I hate Steve Pavlina!
“No! Steve Pavlina?” I hear the incredulous cries go up around the blogosphere.
“You mean the same Steve Pavlina who almost single handedly created the self development blog?
Hate him?
How can that be???!!!”
Pavlina thinks I’m a Nazi
Last Thursday morning, I was minding my own business getting ready for a couple of days trip to the mountains in central Romania. I had a couple of hours to kill before leaving Bucharest – a city where you really need to time your journey well or risk sitting in traffic for hours and hours.
“I know,” I foolishly thought to myself. “I’ll read a few blogs while I’m waiting.”
A word of advice – never read blogs while waiting to leave for a vacation.
‘Modern-day Nazis‘ caught my eye and I wish it hadn’t. Before you follow the link you might want to read the rest of this post first or you might end up hating Pavlina as well.
If you’ve not read it yet, the post is based around a video of some very ugly behaviour in a chicken hatchery for egg production (not for meat). It’s pretty horrific viewing by itself, but then Pavlina rubs salt into the wound by accusing anyone who eats eggs of being a Nazi. There’s also some stuff in the article about living consciously and taking responsibility.
The smug guy even has the audacity at the end of the article to say that if you have a strong reaction then that proves you must be a Nazi. I don’t think he did actually write that, but that’s what I understood.
I eat eggs AND I had a strong reaction.
Pavlina thinks I’m a Nazi.
It’s not wise to ignore reactions
I know from many past experiences that when I react to something, there’s some important business for me to have a look at. Why would I get triggered if there was nothing there?
I calmed down a little on the journey and talking it through with Mona helped a lot – always a calming influence at these moments.
A few things were immediately clear.
My reaction was NOT about what Steve Pavlina thinks about me, nor was it about eggs. Nor was it about being called a Nazi because although I don’t like it much, I’ve been called worse.
What emerged over the course of the weekend were very important questions (and a few answers) about my lifestyle and the extent to which it’s become out of harmony with some of my core values, in particular nonviolence and respect for life.
Aligning values and lifestyle
There are several dimensions to our lives and whenever some of the elements are not aligned there’s an inner conflict. For example when I say something I know to be untrue then I’ll probably experience some inner conflict because it’s not aligned with my value for honesty.
When I can catch the signs of inner conflict then I can take action. Some of these conflicts, though, are not so obvious and they lurk under the surface of my awareness. They may appear from time to time and if I don’t listen then I deny or ignore them. As long as things are not aligned and the conflict unresolved, I carry the tension with me.
Who knows what unhealed physical, emotional or psychological wounds they then create?
The strength of my reaction to Steve’s article was a clear signal of some unexamined stuff within me and Steve’s words were simply a catalyst.
I could have chosen to blame Steve and continue to exclaim ‘How dare he call me a Nazi… ‘. Not a particularly useful approach in my quest to get continually less stupid as I get older. Instead, I did the intelligent thing and took it as sign that some things I’m not aware of are not aligned as I’d like them to be.
What I buy and consume
I choose not to eat meat of any kind but I do eat eggs. I buy most of my food from the supermarket and that includes a range of dairy products. I rarely pay much attention to the source of the food I buy. I rarely pay much attention to the source of ANYTHING I buy or consume.
Until now, that is.
EVERYTHING I buy or consume comes from somewhere. It has a history.
Not a factory farm
I can’t get away from the fact that much of the animal-source produce in the supermarket comes from factory farms. I’ve never been in factory farm but I’m guessing they’re not idyllic places full of fluffy, contented animals and rosy faced young milk maids.
I’m also assuming, judging from the chick video, that they are violent places with little respect for the life of the animals.
Eggs are just one small example. Chickens are hatched and immediately examined. Male chicks are fed directly into the meat grinder and female chicks are kept alive to become living egg factories.
Can anyone tell me this is respectful of life and nonviolent?
What I can no longer avoid is that whenever I eat food from this source I take some of that violence and disrespect into my body. I support the system that produces food in this way – both the factory farms and the supermarkets by voting with my stomach and my wallet.
