Culture, Cattle, and Conversations

"The survival of a farmer depends on the cooperation of others in the community.  But a herdsman is off by himself.  Farmers also don't have to worry that their livelihood will be stolen in the night, because crops can't easily be stolen unless, of course, a thief wants to go to the trouble of harvesting an entire field on his own.  A herdsman does have to worry.  He's under constant threat of ruin through the loss of his animals.  So he has to be aggressive: he has to make it clear, through his words and deeds that he is not weak.  He has to be willing to fight in response to even the slightest challenge to his reputation--ant that's what a 'culture of honor' means. It's a world where a man's reputation is at the center of his livelihood and self-worth." -Malcom Gladwell "Outliers"

When I first read that paragraph it was a light bulb moment.  I thought about all the cattlemen I know, and realized that this culture has shaped much of our traditions.  Yes, many cattlemen are very connected to their communities, but culturally, we are proud of our independence and value our reputations.  

Tonight, I attended a meeting at UNL entitled "Bridging the Gap." There we heard from Anne Burkholder and a lady named Linda.  Linda was an HSUS member and came to discuss her view of animal agriculture.  When she began accusing a fellow student of being "brainwashed by your heritage," I got mad.  Not a little upset, but more like Kramer from Seinfeld angry.  

I'm very proud of who I am, and my heritage is very close to my heart.  This creates a roadblock for me and many other people who want to engage in conversations with consumers.  Instead of hearing their concerns, we hear attacks on the way of life we love, and respond with arguments.  It's a part of who we are, but that doesn't mean we can't change.  

Yelling at Linda would not have made her listen.  Being defensive only frustrates both parties.  Anne offered a great solution.  Listen to understand, not to respond.  Begin every conversation with the genuine desire to not just hear their opinions, but to truly appreciate what they believe.  Sometimes moving forward and sharing the story of agriculture means challenging your culture.

'till the cows come home,

Ellie  

P.S. Linda turned out to be an actress, who was actually our state director for Ag In the Classroom, and man she was good.  She had me completely fooled!