Today, I attended my first anonymous meeting and it was good. How cool is this? "Join your fellow herbivores for the exciting, inaugural meeting of the newest plant-based group in town: Carnivores Anonymous. This is a group for anyone curious about or new to veganism. Seasoned vegans who want to learn new things and find community are also welcome! Find non-judgmental support, strategies, education, and encouragement for the plant-based journey. Attendees hear from inspiring speakers and explore their own values and choices through a step-by-step process of self-examination and goal setting."
I am a firm believer in the adage, "A mind is like a parachute. It only works when open." I was interested to learn more. The guest speaker was David Robinson Simon, who is a lawyer, activist, and the author of the groundbreaking, critically acclaimed book MEATONOMIC$: How the Rigged Economics of Meat and Dairy Make You Consume Too Much–and How to Eat Better, Live Longer, and Spend Smarter.
The facilitator was Vee, who became vegan at an Animal Rights Conference, 23 years ago. The meeting, like all anonymous groups, began with a "Hello my name is..." followed by all giving an introduction of eating patterns and, for those who were vegan, why they chose to do so. The longest running vegetarian/vegan was my friend, Karen, at 49 years. Many stated health as the primary reason for this dietary change, but many stated environmental concerns and animal rights as being high on their lists. And not every one of the 22 attendees "drank the kool aid" as Chris joked. I was there to learn how to eat better, and truthfully, I'm not much of a carnivore anyway. New year, new me!
Mr. Simon's book presentation was informative and enlightening. "MEATONOMIC$ is the first book to explore the unseen economic forces that drive our animal food system, and the strange ways these forces affect our spending, eating, health, prosperity, and longevity. Among other things, consumers have largely lost the ability to decide for ourselves what – and how much – to eat. Instead, those decisions are made for us by meat and dairy producers who control our buying choices with artificially low prices, misleading messaging, and heavy control over legislation and regulation." Through his presentation, we learned what makes this bizarre system tick and how it can be fixed.
Mr. Simon's talk ended with an Aldous Huxley quote, "Facts do not cease to exist because they are ignored." Interesting indeed.
The biggest surprise, for me, was the fact that vegans need a support group like this. A place where they are not called "crazy". A place where they don't feel alone. I liked that. For me, Carnivores Anonymous will be a place for me to learn and be inspired to be a healthier me. I like that, too.
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