"The powerful individual whom we call 'everybody'": dall'egemonia carnista a una transizione proteica sostenibile

Abstract

The paper explores the concept of carnism, that is, the belief system which framesthe consumption of certain animals as ethical and natural. The author highlights how carnism – rooted in anthropocentrism, speciesism, and anthropocracy – functions as a  hegemonic  discourse  that  normalizes  the  killing  and  consumption  of  non-human  animals.  This  system  is  sustained  by  the  “Three  Ns”  (normal,  natural,  necessary)  and the “Cognitive Trio” (reification, de-individualization, dichotomization). What emerges  is  the  intersection  between  carnism  and  gender  issues:  meat  is  associated  with  power,  masculinity,  and  domination.  The  carnist  discourse  permeates  adver-tising,  popular  culture,  and  mass  communication,  reinforcing  speciesist  and  sexist  stereotypes while ridiculing vegetarians and vegans. Despite growing environmental awareness, political agendas and religious institutions remain largely silent on the need  to  reduce  meat  consumption,  even  in  light  of  its  significant  climatic  and  eco-logical  impact.  The  author  emphasizes  the  urgency  of  a  protein  transition  toward  sustainable,  plant-based  diets,  supported  by  a  form  of  carnism  literacy  –  a  critical  capacity  to  recognize  carnism  as  a  cultural  construct  and  to  deconstruct  its  pre-sumed naturalness – thus fostering ethical, ecological, and social transformation.