deepundergroundpoetry.com
The Absent Referent
We really have no idea
How powerful apathy is—
How cultivating the silence
Of the absent referent
To ease our consciences
In our lives of luxury
Murders the innocence
Of all our landscapes.
“Behind every meal of meat is an absence: the death of the animal whose place the meat takes. The ‘absent referent’ is that which separates the meat eater from the animal and the animal from the end product. The function of the absent referent is to keep our ‘meat’ separated from any idea that she or he was once an animal, to keep the ‘moo’ or ‘cluck’ or ‘baa’ away from the meat, to keep something from being seen as having been someone.” Carol J Adams, The Sexual Politics of Meat: A Feminist-Vegetarian Critical Theory (1990).
How powerful apathy is—
How cultivating the silence
Of the absent referent
To ease our consciences
In our lives of luxury
Murders the innocence
Of all our landscapes.
“Behind every meal of meat is an absence: the death of the animal whose place the meat takes. The ‘absent referent’ is that which separates the meat eater from the animal and the animal from the end product. The function of the absent referent is to keep our ‘meat’ separated from any idea that she or he was once an animal, to keep the ‘moo’ or ‘cluck’ or ‘baa’ away from the meat, to keep something from being seen as having been someone.” Carol J Adams, The Sexual Politics of Meat: A Feminist-Vegetarian Critical Theory (1990).
Published 28th Jan 2014
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29th Jan 2014 00:42am
29th Jan 2014 1:48am
Anonymous
- Edited 29th Jan 2014 5:37am
29th Jan 2014 00:51am
This really hit close to my heart since I'm a vegetarian and i detest any kind of cruelty much else for the animals who are totally innocent in this chain of food, consumption of the mass, bred and raised solely for human pleasure. Excess is a disease of greed.
And when we see pretty little neat packages of meat wrapped, we are so removed from reality of what goes on in the slaughterhouses. Absence of conscience, absence of empathy.
This is excellent, thank you for writing this!!!
And when we see pretty little neat packages of meat wrapped, we are so removed from reality of what goes on in the slaughterhouses. Absence of conscience, absence of empathy.
This is excellent, thank you for writing this!!!
29th Jan 2014 1:58am
Yes I agree with everything you said Nadia. It is so easy to kill CAFO and factory farmed animals under the cruelest conditions and we as consumers participate in this disgusting business without seeing the true source. Ignorance is bliss truly applies to our food supply. The food industry and government do not care about the ethical treatment of animals, and consumers turn a blind eye as we have been trained to do by our corporate masters. Thank you for reading and adding this to your reading list.
29th Jan 2014 00:59am
This piece is perfect... Striking writing, well put together. Enjoyed x
29th Jan 2014 1:59am
Thank you Heart. This one wrote itself. I guess that means it was waiting for me to write it. Some poems feel that way...like they are waiting for me to write them. x
29th Jan 2014 4:38am
A wonderful read, Swiss! I enjoyed it from start to finish. Well done....xo
29th Jan 2014 6:02am
