all things fan girl

  • Subscribe to our RSS feed.
  • Twitter
  • StumbleUpon
  • Reddit
  • Facebook
  • Digg

Friday, 17 September 2010

Jonathan Safran Foer at NYU

Posted on 19:20 by jackson


Last night I was lucky enough to get into the Jonathan Safran Foer reading and Q & A for his book Eating Animals, held at NYU's Rosenthal Pavilion, Kimmel Center for University Life. It was hosted by NYU's Creative Writing Department where JSF actually teaches. As a book geek and a vegetarian, I really enjoyed listening to him discuss fiction v. nonfiction and why he wrote a book about vegetarianism and factory farming.

Eating Animals is JSF's third book and first non-fiction piece. Essentially, the book lays out the damages inflicted by factory farming. His previous two books are amazingly beautiful, critically acclaimed novels that you should also look into reading (Everything is Illuminated is one of my favorite books ever). At the event, he discussed how nonfiction writing was very difficult for him and how he found the process very restrictive and taxing. He said that with nonfiction he had to write with a purpose--a specific end goal. This was very unlike the process of writing fiction, for him. He finds fiction writing to be a freeing, open process because he believes fiction can exist just for its own sake. He said he doubts he'll write another nonfiction book again but that he didn't choose this topic or write his book because he's an animal lover or feels it's the most important political topic. JSF was not preachy. He explained that it took him several years before he could commit to a vegetarian diet and that he began working on his book out of curiosity about factory farming. After 3 years of research and writing, JSF published Eating Animals in an attempt to unveil some of the secrecy behind factory farming.

Although I haven't finished reading his book, I enjoyed JSF rational discussion about the destruction caused by the meat industry. Beyond the obvious unethical treatment of animals is another moral dilemma less discussed: factory farming is a massive contributor to global warming. As JSF stated, factory farming has rapidly changed the face of our planet. Not only does it create an insane amount of greenhouse gases but it wastes crops and changes landscapes. There's also the issue of an unhealthy product. The mass production/slaughter of animals, which live and die in inhumane, filthy conditions, often creates toxic meat. Just consider how often we have meat recalled due to some kind of infectious outbreak. The USDA seems conflicted about siding with the consumer or a national industry that makes so much money and stimulates the economy. JSF also raised another great political point: the misconception that vegetarianism and anti-factory farming sentiments are radical or leftist. He argued that it is actually conservative to want to go back to small farming and (beyond political labels) just a matter of health and humaneness to care about the current state of factory farming.

I encourage you all to go buy a copy of Eating Animals. And not because I'm trying to convince you all to become strict vegetarians or because I think it covers the most important political issue. Trust me, I'm not the poster child for vegetarianism or animal rights. I'm also concerned with a vast array of political issues outside this one. I want you to pick up this book because I really believe we should all question the current state of factory farming. We should become better informed of the methods used to provide us meat. We should hold this large, wealthy industry accountable for the effects their methods and products have on our bodies and our planet.

Let me end on two notes, paraphrased from JSF's discussion. Firstly, for most of us urban, middle class citizens becoming a vegetarian is easy. At the very least, it's easy to cut down your meat consumption. We have lots of access to nutritious foods that aren't meat. Vegetables, fruits, and beans are also cheaper than meat and we don't have to go to expensive, organic grocery stores to procure them. It's difficult to always know where your food is coming from (meat or not) but it's pretty easy to just not eat meat (or eat less of it). It's one small, simple way to help our planet. Secondly, the current state of factory farming is an important humanitarian and environmentalist issue that deserves attention just like any other global issue. As Jonathan Safran Foer beautifully stated, caring is a rare commodity that increases the more we use it. So you can continue to care about or be active in fighting other sociopolitical/environmental issues and still find room to educate yourself and concern yourself with the effects of factory farming and the benefits of vegetarianism (or less meat-eating). And I recommend you begin with Jonathan Safran Foer's Eating Animals. Trust me, it'll be far better than going to PETA.
Email ThisBlogThis!Share to XShare to Facebook
Posted in Books, Food, Jonathan Safran Foer, NYU | No comments
Newer Post Older Post Home

0 comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)

