---
title: "MONSTERS AND CANNIBALS THAT WE ARE - IVU - International Vegetarian Union"
description: "MONSTERS AND CANNIBALS THAT WE ARE: Hudson (In Praise of the Cow) After leaving the cowkeeper I had that feeling of revulsion very strongly which all who know and love cows occasionally experience at the very thought of beef. I was for the moment more than tolerant of vegetarianism, and devoutly"
url: "https://ivu.org/international-vegetarian-union/resources/interviews/3926-congress-wvc57-souvenir-hudson.html"
date: "2026-11-06T00:07:51+00:00"
language: "en-GB"
---

#  MONSTERS AND CANNIBALS THAT WE ARE

![MONSTERS AND CANNIBALS THAT WE ARE](https://ivu.org/images/legacy/history/banners/congress-wvc57-souvenir-hudson.png)
 **MONSTERS AND CANNIBALS THAT WE ARE** W. H. Hudson (In Praise of the Cow)

After leaving the cowkeeper I had that feeling of revulsion very strongly which all who know and love cows occasionally experience at the very thought of beef. I was for the moment more than tolerant of vegetarianism, and devoutly hoped that for many days to come I should not be sickened with the sight of a sirloin on some hateful board, cold or smoking hot, bleeding its red juices into the dish when gashed with a knife, as if undergoing a second death. Monkey's flesh is abhorrent to us, merely because we fancy that creature in its ugliness resembles some old men and and some women and children that we know. But the gentle large-brained social cow that caresses our hands and faces with her rough blue tongue, and is more like man's sister than any other non-human being - the majestic beautiful creature with the Juno eyes, sweeter of breath than the rosiest virgin - we slaughter and feed on her flesh - monsters and cannibals that we are !

