The Pandemic and the Goddesses of Retribution
By Dr. Will Tuttle
In ancient Greek mythology, the three Furies (the Erinyes) were goddesses of retribution who punished human beings for committing crimes against the natural order. It is long past time for us to awaken to the basic fact that our enslavement, sexual abuse, and killing of billions of cows, chickens, and other fully sentient animals is a dreadful and massive crime against them, against the Earth and the natural order, and, ultimately, against ourselves.
It is time for us to realize that we are indeed being severely punished for this ongoing crime of animal agriculture. Animal agriculture is the hideous spinning fury at the core of our culture, sowing seeds of disease, exploitation, and conflict that we can see erupting as tyrannical oppression and as mental, physical, and social disease virtually everywhere in our world. To free ourselves from this ongoing punishment that we inflict upon ourselves and each other, we are called to liberate animals from human maltreatment. This is the essential and hidden pre-requisite to peace and freedom.
The consequences of failing to understand this basic lesson are multiplying exponentially. As we reduce animals to livestock and as we track, force medicate, and exploit them, we inevitably face retribution for these crimes and find ourselves similarly tracked, coerced, and exploited as mere livestock. As the old saying goes, the punishment fits the crime.
Although we’ve all been given the gift of physical bodies that don’t require any animals to suffer to get all the nutrients we need, the problem is that we are all born into a culture where we are compelled from infancy to participate in meals that include the flesh and secretions of severely abused animals. We are all thus wounded in profound and intractable ways. As discussed in The World Peace Diet, meals are actually rituals that inject into us, without our permission or awareness, a toxic narrative that erodes our compassion, intelligence, and self-respect. Because our meals are our most intimate connection with nature and with our culture, with every meal we effectively disconnect from discomforting implicit realities, and practice ritually dismantling our inherent capacities to look deeply, listen deeply, care deeply, and understand deeply.
Virtually everyone in our society suffers from these same wounds, and consequently we collectively fail to realize how devastating and self-enslaving our killing machines are, and fail to understand and discuss what is actually happening, and why. Animal agriculture ravages and harms not just the animals, ecosystems, wildlife, indigenous populations, hungry people, and industry workers, but also the inner landscape of our consciousness, which is poisoned by the denial, and by the suppressed guilt and sorrow, that this killing machine requires.
Now, as we reach the two-year anniversary of the launch of the pandemic narrative as a pretext to decisively strip away the last remaining fibers in the fabric of human sovereignty, freedom and dignity, we face tremendous dangers and challenges, because governments are notorious for not returning freedoms once they have been taken away. What we sow, we inevitably reap, and the Furies are relentless in demanding retribution, just as our enslavement of animals has been relentless and hideously brutal over the past several centuries. The irony is that without our basic freedoms of speech, assembly, and the press, our efforts to liberate animals are severely impeded.
It only takes a relatively small handful of people with sophisticated technological systems to manage the breeding and processing of millions of individual livestock animals. Correspondingly, a small and powerful elite that has gradually captured the financial, corporate, governmental, medical, military, educational, and media systems can relatively easily control the narrative and behavior of billions of people similarly viewed as livestock. All the above-mentioned social institutions interconnect, and they are pyramidically hierarchical, with every level simply enacting orders that come from “above.” The upper layers are horizontally integrated through interlocking directorships and many other devices, imposing their will and plan on the levels below.
As technocratic medical tracking systems proliferate amid sinister mandated injectables, the situation is critical. The beckoning doorway to a world of harmony, justice, abundance, and freedom is still available, but the longer we fail to question and decisively stop our commodification of animals, the more it fades from view. It’s imperative that we awaken from the culturally-imposed trance of animal exploitation and from the mentality it requires. If we continue to insist on eating meat, dairy, and eggs and vivisecting and otherwise abusing animals, we will continue experiencing the fury of the boomerang effect. Stealing the purposes and sovereignty of animals, we’ll continue to find ours stolen from us.
A vegan world of respect for animals is the essential foundation for a positive future. However, it is clear that, just as we can be vegan and be unhealthy because we insist on eating a harmful diet of processed, chemical-laden plant-based foods, we can also be a vegan and be completely deluded about the situation playing out every day all around us, especially if we drink from the deceptive trough of mainstream media and trust the misleading medical narratives spewing from doctors and health authorities, including vegan ones, unfortunately.
