A Short Response

The first thing I noticed about the “Animal Cruelty” video was that the production company was called “One True Media” which may have swayed those who watched the video into believing that what they are seeing is true, simply because the word “true” is in the title. However, if you go to the company’s website you find that it is a site created “to provide consumers with easy-to-use tools to mix and share their own video creations” (1) and has no method of verifying the information in the videos produced. Many of the images presented were neither offensive nor showing any form of inhumane treatment, and were all without any explanation. None of the images were cited, so the context or even time period they were taken from could not be evaluated. The aim of the video was simply to evoke emotion against animal use, in any manner.

The second video was more thought provoking. Many of the clips seemed staged- especially the “hurt ‘em” portion which referenced PeTA, since the diction seemed forced and the entire thing was seemingly filmed without anyone in the barn noticing or either not caring, which seems very unusual. Even if the clips were not staged the context of the situation was not shown, like the downer pig being euthanized with a captive bolt or the reason for the smashing of the piglets and poultry, giving an incomplete view of the event so that a critical evaluation cannot actually be made. Furthermore, if these situations occurring when filmed, and not staged, why are the people supposedly in support of the ethical treatment of animals not doing anything to stop the treatment they are filming, or even more importantly why are they encouraging it? The lack of action seems quite contradictory to their purpose, and belief system.

It is also easy to realize that many of the “practices” depicted such as killing piglets and birds, and beating stock are not commonplace among the industry as the farmers would never receive enough profit to sustain their farms. Dead and injured animals do not enter the food supply, and any bruised or wounded meat is discounted at the slaughter house. If these practices were happening every day, then there would be no need try to convert people to vegans, since no farmers would be able economically maintain their farms.

Some of the quotes and references used by the video also raised questions. Many quotes are clearly slanted or biased towards the vegan/ vegetarian goals, such as Milksucks.com and Michael Pollan the “food activist” whom contributed to Food, Inc.(2) Whereas other quotes were altered, completely changing their meaning, such as the statement from the video:

“Ben Franklin’s definition of the “reasonable creature” was one who could come up with reasons for whatever he or she really wants to do! Will you just make up reasons you can’t help? If not you then who?...”

The actual quote, however, is:

“So convenient a thing it is to be a reasonable creature, since it enables one to find or make a reason for everything one has a mind to do.” -from Franklin’s Autobiography published in 1868 (3)

In the actual context, the quote has an entirely different connotation. Franklin is not defining a reasonable creature as one who will come up with reasons for whatever he wants to do, but rather the quote seems to be more of a commentary about the use of “reason” as a convenient way for people to justify their actions to themselves. That is exactly what the video’s author accomplished, they justified the production of their video and the misrepresentation of the industry through their own created reasoning.

1 http://www.onetruemedia.com/otm_site/aboutus
2 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Pollan
3 http://www.jrank.org/quotations/pages/569/Benjamin-Franklin.html