The fear is real and palpable. They cringe, raise hands in protest and heads shake violently! Are they protecting themselves from an almost certain fatal assault?
It is the mere mention, not consumption of meatless meat or ‘fake meat.’ Could it be the angst of learning a kinder alternative to animal flesh is easily accessible sends otherwise sensible minds into a tail spin?
Yet these Confirmed Carnivores* cringe at the mention of a slaughter house. Evading the truth with what can best be described as Olympic level mental gymnastics.
The eternal Confirmed Carnivore scoff at salads, written off as rabbit food. Surely it is no more than a garnish. Their commentary and ridicule may previously have been a source of amusement. However, we live in a world where encyclopaedias are available at our finger tips. So the only excuse for ‘not knowing’ must be “I do not wish to know.”
The Confirmed Carnivore shifts uncomfortably in their seat, hold up their hands in protest in a physical attempt to save themselves from this menace of mock meat. Or worse a salad attack a withering look comes your way if you humorously say, “lettuce can’t bite.”
To the vegan or non meat eater at a table it is all at once amusing and fascinating that otherwise intelligent rational individuals can fall apart at the mere suggestion of tasting a new food. These are the same people who will indulge in extreme sport with out a second thought, tear open packaged food and devour it without ever questioning its contents. These are affirmed adventure seekers, world travellers and hunger for knowledge, but fear a piece of tofu.
It sends them in fight mode, because flight would be impolite at a dinner table. Be prepared to hear a tirade of ‘ancestral diets’ ‘lions eat meat’ and ‘God wants us to eat meat’
Except that when you counter these arguments with “we no longer live in caves’ ‘we’re not lions’ and ‘God gave you reasoning powers.’ The final defence of meat eating is pulling out the ‘meat substitutes are processed’ argument. It dies a silent death when delivers whilst sipping on Coke, eating cheese and sausages.
The vegan approach to food and for that matter life is deeply personal. But it does irk fellow diners and often family members. No one is perfect or ever will be, the attempt is not at perfection and it may well be argued that vegans believe themselves to be morally superior. If there are vegans that do believe themselves to be so they are no different to the confirmed carnivore- militant in their belief.
Militancy never unites opposing ideologies or people. Dialogue does. It is imperative to remember while so many of us have the luxury of debating these issues, those employed in animal agriculture often do not have the means or education to escape. They are just as much victims of an exploitive system as the animals. Consumers as well may be vulnerable to restrictions and conditions.
It is a rare person who enjoys the suffering of another being human or non human, but it is common for us to be slaves to generational prejudices and beliefs. Changing your mind, learning and educating your mind beyond your taste buds is a courageous step and if you listen to the little voice in your head it is encouraging you to take the leap of taste.
The real fear is not of fake meat, or dairy free cheese. It is the fear of being labelled a non conformist. Are the Carninsts of today, the Heretics of the 1600s which saw Gallelio and Copernicus warned and ridiculed for their assertions that the earth was not the centre of our universe. What do the rotational realities of the sun and earth have to do with consuming meat? No much, it’s the mindset not the action.
Without going into the intricacies of the hearings and inquisitions against them, the core beliefs of ‘going against the establishment’ immediately brands individuals as rebellious. Perhaps the worst label one can inherit is that of activist. Designed to create imagery of banner waving extremists intent on destroying the status quo.
If the substitution of soy for sausage has such a visceral effect on people let’s investigate the root cause. And we most often turn away from the cause because it can only be described as indoctrination. Your indoctrination and allegiance to the system of eating and industry which cares little or not at all about you, the animals, the planet or its workers.
*Confirmed Carnivore – An individual who steadfastly clings to opinions of convenience rather than verifiable facts. It is a generational indoctrination which begins at an impressionable age. It is characterised by the intentional blurring of fact, fiction and fantasy. The theory is almost exclusively applied to food, conflating food, nutrition and flavour to be similar.
The Confirmed Carnivore has an impressive lexicon of phrases they wield as sabres of truth – the champion of which is ‘humane slaughter’ The Confirmed Carnivore is often ensconced in an atmosphere fearful of change and enjoys the status quo.
Leafy Fox 