Farewell To Steak: Film Review

The fascinating 2013 documentary called « L’adieu à la viande » (Farewell to Meat) about the consumption of meat in Europe (from Franco/German channel Arte) not only approaches the issue of eating flesh from an environmental aspect but also from the idea of the masculine psychology behind it. Just like American men, European men are conditioned to think that meat makes them strong and more masculine. It is the same old patriarchal thinking that is behind capitalism (from the Latin capita = head) and animal agriculture as well documented by Dr. Will Tuttle in The World Peace Diet.

FIGHTING FOR OTHERS KNOWS NO COUNTRIES

Yesterday, I joined my first ever anti-bullfighting protest in the South of France (Rodhilan, near Nimes and Montpellier) and I had my first taste of what it is to get « lacrymogene » gas (aka tear gas) in the face (several times). I haven’t met such a group of dedicated people so determined to break the barriers held by the police and take the risk of arrests, gassing, being searched, etc… ever. I was searched myself twice and tear gassed at least 4 times. It was truly inspiring. Getting tear gassed is a very unpleasant experience and anyone who has had that kind of experience knows that this is something you would rather avoid. However, anyone who is truly dedicated at making clear the barbarism and perversity of some people can’t avoid taking risks sooner or later.

Some of my (new) friends in fact, had got into an arena the day before in another city and got bit up and yelled obscenities at by « aficionados » (bullfighting fans) because they dared trying to interrupt their sadistic torture of sentient beings to death. My heart goes out not only to the poor animals who were tortured to death (and absolutely for nothing at all as the law in France forbids the consumption of bull meat if killed for bullfighting) but also to the activists who risked literally their lives. Some ended up at the Emergency Room.

I have not been in that situation myself but I am not afraid of taking risks for the right reasons. It is a small price to pay to try to open up the eyes of the blinds, brainwashed crowds. I am principally a vegan educator and found out that for a lot of activists in France, it is rather difficult to maintain a Vegan lifestyle. I don’t judge them. I understand their position. I have managed personally because of my long term experience in the United States where everything is easier. Had I never left France, I might not even be Vegan at all now, I’m almost certain of it. There is still a deep programming related to food in France because of our deep culture in and around the world for our « cuisine ». In America, people tend to eat whatever they feel like. In France, they eat around very specific, deeply engrained and old traditions around food and that are a lot harder to change. But I also met people who are dedicated vegans and are doing the best they can (as Colleen Patrick-Goudreau would say).

I can’t wait for The World Peace Diet to come out in the libraries in French soon (and it’s coming!) because my aim is going to be promoting Veganism to the best of my abilities. This is a country that is what America was in the 90’s when it comes to Veganism but I see no reason why this can’t change and I see real hope for change from having talked with various activists.

After the demo was over, I spend the evening with a few people in a place which is very much like a sanctuary with horses, goats, etc and it was wonderful to see and share my experience in the United States with them. They have a huge thirst for more education and activism here and they even grow their own organic fruits. One was cooking vegan sausages! which, yes, you can definitely find here if you know where.

There are dedicated activists here but not all of them have yet connected all the dots or are still deeply indoctrinated into nutritional myths around food (even more so than Americans). Vegan education is therefore deeply important here.

To all my new friends and old friends alike (in the US), have faith in the ability of people everywhere to change and grow. I do.

Here is the link to the album of pictures of yesterday’s Anti-Bullfighting fight. https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10152520843218138&type=1&l=e59458e664

The World Peace Diet by Dr. Will Tuttle

This is a copy of my Amazon.com review of this very important book:

5.0 out of 5 stars The most important book you may read in your life. September 19, 2011

As a Vegan of a few years, I have read many books on the subject of Veganism, animal rights, Vegan cooking, and so on. As I was researching reading more interesting books, I came upon The World Peace Diet by Dr. Will Tuttle. I have since had the honor of meeting and talking to Dr. Tuttle on a couple of occasions and was able to measure the man with the extraordinary book he has written. He is indeed everything he preaches and more in his wonderful book. Discussing this book could take a book in itself so I will just mention some of the most important points.

I was astonished by the degree of connections Will makes between so many subjects which, on the outset, may not seem related: women’s issues, environmental issues, animals’ issue, history, anthropology, sexuality, the environment, etc… But he brilliantly connects the dots between them all. There is a degree of kindness, love and connection in this book which is impossible NOT to make while reading this book. I can’t help but think of what type of person can read this book and come out of it unchanged. I don’t see how it is possible and would then speak to a high degree of disconnection and maybe hate of the living world if it happens.

As a vegan, this is the book I want to give to non-vegans. I actually recommend it when I do vegan outreaches and am at a loss for words on some issues. Instead of arguing with someone, I recommend the book as it is the best speech I can make on behalf of animals.

