Meat’s Moral Reckoning: Philosopher John Sanbonmatsu on “The Omnivore’s Deception”

In this thought-provoking episode of Our Hen House, Mariann Sullivan interviews philosopher John Sanbonmatsu about his groundbreaking book The Omnivore’s Deception: What We Get Wrong About Meat, Animals, and Ourselves. With intellectual rigor and a touch of irreverence, Sanbonmatsu dismantles the cultural narratives that keep some people comfortably consuming animals while knowing better. From exposing the “humane meat” mythology popularized by Michael Pollan to examining the disturbing trend of wealthy women embracing slaughter as empowerment, this conversation cuts through our collective self-deception and offers philosophical pathways toward a more compassionate relationship with animals.

Key Insights:

• The “humane meat” narrative functions as an inoculation against genuine animal ethics
• Many people exhibit a form of “selective psychopathy” toward animals while loving pets
• Our relationship with animals mirrors historical systems of domination like slavery
• The capitalist profit motive drives animal exploitation more than human need
• Women-authored memoirs about killing animals reveal disturbing psychological dynamics
• Sartre’s concept of “bad faith” explains how we deceive ourselves about animal suffering
• Martin Buber’s “I-Thou” philosophy offers a path toward genuine respect for animals
• The animal liberation movement needs unapologetic, fierce advocacy for justice

ABOUT OUR GUEST

JOHN SANBONMATSU, Associate Professor of Philosophy at the Worcester Polytechnic Institute in Massachusetts, is a charismatic, internationally recognized authority in animal ethics.  He is the author of The Postmodern Prince and editor of the book Critical Theory and Animal Liberation.  His latest book is The Omnivore’s Deception: What We Get Wrong about Meat, Animals, and Ourselves.

We are thrilled to expand the accessibility of our podcast by offering written transcripts of the interviews! Click here to read this episode's interview.

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