Changing Minds

eggs, vegan sausage, and corn-cakes in Portland


Reading Eating Animals makes me feel kind of empowered, guilty, and silly all at the same time.

Empowered because the meat industry in the US is horrifying, and I don't support it. Boo-yah.
Guilty because I'm not a vegan yet, nor do I think I ever will be...more on this later.
Silly because I know my choices and good rationale. Do I really need to spend my time reading more about it? People keep seeing the bright green cover and excitedly asking "Whatcha reading?" And, then, the mood is killed, I appear judgmental, and seem unwilling to research outside the few social issues I stick up for.

But, I've got good reasons for reading.

-The creative/informational non-fiction style of Foer is fab and worth learning from.
-This is the first book of this kind I have ever actually read. Real facts, real chapters...more than my bits and pieces of knowledge from articles and biology classes.
-It was a gift from Kay.

HERE IS WHAT IS TROUBLING TO ME:
I was imagining giving this book to a meat-lovin' friend and having it blow their world open. But, then, I couldn't imagine anyone in my life such a situation would pertain to. Either he wouldn't read it. Period. Or, he would concede to the facts, but figure it wasn't a just cause. And, the whole point of the book is to say "Hey...this isn't a left wing issue anymore folks, this is common sense. Cut it out." So, that bugged me, but that's not the main trouble. The main trouble is when I think about myself. When it comes to the big issues I believe in--would even the most well-crafted text change my mind? Of course, my first instinct is to say "No, because my opinions are right." Um, and clearly therein lies the problem with issues and opinions...