Many of us don't want to think about where our food comes from and how it gets to us. Same with shoes, belts, watchbands, upholstery etc. We buy products in stores, nicely packaged, inanimate, abstract. What we are conditioned to not acknowledge is that this nicely packaged, abstract product is in fact the end result of a process, a chain of events, that includes the brutal, painful slaughter of living beings with eyes, hearts, nervous systems, brains, with feelings and thoughts....much like you, your loved ones, your dog, or cat or bird or fish. Every time we buy, prepare and consume flesh - be it beef, pork, poultry, fish or other - we are (whether we choose to acknowledge it or not) condoning and perpetuating brutal slaughter, of the mentality behind it and the horrendous anguish and suffering from it that we try to hide and bury in the veil of society, commerce and culture, like the monkey covering its eyes and ears with its hands, as if not acknowledging or dealing with it will somehow make it go away or absolve our responsibility for, to and in it. I freely admit that I am not perfect, that I am guilty of participating in and abetting this ongoing genocide. But ever since I saw a video of chicken slaughter I have stopped consuming flesh - the things I love and crave - cooked meat - beef/poultry/fish, jerky, and have been eating greens, root vegetables, beans, grains and fruits - and know what? I'm fine. Yes I have cravings for flesh, but it's nothing I can't live with, manage, get through and get over. We're here in life not just to be trained consumers, but each day we have the power, opportunity and responsibility to somehow make the world better for those around us (including our fellow beings) and for those who follow (including our descendants). Imagine all the suffering and agony in our world on a daily basis from global, brutal slaughter and now try to imagine how the world would change if this slaughter and anguish were eliminated or significantly reduced.
Robert@robertzuckerman.com
www.robertzuckerman. com