Today’s words: Care, Show, Year, Gifted
Word count: 304
Completion time: 17 minutes
Summary: What does it mean to be truly compassionate?
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I realised not too long after I became an adult that people enjoy doing things to come across as good people, when really, they’re just pretending.
By tricking compassionate people into thinking they give a shit, they can make friends, but most importantly, they can make a profit. How much does faux compassion cost? They ask, picking up the tag between their fingers and turning it over.
“Let me show you,” they grin, “let me show you how much I care about the animals that I raise for slaughter, let me show you how humane it all is. If I show you, you’ll see, you’ll understand, you’ll get it.”
I see sheep running around a field, chickens let out of cages, cows grazing all day. I feel great. I photocopy the man’s smile from the TV and paste it onto my face, leaving it there for the duration of the advert.
But, why isn’t the death shown, too? That’s a part of the process, that’s what it’s all leading up to. Without death, this ‘humane’ treatment would be worthless.
I guess the most important bit doesn’t matter.
Farmer of the year.
You see, these people are gifted. The gift? Being able to pass bullshit off as chocolate that will melt in whoever’s mouth they please. Butter wouldn’t melt, but chocolate will. That’s a great gift.
Shit disguised as truffles, shit disguised as caramel swirls, shit disguised as strawberry crèmes, shit disguised...captivity, death, disguised as humane practice. Dressed to the head in gold ribbon and silver foil.
Everyone will scramble to open this present, this carefully wrapped tasty treat.
Eat
Eat
Eat
But as they do, they’ll close their eyes and pretend that no animals were harmed in the production of this gift.
They offered it to us.
They wanted to die.
And that’s fine.
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