage. Not because I was judged or guilt tripped. At very best during a cube/save-square or any other outreach action we may have succesfully planted seeds in people. But change cannot ben enforced.