Lifestyle revolution
We all draw the boundaries of our lifestyle differently and it is not for me to judge anyone else for their choices.
If I’m genuinely committed to nonviolence and respect for life then I have to live my whole life on this foundation, and not pick and choose according to what’s most convenient. I can’t continue to stick my head in the sand and pretend it’s OK for me to be part of these systems.
I’m on the verge of a lifestyle revolution where the boundaries of what I can accept for myself have shifted. For my own well being I want to align all the decisions I make against my core values.
And this means paying attention to the sources of the things I buy and consume. It affects, among other things, the food I eat, the clothes I wear, the places I visit and how I get around.
I don’t yet have a clear picture of what this all means but I do know that shopping is not going to be the same again.
I’m guessing many things will start to change now.
Why do I hate Steve Pavlina?
He single handedly destroyed a whole set of delusions and has thrown into disarray my nice convenient way of life where I could get everything I needed at low cost at my local supermarket.
If I try this now I’m going to be haunted by an image of newly born chicks being thrown into a meat grinder.
Thanks a lot Steve!
Similar Posts:
- Meat or not?
- Knee Deep In Waste
- Vegetarian Living – One Year On
- Conflict Is Not The Problem
- Nonviolent Communication (NVC)
- You make a difference
excellent post, I totally agree with you!
This is a very interesting topic Ian and one that there is no easy answer to. Fairtrade coffee is one thing but what about the clothes we wear, are they from sweatshops? What about the damage to plants and fish caused by drilling for oil from which comes so many of our household products, and our main mode of transport. Where do you draw the line?
Ideally we would be able sleep at night knowing that we weren’t contributing in anyway to anything negative but the reality is probably that we have to settle for some sort of compromise or go insane trying to minimise our impact. Or leave civilisation all together and go selfsustaining on a farm in the wilderness somewhere!
In Australia, where I am it is possible to buy free range eggs.
People are also life forms with a need for health – a friend of mine who started out vegan now eats a littl red meat once a month. (Be careful of over indulging in tofu – it can lead to thyroid problems.)
With consumer durables and suck I’m coming slowly toward the position of ‘try to get stuff you can pass on to your grand kids’ (because the energy involved in the production is so high).
There are the equivalent of fair trade things for clothes too. Much of this depends on having a reasonable income.
I don’t think we can live entirely pure – but I do think we can make significant steps in desirable directions.
@Noe thanks! somehow I thought you might agree with this
@Julian Yes, it’s not easy to find answers. My approach in this area had been to avoid asking myself too many difficult questions! Then it’s easy not to find answers.
I feel a bit overwhelmed sometimes but this last weekend was important as a first step. Now I’m in the process of identifying the different areas to look at and prioritising. Some things are easier to address. For example I love coffee but fair-trade coffee is not so easy to find over here and will need some searching. Naturally grown vegetables and dairy is much easier to find. So I’m starting with food and will move onto clothes.
Chances are I will end up compromising until I don’t need to anymore. We’ve built a world where it’s hard (not impossible though) to live 100% consciously.
@Evan I’m certainly not giving up food – I agree I have a need for health! I haven’t eaten any meat since January and feel better for it. I’m pretty good at listening to my body and it hasn’t wanted any meat at all.
We may not be able to live 100% pure but it’s a great goal and direction to take. And I’d like to push myself more and more to be conscious about the choices I make.
Hi Ian! I became vegetarian around the same time you did.
My husband and I eat eggs. We saw a TV show about corporate chicken farm practices and made an informed choice to eat only eggs from organic grain fed, free roaming chickens. It is more expensive but we decided to make this political choice in order to support ethical farmers who treat their animals humanely.
Ian, I have to assume that, at some level, you’ve wondered for a while whether you should still be consuming eggs and dairy, since you are otherwise vegetarian.
I can honestly say I eat eggs, I am not a Nazi, I have no emotional reaction to being called a Nazi by Steve Pavlina or anyone else. Not an issue for me.
Just like, I have no emotional reaction to his desire to pursue Polyamory in his marriage. Doesn’t make me question or fiercely defend my desire to have a plain old, boring, monogamous marriage. Not an issue for me.
