Editorial Review:

A thought-provoking look at how what we eat profoundly affects all living things--and how we can make more ethical food choices

 

Five Principles for Making Conscientious Food Choices
1. Transparency: We have the right to know how our food is produced.
2. Fairness: Producing food should not impose costs on others.
3. Humanity: Inflicting unnecessary suffering on animals is wrong.
4. Social Responsibility: Workers are entitled to decent wages and working conditions.
5. Needs: Preserving life and health justifies more than other desires.
Peter Singer, the groundbreaking ethicist who "may be the most controversial philosopher alive" (The New Yorker), now sets his critical sights on the food we buy and eat: where it comes from, how it's produced, and whether it was raised humanely. Teaming up once again with attorney Jim Mason, his coauthor on the acclaimed Animal Factories, Singer explores the impact our food choices have on humans, animals, and the environment.

In The Way We Eat, Singer and Mason examine the eating habits of three American families with very different diets. They track down the sources of each family's food to probe the ethical issues involved in its production and marketing. What kinds of meat are most humane to eat? Is "organic" always better? Wild fish or farmed? Recognizing that not all of us will become vegetarians, Singer and Mason offer ways to make the best food choices. As they point out: "You can be ethical without being fanatical."

Customer Reviews:

Avg. Customer Rating: 4.0 / 5.0

Good book for meat eaters and vegetarians.:

I bought this book a few weeks ago and really enjoyed reading it. I think it was thought-provoking. I really liked the way the authors looked at what the families purchased and then discussed the items and their origins. I think that helps the average person to relate to the information. I highly recommend the book to all people that care and are curious about where their food comes from and if there are ethical implications that they should consider before making the purchase (e.g., environmental... more info

Objective and non-preachy:

Throughly researched, this book provides an insightful and provocative look into the ethical/environmental concerns revolving around our meat eating culture. What Singer and Mason are able to avoid is taking on a holier-than-thou tone, while they come to the sensible conclusion that a vegan lifestyle is preferable to an omnivorous one. However, they also investigate the truth behind food labels, and the issues of organic and local food. Very thoughtful, and hopefully this book will instigate further change... more info

Only read if you care about yourself or the world around you:

This book offers a very thought-provoking view into the world of food. Forget restaurant hygiene and other crazes, this book portrays the alarming state of the food industry as it operates in the USA today (with a slight glimpse into Europe as well). The authors do a very good job at presenting facts and issues surrounding the ethics (obviously) of the food industry, with a focus on farming. Unlike many other similar discussions, I felt the authors' approach was very easy to read (or digest, heh), with a... more info

Everyone should read this:

This is a superb book. Everyone should read this to know what they are truly consuming and how it effects our planet and its inhabitants. It's time that we are aware of the consequences of our food choices so that we may hopefully make better choices and decrease our impact on the planet.

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