I’m officially breaking up with a therapist who I’ve always been a little hesitant about but increasingly got the sense she was a trumper. The past few months our sessions have turned into her promoting not just keto, not just paleo, but a carnivore diet to help with my stress. 🙃🙃🙃🙃 she used to share research studies from her psych program/text books (one reason i stuck with her is that she was so research minded), now she shares studies from bro podcasts. It’s everywhere.
This is terrifying!!! And this feeling of pervasiveness is so real, and it leads to a sense of permissiveness regardless of one’s political beliefs. A little “naughty” careless fascism for everyone in the form of killing the planet and animals, just what we needed… 🫠
“I know some people will argue that they’re a conscientious omnivore who sources well. No doubt there are many of you!”
I read this with perhaps unintentional sarcasm, as many of the people who I’ve encountered who claim to “conscientiously” source their meat and dairy are referring to the one or two things they buy a month while discounting the 95% of the other factory farmed things they eat.
I know among my readership there are truly conscientious people (and even farmers), but I also know this—that most people are lying to themselves. And the idea that the U.S. is ever going to get its shit together on this issue at a regulatory level is laughable.
I so appreciated reading your piece Alicia, mainly because in your last pieces I have been wondering “how is she keeping her cool with shit flying everywhere?” So this piece made me feel very affirmed. Yes- freedom of speech to be racist, but as soon as you call it racist, it’s cancelling. Thank you for your rage today, it will accompany me to a protest xx
Ha! That's interesting. I tend to write well in advance and edit a lot, and because I work well in advance, my last few pieces were finished at the end of 2024 and just touched up for publication. This was, as the subhed says, an outburst! I haven't had one in a while, I'll admit, lol. I try not to write most of the time from a place of reacting because I tend to (1) make mistakes and (2) have anxiety about how it'll be received that kinda ruins my day. But I'm glad to sometimes put it out there!!! Thank you for this, the comment and the protest!
I totally get the anxiety about how it will be received -- I have the same type of anxiety -- but it's so important to be angry right now about these things, and you've done it very well.
Thanks for writing this Alicia. The stat you link to above was published in 2016. I can't find the actual stats for meat consumption recently. Something I did learn is that to try to get a somewhat adequate representation of what people are actually eating is to use the Loss-Adjusted Food Availability charts from the USDA. You can find them here: https://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/food-availability-per-capita-data-system
For whatever reasons, the most recent data for meat I see there are from 2019. But these charts show that beef and other red meat consumption per capita are way down since the 1970s and chicken and turkey are way up. You can also dig into other commodity foods.
I know the US population is much bigger, however, so there is more meat being produced and eaten overall, but per person, for beef, it was way down.
I'd be curious to see what it looks like today.
I really, really wish we would invest more tax dollars in better (more climate and human-friendly) methods of agriculture for all food production.
I am more concerned with cultural attitudes and attitudes toward meat, and beef in particular, have a correlation with this right-wing swing that I wanted to point out. But you're right, of course, that it's poultry that people have replaced beef with (wrote about that in my book) which is also obviously detrimental. TBH it was the Valentine's Day increase in steak posting that pissed me off enough to write this last week.
The false victimization at every level with those in support of this administration is soooo frustrating and obnoxious. No one with real power is trying to get rid of your Christianity and your meat.
People now feel more free than they have in decades to be assholes. Yay.
Thanks for this -- I am definitely one of those omnivores, but... trying to change my diet. I had a meal w/ meat as the main planned for tonight, but I'll cook something vegan instead... small steps! Thanks again for this.
I’m officially breaking up with a therapist who I’ve always been a little hesitant about but increasingly got the sense she was a trumper. The past few months our sessions have turned into her promoting not just keto, not just paleo, but a carnivore diet to help with my stress. 🙃🙃🙃🙃 she used to share research studies from her psych program/text books (one reason i stuck with her is that she was so research minded), now she shares studies from bro podcasts. It’s everywhere.
