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« Last post by E.A.S on January 08, 2019, 09:50:37 AM »
In the previous post regarding Melanie Joy’s Why We Love Dogs Eat Pigs and Wear Cows: An Introduction to Carnism, we have focused on humans’ relations with dogs, being a keystone in her thesis. In this post we focus on an even greater keystone of her thesis, the assumption that humans are naturally loving and caring towards animals. 
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« Last post by E.A.S on December 24, 2018, 01:52:29 PM »
After we discussed Norbert Elias who argues that humans relation to meat changed because they started to feel repugnant by their own animality and so gradually felt repugnance for meat, and after discussing Nick Fiddes who argues that humans don’t eat meat despite that it is made out of animals but because it is made out of animals, and then Keith Tester who argues that humans who choose not to eat meat are actually doing so to define their own humanity, the following posts of this series about meat eating, will focus on Melanie Joy’s theory of Carnism 
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« Last post by E.A.S on November 11, 2018, 05:57:30 AM »
After addressing the estimation of the sociologist Norbert Elias that vegetarianism might be much more popular as part of a general and gradual refinement in humans’ social behavior, for the second part of the series about human relations with animals flesh eating, we wish to address a theory about meat by the anthropologist Nick Fiddes. In his book Meat: A Natural Symbol Fiddes suggests an anthropological explanation to why humans are so keen on meat, and what is according to him, the only condition which might alter them. Basically Fiddes argues that animals symbolize power and nature, and so eating them is the ultimate symbol of humans’ dominance, of their superiority over other animals, and their triumph over nature. So to put it bluntly, humans don’t eat meat despite that it’s made of murdered animals, but because it is made of murdered animals. We disagree that it is the only reason humans eat meat, but we definitely agree it is a very main one, and so it is highly important for activists to acknowledge it. 
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« Last post by E.A.S on October 02, 2018, 02:27:27 AM »
For the World Vegetarian Day, held yesterday, and for the World Farm Animals Day, held today, we discuss Norbert Elias’s Civilizing Process theory, which deals with the historical and cultural changes in humans’ behavior, including towards nonhumans. We are addressing this theory despite that it is relatively old, since it relates to a current and very popular notion in the animal rights movement - McCartney’s famous quote that “if slaughterhouses had glass walls, everyone would be a vegetarian”. 
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« Last post by E.A.S on September 12, 2018, 12:17:18 PM »
Another article regarding nonhuman intelligence was published this week. Many activists repost such items and often refer to this topic. That is despite that they do recognize themselves that intelligence should in no way be a factor determining moral status. They probably do so, hoping that if humans hear that nonhumans are actually very smart, they’ll change their stance regarding their moral status. However, as we explain in the following post, it is very naïve to hope that facts will be able to refute speciesism, especially considering how little some of the greatest conceptual revolutions in human history have accomplished in placing humanity in a more reasonable place. 
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« Last post by E.A.S on August 09, 2018, 12:45:43 PM »
Australia experiences a very severe draught. Therefore, 2 days ago, the government had increased the number of kangaroos that farmers can usually murder, since they “compete” with cows and sheeps on food and water. As always nonhumans are punished for humans’ mistakes. First and formst are obviously cows and sheeps, and now probably millions of kangaroos as well. 
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« Last post by E.A.S on July 17, 2018, 02:43:37 AM »
A few days ago it was published that before the end of the year several more diaries would add fully automated robotic rotary parlors. The mechanization of the dairy industry is extremely worrying. That is so, especially since it strengthens the industry by making the lives of the exploiters easier and more profitable for the long run, and since it further transform the cows to animal machines. 
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« Last post by E.A.S on June 01, 2018, 01:12:51 AM »
Last week another ‘fish can feel pain’ article was published. Though it didn’t add anything new to the old and fallacious discussion, the fact that such headlines are still present nowadays is what should add something - not to discussion about fishes’ feelings (which is of course unequivocal and self-evident), but about the way activists view the way humans view animals. 
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« Last post by E.A.S on May 04, 2018, 01:52:00 AM »
Today high-level talks between Chinese and American officials take place after a period of trade tensions, as relations between the two have deteriorated, and both started imposing high tariffs on one another. As always in these trade wars, animals are caught in the cross fire. They are no more than another commodity. This time animals are most affected by these economic events as soybeans – the crop used to sustain their exploitation – is a major item on the tariff list, used as a leverage in this clash. The international soybeans flow is crucial in determining the extent of animal abuse around the globe, making recent events very consequential. This is another horrific remainder what forces really shape the fate of animals, and what little impact morality has in the world. 
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« Last post by E.A.S on April 22, 2018, 11:53:27 AM »
Not that Earth Day is or ever was about non-human animals, but we address this day anyway since many AR activists tend to adopt some of the environmental rhetoric. The motivation behind it is unquestionable, AR activists are recruiting ecological claims as a tactical move for the sake of animals. What is questionable is whether animals are benefiting from this use. This is questionable not only for the long run in relation to the more theoretical and ideological aspects of the status of nonhuman animals. Some effects are immediate and practical, and may lead to even more animal suffering. That is the focus of this post. 
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