Wednesday, May 13, 2015

The Elizabeth Costello Challenge

At the end of our section discussions today, I suggested that we take what I want to call "The Elizabeth Costello Challenge." Let's try seeing how much we can alienate our families and peers by…no no no that's not it. I want to read Costello's appeal to the limitless potential of the sympathetic imagination as a challenge to our everyday thinking and living. A challenge is both an invitation to take part in a contest of sorts and also an investigation into the veracity of a proposition, with an emphasis on proof. 

What happens if for one week we test out the proposition that "there is no limit to the extent to which we can think ourselves into the being of another"? What if we go one step further and take as our guiding hypothesis for the week that "There are no bounds to the sympathetic imagination" (Coetzee 35)? Like Coetzee and his character Elizabeth Costello, I'm not making any programmatic prescriptions or proscriptions, dietary or otherwise––though if we take Costello seriously then eating other animals who are quietly and constantly tortured in production facilities, fattening feedlots, and abattoirs across the country becomes a criminal act (as does our tacit daily acceptance that these prison and death farms operate at all). Coetzee makes sure to tell us though that Costello herself wears leather. Costello divulges the suffering provenance of her shoes and purse to one of the professors at the dinner, seemingly rejecting his attempt to praise the purity of her moral convictions.  What's important here, I think, is that we are all complicit––and that a "pure" position (whatever that would be) is likely impossible––and at least in this text quite beside the point. 

As often as you can remember––and keep reminding yourself––whatever you're doing and whomever you are doing it with, challenge your sympathetic imagination to think yourself into the beings around you, specifically into the lives of nonhuman animals. Please post reflections of your experiences as the week goes by, including further discussion of Coetzee's text or any of the responses, a revelation, an anecdote, a question, a difficulty, a conversation with friends, descriptions of people around you, research or links about production facilities and the lives of others animals––whatever you do, eat or don't eat, generally just narrate what happens as you take the Elizabeth Costello Challenge. You might even for a day play at being Elizabeth Costello, wear that mask, think yourself into that character. There are no right answers or posts here––a day in your sympathetic imagination will be different from a day in mine––and that's, I hope, what will make this interactive, worthwhile, and fun.

8 comments:

  1. Day 3 of the Elizabeth Costello Challenge:
    Every since I've moved to Santa Cruz I've noticed how much I've already cut meat out of my diets. This week I wanted to take seriously and observe this challenge in a truthful way. My third day into this and I have had many times where chicken sounds so good. But then I go back to Costello's sympathetic imagination and think of the non human creature and what happens to it for me to be satisfied for only one meal of the day. One of the hardest experiences of this challenge was in Day 3 when I went out with friends downtown. They chose to eat at "Burger." I was tempted to give up and just order something because I was so hungry. Instead, I surprisingly stood my ground. 2 more days!

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  2. I started doing the Elizabeth Costello challenge immediately. I found myself having trouble picking what to eat in the dining hall because most food items have some sort of meat in it. I didn't want to eat he vegan version of the food item such as a burger because I'm not acquired to that taste. I even tried to refrain myself from drinking milk and eating eggs. By day 3 I was not able to handle it any longer. I needed to eat something so I ended up eating a salad that contained some chicken. I was disappointed in myself. I did not think it'd be too hard to conquer this challenge, but it was one of the most difficult things to stick with. It almost felt like I was restricting myself to a "healthy" diet. I only tried one aspect of Elizabeth Costello's challenge; I cannot begin to imagine how it would be like to try to do everything.

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  3. Rameet, it sounds to me like you have completely succeeded in the EC Challenge. What I love about her character is that she doesn't offer a set of restrictions or rules, but a practice of thinking and feeling––one she describes as opening the heart. I also love what a prickly and sometimes acerbic character she can be, as it makes it all the less trite when she suggests that consideration for other animals is a matter of heart and imagination.

    Andrelyn (and Rameet), you both point to the way that eating is a group ritual, in fact our most important group ritual. What we eat and why we eat what (or whom) we eat has everything to do with what's available and what's socially acceptable, and even socially encouraged.

