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Reviews tagging 'Animal cruelty'
This Is Vegan Propaganda: (And Other Lies the Meat Industry Tells You) by Ed Winters
23 reviews
sbgage's review against another edition
hopeful
informative
inspiring
fast-paced
3.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Pandemic/Epidemic, Animal cruelty, and Animal death
mangokiste's review against another edition
challenging
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty and Animal death
Minor: Excrement
takarakei's review against another edition
informative
medium-paced
5.0
Essential reading. Wish more people would read.
I've been vegan for a long time (over half my life) and I still learned so much from this book. If you are at all curious about veganism and why this lifestyle matters I urge you to read this book.
I've been vegan for a long time (over half my life) and I still learned so much from this book. If you are at all curious about veganism and why this lifestyle matters I urge you to read this book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, and Gore
Moderate: Cancer, Chronic illness, and Pandemic/Epidemic
Minor: Sexism
folieoftwo's review against another edition
challenging
informative
medium-paced
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death and Animal cruelty
begumisu's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty and Animal death
Moderate: Chronic illness and Cancer
Minor: Mental illness and Pandemic/Epidemic
stephriggs25's review against another edition
challenging
dark
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty and Animal death
bicepbill19's review against another edition
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
5.0
Amazingly informational book. Good for vegans and non-vegans alike. Some phrasing that might be triggering to those (SA, r*pe, slavery) but only helps to build the case as to why our current systems are so messed up.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Sexual assault, Animal death, and Rape
elerireads's review against another edition
challenging
hopeful
informative
sad
medium-paced
4.0
This was pretty good. Obviously I'm already a convert and my work is mainly focused on agriculture in a climate transition so I'm er fairly well-versed in the arguments for veganism, meaning (a) bits of this were a tad boring for me, and (b) it's difficult for me to judge how persuasive this would be to a non-vegan person.
That said, it was well-written and none of it was boring enough for me to switch off. I found the descriptions of the gruesomeness of animal agriculture slightly less viscerally disturbing than in Safran Foer's Eating Animals, but whether you think that's a pro or a con depends on your perspective. The part I found most interesting and compelling was actually the section about zoonotic diseases - well-structured history of them and their relationship to animal agriculture, as well as a thoughtful argument about the moral implications of continuing to eat animals (especially chickens) given the enormous risks. Really helped to structure my own thoughts about this.
That said, it was well-written and none of it was boring enough for me to switch off. I found the descriptions of the gruesomeness of animal agriculture slightly less viscerally disturbing than in Safran Foer's Eating Animals, but whether you think that's a pro or a con depends on your perspective. The part I found most interesting and compelling was actually the section about zoonotic diseases - well-structured history of them and their relationship to animal agriculture, as well as a thoughtful argument about the moral implications of continuing to eat animals (especially chickens) given the enormous risks. Really helped to structure my own thoughts about this.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty and Animal death
sophsreadingbooks's review against another edition
challenging
dark
informative
inspiring
sad
fast-paced
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty and Animal death
thebigemmt505's review against another edition
challenging
informative
reflective
medium-paced
4.5
This is Vegan Propaganda is a book by activist Ed Winters that lays out the many arguments in favor of veganism. It details the ethical, environmental, and global and personal health reasons, as well as the cognitive dissonance of carnism.
Ed Winters created an amazing ressource for people without much knowledge about the premises of veganism. It is also a great read for those who are already vegan, and functions as a reminder and deepening of the arguments. The writing is approachable, without any difficult or niche vocabulary. There is a clear effort to make this book as accessible as possible, with frequent explanations of facts or concepts that the general public may not immediately understand. The book has a relatively thorough overview of each of it’s points. Admittedly, I didn’t fact check every reference (given the sheer number); however, as a vegan myself, I knew some of the studies and statistics already. The ones I know well check out scientifically, but that doesn’t necessarily mean there isn’t missing nuance or slight bias in some of the citations. In general, though, the book is incredibly well-researched and as dense as it can be given the number of points made in relation to the length. The arguments laid out in the book are incredibly convincing and solid. It does a fantastic job at mixing Ed’s personal anecdotes with scientific evidence with a more philosophical / psychological approach with its investigation of morals, cognitive contradictions, and biases.
The pacing of the book is alright, but varies a bit jarringly at some points (i.e. going from incredibly dense science to a heart felt anecdote within a few pages.) There is repetition that feels a bit redundant, though it might’ve been an intentional decision aimed more at non-vegans than vegans. While the writing is mostly enjoyable, Ed is a speaker at heart, so there are some awkward, bordering on run-un sentences that interrupt the flow of the writing. I noticed a typo mid book and there might’ve been more I didn’t notice. Personally, even as a logical person, I think the book might’ve benefited from more anecdotes from Ed. I felt a lot of connection with his experiences with his hamster, Rupert, and the struggles of discussing his veganism with his family.
“This is the balancing act that vegans face: we either voice our objections and get labeled as extremist, militant, awkward or abnormal, or we stay silent and smile through the image of a cow having their throat cut that passes through our minds as we watch our loved ones bite into beef burgers.”
Overall, even while already being a vegan, I got a lot out of This is Vegan Propaganda. Even I am still surprised at the extent of cruelty committed in animal agriculture. I am reinforced in my previous arguments and armed with new ones, confident of their validity. Sure, perhaps the book just confirms my bias, perhaps I just love any excuse to be a nerd about nutrition and ecology, and perhaps my personal like of Ed as a long-time follower made me more pre-disposed to enjoy this book. In any case, I am eternally and throughly disgusted by the torture non-human animals go through at our hands, the destruction of our planet to carry out said torture, and all of its mental, emotional, and physical health consequences. The zeitgeist is horrifically flawed. A book like this gives me hope it is changeable.
“We have the power every day to either stand in favor of needless animal suffering, the destruction of our natural world and the increased risk of infectious disease and pandemics, or to stand against it. Which do we choose?”
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Gore, Torture, and Violence
Moderate: Body horror, Chronic illness, Medical content, Terminal illness, and Pandemic/Epidemic