Why We Love Dogs, Eat Pigs, and Wear Cows : An Introduction to Carnism

The Title, WHY WE LOVE DOGS, EAT PIGS AND WEAR COWS is catchy and designed, I think, simply to make people pick up the book and thumb through it. If they get that far, they will probably continue. The title may mask a bit the sub-title, AN INTRODUCTION TO CARNISM. Let's focus on the real priorities here and just call the book CARNISM for short. ***

In CARNISM Dr Joy argues that the word "vegetarians" increasingly refers to people who cut back on or stop completely eating meat for reasons other than mere taste or personal health. True blue vegetarians oppose eating meat on ethical grounds derived from their empathy with the animals and fish offered to be eaten. She has coined the words "carnism" and "carnists" to parallel the ethics (or lack thereof) underlying voluntary eating of meat by modern adult humans. Most of us are "carnists." ***

Normally, we do not eat animals or fish while they are still alive. Nor do we eat road kill. In the case of chickens, turkeys, pigs, sheep, goats, cattle, etc. someone (usually a giant corporation or its suppliers) first breeds them, raises them in captivity, slaughters them and markets them to us. We don't see this happening and that is a good thing. Why? People who do see secretly taken photos of how violent and cruel is what goes on at chicken farms or slaughterhouses, are sickened. Many vow never to taste another morsel of fin or turf. And it is very rare that feed lots or slaughterhouses take either the public or reporters on a tour of their facilities. ***

At work to keep us carnists forever, Melanie Joys argues, are powerful psychological and social (sometimes even religious) forces designed to place a veil between us and animals as beings in their own right, living individuals with feelings, with a certain intelligence and even the capacity to become pets and to be given names. Paradoxically, when we sit at table, we may simultaneously pet our beloved dog named Peanut while ourselves eating parts of an anonymous slaughtered bull or baby calf. Since we identify with and love Peanut, we may generously and affectionately reward him with some scraps of our meal. ***

Studies show, we are told, that it is very hard to imagine ourselves eating a pet, someone else's as well as our own. Why then is is so easy to eat hundreds of pounds of fish and animals a year? The book explores the mechanisms we use to distance ourselves from the way animals are raised and slaughtered. What is invisible has a way of becoming non-existent in our minds. That pig we are licking our lips over is never thought of as a once sentient being with interests of its own. ***

Carnists will remain carnists, it is argued in AN INTRODUCTION TO CARNISM, only so long as they prevent themselves from learning the facts about how much violence and suffering animals and fish go through before they are served up to us as food. Once carnists notice the facts, however, they tend to eat less and less meat and may even become vegetarians -- a good thing, in the author's opinion. Newly aware carnists are urged to take three steps: (1) eat less meat and fish, (2) support an advocacy group for animals of their own choosing, e.g. PETA and (3) continue to learn about carnism and share what they learn with others. Dr Joy names a few recommended animal advocate organizations, offers a short list of readings and provides a large bibliography, including scholarly articles. ***

The material is clearly written, set before the reader in very short, concretely presented sections, replete with mental experiments and recorded anecdotes of emotional reactions of people working in slaughterhouses. WHY WE LOVE DOGS, EAT PIGS AND WEAR COWS is indeed the INTRODUCTION TO CARNISM that it promises to be. In my view, this little book is well worth reading and discussing in book clubs and otherwise. -OOO-