Musician and activist Moby first shot to fame in 1991, when his single “Go” became a worldwide hit (the song was listed as one of the best records of all time by Rolling Stone magazine). Fame provided New York-based Moby (real name Richard Melville Hall) with a platform to discuss the matters closest to his heart—most notably, animal welfare. A staunch vegan, time was when Moby couldn’t even talk to people who eat meat. Now, he’s opened up the discussion—going so far as to invite a couple of pig farmers to contribute to Gristle: From Factory Farms to Food Safety, the collection of essays he co-edited with Miyun Park (The New Press). The book features writings by an eclectic group of activists, including Lauren Bush (niece of the very non-vegan George W.), Christine Chavez (granddaughter of Cesar), John Mackey (founder of Whole Foods) and Paul Willis (manager of Niman Ranch Pork Company).
Each writer—carnivore or not—brings an individual perspective to the ruinous state of the contemporary meat industry, shedding light on the terrible conditions endured not only by livestock and poultry, but by the humans who work there, too. Taken as a whole, their words make Gristle an important—and balanced—documentary on the true cost of a roast dinner in 2010.
In addition to being a public spokesman for the vegan lifestyle, Moby works closely with a number of charities, including the Humane Society, the Institute for Neurologic Function, and Moveon.org. And although he focuses on the health-related aspects of meat-eating, it’s clear the singer’s deeper concern is to end the suffering of animals.
Music, however, is still his number one focus. He’ll headline the Electric Daisy Carnival 2010’s Friday bill, taking place in Exposition Park at the end of June, and he continues to record. His most recent album, the critically acclaimed Wait For Me, was released through his label, Little Idiot, last year.
Moby was kind enough to answer these questions about Gristle via email.
You have a stellar cast of essayists in Gristle. How did you decide whom to invite to contribute? What principles did you follow when “curating” your selection of contributors?
Miyun (co-editor Miyun Park) and I just put together a “wish list” of contributors, and we got lucky in that 90 percent of the people on our wish list said “yes.”
Were there any writers who put forward views or made statements you
didn’t agree with?
Unfortunately, no. I personally love it when people disagree with me, as it makes for a more interesting dialectic.
You’ve toured the book in a few major cities so far. What have been the most interesting/challenging questions that audience members have posed?
A recurring question is: How do the poor feed themselves well when meat is so cheap? The answer: End taxpayer subsidies for animal production.
So then if the government ceased subsidizing meat farming, then meat would be more realistically priced, albeit more expensive. How would low-income families be able to adapt and purchase affordable meat?
Well, if meat production wasn’t subsidized then low income families probably wouldn’t be able to adapt and purchase affordable meat. Which is okay, as affordable meat leads to hypertension, diabetes, obesity, heart disease and cancer.
There is a chapter on zoonotic diseases. What’s the creepiest piece of zoonotic disease trivia that you learned in the compiling of this book?
Well, not to indulge in hyperbole, but that almost every mass human epidemic had its genesis (or nascence) in confined animal populations.
Gristle contributor Lauren Bush—have you talked to her about her
views and how they may or may not conform with views held by the rest of her family?
She and I are friends, but we’ve never really discussed how her family feels about her activism. I’m sure that they love and respect her even if they disagree with her on some points.
If we don’t reform the food industry, what are some possible consequences we should be aware of?
More decimated communities. More dead and wounded workers. More decimated eco-systems. More and more polluted water supplies. And increasing rates of obesity, cancer, heart disease and diabetes.
The meat industry is deeply flawed, but what are your concerns about other forms of commercial farming (such as soy, corn) and the ways they contribute to emissions, disease and poverty?
To be honest, I don’t know. Industrialized agriculture is such a huge issue, it’s hard for me to generalize.
If you had dominion over America what would you change about the food setup, immediately?
A complete end of direct subsidies to CAFOs (confined animal feeding operations, or factory farms).
You invited meat eaters to contribute, pig farmers Paul and
Phyllis Willis for instance. In what ways has your stance toward meat eating and meat eaters changed over the years?
I feel that I have to respect other people’s choices, just as I hope people will respect my choices. Just because I disagree with someone’s choices doesn’t make that person wrong or me right.