Of course, Will Tuttle goes into details about the various aspects of abuses done to animals but a lot of books do that. This one, however, just goes a lot further. It is not just a detailed description of the abuses, it deconstructs the psychology and perversity of our programming behind these acts. We are all indoctrinated since birth (and beyond aka past lives).

As a woman, this book has touched me to the core. The link between the abuse of women and the abuse of female animals (for their milk, eggs) is inescapable and comes from the same mentality which has ruled our world for the last 10,000 years or so. It is what Will calls the « herding » mentality: patriarchal, aggressive, dominating, warlike, exploitative of the natural world, other humans and non-humans. He calls for the rebirth of the « Sophia » principle (named for the goddess) therefore the rebirth of the feminine values of compassion, peace and respect for all beings. There is truly no peace without peace towards all beings. The connection between our wars and what we do to animals is undeniable. The fact that most violent criminals also have a history of animal abuse is a well recognized fact in our society.

There is only one way out of reading all this which makes sane sense: The will to free ourselves of our social brainwashing and regain our true selves. Will Tuttle is someone who connects with nature, the spirit and recommends that we do the same with meditation and connection with nature. This allows us to see the interconnectedness of all nature and all beings. When we abuse animals, we also abuse ourselves. When we eat animals, we kill others by contributing to the starvation of other humans on this planet. When we eat animals, we also destroy the earth’s abundance, destroy the Amazon forest, pollute the rivers, contribute to Global Warming (biggest contributor is in fact animal agriculture, per the United Nations and the WorldWatch Institute). We also contribute to the growing poverty of the human spirit which pushes us ever further away from our higher selves.

« Personal choice » is no longer a justification for eating animals and their excretions. Doing so is the most selfish thing that can currently be done. And it is also a very unhealthy choice for our bodies. The alternatives to eating animal bodies and excretions have never been so obvious. How hard is it to pick up a good vegan cookbook or browse the internet (thousands of vegan recipes online for free) and try some delicious healthy foods that will totally liberate the planet. This book has answered a lot of my questions, prayers and needs. I could read it over and over again and still find something new to understand or connect. This is how rich I think this book is.

Someone said: « There are no valid reasons to eat meat, only excuses ».

Healthy at 100 by John ROBBINS

Bestselling author John Robbins (author of Diet For a New America) continues his beautiful work of helping people change the way they live with this no less beautiful book: Healthy at 100: The Scientifically Proven Secrets of The World’s Healthiest and Longest-Lived Peoples. By analysing the mysterious cultures of Abkhasia in the Caucasus, Vilcabamba, Hunza and the Okinawans in Japans, John Robbins demonstrates the similarities of lifestyles and social connections. How can we not be struck by the beauty of each of these communities, the simplicity in which they live and the loving relationships demonstrated in each of them.

Based on that, the author presents several chapters showing each of the aspects of what makes these cultures unique: diet, fitness, social structures. He then takes the lessons learned from these people and show how we can apply their age old wisdoms to our daily lives. Nowhere does he preach to give up our modern ways but to reclaim what we have lost, our sense of community, our sense of what makes a good meal and our vision of what old age is supposed to be. He shows us the power of love, long ridiculed by « modern » medicine but embraced by these healthy old people.

But the striking difference between these cultures and ours is how they treat their elders. They are valued, respected, listened to. We put ours in retirement home and spend thousands of dollars on trying to stay young and keeping them alive. They embrace old age. And they embrace it well considering that they age without all the ailments that we suffer from in the western world. We lose our « marbles » as John Robbins say in our modern world, they keep theirs until they die, well into their 100th year. They can walk for hours and faster than us. So what makes them different?

Well, as indicated above, there is the factor of how they live with each other and how they see old age. But there is also what they eat. They don’t stuff themselves on processed foods, and tons of animal flesh. They actually barely ever eat any of that. Their diet consist of mostly whole foods, sometimes just picked raw with very little or not animal foods like milk and rarely meat. You could say they are near vegans, which is now proven to be the healthiest diet on earth. But diet alone does not explains their extraordinary healthy longevity. They also have a very active lifestyle consisting of physical work and long walks. Therefore, they are also very fit starting in youth and they carry it all the way to their late years. The book describe instances of visitors not being able to keep up with these people who were 40 years older than them!

Their connection to each other seemed to me being the major factor creating the difference. Diet and exercise of course make a huge difference but if you have loving and respectful relationships between the generations, your quality of life is proven to improve dramatically. John Robbins shows how major studies in the western world are now proving the importance of « love » between people and how that affect health in the short and long terms. Until recent years, it was considered unrelated and generally ridiculed.

There is clearly something that needs to be learned from these cultures. How backward really is our view of aging when all is considered is up to us. We are wiping out these people’s cultures by invading them with our western ways. I am just sad thinking about what is being lost. In Okinawa, for example, younger people have adopted the western diet and habits. They are dying younger and faster than their elders who have kept their old ways. How sad!

So please read this book, it will bring you a new perspective on age and also point you to what needs to be done to save ourselves from this misery.