Carnism and Other Things

Michael Dorf cited her work [a long video of her presentation] recently to explain how we are able to treat certain animals differently, particularly for purposes of consumption. His blog is generally vegan friendly, Prof. Colb in fact his wife.

I might read her book -- it is short -- but generally the basic sentiments seems standard enough. We are socialized to treat certain types of animals, a few kinds, as having special roles.  The result is that we mistreat others and various negative results occur. Ultimately, though again I have not read the book but the presentation suggested as much, the principles seems to be widely applicable. We also are socialized to treat certain human groups as different, at times arbitrarily so.  How this is done is rather informative, which helps explain Dr. Joy's research.

The general reason I became a vegetarian was a matter of consistency.* Why should I care about the treatment of cats and dogs, if the treatment of cows, pigs and so forth are given so much less respect?  Because they might be yummy or something?  They are not so very different from humans to warrant such a great different level of treatment.  Thus, it was on some level an equal protection matter to me.  The question of research can be tricky as some other matters (animal management has no easy answers overall) but mistreatment of so many animals in the mass production of our food is not really a hard call. This even if there is some debate over hunting as compared to the hard to the environment nature of some sorts of farming.

Anyway, not here to give an extended discussion, mostly to provide a link to the person in question.  Might say more if I read her book. One other thing though in connection to the recent post on religion.  I'm a vegetarian mostly as a means of practicing my beliefs. Compassion: The Ultimate Ethic is a good introduction to what might be understood as the "vegan ethic" -- an overall principle of non-violence and concern for others that is not just a matter of consumption of food.  The daily act of eating is a daily expression of how we handle it. Like eating kosher, such a diet is a means of connecting to a higher purpose or principle.

The idea has a broad application.  It is like an act of kindness. It might seem trivial, especially if it in the midst of unkindness.  But, we can do certain things and ultimately they do add up.  Millions are vegetarians and vegans, a small percentage, but over the years, it is a much more acceptable path.  Also, other things are furthered along the way, including better treatment of animals, even by fast food giants.  The greater cause is advanced, even if fewer people go all the way. Thus, veal is seen as wrong, even by many meat eaters.  Justice is a long journey.

It's good to try to do what you can along the way.

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* I do not claim to be perfect here, just like a "good Christian" or whatever can be so without being 100% consistent.  I am not a full vegan, for one thing, though clearly it's possible to be so.  But, as with any number of things, going a good way in one direction is rather significant.  Likewise, as seen by me not saying much about it here, I am not really an evangelist on the topic.  I have been a vegetarian since the mid-1990s, but do not proclaim it or anything to everyone.  One is not a reprobate if one is not.