Making the Connection: Child's Play in the Era of Animal Liberation

Many of us – vegan or non-vegan – would love to educate others by through showing them just a single phrase or a single analogy. It's tough: the logical fallacies make sense to you and I, but (often, but not always) through a longer evolution and shedding of our previous views on the world. There is at least one individual, however, who nearly manages to meld one's compounded experiences of animal welfare with that of the ignorant, uninformed neighbor. You're likely thinking: how do we try to reach a diverse audience on an already-touchy topic such as animal welfare and activism? What if no will provide ample time to read an article, or avoids anything without shock value, or they just need more stimulating imagery to draw them in? One online artist, who goes by the Moniker Skool of Vegan, is able to do just that, with various illustrations regarding the treatment of animals in agriculture, science, and entertainment.

Each piece is written in child-like handwriting and with similar diction; understandably, the images are also drawn as a typical child might draw them: two-dimensional, thick lines, little detail. It’s worth noting that this child-like presentation is likely a statement on how elementary the concept of universal animal compassion is, but how far away we have strayed from these simple moral principles, as an adult. These are truly concepts that most children could point out and understand, only to have most adults today give a simple acknowledgment before dismissing it.

Of most significance in these illustrations is the blatant portrayal of cognitive dissonance in each one as well. Cognitive dissonance occurs when a person holds two or more contradictory beliefs, ideas, or values; or participates in an action that goes against one of these three, and experiences psychological stress because of that (WIKI) As if the unusual comparison of cat – to – pig or sheep – to – dog didn’t catch ones’ attention enough, the most attention-seeking aspect of the illustrations is that of the violence it portrays: while the 2D drawings are reminiscent of simpler ones that we used to work on in grade school, these vegan pages don’t hold back on blood, bones, torture, and other methods that impose suffering on animals within the industries. It is certainly a final act of attention to those why try and shy away from reading these well-curated, single-page psychology reads.

As a whole, Skool approaches the non-vegan hypocrisy with force: brief sarcastic comparison that has underlying intent, an “educational” vibe with school-desk veneer background and also some writing utensils. While parents will probably approach the reveal of the violent imagery at their own discretion, it would seem unjust to do so, since that’s how these animals do die (legally, might I add) every since day. The overall “elementary” theme of the pieces seems to send a powerful message in jest: showing how simple it is for us to acknowledge the hypocrisies we settle into, and it’s so easy to realize that even a kid can do it.

Visit www.skoolofvegan.com for additional information and illustrations. Additional languages are also available