I like eating animals

Last night I went to a book reading with Jonathan Safran Foer. The novelist was discussing his latest and first non-fiction work, Eating Animals.

The book is a personal story about Foer's innate sense of vegetarianism. Chronicling his 20-year long struggle accepting the vegetarian lifestyle (which he only fully accepted after the birth of his son), he juxtaposes the

personal story with startling facts, figures, and images from factory farms.

I have been thinking about the food I put in my body a lot lately. For me, it is incredibly difficult to turn away from meat. But Foer reveals that factory farmed animals, produced for nothing other than our consumption, are treated worse than our family dog or cat - and that just ain't right.

Becoming a vegetarian is a battle though, as Foer describes it. One that is more of a slow, personal evolution than a black and white decision. It isn't important that you are a picky eater, but that you make smarter food decisions.

Certainly some food for thought from Foer and the John Adam's Institute who hosted the event. The cultural organisation hosts regular conferences, lectures, and readings like this in the Amsterdam area.