Gradually, over the past 120 years, the mainstream medical community has been virtually completely captured by the pharmaceutical industry (a subset of the petrochemical industry), and the wealth and power of this industry has allowed it to co-opt and subvert the environmental movement and the vegan movement, among others. A shallow faux veganism is now promoted by nonvegans like Bill Gates and it emphasizes a centralized approach to food production that subjects the Earth to harmful chemicals and humans to toxic, engineered factory-foods.
In contrast, the foundation of authentic veganism is respect for the sovereignty of individual beings, both animal beings and human beings. The essence of veganism is refusing to comply with social mandates that attack and harm the sovereignty of individual beings, and vigorously questioning the narratives put forth by animal agriculture’s primary supporter, the meat-medical-pharmaceutical-media-banking complex that is also driving the rollout of this pandemic.
As a vegan activist for over 40 years, it has become obvious that the pharmaceutical-chemical industry is the chief enemy and destroyer of animals and nature, both through vivisection and through the primary markets for their products, which are petrochemical medications for exploited animals and indoctrinated humans. It clearly follows that vegans and the vegan movement should be the “first-responders” and would logically rise up and form the immediate and primary resistance to the rollout of freedom-destroying lockdowns, mandates, and coerced pharmaceutical interventions. But unfortunately, the vegan movement has been infiltrated, like all justice movements have been, and a large number of vegans, like everyone else, fail to question the materialism of animal agriculture and of science and of our entire society, which reduces nature to mere random processes, and animals to material commodities that are sold by the pound.
Faux veganism never questions materialism and even celebrates it. It is not surprising that so many vegans are gullible to mainstream narratives, like the general population, because all of us have been wounded and deceived by the dominant materialistic narrative that pervades our educational, scientific, media, and other social institutions, and it takes a lot of effort and awareness to successfully question and unravel the falsehoods inherent in materialism.
These efforts are more essential than ever before. There are two basic steps we are all called to take. The first (outer) step is to transform our life, bringing our life into alignment with our values, so we are supporting, as best we can, only plant-based, organic, whole, and locally-sourced food and products. Becoming more self-sufficient and decentralized in terms of food, energy, and information, and supporting local producers is essential to creating a healthy alternative to the ever-expanding centralized technocratic totalitarianism. The second and more difficult (inner) step is to undertake the great adventure of spiritual discovery. We are called to examine and introspect our own consciousness, and free ourselves from the vise-grip of the colonizing conditioning of materialism that has insinuated itself into our thoughts, feelings, and perceptions.
This debilitating materialism pervades every aspect of our herding culture and going vegan doesn’t magically remove it from our consciousness. Questioning all the stories we’ve been told our entire lives is essential, especially those that reduce living beings to mere material objects and blind us to our true nature as magnificent expressions of infinite and eternal consciousness. We are called to question our internalized materialistic convictions about health, spirituality, success, sexuality, freedom, science, history, food, relationships, reality: all of it. Transforming our world starts with each of us, and the liberating and necessary revolution in our world is ignited through us as individuals, and proceeds from there.
The time is short. The Furies are exacting retribution. It’s urgent that we question materialistic narratives, spread the word, refuse to comply with injustice, liberate animals, and liberate ourselves. Future generations are depending on our efforts.
Excellent article. I agree – humans have enslaved and killed livestock for centuries and now we have been turned into “livestock” enslaved by the petrochemical/pharmaceutical industry. And yes, it’s tragic that vegans have accepted this slavery of humans as normal while still advocating for animals being brutalized in factory farms. How can they not stop and think that this is faulty reasoning and goes against everything they should believe in. But I love that you give us answers, Will, and hope that humans and even vegans will come to their senses.
Well said. Pragmatically and realistically as we go about life travel to other places on earth will require vaccines which cant be escaped, and the good thing is there are still many vegans who continue eating plant based foods and trying to eat organic and least processed as much as possible while for many as commonsense and reality to do always is not feasible while there is no such thing as perfection. So even if we have to take mainstream requirements, we can do measures we can control in other ways through our eating and lifestyle. Great thing is that many who need to get vaccinated and boosted for their jobs to earn a living while they truly cannot be self-employed is a must as well for wanting to fly abroad, many of them continue eating strictly plant based foods to best of their ability. Generally and as sworn fact is not all mainstream physicians are alike and only some mainstream doctors are different and totally plant based and offer integrative medicine of combo of allopathic and natural when necessary and best suited for different patients. Plus, as basic decency, compassion and care, people should not ever be shamed or told all organic is the way to go as many people are of low-income and in food desserts and simply cannot afford to purchase fully organic even if told it will save them later as they simply cannot afford budget wise and must be respected and dealt a good alternative realistic for them as they try. There is a simple saying beggars cannot be choosers and heavily apllues to unemployed, jobless, low income and homeless as compassion. Thanks for great article while consideration must be taken for all different types of people and their situations.
