Current Affairs Michael Pollan Is Lying to You About "Ethical" Meat
Jan 1, 2026
John Sanbonmatsu, a philosophy professor and author of The Omnivore’s Deception, challenges the ethical implications of meat consumption. He argues that no form of killing animals can be deemed humane and compares this practice to political domination. Sanbonmatsu critiques the narratives surrounding 'humane' meat by highlighting self-deception and moral evasion. He also discusses the inadequacy of lab-grown meat solutions and connects animal rights to broader societal moral crises, advocating for a more compassionate and abolitionist approach.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Meat As Political Domination
- John Sanbonmatsu argues killing animals is a relation of domination that we politically authorize.
- He calls modern animal agriculture a system of mass violence rooted in human superiority.
The Inconsistent Moral Boundary
- Sanbonmatsu highlights the moral inconsistency between companion animals and farmed animals.
- He insists there's no ethical difference between cows, pigs, chickens and pets.
Science Undercuts Animal Exceptionalism
- Darwinian continuity undermines claims that animals lack inner life and moral status.
- Sanbonmatsu cites scale: tens of billions of land animals and trillions of marine animals are killed yearly.