Jonathan Safran Foer and Eating Animals

[Guest guest]

Jonathan Safran Foer's new book, Eating Animals, has been mentioned a

couple times on this list, so I watched with interest a recent interview

of Foer on Ellen Degeneres's TV show. Here is the advice he offered to

the audience:

 

" Get informed. ... Go to a site like FarmForward.com, which has plenty

of information, and it's not just vegetarian information. If you're

somebody who says, 'you know, I have to eat turkey, this is important to

me,' they tell you places to buy it, where the animals are raised

outdoors, aren't fed medicine, the kinds of farms where if you were to

visit them, you would say this is something I'm proud of, my values are

reflected in the way these animals are raised. "

 

Foer is a board member of Farm Forward, whose web site he is promoting.

Farm Forward exists expressedly to advocate for humanely breeding,

raising, and killing non-human animals for human use. This is very much

in line with the anti-factory farming position advocated by Foer (who is

only the latest in a string of authors doing the same). Unfortunately,

it is obviously not compatible with the vegan ideal of non-exploitation.

 

Victor

 

* From Farm Forward's web site: " Foer's third book, written in close

collaboration with Farm Forward, is a unique exploration of the issues

that arise from factory farming and the alternatives that are available

to conscientious consumers. " http://www.farmforward.com/about-us/our-work

 

--

The Vegan Ideal: http://veganideal.org/

Veganism as Anti-Oppression: http://loveallbeings.org/

[Guest guest]

Yes, there has been  much buzz about this book all over the place. I've read many reviews,  and I'm reading the book now.   Everything I've read and heard indicates that Eating Animals is moving people away from eating animals.  For example, in Natalie Portman's review she stated that this book changed her from a 20 year vegetarian to a vegan activist.  She did not state that this book changed her from a 20 year vegetarian to someone who nows buys " free range meat'

 

 

On page 61 in the book Foer says, " the free range label is bullshit. It should provide no more peace of mind than " all natural, ' " fresh " or " magical.' This is right out of the book. Foer's book also shows the dark side of Polyface Farm which Michael Pollan lauded in the Omnivore's Dilemma. And he pulls apart Pollan's defense of eating meat.

 

Foer also covers issues such as what is suffering, what is cruelty, and gave an excellent response  to the whole " nature is cruel " rationalization that we often hear. On page  53 he says " nature isn't cruel. And neither are the animals in nature that kill and occasionally even torture one another. Cruelty depends on an understanding of cruelty, and the ability to choose against it. Or to choose to ignore it. "   I will remember this the next time someone tells me that nature is cruel and I'm too sentimental.

 

The message that comes through loud and clear from Foer is that eating animal products is devastating to the environment, and causes much suffering. He also covers fishing, and how we are wiping out sea animals. Something which is so important now. Foer reassures people of the nutritional adequacy and benefits of eating a plant based diet.

 

From the reviews, and from what I have read so far in the book ( I'm only on page 145) I think that this book is undoubtedly moving people in the right direction. I think that anyone who reads this book will surely change their eating habits. It would be hard to imagine anyone not affected by it.

 

Oh, and I did watch Foer's appearance on the Ellen show.  I remember Foer saying things like eating turkeys violates the spirit of the holiday of Thanksgiving, dairy and egg production are very cruel, and if your doctor tells you that you need to eat meat, get another doctor.  Ellen is a popular network show watched by millions of viewers who eat meat, eggs and dairy everyday and never give a thought to the animals. I'd say that Foer's appearance on the show was more good than bad.

 

Do I agree with Foer 100%? No, but who do you agree with 100%? I think that he is doing much good.  And I'm excied to see all the attention that his book is getting. I hope that it is widely read!  

 

 

 

..On Tue, Dec 1, 2009 at 7:31 AM, Victor Tsou <victor wrote:

 

 

 

 

Jonathan Safran Foer's new book, Eating Animals, has been mentioned a couple times on this list, so I watched with interest a recent interview of Foer on Ellen Degeneres's TV show. Here is the advice he offered to

the audience: " Get informed. ... Go to a site like FarmForward.com, which has plenty of information, and it's not just vegetarian information. If you're somebody who says, 'you know, I have to eat turkey, this is important to

me,' they tell you places to buy it, where the animals are raised outdoors, aren't fed medicine, the kinds of farms where if you were to visit them, you would say this is something I'm proud of, my values are

reflected in the way these animals are raised. " Foer is a board member of Farm Forward, whose web site he is promoting. Farm Forward exists expressedly to advocate for humanely breeding, raising, and killing non-human animals for human use. This is very much

in line with the anti-factory farming position advocated by Foer (who is only the latest in a string of authors doing the same). Unfortunately, it is obviously not compatible with the vegan ideal of non-exploitation.

Victor* From Farm Forward's web site: " Foer's third book, written in close collaboration with Farm Forward, is a unique exploration of the issues that arise from factory farming and the alternatives that are available

to conscientious consumers. " http://www.farmforward.com/about-us/our-work-- The Vegan Ideal: http://veganideal.org/

Veganism as Anti-Oppression: http://loveallbeings.org/

-- " The thinking (person) must oppose all cruel customs, no matter how deeply rooted in tradition and surrounded by a halo.  When we have a choice, we must avoid bringing torment and injury into the life of another. "

   Albert Schweitzer

[Guest guest]

Victor,

Thank you for your critical research on Foer and Farm Forward, etc. Here is

another interview with Foer:

 

http://jeffreygoldberg.theatlantic.com/archives/2009/12/jonathan_safran_foers_bo\

ok_eat.php

 

Maybe after all is said and done (when??), Foer will move on to the vegan ideal.

 

donna

 

 

 

 

, Victor Tsou <victor wrote:

>

> Jonathan Safran Foer's new book, Eating Animals, has been mentioned a

> couple times on this list, so I watched with interest a recent interview

> of Foer on Ellen Degeneres's TV show. Here is the advice he offered to

> the audience:

>

> " Get informed. ... Go to a site like FarmForward.com, which has plenty

> of information, and it's not just vegetarian information. If you're

> somebody who says, 'you know, I have to eat turkey, this is important to

> me,' they tell you places to buy it, where the animals are raised

> outdoors, aren't fed medicine, the kinds of farms where if you were to

> visit them, you would say this is something I'm proud of, my values are

> reflected in the way these animals are raised. "

>

> Foer is a board member of Farm Forward, whose web site he is promoting.

> Farm Forward exists expressedly to advocate for humanely breeding,

> raising, and killing non-human animals for human use. This is very much

> in line with the anti-factory farming position advocated by Foer (who is

> only the latest in a string of authors doing the same). Unfortunately,

> it is obviously not compatible with the vegan ideal of non-exploitation.

>

> Victor

>

> * From Farm Forward's web site: " Foer's third book, written in close

> collaboration with Farm Forward, is a unique exploration of the issues

> that arise from factory farming and the alternatives that are available

> to conscientious consumers. " http://www.farmforward.com/about-us/our-work

>

> --

> The Vegan Ideal: http://veganideal.org/

> Veganism as Anti-Oppression: http://loveallbeings.org/

>