The Face on Your Plate: The Truth about Food

Jeffrey Moussaieff Masson is well known for exploring the emotional lives of animals, and in two previous books, "Dogs Never Lie About Love" and "When Elephants Weep", has presented a very convincing case that there are few differences between what we and non-human animals feel. In "The Face on Your Plate" he extends this argument to the animals we eat--particularly farm animals and fish--bolstering his case with a wealth of new scientific evidence showing that even dumb-looking turkeys and cold-blooded salmon are more thoughtful, introspective, and emotionally rich than any of us have imagined. However, whereas his previous books inspired delight at the emotional landscape that we share with other animals, "The Face on Your Plate" provokes discomfort, as it was designed to do. No matter one's dietary preferences, it's impossible to read Masson's descriptions of cows separated from their calves at birth, of salmon mindlessly swimming away their lives in fish-farm pens, and of chickens and pigs sequestered in the equivalents of concentration camps without being repulsed by the profound cruelty associated with the making of our food. What then can someone who reads this well-documented book do to rectify this situation? We can turn our backs upon it and ignore the cruelty, as Masson points out that many of us do, or we can follow his lead and become vegans. This is the central theme of the book: that the vegan lifestyle--consuming no meat, dairy products, or eggs--not only reduces the suffering of other sentient beings, but also helps to alleviate global warming while spreading agricultural resources to hungry humans instead of to methane-belching livestock. To sweeten his point, Masson spends the latter part of his book extolling the culinary delights of veganism as well as its health benefits, suggesting that we take a very pure line: it would be best if we gave up all animal products, even honey. Some readers may find him a bit precious in this regard--do bees really care about their hives being "robbed"? I did not find this to be the case. Once you engage the map Masson draws--that all animals have feelings--(and it's hard not to), it's difficult to fault the logic of his position, especially when he bolsters it with such good biology, impressive logic, and admirable passion. All that acknowledged, I wish he had also discussed the notion that veganism may not be the only morally and environmentally sound way of eating, and, in fact, may not be universally adoptable. His not addressing these issues seemed like an omission in an otherwise wonderfully thoughtful and provocative book, and I hope that he and others will participate in the conversation that I would like to open up. (Full disclosure: I say this as someone who hasn't brought factory-farmed animals into his kitchen for over thirty years and also does not use dairy products.) This discussion would begin with the challenges veganism poses for those of us who do not l

As a *former* vegetarian, I was hesitant to pick up this book. What caused me to hesitate is EXACTLY what this book it about -- if you lift the veil of denial, how can you ever go back? I was a vegetarian from 15 to 27. At 27, I began eating fish again. It never sat well w/me when people described themselves as vegetarians who ate fish (since when is fish a vegetable??). At 30, I began to eat chicken and poultry and since then, I have reintroduced all meat. To be fair, I was not the healthiest vegetarian, eating a great deal of simple carbs and processed food along with soy/tofu, fruits and vegetables. As a result, my cholesterol was high. People thought I was crazy -- a vegetarian w/high cholesterol? Yup, it was 272 at its highest (at age 30!). I embraced a diet of lean meats/fish & whole foods (nuts, veggies and fruits) and my cholesterol went down to 170. So, while my heart and my conscience were feeling horribly guilty for eating animals again, my body (and my doctor!) were thrilled. But, no matter how "healthy" I've become, the horror that I KNOW I must deny in order to eat meat again is there. It's just a millimeter away from my consciousness every minute of the day. The teenager who one day looked down at her plate of steak and realized what she was about to eat is STILL inside of me. The adult who recycles and uses cloth grocery bags KNOWS that supporting factory farming (by eating its meat products) is actually worse. Masson writes beautifully and with heart. He writes in a way that does not preach, does not judge and does not bore. His combination of facts and figures with personal anecdotes and emotion is for me, the perfect balance. I can't recommend this book enough. However, I know that it is human nature that many people (omnivores) will hesitate or refuse to read this. As Masson says, this does not mean that they are insensitive people. Rather, they are usually -- often -- well-meaning, conscientious people. But, old habits die hard. I was cooking a chicken last week and honest to God, I began to cry. I've never been much of a cook, so truthfully, I'm not that used to handling meat. This was prior to purchasing the book. I kept telling myself that with practice, this would get much easier. I tried to "tough it up" and do it and somehow I got thru it. But, as I write this, I have to wonder -- does everyone who prepares chicken cry? Is this a sign that I've come to a point where I can no longer deny my feelings? My concern for innocent animals who just happen to be a different species than me? I really don't know, but all I can say is that without looking for it, I found this book the next week and had a really hard time putting it down. I wish everyone could read this book. I wish there were a law that said if you choose to eat meat, you MUST read this book first. I think people need to be making fully informed decisions about what they eat. If people are "ok" with what might be in their mea

While Socrates claimed that the unexamined life is not worth living, Jeffrey Masson's message in The Face on Your Plate is that the unexamined meal is not worth consuming. The sad reality is that most people know little or nothing about the lives of the animals who arrive on their dinner plates; nor do they know about the impact of animal agriculture on the environment or the harmful effect of animal products on human health. The Face on Your Plate provides readers with the information they need to make fully informed ethical choices about their meals. Masson takes us on a behind the scenes tour of animal agriculture and lets the facts speak for themselves. He reaches the overwhelming conclusion that veganism is the ideal diet in every respect. The Face on Your Plate arrives at a propitious time, given the increasing number of organic food advocates. But Masson goes one step further. He is not a proponent of "sustainably" raised meat. Drawing on his previous research on the emotional lives of animals, he encourages us to tap into our capacity for empathy, recognizing that other-than-human animals value their lives just as much as we do ours. While vegetarians and vegans are accustomed to responding to queries about why they eat as they do, Masson poses the more interesting question: Why do people eat meat (or other animal products)? His overriding thesis is that the consumption of animal products exists because of a systematic denial of the suffering that underlies the production of animal products. Masson's book has something for everyone. He offers a plethora of little-known facts and astute observations about the impact of animal agriculture that will be new to many, even the well-informed vegan/animal advocate. How many people know, for example, that the level of stress that pigs endure on factory farms is so intense that sows are becoming increasingly anorexic? His discussion of fish is the best I have seen and worth the price of the book alone. Among the many mind-boggling facts he presents is that a pesticide used in the 80's and 90's to control the common problem of lice infestation on ranch-farmed fish contained a nerve toxin considered to be one of the most toxic chemicals in the world. For those who hear the "v" word and immediately want to run, I encourage you to hear Masson out. He is not out to castigate meat eaters. His mission is one of opening doors so that people can understand the larger story behind the food on their plates. Lest you anticipate a dry set of statistics that lull you to sleep, or send you into despair, I can assure you that you will not be bored or depressed. Masson is a terrific writer with a gift for weaving factual information together with anecdotes drawn from his own life. In addition to sharing his personal trajectory toward veganism, he gives practical tips to help those who feel daunted about how to make the transition to veganism. His ultimate message is one of hope, leading us on a path toward

This is a brilliant book. Easy to read and interesting. Well-researched (extremely well researched). Written by a writer who understands and loves animals, which I do not, but as a result of reading this, I'm fast becoming a vegan. The author leads us to break through our denial about the production of our food, even dairy products. Gives new meaning to the insights of the ancients who warned not to "boil a kid in his mother's milk."