The Meat Paradox: Guilt Free Meat Eaters
- Kris J. Simpson
- May 1
- 7 min read
The menu was simple, as it should be at a steakhouse, with various cuts of steak to choose from. While looking over the pictures of the different steaks, I experienced that familiar guilty feeling again. I’ve had this feeling for years, and I’m not quite sure how it developed. I don’t recall feeling this way as a child or young adult. It might not have been the right time to ponder this, since I was trying to enjoy my dinner, but I couldn’t help myself. Instead of asking the elder in our village, I went to the Google search bar and typed: “Why do I sometimes feel guilty for eating meat?”
Google completed the search query before I could finish typing it. This is usually a good sign, confirming that I’m not the only one who feels this way. Some of my anxiety began to dissipate; thank goodness I’m not alone. The first site that appeared was a study on the NIH website, titled “The Meat Paradox.” This concept is used by psychologists to describe the cognitive dissonance prevalent in Western culture, where we have a deep love for our companion animals but still consume other animals.
For some people who have formed strong bonds with their pets, dining at a Brazilian steakhouse — where they serve all kinds of meat — can provoke feelings of guilt. They struggle to balance their beliefs about the humane treatment of animals with the temptation of the delicious skewers being offered. This unsettling feeling stems from what Stanford University psychologist Leon Festinger first identified in 1957 as cognitive dissonance, which describes the mental discomfort that arises when our actions contradict our beliefs. We often realize we are being hypocritical but try our best to avoid overthinking it, hoping that everyone else loves meat just as much as we do so that nobody calls each other out.
This paradox has become more evident since I reconnected with animals. After growing up with various pets, I took a long break before welcoming our first family pet, Kiki the cat. Taking on the role of a pet parent can sometimes feel similar to caring for children. Both require patience — lots of it — along with janitorial duties, love, and support, often in the form of petting on demand, all in exchange for companionship. While I wouldn’t directly compare a pet dog to a child, many people take the role of a pet parent very seriously.
Scrolling through my TikTok feed reveals a plethora of animals from every corner of the earth, each cherished by their pet parents. Witnessing the special connection between humans and animals — regardless of their lower intelligence — motivates me to keep watching endless cat videos. I must admit, I get a little teary-eyed when I see humans reunite with their animals; it’s truly emotionally moving.
It’s not just cats and dogs that evoke such feelings. Observing livestock animals — such as pigs, cows, geese, goats, and others — form bonds with humans shows that they also exhibit emotions in our presence and seek our affection. I’m convinced these animals are very similar to the cats and dogs we adore.
If you have a soft spot in your heart for furry and non-furry mammals, or perhaps even scaly reptiles, it’s no surprise that you find it difficult to turn off those feelings when your 18 oz prime rib is served rare. We can agree that livestock, such as pigs, cows, and lambs, are considered lower conscious life forms, lacking the higher consciousness and ability to communicate like us. However, they share too much with us for me to draw a clear line. All I can manage is a blurry line, which likely reflects my attempt to mask the guilt. Damn you, cognitive dissonance! Why do you have to be so difficult?
If you haven’t already guessed, I’m writing this after enjoying a reasonable 8 oz steak. I do eat meat, but for some time now, my diet has leaned more towards chicken and fish. However, on rare occasions, I still indulge in the larger four-legged animals as well. So, I can definitely relate to the cognitive dissonance that comes with being part of the meat paradox.
I’m not alone in this sentiment. Albert Einstein, the renowned physicist, once said, “I have always eaten animal flesh with a somewhat guilty conscience.” Interestingly, he is listed as one of the famous vegetarians on PETA’s website (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals). PETA operates under the simple principle that animals are not ours to experiment on, eat, wear, use for entertainment, or abuse in any way.
Another well-known individual, Mark Zuckerberg, took on a self-sustaining challenge back in 2011, aiming to eat only what he kills. When Jack Dorsey was invited to dinner at Mark’s house and inquired about the menu, Mark mentioned that he had just killed a goat that afternoon, which was now in the oven. Jack opted to eat the salad that evening.
Fortune magazine reported that Mark expressed, “I started thinking about this last year when I had a pig roast at my house. A bunch of people told me that even though they loved eating pork, they really didn’t want to think about the fact that the pig used to be alive. That just seemed irresponsible to me. I don’t have an issue with anything people choose to eat, but I do think they should take responsibility and be thankful for what they eat rather than trying to ignore where it came from.”