But if you start talking about education (traditional school, homeschool, unschool, etc.) then I get all up in arms and questioning the sanity of everyone around me. That is an issue for me.
What’s my point? I really don’t know, except that this has less to do with Steve Pavlina and Nazis than it does with whatever YOU were already thinking or feeling. It’s merely a catalyst of whatever was already in progress within you.
Now… off to make myself a guilt-free omelet, complete with cheddar and all sorts of other store-bought things.
@Fluffy Sounds like you’re clear for yourself on the issue of eggs. Interesting about the cost aspect. I know I get into the thought pattern myself that ‘healthy or ethical eating is more expensive’. Now I’m thinking that’s the wrong way round. Factory eggs (to continue with this example) are cheaper because they streamline production at the expense of the animals. In a way, the eggs are the same value – but the chickens pay part of the price with the way they are treated.
I’m starting to sound like I’m on a crusade to save the chickens. That’s not the case at all – I have very little compassion for chickens as such. I’m more interested in the effect on myself (my soul?) when I feed myself at the expense of other forms of life, or clothe myself at the expense of sweat shop workers.
@Lisis Yes. Nothing at all to do with Steve Pavlina really. That article was just a catalyst as you say. Clearly the ground was already prepared and this was just a push to actually do something about it.
It’s interesting but I have very little emotional response to all this now. Chickens and factory farming are not my crusade. It’s tough, but I don’t care about them very much. I’d prefer that cute furry animals don’t get hurt or suffer – but if they do then I’m really not that concerned!
I do care about what goes into my body though. And I do care about the effect of such practices (ie grinding up baby chicks) on people. I care about respecting life and living as nonviolently as I can in relation to human beings. That’s my crusade.
So you enjoy that omelet and cheese. You can even eat it with bacon if you want! Leave me to worry about the effect on your soul!
Life is all about compromises, and what things we are willing to sacrifice in order to live according to our values. No matter what choice you make, there is always damage that is done. You can’t escape the fact that every choice has consequences. To call a person a Nazi (or any other name, really) because that person has made a different choice from you is reprehensible. It’s incredibly judgmental, and very much “holier than thou” thinking. Steve Pavlina claims to be so enlightened, so wise, and so thoughtful, but really he’s not. He’s just…a bigot. He likes to believe that he’s so evolved, and that he has all the answers, but in reality, he has just found some things that work for him, and so then he preaches them as fact. To me, he’s no better than a Baptist Hellfire and Brimstone preacher.
I don’t drive a personal vehicle. I have many reasons for this, but a major one is the fact that I believe that they damage the environment. Not only do you burn fossil fuels, but the freon, anti-freeze, and other chemicals necessary for operating a vehicle are incredibly harmful to the planet. Not to mention the fact that the steel, carbon, and plastic used to manufacture vehicles are all ripped from the Earth in giant mines and chemical processes that poison the earth, the air, and the water.
Steve Pavlina and his wife both drive cars wherever they go, despite living in a city with more than adequate public transportation. Where is his compassion for the animals that are killed every single day due to his carbon emissions? Where is his compassion for the animals that lost their homes so that Las Vegas could be built in a desert? The hundreds of animals that die of thirst every single day because of the millions of gallons of water that are diverted into the casinos and hotels that he likes to frequent so often?
But see, I don’t preach about driving. In fact, I am always very thankful when people come to visit, and I can ride with them in their cars. I love the freedom that cars provide, and the convenience. So while *I* choose not to drive, I never slight others for making the choice to drive. Certainly, I would never call them Nazis!!
So yes, I will continue to eat meat. Not just eggs, but chickens, too. And cows, and pigs, and lambs, and anything else that crosses my plate. I love the way meat tastes, and I love the feelings I get from the protein and nutrients. I love the feel of the meat between my teeth, and the way the cooked blood pools onto the plate. I love the smell of it, and the primal connection with nature that only comes (at least for me) from eating meat.
