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Forbes
21-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
The Omnivore's Deception By John Sanbonmatsu — Review
A brilliantly argued dismantling of Michael Pollan and other supporters of the meat economy who lie to the public by claiming that we can have our meat and our morals, too. Father and son grilling animal corpses over hot coals. Now that summer is here, many people are choosing to celebrate by having an outdoor barbecue. This almost always involves cooking pieces of dead animals on a grill over hot coals. Anyone who disagrees with the featured menu items and how they came to be on the grill is viewed either as a fool or as a moral scold. 'Vegan.' In fact, few groups in society are as universally disliked as ethical vegans, vegetarians and advocates for animal rights. One study found that of all reviled groups in society, 'only drug addicts were evaluated more negatively than vegetarians.' (ref). But some people, like philosopher and ethical vegan John Sanbonmatsu, think that exploiting and killing other beings for our own purposes is morally indefensible, and that human civilization should abolish the meat, egg, dairy, and fishing industries altogether. Cover for The Omnivore's Deception: What We Get Wrong about Meat, Animals, and Ourselves by John ... More Sanbonmatsu (2025, New York University Press) In his new book, The Omnivore's Deception: What We Get Wrong About Meat, Animals, and Ourselves (2025; New York University Press), Professor Sanbonmatsu pushes back – hard – against Michael Pollan, who wrote a book with a similar title, The Omnivore's Dilemma. In his brilliant rejoinder, Professor Sanbonmatsu focuses on the myths and self-deceit that we use to maintain our violent domination over other animals – particularly the bullshit myth of the 'enlightened' omnivore popularized by Michael Pollan and his ilk, such as Temple Grandin and Barbara Kingsolver, who are vocal critics of ethical vegans. Professor Sanbonmatsu observes that the longevity and ubiquity of our killing other beings has long stood first and foremost in most peoples' minds as the greatest proof of the moral rightness of this cruel practice – 'it's natural.' Nonetheless, even if human exploitation of other animals can be shown to be 'natural,' that does not indicate this barbarous practice is morally right. In fact, the 'it's natural' justification is based on a damning error in logic that philosophers refer to as the 'naturalistic fallacy.' Because whilst it is true that humans have been killing and eating other animals for a very long time, humans have been killing and eating each other for a very long time too, but few would consider this to be a defence for killing and grilling the neighbors. The global destruction of other animals at the hands of the meat industry is absolutely staggering: Humans kill more than 80 billion land animals and nearly 3 trillion marine animals every year, reports Professor Sanbonmatsu. Half of the planet's land surface is dedicated to agriculture, with 80% of that devoted to either rearing animals for slaughter or growing monocrops to feed them. Tragically, almost all of Earth's animals are captives, observes Professor Sanbonmatsu, with just a teensy 4% of all mammals (excluding humans) living freely in nature whilst their captive brethren are confined, awaiting slaughter. Seventy percent of all birds on Earth are our prisoners too, living out their flightless lives in brief, abject misery, thanks to the poultry industry. Professor Sanbonmatsu discusses the well-known cognitive dissonance where most people think that hurting animals is wrong, but strangely, they are not bothered by killing and eating the very same animals. This paradoxical moral blindness makes meat-eaters view vegans and veganism as threats to their moral self-image and to the core of their group identity. Such human narcissism (as Freud referred to it) also leads to open contempt for vegans and vegetarians because people see themselves as superior to other animals. Such global, systemic abuses underlie and normalize the frequent recrimination that anyone or anything that is different from their oppressors is 'an animal.' In short, to be born a non-human animal in today's world is to be viewed as being unworthy of life. And yet, '[o]mnivorism is not a license to kill; it's an invitation to improve our moral character, to act in accordance with our better natures,' Professor Sanbonmatsu asserts. Amongst the many arguments that Professor Sanbonmatsu makes is a discussion of Aristotle's bizarre ideas that social inequality and hierarchy are aspects of nature, 'embedded in a Great Chain of Being'. Thus, according to Aristotle, it was natural for men to dominate and to victimize women (Aristotle viewed women as 'incomplete' men), for masters to dominate and victimize slaves, for stronger city-states to destroy or enslave weaker ones, and for humans to dominate and victimize other animals. Despite Aristotle's permission to abuse and kill other animals, it has been shown, repeatedly and in numerous different