Eating Animals By Jonathan Safran Foer Essay Sample

The book “Eating Animals” written by Jonathan Safran Foer is a non-fiction treatise, which gives an account of the importance of a vegetarian diet. Foer argues that the people who consume meat indulge in direful crimes perpetrated against animals. He reveals the terrible atmosphere of the slaughterhouses and farm factories, which kill the animals for the purpose of eating bacon, sushi and turkey. The book narrates about the cultural differences involving the tradition of meat and the developing views towards a vegetarian diet. Noer begins the book in a different way by narrating the story of his grandmother who was very fond of the meat dish, chicken. In spite of the dietary differences between the various characters of the novel, they become close to each other. Noer presents an example of how he rescued a chick from being slaughtered in a poultry farm.
“Eating Animals,” strives the individuals to become conscious about their eating habits and practices. The book focuses on animal welfare and ponders a question in the reader’s minds about the ethics of killing animals for the survival of humans in spite of other available alternatives. Foer emphasizes on vegetarianism, animal rights and animal welfare, simultaneously stating uncertainty about whether or not to oppose the consumption of meat. He points out on the personal and cultural identity of eating meat as a part of Thanksgiving turkeys or Christmas hams. The book gives an explanation of the extent of cruelty done to animals and its adverse effects on the health of humans. Noer advises that animal agriculture is one of the major causes of global warming, which is not on the agenda of several moral and political philosophers. According to Noer, there are a very few people in the world who actually think as to where the meat they consume comes from. The book gives an account of the inefficient ways of producing food in the farm factories.
In “Eating Animals,” the author considers the invention of factory farm as a global concern, which affects the biodiversity of the world. Noer provides various arguments as to why one should reject the consumption of factory-produced meat. He criticizes the system of rearing and housing animals in unnatural conditions, which form the fundamental reason for illnesses in humans. Noer intensifies the need for treating animals as animals rather pieces of wood. He feels bad about the unacceptable torture done to animals, which is a universally compelling issue. The book creates awareness about the environmental effects that result due to the mass production of animals. Foer briefs about various illnesses caused to humans, such as respiratory ailments and the development of bacterial stains due to the overdose of antibiotics given to the animals at the farm factories.
Foer focuses on the ethical perspective of food consumption, which demonstrates the values and beliefs of individuals. He quotes the example of Catholics, who believe that food and drink represent body and blood, simultaneously slaughtering meat in the name of myth on the Thanksgiving Day. Foer urges the individuals to impart positive beliefs to the children, which solely depends on the food consumed by the people. However, the author is clever to debate on the both sides of eating animals by leaving the ultimate solution to the individuals as to what one can eat and what one cannot eat. Foer sticks to the individual beliefs of the people and advises that it is absurd to force one’s values on another for the mere purpose of solving a debate. To conclude, the book “Eating Animals” is the best book in terms of the ethics of animals.