And don’t feel too bad for the cows. When I die, my body will be buried without a casket. The worms, the bugs, and the bacteria will eat away at my corpse, and feed the plants that grow over me. The cows will then eat those plants, and the circle of life will be complete. As the Lion King said:
“When we die, our bodies become the grass, and the antelope eat the grass and so we are all connected in the great circle of life.” -Mufasa
“Everything you see exists together in a delicate balance. As king, you need to understand that balance and respect all the creatures, from the crawling ant, to the leaping antelope,” -Mufasa
Jay.
You didn’t much care for being called a Nazi by Steve Pavlina, then?
I won’t respond to your comments about Pavlina as such, but I do take the point about preaching. I didn’t actually read his post that way, but there is an element of it there.
What comes up for me in response to what you write is how far do we go when tolerating and accepting other people’s choices?
I think we’re probably very close in our approach to respect for others, non-judgemental living and no preaching. I try to stay clear of preaching and telling people what they should and shouldn’t do – and I know you do, too. It’s my place to live my life and not live other people’s lives for them. Not even verbally.
We all have our limits though. We all have our crusades. The things we don’t tolerate and want to change. How we do it is another question!
As I wrote in another reply, meat eating v vegetarianism is not my thing. I just can’t get excited about it. In fact I enjoy reading about the pleasure it gives you to taste flesh and to see the blood. I don’t eat meat because I choose not to. You eat meat because you choose to. Fine.
But for some people that is their crusade. In the same way I’d have a very different reaction if you told me you beat your kids so they cry themselves to sleep every night. That I would have something to say about. It might even come out as preaching, heaven forbid. Probably wouldn’t change anything so I’d probably choose a different tactic.
What’s my point? Not sure really. I just enjoy replying to you Jay!
What a coincidence! I enjoy *reading* your replies to me! I love how that works out!
I think that’s a good point that you’ve made: How far do we go to allow other people to live their lives? You’re right in that our approaches to “live and let live” are very similar. I’m all about letting people make their own choices.
I don’t always know where I draw the line, though, and sometimes I draw and re-draw them over and over again, crossing over each other and getting the tangled in knots sometimes. But I do think that we should always show respect to the other opinion, to the other side of our argument.
I guess you’re right in that we all have our own crusades. My own crusade is child abuse, and I suppose if someone were to try and convince me that child abuse was OK, than I might snap and get all preachy from time to time. And since our society basically says that Steve’s crusade is invalid, I suppose I can see why he gets so touchy about it.
It’s just that cult mentality that pavlina adopted with that post which pisses me off: “I am so smart, and if you have a problem with what I’m saying, then you’re just an un-evolved idiot.” Like I said, it’s a “holier than thou” attitude, and I hate that. In an effort to prove his case against the “Nazi” attitude of eating meat, he became a Nazi himself, and that, my friend, is the very definition of hypocrisy.
I like reading both your answers… and every time you type the word Nazi, I can’t help but think of the Soup Nazi, only now we’re talking about the Egg Nazi (“No Eggs for YOU!!”).
I definitely think we all have our own personal themes (hot button topics), and we need to try to be respectful of each other’s. I would’ve thought Steve would know that but, whatever…
That whole “live and let live” thing gets very complicated when there are issues that just have no common ground. For instance, a Sean Hannity or Anne Coulter would NEVER see eye-to-eye with a Michael Moore. And each side is so passionate about their arguments, and SO convinced they are right and the other is wrong!
Talk about irreconcilable differences! How do we co-exist with people who see stripes when we see polka-dots? All I can think of is to respectfully agree to disagree.
Lisis, it does get complicated and we make it worse when we don’t listen and take positions and won’t move from them. It means dialogue and reflection have no place and it then becomes a question of who has most power. Agreeing to disagree is a useful way out, and the key word there is ‘respectfully’. And that seems to be in short supply with some of these hot topics.
Hello ianpeatey, you said: “I don’t care about them very much. I’d prefer that cute furry animals don’t get hurt or suffer – but if they do then I’m really not that concerned!”
But why may I ask aren’t you concerned IF you prefer that cute fury animals don’t get hurt or suffer? It is not like as if they are being made to endure pain because of any “necessity”, which would alleviate responsibility or choice.
