Carnism
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Carnism is the belief system, idealogy and psychology of meat eating that eating certain meat (flesh consumption, especially by humans towards animals such as cows, chickens and pigs) is acceptable.
Carnism is also a subset of speciesism and relates to it, and questions why certain meat is "acceptable", while others such as cats and dogs, may be considered "taboo".
Those who follow carnism are called "carnists". Carnists may produce, consume, and promote meat eating.
Carnism (eating meat is right, fine and acceptable) is essentially the opposite of veganism (eating meat is wrong and/or unnecessary), the moral commitment to abstain from all meat and animal products including dairy.
Human promotion
Carnism may be subconsciously promoted to humans and re-enforced through:
- herd mentality
- meat advertisements and commercials
- peer pressure (having friends who eat meat)
- family traditions (having parents and family eat meat), such as barbecues, hunting and fishing
- watching entertainment, such as movies, TV shows and video games (especially entertainment produced in the 21st century and prior) where characters are seen eating meat, etc.
- the food pyramid, which recommends meat as a "food group". Some vegetarians and vegans view the food pyramid as outdated and archaic.
- food imagery of meat (for example, instead of a cartoon pizza being depicted with merely cheese, cartoonists may depict it with red circles, symbolizing pepperoni)
Controversy
Unlike carnivores, which require meat in their diet for survival, carnists choose to eat meat based on their beliefs. In many parts in the world where enough non-meat food is available and there are plenty of alternatives (such as North America), eating meat is no longer done out of survival and is instead, commonly eaten out of choice to satisfy taste buds.
Common arguments for and against carnism
Carnists may justify carnism through arguments. For example, they are often seen in YouTube video comments sections where the carnist mentality is challenged, e.g., BuzzFeed's "Foodies Kill their Food For The First Time".[1]
- "Humans are the apex predator."
- "My ancestors ate meat."
- "My meat is free range/grass fed."
- "I believe in humane slaughter."
- "Carnism is natural and it's the circle of life."
- "Animals eat other animals so humans should too."
- "Humans need the proteins and nutrients from animals."
- "Plants have feelings."
- "One person can't make a difference."
- "What if you were on a desert island?"
- "Humans have canine teeth."
- "God put animals on this planet for us to eat and consume."
- "Eating meat is responsible for brain growth and development."
- "It is OK to eat food"
Vegetarians and vegans commonly refute these points with arguments such as:
- "We should reduce animal pain and suffering."
- "Unlike animals, humans do not require meat to live."
- "It is possible to obtain all necessary protein from plants."
- "Just because we can eat meat, it doesn't mean we should."
- "Plants lack central nervous systems and can't feel pain."
- "Humans are naturally herbivores and have been conditioned to eat meat."
A full list of vegetarian/vegan arguments against carnism can be found at freefromharm.org.[2]
Difference between "carnist" and "omnivore"/"carnivore"
Just as "meat eater" is an inaccurate and misleading phrase to describe those who are not vegetarian or vegan, so, too, are the other commonly used terms, "omnivore" and "carnivore." These terms reinforce the assumption that humans eating animals is natural, one of the most entrenched and compelling myths used to justify carnism.
"Omnivore" and "carnivore" describe one's physiological disposition, rather than one's ideological choice: an omnivore is an animal, human or nonhuman, that can ingest both plant and animal matter, and a carnivore is an animal that needs to ingest flesh in order to survive.
Origin
The concept of carnism was coined by American social psychologist Melanie Joy in 2001 and later developed in her 2003 dissertation. Joy discusses carnism in her 2010 book Why We Love Dogs, Eat Pigs, and Wear Cows.
Carnism, according to Joy, is the dominant, yet invisible paradigm in modern culture supporting the choice to consume meat. Carnism is an invisible system of beliefs in both the social, psychological, and physical sense.