Negativity, Red Meat, & Huxley

[Trevor]

This is taken from Eyeless in Gaza pg. 453 by Aldous Huxley. What are your thoughts on the matter?

‘You think you think like a Buddhist,’ said the Doctor. ‘But you don’t. Thinking negatively isn’t thinking like a Buddhist; it’s thinking like a Christian who’s eating more buther’s meat than his intestine can deal with.’
Anthony laughed.
‘Oh, I know it sounds funny,’ said the Doctor. ‘But that’s only because you’re a dualist.’
‘I’m not.’
‘Not in theory perhaps. But in practice - how can you be anything but a dualist? What are you, Anthony Beavis? A clever man - that’s obvious. But it’s equally obvious that you’ve got an unconscious body. An efficient thinking apparatus and a hopelessly stupud set of muscles and bones and viscera. Of course you’re a dualist. You live your dualism. And one of the reasons you live it is because you poison yourself with animal protein. Like millions of other people, of course! What’s the greatest enemy of Christianity today? Froken meat. In the past only members of the upper classes were thoroughly sceptical, despairing, negative. Why? Among other reasons, because they were the only people who could afford to eat too much meat. Now there’s cheap Cantebury Lamb and Argentine chilled beef. Even the poor can afford to poison themselves into complete scepticism and despair. And only the most violent stimuli will rouse them to purposive activity, and, what’s worse, the only activity they’ll undertake is diabolic. They can only be stimulated by hysterical appeals to persecute Jews, or murder socialists, or go to war. You personally happen to be too intelligent to be a fascist or a nationalistic; but again, it’s a matter of theory, not of life. Believe me, Anthony Beavis, your intestines are ripe for fascism and nationalism. They’re making you long to be shaken out of the horrible negativity to which they’ve condemned you - to be shaken by violence into violence.’

[anon]

@Huxley

In the past only members of the upper classes were thoroughly sceptical, despairing, negative. Why? … And only the most violent stimuli will rouse them to purposive activity…

I’d say it’s boredom, not meat.

[Trevor]

So y’think, the whole idea of what you’re eating affecting, or even, determining, your attitude is baloney?

[anon]

@trevor

So y’think, the whole idea of what you’re eating affecting, or even, determining, your attitude is baloney?

In such a global, yet particular way? Yes.

[Trevor]

@anon

@trevor

So y’think, the whole idea of what you’re eating affecting, or even, determining, your attitude is baloney?

In such a global, yet particular way? Yes.

Global and particular? So, in everyway then?

Shame…changing one’s diet seemed like such an easy route to peace. Oh well, at least I don’t have to give up ham. Or milk.

[anon]

@trevor

@anon

@trevor

So y’think, the whole idea of what you’re eating affecting, or even, determining, your attitude is baloney?

In such a global, yet particular way? Yes.

Global and particular? So, in everyway then?

Shame…changing one’s diet seemed like such an easy route to peace. Oh well, at least I don’t have to give up ham. Or milk.

Peace is extraordinarily difficult. You could try vegetarianism or veganism. I think that’s very worthwhile. But it won’t turn you into a peaceful person, and you should make sure you take B12 supplements, at the very least. Some people even get nastier. Maybe it’s because they think they’re more moral than meat eaters.

[Trevor]

@anon

Peace is extraordinarily difficult. You could try vegetarianism or veganism. I think that’s very worthwhile. But it won’t turn you into a peaceful person, and you should make sure you take B12 supplements, at the very least. Some people even get nastier. Maybe it’s because they think they’re more moral than meat eaters.

Extraordinarily and difficult are two words that shouldn’t be together. Like two men. I’m out.