Vegetarianism

I really enjoyed the assigned reading in the anthology on eating meat, especially since I am a vegetarian myself. I especially liked the discussion on the attributes possessed by a vegetarian. Many people place a stereotype on people who call themselves vegetarian assuming they are "tree huggers" or have weird values and views. This, however, is not the case. Many people that choose to be vegetarian maintain what is considered a very "normal" lifestyle by non vegetarians. What really stuck out to me about the section on Carnism was the fact that vegetarians are labeled but "meat eaters"are not. "We don't see meat eating as we do vegetarianism- as a choice, based on a set of assumptions about animals, our world, and ourselves. Rather, we see it as a given, the "natural" thing to do" (446). People assume vegetarians are the different ones who have chosen to live a life unlike the rest. In reality, meat eaters choose what goes into their mouths as well. This invisible belief system about eating animals is what is called "carnism." Not only are people ignoring the fact that they have a choice not to eat meat, but they are buying into to well concocted myths. For example the relationship between the American Dietetic Association (ADA) and the National Dairy Council. The national Dairy Council is one of the ADA's leading sponsors, explaining their recommended daily dose of milk. They do this, however, despite "evidence linking dairy consumption with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, various cancers, and diabetes" (454). It is evidence like this that prompted me to become a vegan. After reading Alicia Silverstone's book, The Kind Diet I had a much better understanding of the meat industry and the cruelty involved in getting my food to my plate. It also shed some light on some of the myths that we are told ever since we were young. Including that you can only get protein from meat and a glass of milk a day is good for you. As a society we have bought into these food myths and just assume them to be true without actually checking for ourselves. We need to take some initiative and find out not only what is actually in our food but where it comes from as well.