Popular Posts

  • Best Finds of Wondercon 2011 [And How To Get Some For Yourself!]
    Crossposted on Film.com I've been attending comic book conventions since I was two years old and perhaps my most favorite part of every...
  • The Definitive Differences Between Tintin and Rin Tin Tin
    Cross-posted on and commissioned by Film.com Image: alittlewhitenoise.com With   The Adventures of Tintin   opening this week, I keep encoun...
  • Buffy & Angel SNOGOMETER [Full Of Win!]
    Originally from SFX Magazine, we don't know why this making the rounds today, but we loves it and it's THE BEST CAUSE IT'S THE B...
  • D23 - Disneyland Kinect Adventures Slightly Improves, But Is It Enough?
    After being extremely disappointed in Kinect Disneyland Adventures at E3 in Jue, I decided to give it a go here at D23, with a couple more m...
  • What Would It Mean If _____ Won Best Picture?
    At this point the race has really come down to The King's Speech vs The Social Network to walk away with Best Picture come Oscar night...
  • Spaced Pilgrims!
    Thank you Edgar Wright for tweeting this and thanks Dark Bunny Tees for creating it. Now we just need Marsha, Twist and Colin and we're...
  • Lost Actors In Their Soap Days [Jeff Fahey Was ATTRACTIVE Alert]
    Okay, so because I've gotten back into Soaps recently (don't you judge me) I decided to subscribe to Soap Opera Digest again cause i...
  • Inglourious Dior
    I'm not exactly a fashionista. The world of haute couture is generally offensive to me, since it's largely comprised of ugly threads...
  • Celebrity Crush Of The Week
     It's only weird if you let it be weird, okay?
  • The New King of Crushdom - In Which I Write An Article About A Cute Boy SHHHH
    Note: this may be the most ridiculous thing you've ever read. Something happened in the past couple years. This. While many of us have u...

