New York’s Long Islanders have been following the story of Moo, the steer who dodged death in the slaughterhouse and found salvation in an animal sanctuary. Usually such stories are treated with puzzled amusement by the media. It’s not sure whether it should laugh or cry.
So, the Grumpy Vegan was pleased to see a thoughtful and thought provoking op ed by Ralph R. Acampora, The steer who escaped into our conscience.
But I really shouldn’t be so surprised because I’m proud to report Professor Acampora’s long association with the Animals and Society Institute. He is an Associate Editor of Society &Animals, the leading journal of Human-Animal Studies, and a member of the board of editors of the HAS book series published by Brill.
What did Ralph have to say that was so insightful?
I think Moo tapped into this desire of ours to rediscover some indomitable force that survives even our best efforts at control, that can’t be expunged even by the machine of exploitation to which farmed animals are routinely subjected.
The predicament to which I refer is not new to humanity – it’s an old story, really: Domination breeds alienation in the master, which in turn makes him anxious and ambivalent about his underlings and himself.
So what are we post-domestic people to do?
There are two main options available: full-speed ahead with our program of biotechnical mastery and the mental pathologies that go with it – or else ease up, tread lightly on or with our fellow earthlings, and maybe the species-schizophrenia will evaporate.
Our reaction to Moo is a hint that the second alternative is probably worth a try.