“I care about respecting life and living as nonviolently as I can in relation to human beings.” But then… maybe only white human beings? Or Chrisitian human beings? Or young human beings? Why only humans? All animals can suffer. Is this the “price” they pay for being “less” than our species? The top-of-the-food-chain logic is by no means “nonviolent”. It’s the slaughterhouse worker who must violently end the lives of the innocent in our name… This takes it’s toll on humans too… So, really – even if you don’t/won’t care about non-humans – have you ever considered the stunman – Who works for minium wages, who very often is an immigrant, many times here illegally – Isn’t there an exploitation of humans that you are overlooking?
Jay said “because that person has made a different choice from you is reprehensible. It’s incredibly judgmental, and very much “holier than thou” thinking”.
Well… “holier than thou” might also be considered to mean those who decide life and death on innocent, sentient beings – even for purposes which might appear to be “frivolous”. After all, we don’t “need” eggs, or dairy or meat. In fact, it’s been shown by more members in the health industries that these are not “optimum” food choices due to so many negative effects. And the ability to get the same nutritional value in plant based foods. So this “holier than thou” attitude might be seen in the actions of others who indeed determine pain and suffering for pleasure’s sake only… The taste of the blood and all…
“our approaches to “live and let live” are very similar. I’m all about letting people make their own choices.” And so am I! But I would like a fair market in which my dollars did not have to go to support industries I’m philosophically against. I like to be consistent with my values of non-violence… Having my tax dollars directed to meat and dairy heavy school lunches, food assistance programs & the military comes to mind – I would like to “make my own choice” by not having cattle interests graze on public land for pennies and acre… Or have my tax dollars go to have millions of birds poisoned because they gather around feedlots… Or tax money that goes to “culling” bison – because they compete for livestock grassland… etc.,
I am very much in favor of “choice” – Which is why I think I have the right to know what is involved in the production of eggs, and dairy, and pork-chops and nuggets. The more people are exposed to these practices the more they can make informed decisions… I think it’s inexcusable for these industries to keep so much hidden from their consumers. Choices must be based on knowledge… or it’s like a thug removed the money from my wallet. Ideas and ethics matter – perhaps not to all, but to those it does, concealing these practices violates all respect for “free choice”.
Finally, Lisis – I don’t mean to preach – this is merely the way I see it… As you said, there are many points of view on “live and let live”. Mine is this: I certainly have no issues with killing animals for survival – If I were on a barren island – void of edible vegetation – and an animal’s life or death meant my survival or not… I would do what would be “necessary” to do. But we are not Inuits… or bushmen – Most of us live within 10 miles of a brightly lit, air conditioned supermarket – with thousands of other (healthy) options… So, if the “need” is not there – and it is a matter of “taste”, or momentary gastronomic delight – I opt for the “live and let live”. I suppose the question I ask myself is how much suffering can I swallow for my wants? I think there is a path of kindness in the world – it starts with the first step of walking the walk… If I don’t “need” to cause the harm – what good reason do I have to do so? Perhaps it’s not as complicated as we make it seem?
Bea. Wow. I love it when the comments become longer than the original post. So first up, thank you so much for taking the time to comment at such length. I really do appreciate it.
The question of factory farms/meat/eggs etc.. is something I’ve only recently started taking a serious look at. I suspect you’ll find a lot of inconsistency in what I write. It’s not intentional, just a sign that I’m searching with many questions, including some of those you asked me in your comment.
I think you hit the nail on the head with your final sentence. ‘Perhaps it’s not as complicated as we make it seem.’ Life is basically very simple. We eat and we procreate (excuse me if I left out something important, but I didn’t pay too much attention in Biology all those years ago!). For humans to do both of those things we need to interact with each other and with other forms of life. Everything else are layers of complication that we put on top.
On reflection .. I do care about all life. After all I wouldn’t have stopped eating meat, and now looking at the implications of other animal produce. I wouldn’t have written about it. I wouldn’t have had so much reaction to the famous Nazi article. So I do care. If I wrote that comment again I probably would now add ‘enough’. I don’t care enough to put a lot of energy into a crusade to stop the slaughter of animals for other people to eat. I’m delighted that other people (such as you) are doing something about it – I choose to fight other battles.