Thank you. It is so clear here in the UK that veganism, along with other justice movements, has been infiltrated by neoliberal materialism and commodification. I read yesterday from veganuary that ‘Harrods is on board with plant based eating this month.’ (perhaps their cafes are offering some plant based options but their vast food hall and main food offering will remain the same – they sell fur coats for goodness sake). In the last few months there has been a blossoming of plant-based products from every major food supplier as they recognise an opportunity for more profit.
Freeing ourselves from materialism – from obsessive/excessive buying and consumption and turning inward toward greater spiritual awareness is, I agree, the way forward. Perhaps though, as people stop consuming other beings a path opens up for them to begin this journey, without even consciously knowing. I understand your frustration about those vegans who have not understood their own exploitation and manipulation and loss of freedoms (exacerbated by the plandemic but existing beforehand in a rather less clear form). It’s hard to understand. I think, though, that you are right to explain this in relation to the theory that many vegans, like non vegans, are still deeply indoctrinated by the materialist system that is SO pervasive and SO deeply enshrined in all cultures – it is not enough only to know that it is completely wrong to be cruel to other beings – we also need to know that consummerism leads to objectificaton of all beings. It leads to us being ‘things’ who need ‘stuff’ to be acceptable. It destroys all relationships. Consummerism/Materialism destroys love, empathy and compassion. It leads to ‘othering’ and justification for the torture, exploitation and murder of other human and non human beings.
As we emerge from the plandemic we are seeing more plant based eating options, and more concern for the environment in the UK, but I think we have to recognise that these moves are superficial – they do not challenge in any way the stranglehold that big pharma, big tech, the food industry and big banks have on the world economy and are cynical moves to make even more money by duping and brainwashing us even more thoroughly into an authoritarian and totalitarian future.
Greetings Will,
I love your work and I certainly agree that animal liberation is human liberation. Could you please explain what you think are the “falsehoods inherent in materialism”? Thank you!
Hi Vanessa – In this essay from 2016, I discuss the falsehoods inherent in materialism: “Awakening from Materialism” http://www.worldpeacediet.com/2016/07/awakening-from-materialism-vegans-as-healers/
Dr. Tuttle: I’m a little concerned things are being painted here with too broad a brush. Certainly the pharm. industry has become way too powerful, but we can’t forget the lifesaving drugs they’ve produced. Nor should we forget the corruption the “mainstream media” has exposed, such as the feature on the USDA’s Wildlife Services, responsible for killing millions of our wildlife every year primarily for the livestock industry. And let’s not play into the hands of right-wing extremism claiming our rights are being taken away at every turn…insurrection anyone? (if masks help reduce disease transmission I’m all for them…and if one claims they have the right not to wear a mask in public places, well I too have a constitutional right to life – which can be compromised by a maskless carrier). If the government has no other function, it should be to protect the citizens. Granted, their actions may not be based on perfect and still evolving science. But let’s look at this a little more nuanced.
I’ve been thinking more about your article and my response. I’d like to suggest that materialism itself is the outcome of humanism – the enlightenment assertion that in Kant’s words human beings have “an intrinsic worth, i.e., dignity,” which makes them valuable’ “above all price.” This belief in human superiority over all other nature given us licence to rape, steal, murder other life forms and use them for our own benefit. This humanist belief is the very foundation of our cultures. I think it is this belief that must be challenged and I think that the faux vegans like the majority of other people believe, even though they are fighting for the rights of animals, that FUNDAMENTALLY they are superior. For example, I have seen the Vegan Society of the UK and many vegans on social media argue that it is important that humans take the covid. vaccine and covid tests so they can care for other animals – ignoring the fact that the lateral flow test, for example, contains animal extracts and probably so too do the vaccines – and demonstrating the fact that when push comes to shove, their own health is put before the lives of other beings. This is hypocracy at its worse. I’m thinking this year that I may stop calling myself a vegan. This term does not incorporate the complex web of issues within which animal cruelty operates. I’m thinking of a new term that might signify my stance on other nature, but also on materialsm and humanism. Perhaps too much to incorporate but I will work on it in the coming months, and possibly write my manifesto.
