“Melanie Joy’s book is an important and groundbreaking contribution... It helps us step outside the box of ‘carnism’ so that we are better positioned to think critically and be a part of the solution, helping to create a more compassionate and sustainable world.” —Yuval Noah Harari, author of Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind Perception One reason we have such different perceptions of beef and dog meat is because we view cows and dogs very differently. The most frequent—and often the only—contact we have with cows is when we eat (or wear) them. But for a large number of people, our relationship with dogs is, in many ways, not terribly different from our relationship with people. They are our helpers, our friends, our family. We love them. We love dogs and eat cows not because dogs and cows are fundamentally different—cows, like dogs, have feelings, preferences, and consciousness—but because our perception of them is different. And, consequently, our perception of their meat is different as well. Enter the Mythmakers Despite the falsehoods that weave our psychological and emotional safety net, it takes energy to suppress the truth. Enter the mythmakers. The mythmakers occupy every sector of society, ensuring that no matter where we turn, the information we’re given reinforces the Three Ns (normal, natural, necessary). The mythmakers are the institutions that form the pillars of the system, and the people who represent them. When a system is entrenched, it is supported by every major institution in society, from medicine to education; chances are, your doctors and teachers didn’t encourage you to question whether eating animals is normal, natural, and necessary. Nor did your parents, pastor, or elected officials. Who better to influence us than the establishments and professionals in whom we have learned to place our trust? Who better to convince us than those in positions of authority? Photo credit: Edgar's Mission The Carnistic Matrix The matrix that is carnism compels us to participate in our own coercion, doing the system’s job for it: we deny, avoid, and justify carnism. When our minds are imprisoned by carnism, we see the world—and ourselves—through the eyes of the system. As a result, we behave not as we actually are, but as the system would like us to be: we are passive consumers rather than active citizens. The mechanisms of the system have become ingrained into our consciousness. We have internalized carnism. Photo credit: Edgar's Mission Seeing with the Heart: The Power of Witnessing "In a dark time, the eye begins to see." —Theodore Roethke "I thought of the dark factories, and the terror and helplessness of the countless animals within. But I also thought of the undercover investigators from the Humane Society of the United States, whose videotaping of the brutal mishandling of animals at a slaughterhouse led to public outrage and the largest beef recall in US history. At each monument, I saw the world through the eyes of those it commemorated. I became a witness. When we bear witness, we are not merely acting as observers; we emotionally connect with the experience of those we are witnessing. We empathize. And in so doing, we close the gap in our consciousness, the gap that enables the violence of carnism to endure." —Melanie Joy, PhD Photo credit: Edgar's Mission
✔ Author(s): Melanie Joy PhD,Yuval Noah Harari
✔ Title: Why We Love Dogs, Eat Pigs, and Wear Cows: An Introduction to Carnism, 10th Anniversary Edition
✔ Rating : 4.6 out of 5 base on (193 reviews)
✔ ISBN-10: 1590035011
✔ ISBN-13: 9781590035016
✔ Language: English
✔ Format ebook: PDF, EPUB, Kindle, Audio, HTML and MOBI
✔ Device compatibles: Android, iOS, PC and Amazon Kindle
Readers' opinions about Why We Love Dogs, Eat Pigs, and Wear Cows by Melanie Joy PhD
Lucy Garraway
I must confess, this book made me shed tears like never before. The themes of love, loss, and resilience struck a chord with my soul. It was an emotional journey I'm grateful to have taken.
Elaine Leonard
I loved the powerful messages hidden within the story. The book tackled important social issues and made me ponder the world we live in. It's a must-read for everyone.
Daphne Garner
The plot was so well-paced that I lost track of time while reading. I was completely immersed in the story, eagerly turning the pages to uncover the next twist.