Categories

  • 24
  • 30 Rock
  • 500 days of summer
  • 50s Movies
  • 90210
  • A Capella
  • abduction
  • Absent Mothers
  • Access Theater
  • acting
  • Action
  • Activision
  • Actors
  • Adania Shibli
  • adornment
  • Ads
  • Adventure
  • AFI Fest
  • Ahimsa Collective
  • alcatraz
  • Alcohol
  • Alice in Wonderland
  • All Things Fangirl
  • Alphabet
  • American Idiot
  • American Idol
  • american reunion
  • Anaheim
  • AND OH MY GOD ADULT SIZED KEN TAGS.
  • Angel
  • Animals
  • Animation
  • Apple
  • Archer
  • arkham city
  • Art
  • art parties
  • Arts and Crafts
  • Assassins Creed: Brotherhood
  • Atari
  • Auctions
  • Audition
  • avatar: the last airbender
  • Avett Brothers
  • awake
  • Awards
  • Awesome
  • Back to the Future
  • Backstage
  • Bad Robot
  • badass
  • Barbie
  • Barbies
  • basara samurai heroes
  • Batman
  • Battlestar Galactica
  • Best Of
  • bill and ted
  • bionic commando reArmed2
  • Bioshock
  • bioware
  • Blogging
  • blu ray
  • Blu-Ray
  • Blunderbuss
  • Board Games
  • Boardwalk Empire
  • Bob Dylan
  • Bon Iver
  • Books
  • Bored To Death
  • boredom
  • Boston Film Festival
  • Bottle Blondes
  • Boys
  • Brad Pitt
  • Brecht
  • Brian Selznick
  • British
  • britney spears
  • Broadway
  • Brooke Berman
  • Brooklyn
  • Buffy
  • cabin in the woods
  • Caitlin Burns
  • CalArts
  • Caleb Followill
  • Capcon
  • Captain Blood
  • Captain Planet
  • Cards
  • cARTel
  • Cartoons
  • Casting Call
  • Catwoman
  • Caucasian Chalk Circle
  • Celebrities
  • Characters
  • Charity
  • Choir
  • Chris Evans
  • chris miller
  • Chris Nolan
  • christina hendricks
  • Christopher Nolan
  • Chuck
  • Classic Movies
  • clint eastwood
  • Clips
  • Clock Root Books
  • clone high
  • clone high usa
  • Clothing
  • clowns
  • Coachella
  • Cocktails
  • Cold Hearted Snake
  • Collectables
  • Colossus
  • Comedy
  • Comic Con
  • comic-con
  • comic-con 2011
  • Comics
  • Community
  • concerts
  • Contest
  • Conventions
  • Conversation
  • Cooper Union
  • Costume
  • covers
  • Crashbox Theater Company
  • Crazy 4 Cult
  • Crushes of the Week
  • cult movies
  • Cyclops
  • d23
  • Damon Daunno
  • Daniel Faraday
  • david fincher
  • Dawson's Creek
  • DC
  • DC Comics
  • dead rising 2
  • Deadpool
  • Death
  • Debate
  • Desmond
  • Despicable Me
  • Dharma Initiative
  • Dinosaurs
  • Discussion
  • disney
  • disneyland
  • Doctor Who
  • documentaries
  • Dogs
  • Dolls
  • Dominic Monaghan
  • dont you dare sell out of this before I get there
  • Download
  • downton abbey
  • Dr. Horrible
  • dr. who
  • dragon age
  • Dream On
  • Dreams
  • Drinks
  • driven to drink
  • DVDs
  • E3
  • Earl Lovelace
  • Earth
  • Easter Eggs
  • Ebay
  • Edgar Wright
  • Edward Gorey
  • Eminem
  • Emma Frost
  • Emma Watson
  • emmys
  • England
  • Entertainment Earth
  • Entertainment Weekly
  • episode 2
  • Errol Flynn
  • eruditechick
  • Etsy
  • Etsy Geek Search Of The Day
  • Event
  • event write up
  • events
  • extreme makeover: home edition
  • Fable 2
  • Fable 3
  • Fan Outreach
  • Fangirl Awards
  • Fangirls
  • Fantasy
  • Fashion
  • Fat Kids On Fire
  • Feminist Press
  • film festivals
  • Film.com
  • Finn
  • finnick odair
  • Fiona Apple
  • Firefly
  • Florence + the Machine
  • Food
  • Foodie
  • Fringe
  • Fringe Festival
  • funk
  • Furniture
  • G4
  • Gallery 1988
  • game of thrones
  • Game Review
  • gamers
  • Games
  • Gary Oldman
  • Geek Girl Con
  • Geekgasm
  • Geeks
  • Genius
  • geoff boucher
  • Ghost Recon
  • ghost trick
  • Gifts
  • Gil Zabarsky
  • gingerbread
  • girl gamers
  • girl power
  • Girls
  • Giveaways
  • Glee
  • Glee Cap
  • Glee Live
  • Glee-cap
  • Gleecap
  • Gleek
  • Golden Globes
  • Good Movie Alert
  • Gorillaz
  • Gossip Girl
  • Grammy Awards
  • Graphic Novels
  • great hera
  • Green Day
  • Green Lantern
  • Gremlins
  • griff the invisible
  • Grilled Cheesus
  • Guest Blogger Alert
  • gunstringer
  • Haden Blackman
  • Halloween
  • Hamlet
  • Hanna
  • Harley Quinn
  • Harmonix
  • Harrison Ford
  • Harry Potter
  • Harry Shum Jr.
  • Haymarket Books
  • HBO
  • Hellwalk
  • Henry Cavill
  • Hero Complex
  • High School
  • HitRecord.Org
  • Holiday
  • Home Decor
  • Homeward Bound
  • Horror
  • house of lies
  • How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying
  • Hugo
  • hunger games
  • Inception
  • Indiana Jones
  • infographics
  • Inglorious Basterds
  • insidious
  • Internet
  • Interpol
  • Interview
  • Invisible Plane
  • iPad
  • Iron Man 2
  • Jack White
  • Jackie Earle Haley
  • Jake Gyllenhaal
  • James Hance
  • jason reitman
  • Jason Schwartzman
  • Jason Segal
  • Jeffrey Dean Morgan
  • Jeffrey Eugenides
  • Jennifer Egan
  • jennifer lawrence
  • Jim Dooley
  • Jimmy Kimmel
  • JJ Abrams
  • john stamos
  • Jonah Hill
  • Jonathan Safran Foer
  • Joseph Gordon Levitt
  • Josh Tate
  • Joshua Jackson
  • Joss Whedon
  • Journey
  • Joy Harjo
  • Judgement Day
  • Julian Casablancas
  • Jurassic Park
  • Karmetik Machine Orchestra
  • Katee Sackhoff
  • Ken
  • Kevin Pereira
  • Kevin Smith
  • Kick Ass
  • kickstarter
  • kid with a bike
  • Kids
  • Kids Movies
  • Kill Shakespeare
  • Kinect
  • Kings of Leon
  • Kristen Stewart
  • Kronos Quartet
  • La Roux
  • LA Times
  • lacma
  • Lacy Demon Clothes