ways, that raising and eating other animals is devastating for the environment and a waste of natural resources, is dangerous to human health, provides an inferior source of nutrition, is a leading cause of food insecurity for our fellow humans, and is unspeakably abusive and cruel to the other animals trapped within this system. One argument made by Professor Sanbonmatsu that especially resonated with me is that by waging war on other animals, by hunting them down and killing them or rearing them for the dinner table, is a continuation of the war on women, on formerly enslaved peoples and on peoples with different skin colors or ethnicities. Professor Sanbonmatsu also agrees with my personal assessment that the problem with raising and killing animals for food isn't just bad for the animals nor for the environment, but this practice actually damages our very souls. This is not only the best book I've read this year but it's the best book I've ever read about the morality of ethical veganism and of animal rights. It is so compelling, so coherent, and so crammed full of relevant information that even I, as a widely-read vegan and zoologist, learned so much. It eloquently presents a well-researched, thorough, nuanced and powerful argument for ending the near-universal human habit of exploiting animals for food and for entertainment. Highly recommended for university students, especially those enrolled in philosophy and environmental studies courses, and for anyone who wants to better understand what it means to be an ethical vegan. I've added this book to my annual must re-read list. © Copyright by GrrlScientist | hosted by Forbes | Socials: Bluesky | CounterSocial | Gab | LinkedIn | Mastodon Science | Spoutible | SubStack | Threads | Tribel | Tumblr | Twitter
Yahoo
10-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
PETA to sell 'kitten cakes' and 'fresh local Siamese' at seafood festival
PETA will be selling 'kitten cakes' at a seafood festival. The animal rights organisation is protesting against the Lymington Seafood Festival on Friday, July 11, by selling "locally caught tabbies," "fresh local Siamese" and "kitten cakes" at the event. The "provocative" display aims to "challenge people's speciesism" and "highlight that cats and crabs are the same in all the ways that matter." PETA senior campaigns manager, Kate Werner, said: "Crabs and other marine animals feel pain and terror just as cats and dogs do. "PETA urges anyone horrified by the thought of tucking into a tabby to extend that compassion to all animals and please, go vegan." A "kittenmonger" will be attending the event at Bath Road Park in Lymington to sell the "kitten cakes" at the entrance from 12.45pm. PETA is hoping to make people aware of the industry behind the meals, claiming that "live lobsters and crabs were impaled, torn apart and decapitated" at a crustacean abattoir. The charity also states that "chefs typically place live lobsters in pots of boiling water while they're still conscious" and that "every person who goes vegan saves the lives of nearly 200 animals each year."
New York Times
09-07-2025
- Health
- New York Times
American Kennel Club Harms French Bulldogs' Health, PETA Says in Suit
An animal rights group accused the American Kennel Club on Tuesday of harming the health of French bulldogs and several other popular dog breeds by promoting physical characteristics that cause deformities. The animal rights group, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, or PETA, made the accusation in a lawsuit that seeks to eliminate the kennel club's standards for the breeds, which PETA says conflict with the organization's stated mission of advancing 'canine health and well-being.' 'The A.K.C.'s official breed standards for the bulldog, French bulldog, pug, dachshund and Chinese shar-pei provide blueprints for the breeding of deformed, unhealthy dogs,' the group says in the suit, which was filed in State Supreme Court in Manhattan. A spokeswoman for the American Kennel Club said in a statement that the organization was reviewing the lawsuit but 'categorically' rejected 'PETA's mis-characterizations of specific breed standards and their assertion that these standards create unhealthy dogs.' 'The health and welfare of dogs are paramount and at the core of our mission,' the spokeswoman, Brandi H. Munden, said in the statement. A substantial portion of PETA's suit focuses on the French bulldog, the most popular dog breed in the United States in 2024 for a third straight year after ending the Labrador retriever's 31-year reign in the No. 1 spot, according to the kennel club. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
CTV News
08-07-2025
- General
- CTV News
PETA sues American Kennel Club over standards for French bulldogs, other breeds