I’m basically very selfish and make no excuses for that. I care most of all about myself. I happen to believe that when I care most about myself then I have a lot more resource to give to caring about others. And those others are the people closest to me … extending outwards in concentric circles to finally embrace all mankind (black, white, young, old, poor, rich). The stunman, immigrant worker across the other side of the Atlantic in the USA is in there somewhere. Then my circle of attention reaches beyond to other forms of life.
I think I would go crazy with the pain of trying to connect with each and every person who’s exploited in some way. I just don’t have that much care and compassion to extend it out to everyone on the planet other than in a very diffuse and subtle way. I can give much more care and attention to those in my direct circles of contact. This blog is an ongoing attempt to extend those circles.
I abhor a lot of what goes on in the world, but I choose to I start with fixing myself. Yes .. I know I’m perfect just the way I am and no need to fix anything. But sometimes that seems just blah blah. Can I look at myself in the mirror and be sure that this person has clear values and lives by them? Sometimes yes, sometimes no.
Hi ianpeatey – Yes… I did find some inconsistency in what you wrote – But I think this comes as inevitable when one is re-evaluating issues and challenging previous beliefs. A lot of new information comes through the internet that we never had to question before…
I can understand choosing to “fight other battles” – As for me, the one battle which seems to encompass all others is the use of animals… I know it addresses health issues, sustainability, the ecology, world hunger and the exploitation of all beings. This one “cause” seems to do the most good – on a grassroots level and globally. I really do understand the “concentric circle”.
A Life Connected: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U6_hjA4cdjM
But one little mention about the “immigrant worker across the other side of the Atlantic”… Sorry, I didn’t realize you were in the UK, but as you latched on… this is quite a problem here in American slaughter plants. It’s really shameful that these violations occur – with government sanction no less.
I totally agree: “Can I look at myself in the mirror and be sure that this person has clear values and lives by them? Sometimes yes, sometimes no.”
It’s all a process to discover what the “right thing” is – As long as we continue to make the effort, keep an open mind and commit to personal growth – it will always be a “sometimes yes, sometimes no” scenario.
Thanks for you POV and allowing me to express mine.
“EVERYTHING I buy or consume comes from somewhere. It has a history.”
Oh, my friend, spend a moment and think about what you’re saying. Past and future are two easy-to-see pieces of denial you can work with. I have not read any other posts here, and i assume you want the option to stop using denial in your life.
Everything happens in the now. No past and future. Yes?
Ok, so NOTHING YOU BUY HAS A HISTORY. A history would give it a past, which is denial of the present moment. So, your eggs, my eggs, don’t have a backstory.
But the eggs have to come from somewhere? They are here, now.
What’s the connection with factory farming? There is none. Only the connections I create exist. I do that in the moment too.
So I create eggs in the store (now) and I create factory farming (now). AND I create a linkage (more denial) that the two are connected when they are not.
If I create eggs in the moment, why do I need a factory farm? Because I use logical progressions (denial) so much I *had to* create the factory farm…. there’s no space for eggs to magically go *poof* in my experience so I need the farm to make it all work to my expectations.
I can recognize the factory farm as a horrible thing and get stuck on it, fixated on it, make videos about how horrible it is, it’s the damn egg eater’s fault… and never see the denial I used to create it.
I’ll be writing a blog post that goes into this more in a few days. That whole post of Steve’s is a quagmire. I just want to bring some clarity. Cheers.
that the best way to live in denial. I’ve only read this post
Pete. Thanks for sharing your perspective.
What you seem to be saying is that I have complete power to create or destroy anything I choose because everything manifests in the present according to my own mental will and also that there’s no link between past moments and the present moment – other than the links I create? So if I don’t mentally create any links, there are no future consequences of any actions I take? Did I understand you correctly?
Assuming I did (and apologies if I didn’t) – sounds to me like a glorious way to avoid taking responsibility for anything. Frankly I don’t buy it! I mean, do you honestly, hand-on-heart believe what you wrote?
