How the media, advertising and marketing has desensitized us from what animals really face at factory farms. Happy animals grazing on green pastures...or dancing happily... Everything to distract us from the truth.
I remember when I was younger, and although I ate chicken, if I saw one of those trucks with stacked crates packed with chickens on their way to butcher houses... my heart broke... I couldn't watch... I had to look away.. I often cried.. so it showed that I could feel a true connection to these animals and their unfortunate realities.
But at the same time I was detached from this reality, because eating chicken was so "normal" to me. When it was on my plate, somehow I no longer made that connection. We are continously being fed with images, information and marketing to distract us from this truth. What if a burger advertisement at a fast food chain displayed the delicious burger in the image, side by side with a slaughtered cow? Would you still feel inclined to eat it or would you feel empathy towards that animal? I think most of us will not eat it and I can assure that most children would be appalled. Of course they don't want us to really know what happened to that animal before they served it up as a juicy piece of meat. If you haven't already; I would suggest watching documentaries and researching more about animal factory farming to better understand. I know some people avoid watching these types of images, or videos simply because they don't want to know, or it's just not the right time. This realization happened for me in 2007, before switching completely to plant based in 2013. It's a sensitive issue and some people are afraid that it may actually touch their heart and they won't want to eat animal products again. The fear of having to make such a drastic change to their life, and breaking a lot of what they were already used too is not an easy process...I can relate. When I became aware of what happens at animal factory farms, and the abuse and unsanitary conditions these animals are subjected to... I only wanted to know more...and how I could help prevent these horrendous acts and practices from reoccurring. How can I play an active roll in combating sufferation for these animals? How can I be a better person for them? I also believe that the more we consume the flesh or by products of other animals.. the further away we move from compassion and empathy towards these sentient beings. These are lives, with feelings, emotions, and many of what we possess as a human. I think we can all try to feel compassion for these animals.
Each time you're going to purchase a piece of meat just stop for a second and think about the animal and the process it took to get on the shelves at stores, or onto your plate. This is what I consider conscious eating- making a decision and knowing the consequences. Whatever you choose at least you gave it the thought it deserves.