Meat Market: Animals, Ethics, & Money

by Erik Marcus

Book Overview

Meat Market elevates the debate over animal agriculture. Erik Marcus exposes and clears away the exaggerated claims and counterclaims put forth by the meat industry and its opponents. In the process,... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0975867911
• ISBN13: 9780975867914
• Release Date: July 2005
• Publisher: Brio Press(MA)
• Length: 273 Pages
• Weight: 0.90 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 6.3" x 8.9"

Customer Reviews

Read this book to stop buying animal suffering with your food dollars or to become a better activist

"Most farmed animal suffering is rooted in the fact that the general public remains uninformed about how modern animal agriculture operates." - Erik Marcus, "Meat Market" Anyone who has a dog, cat, parrot or other companion animal knows that animals feel fear and pain, and are far more intelligent than humans generally give them credit for. Yet "in 2003, the United States became the first nation to raise more than ten billion farmed animals in a single year," most of them in enormous factory farm operations. Whereas in 1950, a typical pig, dairy or beef cow, laying hen or food chicken, would have a fairly decent life until slaughtered, the suffering inflicted on today's factory farm animal is horrific and unconscionable. If people only knew the animal suffering that went into the meat, egg, or dairy product on their plate, they would not consume these products, or at minimum would consume only animal products from animals that had a decent life until slaughtered as humanely as possible. If you consume beef, dairy, chicken, eggs or pork, and haven't a clue or only a vague idea about the lives of the animal products you eat, I highly recommend you read the first three chapters of "Meat Market." You'll learn why factory farmed eggs are arguably the product of the most animal suffering, and should probably be the first animal product to give up if you want to improve the lives of animals. You'll learn about horrors including forced molting and beak searing in egg production, gestation crates in pig farming, veal operations, the dangers of animal transport to slaughter, and what really happens on the modern day killing floor. For anyone with an ounce of empathy, it's a painful read, but if we have any interest in not purchasing this suffering with our dollars or helping inform others, it's a necessary read. Fortunately this painful portion of the book lasts for only the first three chapters. Part II of the book covers what animal rights activists can do about this, peacefully and legally, using Gandhi as a role model. Erik examines the animal rights, animal welfare and vegetarian movements since the mid-1970s--where they've gone right and wrong, and how they can be more effective. I find his thoughts and observations on this fascinating, including his comments that well-meaning activists often lack the business skills needed to run effective animal rights organizations. These include skills in management and leadership, how to be a subordinate, and finance. He also writes about how PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment for Animals) often alienates the general public, something I've been saying for years. His advice on how to leaflet and discuss these matters without antagonizing people is also quite valuable and I think should be a must-read for animal rights activists. The next section of the book contains interesting activist essays from Erik's friends who are helping animals in various careers and volunteer jobs including a veget

Fresh ideas for animal advocates

I'm already a vegan and a believer in protecting all animals from suffering. When I first heard about this book (without knowing much about it), I thought, "I just can't read another depressing book about the cruelties of factory farming." I was finally convinced to read it, and I'm so glad I did. This book reads more like an activist manual than anything else, examining the current and past strategies of the animal protection movement, what has worked and what hasn't, and proposing strategies for building an effective movement in the future. It is easy to get discouraged as an activist confronting such a large issue, but this book has inspired me with fresh ideas and new strategies on which to focus my work. Definitely a worthwhile read for new and seasoned activists alike!

A fresh look at animals and activism

VegKC.com presented author/speaker Erik Marcus to Kansas City on April 10th and 11th. He provided a focused talk for activists on Sunday, a public book presentation and signing on Monday, and joined us for meals after both. We talked about the job of activism and the nature, state, and future of animal protection movements. I have been thinking about these subjects for a long time and have finally found ideas that make sense to me, all neatly bundled in Erik's new book. I bought two copies of Meat Market. One for me and one to share with anyone I can get to read it. Eight years ago, Marcus wrote Vegan: the New Ethics of Eating. Since that time, he has seen every side of animal protection movements, become dissatisfied with their progress, and developed strategies to improve them. If every major industry (including our competition) has a board to analyze and evaluate their effectiveness, so should the animal protection movements. Yet, somehow, this has been overlooked. Marcus provides Meat Market as a welcome first step towards movement refinement and evolution. Meat Market is intentionally different from typical vegan literature in both format and content: Instead of striving to induce mass veganism, it provides a starting point for those who are compelled to accomplish something more. Topics are brief, focused, and without the shouting and gore that somehow became acceptable in the early stages of the modern movements. It's a solid information source and provides specific actions for individuals at any level of commitment. It's also timely for me because I held so many of its ideals, as well as frustrations, and this gave both a well-reasoned voice. I divide the book into five sections: The first is a factual exploration of the business of growing animals for food. It doesn't identify actions as horrible (so much); rather, it describes the actions, provides the rationale for them, and lets the reader absorb the information. It shows the evolution of the industry, its current state, and explains that the current system can't change its methods. It provides the facts you need before talking to anyone about factory farming. You've probably met omnivores who said, "don't even talk to me about factory farming--I know it's horrible but I don't want to think about it." These 55 pages are what you give to them. The second section offers a history, state, and future of the three animal protection movements. The last chapter of this section provides a great resource when books, pictures, or movies finally compel someone to action. The third section contains essays from a cross-section of individuals who've incorporated a higher purpose into what they love to do. They're a good source of inspiration and will leave you wondering how you can weave activism into your professional life or weave a professional life around activism. Section four provides unassailable information on vegan issues, while section five contains supplemental notes supporting sec

Some new ideas, must read for AR activists

This book is like a personal guide on how to be (or become) an effective activist. It's pretty short, and has some interesting essays from all aspects of activism. It introduces the idea of dismantlement, the idea to put the agriculture business in a decline within our generation. Erik Marcus says it is one of the realistic goals the movement should strive for. He says that AR activists are focusing too much on health and environmental benefits of a Vegan lifestyle, while we should focus more on the cruelty of factory farms, and make sure that our statements are correct, so we are taken seriously. He searches for strong arguments that will withstand the scrutiny of the average meat eater. This is a much needed book that goes into detail on how to be ready to face society being an activist. It made me think much more clearly about what points I want to get across in the few moments I may have to talk to a person that passes me demonstrating or leafleting. It's important that we keep our facts straight, and know the basic cruelties of factory farming and have convincing arguments that are based on hard facts. Thank you for this great book, Erik!

Another great book by this author!

This book reaches out and covers many topics in an understandable format. It talks about animal agriculture, farmed animal lives, possibilities for reform, dismantlement steps and activism, among many others. I haven't read a book like this yet. Some other topics covered are The Health Argument, The Environmental Argument, Animal Testing, etc.. much is covered.