  • Lady Gaga
  • Leaving Brittney Alone with sharp objects
  • leetup
  • Leighton Meester
  • Lesser America
  • Lionhead
  • List
  • literature
  • Live Blogging
  • live read
  • LivingSocial
  • lord of the rings
  • Los Angeles
  • Lost
  • Lucas Arts
  • m. ward
  • M.I.A.
  • MAC
  • Machete
  • Macs
  • Mad Men
  • Magical Lasso
  • Make up
  • Making Money by being a fan.
  • Making-Of
  • Margaret Atwood
  • Marjane Satrapi
  • mark ruffalo
  • Marketing Campaign
  • Marvel
  • Marvel BS Capcom
  • mary sue
  • masks
  • Media
  • mega man
  • Megamind
  • Megan Fox
  • melissa leo
  • Mercedes
  • Merchandise
  • metric
  • Mia Farrow
  • Michelle Rodriguez
  • michelle williams
  • Microsoft
  • Midnight in Paris
  • Mirror's Edge
  • Mod
  • monsters inc
  • monsters university
  • Morrison Hotel Gallery
  • Mother Jones
  • motherhood
  • Mothers
  • Movies
  • Movies for women
  • Mr. Schuester
  • MSN
  • MTV
  • multimedia
  • Mumford and Sons
  • Muppets
  • Muse
  • Music
  • Music Video
  • Musicals
  • Na'vi
  • Nathan Barr
  • Nathan Fillion
  • Necco Wafers
  • Neil Patrick Harris
  • nerds
  • Never Seen Lost
  • New York
  • New York Comic Con
  • New York Times
  • Nicolas Cage
  • Nightmare on Elm Street
  • Nintendo
  • Noir
  • Norton
  • not hating glee this week.
  • novels
  • NPH
  • NYU
  • Obsessions
  • OH MY LORD THIS IS JUST TERRIBLE
  • okami den
  • Once
  • opinion
  • Oscars
  • Pacey
  • Pacey-Con
  • Paley Center
  • paleyfest
  • Panel
  • Parody
  • Parties
  • PEN
  • PEN American Center
  • PEN Festival
  • People Get Ready
  • phil lord
  • Photo of the Day
  • Photography
  • Pipeline Theatre Company
  • pirates
  • Pixar
  • Playstation
  • poems
  • poetry
  • Point/Counterpoint
  • Poison Ivy
  • Poker Face
  • politics
  • Poll
  • Pop Culture
  • Portal
  • Powerpuff Girls
  • Predictions
  • Prince of Persia
  • prince zuko
  • Props
  • Prospect Park Bandshell
  • Prototype
  • Psychopaths
  • publishers
  • Puck
  • Puckasaurus
  • Pushing Daisies
  • Quentin Tarantino
  • Quinn
  • Quinn rocks
  • Rachel
  • Rachel Berry
  • Radical Entertainment
  • Radiohead
  • raiders of the lost ark
  • ramble
  • Rant
  • Reality TV
  • Recap
  • Red
  • Red Dead Redemption
  • Red Elevator Productions
  • Regina Spektor
  • Regionals
  • Religion
  • Retcon Fail
  • Review
  • Reviews
  • rian johnson
  • Rihanna
  • rin tin tin
  • Ringtone
  • Robert Ma
  • Robert Pattinson
  • Robert Rodriguez
  • Rock Band
  • Rock Band 3
  • Roger Ma
  • Rolling Stone
  • Rolling Stones
  • Romance
  • Roomsies
  • RPG
  • Runaways
  • Russia
  • ryan kwanten
  • Saccran
  • Salman Rushdie
  • San Diego
  • Santa Barbara Film Festival
  • Saturn Awards
  • Schedule
  • Sci Fi
  • Score
  • Scott Pilgrim
  • Scream
  • Screenings
  • SDCC
  • Season 2
  • Series Finale
  • set your dvr
  • seth green
  • Shahrnush Parsipur
  • Shakespeare
  • Shakespeare Forum
  • Shane Bauer
  • Shattered Dimension
  • Shaun of the Dead
  • Shaylyn Hamm
  • she and him
  • Shirt of the Day
  • shoes
  • Shorts
  • Showtime
  • Siege
  • Simon Pegg
  • Singing
  • Slashfilm
  • Sleep No More
  • Slings and Arrows
  • smash
  • snark
  • Soap
  • Soap Operas
  • Someone Who'll Watch Over Me
  • Something Borrowed
  • Song Suggestions
  • Sorcerer's Apprentice
  • Spaced
  • Spider-Man
  • Spies
  • Spirituality
  • Splice
  • spoilers
  • Springfield Punx
  • stamos
  • Stan Lee
  • Star Trek
  • Star Wars
  • stephanie meyer
  • steven spielberg
  • Still Alive
  • Streamy Awards
  • Street Fighter
  • Studios
  • Sucker Punch
  • Sufjan Stevens
  • summer in the city
  • super 8
  • Super Hero Squad
  • Superheroes
  • Supernatural
  • Surprise
  • sushi slippers
  • Swag
  • Swords
  • syfy
  • T-Shirts
  • Talia al-Ghul
  • taylor lautner
  • Team Fortress 2
  • Technology
  • teefury
  • Tekken
  • Television
  • Tennessee Williams
  • TERRIBLE PEOPLE
  • TERRIBLE THINGS
  • the adventures of tintin
  • The Ashgirl
  • The Avengers
  • The Beatles
  • The Big Bang Theory
  • The Big Lebowski
  • The Joker
  • the king's speech
  • The Liddy Plays
  • The Lonely Island
  • The Losers
  • The Mystery of Girls' Media
  • the river
  • The Sigh
  • The Simpsons
  • the social network
  • The Strokes
  • The Thrilling Adventure Hour
  • The Walking Dead
  • The Zombie Combat Manual
  • Theater
  • Theatricality
  • ThinkGeek
  • Thinkhero
  • Tim Burton
  • Timberlake Wertenbaker
  • Tina Fey
  • tintin
  • Tom Clancy
  • Tom Hanks
  • tom hiddleston
  • top ten
  • topher grace
  • Toys
  • Trailers
  • Transformers
  • Trilogies
  • Tron
  • Tru Blood
  • True Blood
  • TTLLTOT
  • tv
  • TV Tropes
  • Twilight
  • twilight zone
  • Twisted Metal
  • Twitter
  • User-Generated Content
  • V
  • valentine's day
  • Valve
  • vampire diaries
  • Vampires
  • Video Game Facts
  • Video Games
  • Video Games Games
  • Villains
  • Virals
  • visual art
  • Want
  • Warner Brothers
  • Warren Robinett
  • web series
  • Webisodes
  • weird science
  • westerns
  • wet hot american summer
  • Wheelchair sex
  • Wilco
  • Will Farrell
  • Wolverine
  • Women
  • wonder woman
  • WonderCon
  • Wonderwall
  • Woody Allen
  • WTF
  • x files
  • X-Men
  • Xbox
  • xoxogg
  • yacht party
  • Youtube
  • Zach Galligan
  • Zigabid
  • Zoe Saldana
  • Zombies
  • zooey deschanel

