While in San Francisco, we were approached by a woman who said she was taking donations for hunger. There was a larger demonstration of some kind taking place on the plaza behind her. It was one of those cons were she gave us a “I heart San Francisco” sticker, then suckered me into a couple of bucks, having successfully duped me into thinking “aw hell, she did give me the sticker.”

Soon as I’d given her some money (three dollars), she started in with garbage about how eating meat begins the cycle of violence that comes back to haunt us with nastiness like war, murder, natural disaster and “Two and a Half Men,” (okay, maybe not the last one) all peppered with bastardized text from various eastern religions (most of which I think have something to offer in their unbastardized form, particularly for libertarians).

When she got to the part where she started handing us PETA propaganda, I was ready to ask for my money back. Of course, she hadn’t the brightest porch light on the block, so Courtney and I argued with her until she really had nothing more to say, which took all of about 25 seconds. Frustrated, she gave me a few handbills, with a look and tone suggesting she’s sure I’d be convinced if only I read the reassuring words of someone smarter than she. Someone like Hare Krsna Devi Dasi, author of an article almost criminal in its foolishness. It’s title is “Ox versus Tractor,” and I guess is intended to convince us to return to subsistence living. Snippetry:

Employment

Tractor: One man can farm many acres, putting dozens of men out of work.

Ox: One man can farm only a few acres. Nearly everyone in the village gets ivolved in growing food.

Distribution of Wealth

Tractor: Well-being and comfort for a few, at the expense of many. Cash moves toward the corporation.

Ox: The farmer lives in modest comfort, not much better or worse off than his neighbors. Cash stays in the community.

Environmental Impact

Tractor: Born of a factory, spaned by mines, refineries, and oil wells, fed on petrol. Batters the soil.

Ox: No factory needed, just another cow. Fed by the earth. Treads benignly on the soil.

What It Does for the Poor

Tractor: Makes grain hi-tech and costly. Pushes the poor into dependence on local charity and international handouts.

Ox: Empowers the poor to grow their own food, securing their long-term welfare.

Violence

Tractor: Makes oxen useless for plowing, dooming bull-calves to slaughter. Drives farmers off their land and into joblessness, bringing land under the grip of a few.

Ox: Works peacefully, in partnership with man.

Spiritual Development

Tractor: Chains man to a roaring, dangerous, bone-jarring machine. Drags farming into the world of commodities speculation and land grabbing. Drives farmers out of the fields and onto the streets of the city. Ruins spiritual development.

Ox: Works with farmer at quiet, wholesome labor. Upholds a life of dependence on God and thankfulness for the bounty of the land. Pulls toward a simple, honest life in a natural setting for spiritual advancement.

Sustainability

Tractor: Ruins the soil. Destorys the social structure. Finished as soon as cheap petroleum runs out.

Ox: Can’t sustain itself where agribusiness is the norm and land prices are driven up by speculation. You can’t farm with oxen on land that costs $6,000 an acre. But under spiritually enlightened leaders who protect the land and accept taxes in the form of grains and produce, ox-power farming can sustain itself on and on and on.

I’m sold. Back to animal labor! I’ll start by training my dog to get me a beer from the fridge.

Baby steps.

This entry was posted on Thursday, January 20th, 2005 at 5:28 pm by Radley Balko and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.