Book Explores Animal Ag's Psychological Hold

I just finished reading "Why We Love Dogs, Eat Pigs, and Wear Cows: An Introduction to Carnism" by Melanie Joy, and I highly recommend it.

The book explores the psychology behind eating meat, which goes beyond simply being raised to eat meat.

Joy, a social psychologist and professor of psychology and sociology, examines the ways that animal agribusiness, and society as a whole, prevent people from questioning and changing their behavior.

Joy has coined a new term to describe meat-eaters: carnists.

Carnists are not merely omnivores. An omnivore is an animal -- human or nonhuman -- that has the physiological ability to ingest both plants and meat. But, like "carnivore," "omnivore" is a term that describes one's biological constitution, not one's philosophical choice. Carnists eat meat not because they need to, but because they choose to, and choices always stem from beliefs.

The book, though, doesn't criticize carnists. In fact, it's written for them, for people who haven't escaped animal agribusiness's mind-hold.

But vegetarians and vegans should read this book, too, not only to learn the psychology behind this ingrained behavior but possibly to generate strategies for appealing to carnists to change their ways. Of course, as Joy writes, people won't change until they're psychologically ready. But every little bit, every seed we plant, helps.

Because it's packed with so much information and terms, "Why We Love Dogs" is a book that I will likely read again.

Joy writes of psychic numbing, "a psychological process by which we disconnect, mentally and emotionally, from our experience." In some instances, like a tragic accident, this psychic numbing helps us.

But it becomes maladaptive, or destructive, when it is used to enable violence, even if that violence is as far away as the factories in which animals are turned into meat.

Joy also describes the invisibility of the animal-agribusiness system.

When an ideology is entrenched, it is essentially invisible.

Such is the case with meat-eating. It's so pervasive in our culture, that unless you're a vegetarian or a vegan, you don't even notice it. It's taken for granted.

It's also physically invisible, for although 10 billion land animals are killed each year in the United States, we never see them until they are dead and packaged. As Paul McCartney once said, if slaughterhouses had glass walls, we'd all be vegetarians. But those involved in animal agribusiness do their damnedest to keep us out. When an undercover investigator gains access and exposes the inner workings, the ag industry works to prevent another breach.

I'd like to thank Melanie Joy for giving us the word "carnist." By being able to use "carnist" -- which denotes a conscious choice -- rather than "meat-eater" -- which simply denotes an action -- I feel more empowered as an animal-rights advocate.

If you're a carnist, you have a choice. I hope you'll choose a diet consistent with your values.