French bulldogs compete in breed group judging during the 148th Westminster Kennel Club Dog show, May 13, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Nikhinson) NEW YORK — The animal rights group PETA sued Tuesday to try to force the American Kennel Club to abandon the standards it backs for hyper-popular French bulldogs and some other breeds, contending that the influential club is promoting unhealthy physical features. The lawsuit turns up the heat around one of the biggest flashpoints in dogdom: the attributes that have been honed to define some breeds, including the Frenchie, which the AKC ranks as the United States' most popular breed. 'The AKC's official breed standards for the bulldog, French bulldog, pug, dachshund and Chinese shar-pei provide blueprints for the breeding of deformed, unhealthy dogs,' PETA says in the suit. The AKC said it's committed to protecting 'the health, heritage and well-being of purebred dogs' and that responsibly bred dogs that conform to the standards are healthy. 'We categorically reject PETA's mischaracterizations of specific breed standards and their assertion that these standards create unhealthy dogs,' the club said in a statement, adding that dog health and welfare is 'paramount and at the core of our mission.' Founded in 1884, the New York-based AKC is a nonprofit that acts like a league for many canine competitions and runs the United States' oldest dog registry, where owners may choose to document their dogs' existence and accomplishments. Mixed-breed dogs and rescues can be registered as 'canine partners' and compete in some sports, but the club's history is closely tied to fanciers who cultivate and show purebreds. Each breed has its own club that sets the 'standard,' or ideal characteristics, for the dogs. The AKC reviews, approves and promulgates them. PETA, also called People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, describes itself as an animal liberation organization. Its advocacy includes boycotts and litigation. Its supporters are known for staging sometimes disruptive protests in settings including a papal audience, a Starbucks and sporting events such as the Westminster Kennel Club dog show. The Norfolk, Virginia-based nonprofit opposes dog breeding in general and has clashed for years with the AKC. Peppered with photos and diagrams, PETA's new lawsuit runs through health problems that can beset short-legged, long-backed dachshunds ('the animal equivalent of a poorly designed bridge,' in PETA's view) and shar-peis, which can have spates of fever and inflammation known as 'shar-pei autoinflammatory disease.' The complaint points to pugs' risk of injuries to their marbly eyes and susceptibility to breathing problems and overheating because of their flat faces. The suit zeros in on those and other parts of bulldogs and Frenchies, including the big heads that often prompt caesarian births. The various problems that PETA cites don't afflict all dogs of these breeds, and some do agility, dock diving and other sports. But the conditions can be serious for those that have them. In the U.K. — where research involving about 24,600 dogs suggested that Frenchies have 'very different, and largely much poorer' health than do other canines — the British Veterinary Association campaigns against advertisements that feature flat-faced breeds. The Netherlands has prohibited breeding very short-snouted dogs. Norway's Supreme Court, however, declined to block the breeding of English bulldogs — but upheld a lower court's prohibition on breeding cavalier King Charles spaniels, citing a different set of health concerns. The AKC says the breed standards it approves reflect 'decades of collaboration with veterinary experts and breeders.' Some breed clubs donate to and participate in dog health research, and the AKC says it has given over US$40 million since 1995 to its canine health research charity. Jennifer Peltz, The Associated Press
BBC News
07-07-2025
- Climate
- BBC News
Missing Tidworth soldier and St Pauls Carnival celebrations
Here's our daily pick of stories from across local websites in the West of England, and interesting content from social media. Our pick of local website stories Bristol Live are reporting on a animal rights protest outside the Winterstoke Road KFC by The Human League. The protest is part of a national campaign by the 24/7 and various national outlets have reported on an 83-year-old retired priest from Bristol who was arrested at a pro-Palestine protest in Bristol 24/7 reported from St Pauls Carnival, which certainly didn't look scaled down, despite organisers saying it would be a "stripped back" version of the event, which will now take place every two has also been lots of love for Lando Norris on Somerset Live after his first Silverstone F1 win. Our top three from yesterday What to watch on social media Wiltshire Search & Rescue are searching for a "high risk missing person" around Tidworth.A scam, offering free transport cards and featuring Dan Norris has been posted as a warning on Bristol City Council's Facebook Swindon Borough Council is asking people to put their bins out by 6am for the next two weeks because of the hot heat has meant the layout of the old gardens at Lydiard Park are "grotty old bike lockers" are being removed to be replaced by bookable ones, according to this Facebook group some joker has put a clown mask inside a drain in Warminster.
