It's the reason we say "pork" and "beef" instead of "pig" and "cow." Dissection and surgical instruction, like meat-eating, require a carefully maintained set of illusions and denial.
The quote highlights the disconnection between the animals we eat and the words we use to describe them. By referring to "pork" and "beef," we distance ourselves from the reality of them being parts of animals. This linguistic choice creates a mental barrier that allows us to consume meat without confronting the true nature of the sources of our food. In the context of dissection and surgical training, this idea of maintaining illusions is crucial. The study of human cadavers, like meat consumption, involves a denial of the human experience and mortality. Roach’s work explores how these practices are steeped in cultural habits that protect us from the stark realities of our own biology and death.
The quote highlights the disconnection between the animals we eat and the words we use to describe them. By referring to "pork" and "beef," we distance ourselves from the reality of them being parts of animals. This linguistic choice creates a mental barrier that allows us to consume meat without confronting the true nature of the sources of our food.
In the context of dissection and surgical training, this idea of maintaining illusions is crucial. The study of human cadavers, like meat consumption, involves a denial of the human experience and mortality. Roach’s work explores how these practices are steeped in cultural habits that protect us from the stark realities of our own biology and death.
