CAAN ~ Carnism Awareness and Action Network

[Carolyn Bailey]

Dr. Melanie Joy Announces Launch of Groundbreaking Organization

 

With great enthusiasm, Dr. Melanie Joy has announced the launch of Carnism Awareness and Action Network (CAAN). CAAN’s mission is to raise awareness of and challenge carnism, the invisible belief system that conditions people to eat certain animals, and it will act as a hub of international carnism awareness activity. CAAN is the very first organization to focus exclusively on the psychological and social underpinnings of eating animals, making it a pioneering and landmark institution.

Carnism is a violent, oppressive system that causes widespread animal exploitation as well as human victimization. However, the vast majority of consumers of animals, who care about animals and their own well being, are unaware of the consequences of carnism on themselves and their world. At CAAN, we believe that people need and deserve to know the truth about carnism so they can make their food choices freely – because without awareness, there is no free choice.

We have reason to be extremely optimistic about CAAN’s potential to help bring about powerful and lasting change for all beings, humans and nonhumans alike. There has been an overwhelmingly positive response to carnism awareness around the world, and CAAN’s approach to targeting the problem of farmed animal and human exploitation is innovative and unique. CAAN is the first organization to:

• focus on not only the practice of animal agriculture, but on the roots of this practice – the belief system that enables animal agriculture. More specifically, CAAN targets the very foundation of the belief system: the social and psychological defense mechanisms that maintain carnism.

• frame eating animals as not simply a matter of personal ethics, but as the inevitable end result of an oppressive “ism.” Thus, CAAN seeks to demonstrate that eating animals is a social justice issue and to help put the vegan movement on the map of social justice movements.

• focus on not only individual outreach, but on direct institutional change. CAAN is the first organization whose infrastructure is constructed to systematically and strategically target institutionalized oppression, challenging the institutions that validate animal agriculture. CAAN will host and support Carnism Awareness Task Forces (CATFs), groups of professionals working together to raise awareness of and challenge carnism within their fields, thus transforming the system from within.

• provide not only practical and strategic support, but also psychological support to advocates working to transform the system, thus reducing the likelihood of recidivism and burnout among advocates. 
  
  

If CAAN’s efforts are successful, we will help dramatically change the way society thinks and talks about the issue of eating animals and bring about a powerful shift in public consciousness.

Melanie invites you to take a few moments to peruse her site, which includes resources to educate the public about carnism, materials to help activists spread the word about carnism, information about her international carnism awareness speaking tour, and up-to-date information about the global spread of carnism awareness.

Changing the Way 
We Think about Eating Animals

http://carnism.com/

 

[Kerry Baker]

I posted a video of Melanie Joy talking about carnism a short while ago for those who are interested.  It goes for just on an hour.  She includes many issues that have been discussed on this site in her talk.

[Carolyn Bailey]

Hi Kerry, 

Thanks so much for posting Melanie's slideshow presentation. It's her new one as of early this year, and it's brilliant. I highly recommend it to anyone who hasn't already seen it. 

It can also be found in ARZone here: http://arzone.ning.com/video/why-we-love-dogs-eat-pigs-and-wear-cow...  I'll feature it to make it easier to find. :)