Your whole philosophy relies on ‘Everything happens in the now. No past and future’. There’s some faulty logic there – but more importantly it denies my experience (plus the experience of pretty much everyone I talk to). Now you can argue that I created all of that myself – and that’s a hard point to argue with because we then have no common ground at all because we’ve both created very different experiences out of the same thing.
Part of my experience is in a temporal body with a temporal experience. Many things happened in the past – I can’t change them, but that does not mean they did not manifest at one time (the past moment) and does not mean they have no consequence on the future. As Evan said, I carry the memory but there are also physical manifestations.
Sticking with the egg example I can’t change what happened in the production of the egg I hold in my hand this moment. But to say it manifests directly into my hand because I create it … well .. if that’s true then I would definitely like to meet you in person because there’s lots of things I would ask you to create for me.
I look forward to reading more on your blog about this …
Hi Pete,
The present is not a denial of the past or the future.
Investigation, memory and anticipation happen in the future.
Memory is necessary for learning – your use of language which happens in the present is due to your past learning.
Hi Ian – “What I can no longer avoid is that whenever I eat food from this source I take some of that violence and disrespect into my body.” I like how you said this. We not only participate in the continuation of the violence, but we make it a part of us. The truth can be unpleasant, but it’s the unpleasantness that can make us want to change. FYI- I am an egg eater too and this has really got me thinking.
Truth can indeed be unpleasant, but as the saying goes ‘the truth will set you free’.
Hi Ian, Loved this post and the discussion it brought up. I for one didn’t care much for that Steve Pavlina post. I realize his need to provoke an intense reaction, which he managed to do, but shows like Jerry Springer do the same, and I don’t profess to include that as required viewing for an enlightened life.
I actually agree with Jay, since many people who are passionate about something to the point of judging others harshly, on closer inspection, will turn out to be hypocrites on other topics. Not their fault, it’s just that life is not black and white. There are shades of grey.
I don’t follow Steve Pavlina but controversy attracts media and although I am tempted to read this article. I don’t feel it worth it.
I considered the source.
I came to your blog – I am in great company here.
@Kaizan Thanks for the comment! His article was a catalyst for me. It woke me up to a perspective I hadn’t seen before. For me, the Springer style was not necessary at all and I could have got the same catalysing effect in many other ways.
I guess we’re all hypocrites at times? I know I often am!
@Bunny I think that’s one of the greatest compliments I’ve heard! I’m so touched by what you wrote – and yes, you are in great company here .. and so am I. lol
I wanted to come back to this article. For one thing I feel the conditions in slaughter houses should be inspected and are here in the States on a regular basis.
I feel Steve was comparing apples to oranges on the consumption of eggs and meat : people to chickens. People need food. Vegetarians is a good life style – healthy but instead of insulting people who eat eggs and chicken by calling them Nazis, shouldn’t he be more inclined to do his name calling to the owners of these farm factories for the cruelty towards the animals.
Hitler was a vegetarian who monstrously slaughtered people. This surly doesn’t make all vegetarians, Nazis.
No I will shut up!
What I think Steve was trying to do (maybe not as clearly as he could have done) was push for his readers to consider consider the level of awareness they bring to day to day decisions. Eggs from factory farming was one example where as far as I can see it’s pretty black and white.
Male chicks are usually killed shortly after birth, female chicks live.
Female chicks grow into egg producing hens.
If I’m aware of the situation then I can make more informed choices. I can still choose to eat eggs from factory farms (they are a good source of food, they are cheap, they are convenient) but it’s a choice made knowing the full price (death to chicks, unnatural conditions for hens).
Yes, the factory farm owners and workers are much closer to the ‘price’ and they too have decisions to make and are subject to pressure from those who don;t like the choices they make.
I do think calling anyone a ‘Nazi’ is somewhat unclear as technically a ‘Nazi’ was a member of the, mainly German, National Socialist party existing before and during the Second World War.
I don’t think he meant it to be literal .. but then if not literal, it is open to many possible interpretations and judgements. My guess is that there are plenty of people who consider being called a ‘Nazi’ a compliment and many more who consider it an insult. It’s a very emotive label .. and actually quite meaningless.