Hello!
I have just returned from my Xmas break to discover that my suggestion that
people opted for a meat-free festive period provoked some interesting discussion.
Before I stopped eating animals I too thought pepper-steak was some kind of
culinary ecstacy and that Xmas meant turkey.
But although ecofem subscribers no doubt come from a diverse range of
backgrounds I am sure we all share some notion of utopianism and eco/social
change and a corresponding critique of tradition and ideology(i'm not necessarily
equating the two here). The majority of us will also be very aware of the feminist
assertion that the personal / private sphere is political. For example, it is only
recently that in the UK that domestic violence has come to be seen as a social and
ethical problem.
My personal view is that meat is ideology - every time we eat meat we assert our
anthropocentric identity. The very same identity which is bound up in our
objectification/instrumentalisation of nature. I can't see how the killing of an
animal
could possibly constitute an act of love?? I was also slightly disturbed by the
argument that tries to legitimate meat-eating which says: we are animals and other
animals kill so why can't we? Convenient essentialism. The word "animal" is a
politically appropriated category. Sometimes it suits the dominant ideology to
assert difference from other animals and at other times such as in the above
example similarity is conveniently asserted.
We should be mindful that only 30% of the planets' animals are carnivorous so
the argument falls. Furthermore, whilst indeed we are embodied animals the
above argument discounts 'difference'. Notions of difference are important its just
their hierarchical ambience that we should aim to eject.
I was not intending to force my views down people's throats, that allegation usually
appears as an outward expression of cognitive dissonance to me anyway. This is
afterall a forum for discussion which can be at least partly a process of
self-reflection for us all.
I hope that everybody had a pleasant Xmas period. I had a delicious nut roast and
was quite pleased with my effort at Bean and Quorn Goulash. As much as I'd love
to swap meat-free recipes this probably isn't the place?? If you're interested try out
the Animal Rights Resource Site.
Richard Twine
Love as always from Essex Uni., England.
