For some, vegetarianism is an all-or-nothing way of living: Eeat meat or don’t. But for many others, making the switch from omnivore to exclusively veg is a lifelong tug of war. Jonathan Safran Foer is one such “flexitarian,” or at least he was until he spent three years researching the American meat industry. “Eating Animals” is the result of that research, and the logic behind Foer’s journey into the unseen world of animal farming stems from an issue many vegetarians, especially those who are not always fully committed, face.
Foer had his own personal reasons for being a pseudo-vegetarian, but when he learned that his wife was pregnant, he was faced with the predicament of whether to raise his son as a meat-eater or herbivore. At first, the author explores the way eating and sharing food is a deeply rooted part of our culture, one that is intertwined with family bonds and most of our social interactions. He recounts some of his fondest childhood memories, most of which revolved around his grandmother’s cooking. If his son never eats meat, he will never have those experiences.
The problem he faces is one that leads him to discover, in great detail, the horror that is factory farming. His quest starts out based in curiosity and ends with disdain for the industry. Rather than being a book that promotes vegetarianism, “Eating Animals” is an exploration of an industry driven by capitalism and wealth with no regard for animal or human welfare.
A portion of the book offers some very alarming definitions of terms used in the discussion of animal farming. And to understand Foer’s plea against factory farming is to understand what it really is. In the simplest terms, it is farming run by corporations, where animals are not treated as living creatures but as commodities, and where human workers are often treated no better. And all too often, the consumer is being duped into thinking the products they are purchasing are healthier and more substantial than they really are.
To be fair, the author offers perspectives from every party involved in this great debate. The reader gets a firsthand perspective from an animal activist, a factory farmer, a former factory farm employee and a farmer who is still doing it the “old-fashioned way.” While there is certainly some bias, the arguments are presented from all sides. It would make no difference if Foer were a peace-sign-clad vegan or a rifle-toting chili cook-off champion — the facts and statistics about factory farming speak for themselves. Furthermore, Foer is often sympathetic to meat-eaters. He is not suggesting that eating meat is the problem, but that the issue is instead the way that meat is obtained.
“Eating Animals” is an enlightening depiction of the current state of America’s meat industry — one most would probably prefer to ignore. Foer’s undertones clearly suggest that to know about this issue is to take on a great responsibility. To understand what is happening and how family farms are being replaced by conglomerates, and to stand by and do nothing, is, in his opinion, the same as wielding a knife at a disease-riddled, hormone-enhanced turkey. It would be safe to say that one should only read this book if they are ready to take a very harsh look at what is really on that dinner plate.
Rating: W W W W
