Einstein, meat and mindfulness

MARTIN Stepek writes about “thoughts and views that can be lodged deeply in your mindset” and adds: “I was taught to be considerate of others, not to be greedy and other ethical behaviours” (Living with the enemy within, Mind & body, Sunday Herald Life, May 14).

This is hopefully how most people are brought up yet most develop a blind spot so otherwise decent people, who wouldn’t wish to knowingly harm others, do so on a daily basis.

Some recognise their blind spot and correct it. Albert Einstein, who Martin Stepek quotes as saying that “common sense is the collection of prejudices acquired by age 18”, wrote that “the love of living creatures is ... the finest and best trait of mankind” and “a vegetarian manner of living ... would most beneficially influence the lot of mankind”. Yet, at this time, he wasn’t vegetarian. In 1953, he wrote: “I have always eaten animal flesh with a somewhat guilty conscience.”

By 1954, he had put what was deep in his mind into practice, writing: “I am living without fats, without meat, without fish.” Most of us know in our hearts that being complicit in an industry that causes cruelty is not acceptable. We can all, like Einstein, take the logical next step. When we are mindful of what our animal-based diet is condoning and supporting, we know it can’t be justified. Sandra Busell Edinburgh