Longer term, it no longer seems lunacy to believe in the possibility of “meat without feet” — meat produced in vitro, by growing animal cells in a super-rich nutrient environment before being further manipulated into burgers and steaks.
Mmm. Mmm. Good.
I think our food supply is probably the single issue on which the average person--on both sides--is most blissfully ignorant and/or furiously delusional.
4 comments:
That quote makes me think of The Matrix.
In addition to being blissfully ignorant, I think people are *willfully* ignorant. I think the conduct of animal agriculture is at least fairly well known, but people are often unwilling to make significant changes despite what they know to be true. Especially if they can manage not to see it everyday. Such is the case with gross overfishing, for example.
I should add that it's not an exclusively American problem. With respect to fisheries that I mentioned above, the French are some of the worst offenders in the world-- and in that case industry is almost explicitly supported by government.
I agree with your point about consumers’ willful ignorance. But I would give it a slightly different twist.
You and others, elsewhere, seem to be implicating consumers as some sort of silent coconspirators in a great crime against animals. (Perhaps I am assuming too much about your comments in putting you in with this group.)
I think consumers are happy to stay ill-informed and to allow themselves to be misinformed and this leads to a lot of ridiculous statements, awareness campaigns, and moral grandstanding. But I tend to think people’s actions speak loudest. The vast majority seem to be saying they like meat and they are willing to accept the health tradeoffs that accompany an omnivorous diet. And for the majority the way in which livestock is raised does not cross any of their own moral boundaries.
I’m all for removing subsidies on livestock feed and educating the public about nutrition and health. As for energy concerns, that is a matter for energy policy, not food policy. Beyond that, I say let people decide if they want to have a heart attack….but that is a matter for healthcare policy.
An acquaintance of mine recently observed that animals live for two things: sex and eating. Once bulls are castrated, sex is off of the table. They now live to eat. If you've ever seen a feedlot, you appreciate that it is the best place for cattle to do just that.
Many people's perception of animal agriculture is shaped by pictures of chickens in cages. However, this picture is not representative of animal agriculture. The manner in which most livestock in the U.S. is raised simply does not implicate moral concerns for most people.
For those who are troubled by certain practices in animal agriculture, niche markets continue to grow to serve their preferences. I, however, will continue to shop for cheaper eggs, milk, and meat.
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