Okja looks to humanize and personalize the experience of animals. How different are animals from each other? What is the difference between a pet and livestock? Yes, Okja is imbued with special gifts and a personification far beyond the average herd animal, but it's an invitation for us to ponder our system that has mechanized nature and forced untold physical suffering on animals.
Part of the transition to a better world will be exemplified through untold modifications to our daily living. Some of the walls around us and supports underneath us are key to maintaining us in the consumptive and detached patterns of our behavior. If we wish to truly be more empathetic, connected, and nurturing in our world society, than there is an essential place for revolutionizing our ruthless and barbarous relationship to livestock. The huge resources dedicated to animal warehouses, slaughterhouses, and confined animal feeding operations also directly link to enormous tracts of land dedicated to growing genetically engineered food monocultures (corn, soybean, wheat) doused with pesticides and fertilizers that pollute our waterways, wildlife, and ultimately ourselves.
When we can exist at or near a higher vegetarian or vegan lifestyle, our quality of life will improve not only morally and spiritually, but also physically. Immense health problems from heart disease, diabetes, and cancer are directly linked to over consumption, including meats. Americans are largely brainwashed on the amount of protein needed and consume grossly wasteful portions on a daily basis. We still live in giddy yet destructive ignorance of true health and balanced diets, and instead focus on processed meats and cheeses, which were originally stores of calories for preservation and hard times, but are now consumed without limit.
Thanks for reading and your consideration for taking the world to a better place. Wherever you are at, small changes and steps will begin the path for us all to make the world a better, more vibrant, and sustainable place for all creatures. Peace ///