What can we do about this troubling issue so we can enjoy eating meat without guilt? Unfortunately, I don’t have a solution, but I want to discuss this with you in hopes that a positive dialogue can emerge. My first thought is based on a word that Zuckerberg mentioned: “responsibility.” Throughout the industrial and now the technological revolution, we have shifted the responsibility of killing animals for our consumption to factory farms. For many of us, this reality can be unsettling, especially if we’ve stumbled across a documentary on YouTube about animal welfare in these operations. It’s quite disturbing.
My second thought is that we often choose to ignore the reality of killing animals, having been conditioned not to consider where our meat comes from. Food processors do their best to obscure the fact that the meat we eat was once part of a living being. It is often presented like any other manufactured product, with efforts to hide what some animal activists deem a crime. However, occasionally, the thought crosses my mind that the piece of meat on my fork was once a living creature. Naturally, I try to dismiss that thought because — who wants to be disturbed while eating dinner? Nevertheless, that thought lingers in the back of my mind.
Let’s return to the topic of responsibility. Our hunter-gatherer ancestors did not domesticate wildlife for harvesting; they went out and hunted them. By domesticating animals into livestock, we have altered our relationship with these creatures. They are now under our care, intended to nourish and feed us, but they remain in our care nonetheless, and this has changed our perception of what is humane and what is not.
Factory farming often lacks feeling or compassion, and some might describe it as inhumane. From what I have observed, factory farms operate mechanically, contrasting sharply with the bond pet owners have with their animals. It feels more like the relationship we have with cars — unless, of course, we are teenagers who just got our first sports car, and it feels like first love.
When we see animals on an assembly line, something feels fundamentally wrong. I’ve heard stories about Indigenous cultures honouring their kills, utilizing the entire animal — not just for food but also for clothing, shelter, and even jewelry. There is a sense of humanity in that practice, or perhaps “respect” is a more fitting word.
I will offer some suggestions, some of them I may never follow up on, since I have self-diagnosed as cognitive dissonant, but it’s food for thought.
To address concerns about the source of the meat we consume, consider purchasing meat from a local farm where you can visit the operation and assess whether the animals’ welfare meets your standards. Additionally, local farmers’ markets are a great option; they not only support local farmers but also allow you to avoid commercially produced meat. According to ourworldindata.org, 74 percent of the animals we eat are factory-farmed, which amounts to 100 billion animals killed for meat each year. This is staggering, especially when you consider there are only 8 billion humans on the planet as of 2024.
As a former health and fitness professional, which isn’t even relevant to this next suggestion since it’s blatantly obvious in today’s world: EAT LESS. Do you really need a 14 oz or 20 oz prime rib? That’s 770 calories and 70 grams of protein, and 1100 calories and 100 grams of protein, respectively, in one sitting, and that’s without the sides. If you would like my professional opinion, that’s way too much — stop doing that immediately.
If you haven’t noticed, a serious health crisis is underway in the United States and other countries. It’s called the obesity epidemic, and it is one of the primary contributors to the “Four Horsemen,” as Dr. Peter Attia explains in his book “Outlive.” These Horsemen refer to heart disease, cancer, neurodegenerative diseases, and type 2 diabetes — conditions that threaten our health without mercy.
You might consider trying a plant-based diet. I followed one for a short period but found it challenging to maintain while travelling. Despite that, I experienced many benefits with minimal downsides. I supplemented it with plant-based protein powder, which helped me meet my daily protein targets. While this diet does present some challenges, my background in health and fitness, along with my experience as a former Mr. Canada natural bodybuilding champion, showed me that with some adjustments, it is possible to be healthy, lean, and strong while following a plant-based diet. If you’re interested in seeing my experiment with this diet, you can watch it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PU4vSHF1l_A.
If you lean more toward advocacy, consider sharing your concerns about factory farming on social media, along with the truths you’ve discovered. Seeing crowded facilities, where some animals never see the light of day, was a significant eye-opener for me. Another suggestion is to choose meat that is labeled as free-range or pasture-raised, as these animals typically had the opportunity to see daylight and hopefully lived better lives while they were alive. I’m a bit of a food label skeptic and have spent a lot of time studying food manufacturing, so I encourage you to verify that the meat is genuinely labelled as pasture-raised or free-range.
If you decide to advocate for these changes, try to avoid framing it in a divisive way. There are already opposing sides — hunters versus gatherers and carnivores versus vegans. Perhaps you can be the one who fosters understanding and brings people together.
I would love to hear your thoughts: if you’re a meat eater with a strong connection to animals, how do you manage feelings of guilt while enjoying your prime rib?
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