Thank you Will so much for these words, recognition of the conditions are the first steps on the path towards transformation .So now I know it and still will do what my forefathers did ,surrender to the system govern by false gods .Desire for any accumulated power in fact disempowers me from making right choices .What to do ,what to do?
True power ,shelter, is there in true community ,community supported by economy ground in understanding of what this beautiful Earth is.
We need to form true local communities like that ,there is no way around it ,this is our quest.
Lieber Will,
thank you so much for your awareness, and for your work.
It is comforting to know that there are people, true humans, children of God out there who understand basic spiritual laws, who understand why certain things are happening.
God bless you and all the readers in the name of Yeshua,
Christine
A Good Crisis.
There’s a dangerous philosophy
Our government has embraced.
There is value in a crisis;
Never let a good one go to waste.
So, if you should discover
Another civil liberty erased,
Look for the nearest crisis
With a bitter after taste.
Now, I agree with most of you,
That waste sounds like a problem,
But, hold on to civil liberties,
and remember how you got them.
Essentially, we are born free,
And owing no one rent.
It was the logistics of living harmoniously
That created government.
But government is a battle ground.
There are many shades of people.
While most of us will live in love,
There are some who lean toward evil.
I hypothesize we lived in peace,
Until we left our natural climate.
When winter foraging became impossible,
Some began to hunt, like pirates.
We lost harmony with nature
In the midst of early crisis.
As we saw animals as food,
And we plundered nature for devices.
With our separatist mentality
We put animals within a fence,
So, we could kill them for our meals
At our convenience.
Thus, animals were commodified
And there was power in having more.
And their basic need to be living free
Just had to be ignored.
Now there are screaming rows of cages
Behind stores selling milk and veal,
And there is slick packaging to disguise
The children’s lives we steal.
And what if those children were human?
Would our hearts still remain hard as stone?
Maybe one day we’ll have magazine ads
Selling child sex and adrenochrome.
It is only loving people
Standing together strong
Who can resist the desecration
And show that it is wrong.
But love must be whole hearted,
Without a “don’t look here” cocoon.
The cocoon can harbor a virus
Like an elephant in the room.
Even in America,
We still celebrate our heroes
Who declared universal equality,
But left out animals, and women, and negroes.
As we worship at the alter
Of “ignorance is bliss”,
we birthed the evil mutation
Of the mega-billionaire faux philanthro-capitalist.
Is it any surprise
As evil grows more cunning,
We have mass formation psychosis
As we are busy treadmill running?
And now we wear the evil virus
As a mask upon our face.
And those who happen to like fresh air
Are easily erased.
And there’s a passport you can show,
You are certified germ free,
Unless you happened to rely
On hydroxychloroquine.
And people who don’t comply
With built back better society
Can take their place among the animals,
And forget about being free.
We are kin with all the animals.
We need to be less quiet.
The song of universal love
Should be reflected in our diet.
Love is our immunity
To protect against disease.
When we harmonize with nature,
We can visualize world peace.
So beautifully and clearly explained Will, as usual. It’s still bewildering as to why this is not starkly obvious to all.
The furies were converted by the Goddess Athena after Oretias was tried for the death of his mother. The 1st jury trial of 12 Athenians was made to quell the furies, for they were the last vestige of the old order of “blood”, eye for eye. The use of the furies in this example, while an erroneous usages, is far from the concept of Ahimsa laid down by Mahatma G. The outcome of the trial, Oretias being found innocent, with time served and acts of contrition fulfilling the revenge of the furies for the matricide.
The furies were transformed into the Benedictines. The furies are a concept from the era before the historical Christ. The article us well meant, but is disingenuous for those who haven’t learned these stories.
Yes, I’m well aware of the Orestean Trilogy and the whole story line, and of course there are a variety of interpretations of it, but you are missing the point unfortunately – Orestes’ killing of Clytemestra, his mother, was not allowed in the ancient times, but under the new more patriarchal system, it was allowed – and we are still killing the sacred feminine today, to our great misfortune, and also to the harm of animals and the Earth. The point though is that animal agriculture is an offense against the natural order, which the Furies defended.