Coherence Is a Trap

Several years ago, I began to the idea of coherence as a bit of a problem. Since then, I’ve been thinking about it more and trying to make sense of things—a better way to deal with it.

The title itself gives away my thoughts: I truly believe coherence is a trap. Anyone who has tried to make a difference—whether for people, animals, or the planet—might get what I mean. When someone tries to care about things outside their own world, they quickly face questions (and sometimes harsh ones) about their choices: If you do X, why not Y? If you talk about this, why not that? If you want to help one cause, why not help five? Or if you can fight for a cause with passion, why not do it for free? Why stop eating meat if you still own a cellphone? These questions seem pointless. They often point out that no matter how hard you try, there’s always some "missing piece." It feels like the only option left is to just ignore everything & get comfy with doing nothing.

For those watching us who care about the environment (looking for ways to point fingers), it seems they think the only way to be “coherent” is by doing “the bare minimum.” If we don’t commit & claim that nothing truly matters, we can fool ourselves into thinking we’re consistent in our lack of action.

But coherence isn’t just an issue when it’s used against us. It's also tricky for those of us eager to create change, even when we know that perfect change is impossible.

This idea that chasing “pure and perfect” coherence is a problem isn’t new; I've known it for some time. Long ago, I wrote about how important it is to focus on the journey instead of aiming for perfection. I also mentioned the “all or nothing” trap—which actually ties back to coherence. It’s so common and can feel paralyzing. Trust me; I’ve felt stuck in this very place in my life.

Coherence can motivate us & hold us back. Without careful thought, it's usually more of a hurdle than help. It's sneaky like that!

Think about all those times you've hesitated to do something good because it didn’t seem consistent with what you already believed or did. For instance: “I want to stop eating meat, but I feed my cat animal food. So why change?" Or think about how others questioned your views based on past statements: “You said you loved barbecues; why are you vegan now?” It's tough when your ideas clash with things you can't or haven’t changed yet. Like questioning capitalism but owning shoes made by a capitalist company.

Even when we aim for coherence, we can seem inconsistent to others! For example: two big goals in my life are 1) learn more about sustainability & reduce my environmental footprint, and 2) help others get excited about these same ideas through different means.

At first glance, they fit well together... But here's where it gets tricky! One option for reducing my footprint is using tech devices less since they require energy from fossil fuels. Yet sharing these ideas online helps reach so many people! So am I being inconsistent? Perhaps—but it depends on how one sees it.

Some folks might argue that being coherent means ditching tech use altogether to lower my individual impact. Others—like me—could argue that using tech boosts flyers’ awareness and helps them reduce their impact too! So maybe my choice is still coherent in achieving a bigger goal.

Another example? I wrote a book discussing caring for our planet while sharing my journey and thoughts on looking after our biosphere.

Right from the start—the book dives into our environmental footprint because I wanted readers to consider if writing this book blends well with wanting to lessen one’s impact on Earth. It addresses our biosphere… but guess what? The book itself is printed, and thus needs paper—wood cutting involved (even if it’s sourced sustainably)—alongside ink and energy use! The digital version still requires power for many processes before anyone can read it anywhere.

Am I inconsistent for wanting my message out there? Again, maybe—if viewed from certain angles.

A few years back—I watched Cowspiracy—a quote struck me: “you can't be an environmentalist & eat meat.” Back then, it felt spot-on! Now though? Honestly unsure...

My commitment to the environment links closely with giving up meat (animal products too). And yes—it makes logical sense since studies show opening up diets greatly minimizes our ecological footprints. Still, I know loads of non-vegan environmentalists accomplish impactful changes beyond anything I've done!

Many brave leaders continuously risk their lives—opposing deforestation or bad farming practices! Are they all vegan? Probably not! Have they thought over their food choices? Yes! Can they tailor their diets without using animal-sourced products or sufficient knowledge? Who knows?

So... can we say these heroes aren’t real environmentalists simply due to their diets? Well—I don’t think that's fair at all!

From where I'm standing—the concern for nature & choosing veganism goes hand-in-hand for me but every person’s journey varies greatly—and not everyone follows the same path or shares similar background information like mine.

It’s similar with feminism; I've connected my views on feminine rights closely tied with environmental & animal rights issues! For me—a feminist working towards equality while questioning other beings’ oppression feels right since women’s & animals' issues share deep roots together. Thus—to me—it makes perfect sense being both a feminist AND vegan! But I don’t feel it's fair saying someone else's feminism carries less value if it's not aligned with animal rights simply because it's different from MY views!

In short—it’s plain as day!

The world holds complexity; its inhabitants do too! When looking only at humans—we live incredibly diverse lives; growing often unveils new info confirming beliefs—or shaking them; leading us down paths where we question normalcy—and slowly shift traditions/beliefs over time.

Changing one aspect usually leads domino effects triggering thoughts about other actions we take daily. Throughout this journey—the quest for coherence develops into something important but also daunting at times too—where our craving feels generally aligned with goals creates seeking understanding & moving forward constantly!

When treated kindly—it acts like an encouraging buddy reminding us there's much left to explore as decisions won’t be flawless each time we act on beliefs—we must keep searching beyond ourselves!

Yet remember though—even motivation—coherence may turn into traps quickly too! Often becoming guilt-laden—it makes us feel like we're mainly contradicting ourselves meaning everything seems pointless...We fall into frustrating cycles convinced nothing suffices which keeps us stagnant from hardly attempting anything again due fear toward contradictions…

Toss in social norms where critics eye those pursuing growth via habits—not wanting change themselves internally—they come armed armed indictments claiming perceived inconsistencies reveal others’ truths which further cripples willingness towards trying harder…

That perceived inconsistency feeding logical fallacies keeps folks stuck within comfort zones without growth possible…