Jonathan Safran Foer asks: would we still eat animals if we knew how they end up on our plate?
The episode begins with an introduction to Jonathan Safran Foer's book 'Eating Animals', which questions our relationship with food and industrial livestock. Host interviews journalist Sofie Mulders, author of a book on her shift to veganism after 40 years of eating meat and cheese. Mulders explains her transition was influenced by having a dog while reading about the livestock industry, making her empathize with pigs as intelligent beings. She discusses recognizing Foer's ethical struggles in his book, noting his background as a Jewish writer influences his narrative. A key story involves Foer's grandmother refusing non-kosher pork while fleeing Nazis, emphasizing principles over survival. The conversation touches on how food is tied to family stories and traditions, especially when Foer becomes a father and questions what values to pass on. Mulders shares a personal anecdote about stopping rabbit consumption after her pet rabbits were served for dinner. They address the difficulty of maintaining dietary changes, referencing Foer's own lapses like eating hamburgers during a divorce. The term 'bio-industrie' is clarified as industrial livestock farming, not related to organic practices. Mulders describes visiting a slaughterhouse in the 1990s and taking photos, though it didn't stop her meat consumption at the time. They discuss Foer's approach of presenting facts without advocating vegetarianism, which she finds effective. Mulders notes some readers became vegetarian or vegan after her book, but acknowledges overall meat consumption declines are slight. The global trend shows rising meat demand in growing economies like China. They explore the need for new food traditions less reliant on meat, with plant-based options available. The episode ends with a reference to Martha Gellhorn's journalism on human suffering, drawing parallels to animal suffering and the importance of writing about it.