Blog Archive

  • ►  2014 (2)
    • ►  March (1)
    • ►  February (1)
  • ►  2013 (30)
    • ►  November (1)
    • ►  October (2)
    • ►  August (2)
    • ►  July (3)
    • ►  June (1)
    • ►  May (4)
    • ►  April (4)
    • ►  March (5)
    • ►  February (3)
    • ►  January (5)
  • ►  2012 (89)
    • ►  December (4)
    • ►  November (3)
    • ►  October (2)
    • ►  September (6)
    • ►  August (4)
    • ►  July (5)
    • ►  June (11)
    • ►  May (13)
    • ►  April (16)
    • ►  March (9)
    • ►  February (7)
    • ►  January (9)
  • ►  2011 (138)
    • ►  December (7)
    • ►  November (11)
    • ►  October (13)
    • ►  September (13)
    • ►  August (13)
    • ►  July (11)
    • ►  June (9)
    • ►  May (6)
    • ►  April (9)
    • ►  March (15)
    • ►  February (16)
    • ►  January (15)
  • ▼  2010 (240)
    • ►  December (5)
    • ►  November (8)
    • ►  October (13)
    • ▼  September (18)
      • Glee-Cap: The Imaginarium of Dr Stamos, Season 2, ...
      • FAT KIDS ON FIRE
      • Glee-Cap! New Directions... towards hell. Season 2...
      • 90210 Semi Live Blogging - "Senior Year, Baby!"
      • Bioshock: Infinite Gameplay Trailer HEEAAARRTTT
      • Jonathan Safran Foer at NYU
      • Surrender to the Clint. CLIIINNTT!
      • Geek Girl Anthem Of The Week
      • 10 Best SciFi TV Episodes Of All Time
      • BUHHHHHHHHHHH, Vox Style
      • True Blood Original Score Soundtrack Giveaway!
      • 500 Days of Summer Singing 'Sploge
      • Back to the Future Card Game?!?!
      • Don't Pretend Like You Aren't Curious What's Up Wi...
      • I'll Never Pronounce Machete With A "Shh" Sound Again
      • Simon Pegg Finds Me Geek Art
      • Publishing Houses of Interest
      • Joseph Gordon Levitt + Rian Johnson at Summer in t...
    • ►  August (27)
    • ►  July (36)
    • ►  June (29)
    • ►  May (40)
    • ►  April (49)
    • ►  March (15)
Powered by Blogger.

About Me

jackson
View my complete profile