Carnist

Carnism is a concept used in discussions of humanity's relation to other animals, defined as a prevailing ideology in which people support the slaughter of animals, especially for meat. Carnism is presented as a dominant belief system supported by a variety of defense mechanisms and mostly unchallenged assumptions. As a dominant ideological system of which meat consumption and animal cruelty are a part, it prescribes norms and beliefs about animal treatment. The term carnism was coined by social psychologist and author Melanie Joy in 2001 and popularized by her book Why We Love Dogs, Eat Pigs, and Wear Cows (2009).