Why do we love some animals as family while treating others as commodities?
In this episode of The Animal Wellness Podcast, host Joseph Grove is joined by Melanie Joy, Ph.D. — Harvard-educated psychologist, international speaker, and author of the landmark book, “Why We Love Dogs, Eat Pigs, and Wear Cows.”
Dr. Joy introduces and explores the concept of carnism — the largely invisible belief system that conditions people to eat certain animals while caring deeply for others. Drawing on psychology, sociology, and ethics, she examines how cultural norms shape perception, why systems of animal exploitation often go unquestioned, and why even compassionate people may participate in practices they would otherwise reject.
The conversation also reflects the perspective of Animal Wellness Action: an acknowledgment that many people eat animals, paired with a firm ethical insistence that animals raised for food deserve lives free from needless suffering. If there must be a “bad day,” it should be only one day — not a lifetime of cruelty, confinement, or neglect.
Together, Grove and Joy discuss moral dissonance, defensiveness, and how advocates can speak about animals in ways that invite reflection rather than resistance — offering listeners a thoughtful, humane framework for understanding both animal suffering and the belief systems that sustain it.
The Animal Wellness podcast is produced by Animal Wellness Action and the Center for a Humane Economy. It focuses on improving the lives of animals in the United States and abroad through legislation and by influencing businesses to create a more humane economy. The show is hosted by veteran journalist and animal-advocate Joseph Grove.
www.centerforahumaneeconomy.org
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