Meat-eating is an ideology, a form of false consciousness invisible to those who subscribe to it, related to the broader ideologies of patriarchy and speciesism (human supremacy). People who subscribe unconsciously to meat-eating - as in the cases of ideologies of sexism and racism - tend to become angry when one exposes their ideology and challenges their prejudices. This explains the hostility and resentment so many meat-eaters display towards vegetarians and vegans. The dietary choices and lifestyle of the latter are seen as a direct challenge to some of the most deeply held prejudices and beliefs of the former.
Peter Singer noted in his book Animal Liberation (1975) that animal liberation is also human liberation, i.e. liberation from the prejudice or ideology of speciesism, just as woman's liberation and civil rights involve sexists and racists being liberated from their prejudices too.
Vegetarian feminists, like Carol Adams in The Sexual Politics of Meat (1990), argue that the ideology of meat is an inherent part of patriarchy and that feminists should therefore espouse vegetarianism - and, in fact, a large proportion of feminists do - as part of their resistance to patriarchy
Meat-eating can also be linked to oppressive systems such as colonialism and monopoly capitalism. Indeed, meat-eating is one of the main reasons for the degradation of environments globally and the catastrophic loss of biodiversity the world is currently experiencing. Agribusiness takes a leading role in this destruction.
For vegetarians, abstaining from meat is a form of liberation from the prejudices and ideologies that sustain the oppressive system of the meat industry.
Peter Singer noted in his book Animal Liberation (1975) that animal liberation is also human liberation, i.e. liberation from the prejudice or ideology of speciesism, just as woman's liberation and civil rights involve sexists and racists being liberated from their prejudices too.
Vegetarian feminists, like Carol Adams in The Sexual Politics of Meat (1990), argue that the ideology of meat is an inherent part of patriarchy and that feminists should therefore espouse vegetarianism - and, in fact, a large proportion of feminists do - as part of their resistance to patriarchy
Meat-eating can also be linked to oppressive systems such as colonialism and monopoly capitalism. Indeed, meat-eating is one of the main reasons for the degradation of environments globally and the catastrophic loss of biodiversity the world is currently experiencing. Agribusiness takes a leading role in this destruction.
For vegetarians, abstaining from meat is a form of liberation from the prejudices and ideologies that sustain the oppressive system of the meat industry.