Misozoony (n): hatred of nonhuman animals.

Hate can be expressed in many ways and a variety of behaviors can be interpreted as hate. Though someone may not describe their feelings as hatred, behaviors such as forcibly imprisoning, impregnating, and medicating another is an expression of hatred. Further examples of hatred include harassing, torturing, killing, and consuming the flesh of another.

Human omnivorism, in the context of current industrial society, is an expression of misozoony. There is no need to consume the flesh of animals, thus the only reason for it is because people want to. The reason is that they hate nonhuman animals.

Misozoony is parallel to misogyny, the hatred of women. Like misogyny, misozoony is perpetuated in religion, government, and popular culture. Misozoony, like misogyny, is created and sustained by myths about nonhuman animals. Myths create and sustain misogyny. Common myths about women include:

1. the myth that women are super-emotional and are ruled by emotions alone and have no capacity for reason or logic
2. the myth that men are capable, kind, and proper guardians for women
3. the myth that women’s purpose in life is to serve men’s and children’s needs and desires
4. the myth of the bright-line difference between virginal or motherly women and promiscuous or sex-positive women
5. the myth of the us/them dichotomy - that women are so significantly different than men that any individual man has more (of value) in common with another man than he has with any woman

Myths create and sustain misozoony. Common myths about nonhuman animals include:

1. the myth that nonhuman animals are automatons who are ruled by instinct alone and have no emotions or capacity for pain and suffering
2. the myth that humans are capable, kind, and proper guardians or stewards for nonhuman animals
3. the myth that nonhuman animals’ purpose in life is to serve human needs and desires
4. the myth of the bright-line difference between animals as pets and animal as food
5. the myth of the us/them dichotomy - that nonhuman animals are so significantly different than humans that any individual human has more (of value) in common with another human than she has with any nonhuman animal

“Because they’re animals” is an excuse. “Because God said we should” is an excuse. “Because it’s their destiny” is an excuse. These are lies humans tell each other and themselves. They are not reality. The truth is, humans hate nonhuman animals. The truth is, humans express that hate in a wide variety of ways, including forcibly imprisoning, impregnating, killing, and eating nonhuman animals.

You can stop misozoony, at least in some significant and crucial ways: you can stop eating animals and their secretions. You can go (and stay) vegan.

Sections: Vegan Theory
Topics: animal rights, misozoony, Theory, Vegan