    Looking forward to hearing from more folks and to our discussions tomorrow :-)

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  4. This is day 6 of the Elizabeth Costello challenge:

    After the past few days of being or at least trying to be completely vegan, I can only start to imagine Elizabeth Costello`s inner struggle with even the slightest consumption or use of animal products. This week I tried my hardest to not only expand but stretch my sympathetic imagination to extend what it means to me personally to restrict any reinforcement or participation in the cruelty of non-human animals. On Day 5, I was walking to lecture and I noticed a piece of plastic, the type of plastic that you could find binding a 6-pack of beer together. It was 3:55 pm and I was going to be late. I glanced at the plastic and quickly rushed by it, at first thinking nothing of it besides the slight scolding of whoever had littered in the first place. I felt a twinge of guilt, so I decided to turn back. I thought of Elizabeth Costello and what her intricate mind would conclude about this piece of plastic. I think in those mere seconds, the Elizabeth Costello in me thought about the potential fish, or birds that could choke on or be tangled by the plastic, how the laziness of man accompanied by booming and poisonous plastic industry will be the end of the many ecosystems we take advantage of today. I think that living everyday life as the hyper critical Elizabeth Costello would not only be challenging but would probably drive me a bit crazy. I think my revelation thus far in this challenge is that even though I am a vegetarian exercise my sympathetic imagination a bit more that the average meat eater, I recognized how much I rely on the sacrifice of non human animals that live in our society. These animals that play such a critical role in multiple parts of our society, but are treated as merely disposable piece of meat and hide. I am excited to see what else this Elizabeth Costello challenge has to offer and to hear other people`s experiences!

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  5. It's been almost a full week since I've taken the Elizabeth Costello challenge and it has helped me become more aware of my surroundings. I started off the first 3 days by not eating any kind of meat. Every time I walked into the dining hall, there would be some sort of meat product laying on the table. The people there mindlessly eat their meal as if their meat had not belonged to a life before their slaughter. It made me more empathetic towards animals. Before taking the challenge, I was also amongst the many who mindlessly eat anything handed to them. However, I realize now that it's actually quite simple to abstain from eating meat. For many people, I feel like they are born into eating meat because either their parents or generally the people around them consume meat on a daily basis. And humans have been accustomed to that lifestyle for a long time. I noticed as I was choosing what kind of food I wanted to eat, there were less options for vegan food but it wasn't bad at all. I broke the challenge when I arrived in SJ for the weekend because the only thing my family served was fish and meat with rice. This is where the parental influence comes in because I felt bad if I didn't eat the food my mom cooked for me so I caved in. I tried to eat smaller portions of the meat and focused more on the rice but I still felt guilty for doing so. I can't say I succeeded at the challenge, but I'm one step closer than I was when I started. I still incorporate meat into my meals today but I noticed how it has decreased since I've found alternatives and taken a liking to vegetables. Who knew my taste buds would change during this challenge.

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  6. Although I had the Elizabeth Castello challenge in the back of my mind this week, I feel like I could have done a better job with it. After reading "Brave New Farm" and watching the movie/video in class I feel like it will make it easier for me to refrain eating meat. I know the Elizabeth Castello challenge does not necessarily mean to not eat meat, but I feel like it is the best way way to take on the challenge and start making an impact on animals' lives. My friend who is also in this class has already been moved by it and has gone 1 month as a vegetarian, I feel like I should be able to do the same. I will start with one week, and then hopefully continue to do so. Although it is unfortunate how the school year is coming to an end and I will soon be going home to a household where meat is the star of almost every dish. This will make my transition a lot tougher since it is easy to just eat what is right in front of me. However, I will take it one step at a time.

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  7. I look forward to hearing about how this week goes for you Jiselle!

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  8. I'm a little late, but I tried the Elizabeth Costello challenge this week. As I was eating chicken I tried to imagine myself as someone else's meal. Although it makes me sad that the chicken I was eating most likely lived a life stuffed in a cage filled with other chickens and poop before being led to its death, the fact that I was eating animal flesh didn't freak me out so much. This class tries to make us question the difference we have established between humans and animals, but other animals eat animal flesh too. If I were surrounded by lions or crocodiles they would eat me, and if not me some other animal. I obviously wouldn't want to be the chicken on my plate, but I think eating other animals is a natural thing.

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