This is terrifying!!! And this feeling of pervasiveness is so real, and it leads to a sense of permissiveness regardless of one’s political beliefs. A little “naughty” careless fascism for everyone in the form of killing the planet and animals, just what we needed… 🫠
“I know some people will argue that they’re a conscientious omnivore who sources well. No doubt there are many of you!”
I read this with perhaps unintentional sarcasm, as many of the people who I’ve encountered who claim to “conscientiously” source their meat and dairy are referring to the one or two things they buy a month while discounting the 95% of the other factory farmed things they eat.
I know among my readership there are truly conscientious people (and even farmers), but I also know this—that most people are lying to themselves. And the idea that the U.S. is ever going to get its shit together on this issue at a regulatory level is laughable.
I so appreciated reading your piece Alicia, mainly because in your last pieces I have been wondering “how is she keeping her cool with shit flying everywhere?” So this piece made me feel very affirmed. Yes- freedom of speech to be racist, but as soon as you call it racist, it’s cancelling. Thank you for your rage today, it will accompany me to a protest xx
Ha! That's interesting. I tend to write well in advance and edit a lot, and because I work well in advance, my last few pieces were finished at the end of 2024 and just touched up for publication. This was, as the subhed says, an outburst! I haven't had one in a while, I'll admit, lol. I try not to write most of the time from a place of reacting because I tend to (1) make mistakes and (2) have anxiety about how it'll be received that kinda ruins my day. But I'm glad to sometimes put it out there!!! Thank you for this, the comment and the protest!
I totally get the anxiety about how it will be received -- I have the same type of anxiety -- but it's so important to be angry right now about these things, and you've done it very well.
More, please! Mistakes and anxiety make us real.
Unfortunately no 😂
That is funny to know your last pieces were from the end of 2024- explains your cool
Cucumber tone haha!
I am so glad you put it out there! I hear you on wanting to write with a sound mind and the need for honest outbursts. You’re doing great! Xo
Thanks for writing this Alicia. The stat you link to above was published in 2016. I can't find the actual stats for meat consumption recently. Something I did learn is that to try to get a somewhat adequate representation of what people are actually eating is to use the Loss-Adjusted Food Availability charts from the USDA. You can find them here: https://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/food-availability-per-capita-data-system
For whatever reasons, the most recent data for meat I see there are from 2019. But these charts show that beef and other red meat consumption per capita are way down since the 1970s and chicken and turkey are way up. You can also dig into other commodity foods.
I know the US population is much bigger, however, so there is more meat being produced and eaten overall, but per person, for beef, it was way down.
I'd be curious to see what it looks like today.
I really, really wish we would invest more tax dollars in better (more climate and human-friendly) methods of agriculture for all food production.
My bad for trying to get a stat quickly! Per capita, US is still responsible for a huge amount of beef consumed in the world: https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/per-capita-meat-consumption-by-type-kilograms-per-year?country=OWID_WRL~USA
I am more concerned with cultural attitudes and attitudes toward meat, and beef in particular, have a correlation with this right-wing swing that I wanted to point out. But you're right, of course, that it's poultry that people have replaced beef with (wrote about that in my book) which is also obviously detrimental. TBH it was the Valentine's Day increase in steak posting that pissed me off enough to write this last week.
Thanks! That's a fun chart to play with.
The false victimization at every level with those in support of this administration is soooo frustrating and obnoxious. No one with real power is trying to get rid of your Christianity and your meat.
People now feel more free than they have in decades to be assholes. Yay.
I made an update with a footnote correction.
I loved this, Alicia. Obviously, haha!
lol thank you!!! I like to give one to my people (and the planet and the animals!!!) every now and then…
🙏
Yes yes and yes.
Thanks for this -- I am definitely one of those omnivores, but... trying to change my diet. I had a meal w/ meat as the main planned for tonight, but I'll cook something vegan instead... small steps! Thanks again for this.