 | A note on this archive. The history section of this website is drawn from a body of legacy content originally compiled by John Davis, former manager of the International Vegetarian Union. It represents his curation of historical material, and in places includes passages written by him directly.  Over the years, the IVU website has migrated between several different hosting servers. In the course of these migrations, a number of PDF files were unfortunately lost, and **some links to PDF documents may no longer function**. Where this is the case, we have chosen to leave the original link text in place, as it may itself carry information of historical value.  - Hits: 1258    ###  Vegan Recipes   - [![Soy Sauce Soup (Jiàngyóu Tang)](https://ivu.org/media/zoo/images/soysauce-soup_0d55bf51adc357cd3168c5421a914c8a.jpg "Soy Sauce Soup (Jiàngyóu Tang)")](https://ivu.org/vegan-recipes-around-the-world/vegan-food-academy/front-page/item/soy-sauce-soup-jiangyou-tang.html "Soy Sauce Soup (Jiàngyóu Tang)")           ####  [Soy Sauce Soup (Jiàngyóu Tang)](https://ivu.org/vegan-recipes-around-the-world/vegan-food-academy/front-page/item/soy-sauce-soup-jiangyou-tang.html "Soy Sauce Soup (Jiàngyóu Tang)")            [Chinese](https://ivu.org/vegan-recipes-around-the-world/vegan-food-academy/front-page/category/chinese.html) [Soups](https://ivu.org/vegan-recipes-around-the-world/vegan-food-academy/front-page/category/soup.html) - [![VEGAN SKEWERED TOFU](https://ivu.org/media/zoo/images/th10%20579_b5dcb242eb6351361a376981fce8f96f.jpg "VEGAN SKEWERED TOFU")](https://ivu.org/vegan-recipes-around-the-world/vegan-food-academy/front-page/item/vegan-skewered-tofu.html "VEGAN SKEWERED TOFU")           ####  [VEGAN SKEWERED TOFU](https://ivu.org/vegan-recipes-around-the-world/vegan-food-academy/front-page/item/vegan-skewered-tofu.html "VEGAN SKEWERED TOFU")            [Breakfast and brunch](https://ivu.org/vegan-recipes-around-the-world/vegan-food-academy/front-page/category/breakfast-and-brunch.html) [Fake Meats (Tofu etc)](https://ivu.org/vegan-recipes-around-the-world/vegan-food-academy/front-page/category/fake-meats-tofu-etc.html) [Vietnam](https://ivu.org/vegan-recipes-around-the-world/vegan-food-academy/front-page/category/vietnam.html) - [![Ethiopian Lentils](https://ivu.org/media/zoo/images/ethiopian-lentils-1775261547_203a4043356fb2fd0300f85fd4d6a44c.jpg "Ethiopian Lentils")](https://ivu.org/vegan-recipes-around-the-world/vegan-food-academy/front-page/item/ethiopian-lentils.html "Ethiopian Lentils")           ####  [Ethiopian Lentils](https://ivu.org/vegan-recipes-around-the-world/vegan-food-academy/front-page/item/ethiopian-lentils.html "Ethiopian Lentils")            [Main course](https://ivu.org/vegan-recipes-around-the-world/vegan-food-academy/front-page/category/main-course-for-lunch-and-dinner.html) [Ethiopia](https://ivu.org/vegan-recipes-around-the-world/vegan-food-academy/front-page/category/ethiopian.html) [Soups](https://ivu.org/vegan-recipes-around-the-world/vegan-food-academy/front-page/category/soup.html) [African](https://ivu.org/vegan-recipes-around-the-world/vegan-food-academy/front-page/category/african.html)       ###  VFA Blog   - ####  [In the Heart of the Himalayas, a Vegan Revolution Begins: Bhutan’s Pema Yoedling Monastery Becomes a Beacon of Compassion and Sustainability](https://ivu.org/vegan-recipes-around-the-world/vegan-food-academy/blog-front-page/item/in-the-heart-of-the-himalayas-a-vegan-revolution-begins-bhutans-pema-yoedling-monastery-becomes-a-beacon-of-compassion-and-sustainability.html "In the Heart of the Himalayas, a Vegan Revolution Begins: Bhutan’s Pema Yoedling Monastery Becomes a Beacon of Compassion and Sustainability")                - [Read more](https://ivu.org/vegan-recipes-around-the-world/vegan-food-academy/blog-front-page/item/in-the-heart-of-the-himalayas-a-vegan-revolution-begins-bhutans-pema-yoedling-monastery-becomes-a-beacon-of-compassion-and-sustainability.html)       ###  Science   - [ pdf ](https://ivu.org/international-vegetarian-union/resources/science/207-rapid-global-phaseout-of-animal-agriculture-has-the-potential-to-stabilize-greenhouse-gas-levels-for-30-years.html)     [ Rapid global phaseout of animal agriculture has the potential to stabilize greenhouse gas levels for 30 years](https://ivu.org/international-vegetarian-union/resources/science/207-rapid-global-phaseout-of-animal-agriculture-has-the-potential-to-stabilize-greenhouse-gas-levels-for-30-years.html) Popular - [ pdf ](https://ivu.org/international-vegetarian-union/resources/science/206-animal-agriculture-and-climate-change-a-qualitative-holistic-note.html)     [ Animal Agriculture and Climate change a Qualitative holistic note](https://ivu.org/international-vegetarian-union/resources/science/206-animal-agriculture-and-climate-change-a-qualitative-holistic-note.html) Popular - 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[ pdf ](https://ivu.org/nutrition/nutrition-articles/health-nutrition/294-what-are-the-best-sources-of-protein-introducing-the-bpi-score.html)     [ What are the best sources of protein Introducing the BPI Score](https://ivu.org/nutrition/nutrition-articles/health-nutrition/294-what-are-the-best-sources-of-protein-introducing-the-bpi-score.html) Popular               603 downloads - [ pdf ](https://ivu.org/nutrition/nutrition-articles/health-nutrition/250-2024-the-omniveg-study-health-outcomes-of-shifting-from-a-traditional-to-a-vegan-mediterranean-diet-in-healthy-men-a-controlled-crossover-trial.html)     [ 2024 The OMNIVEG STUDY Health outcomes of shifting from a traditional to a vegan Mediterranean diet in healthy men A controlled crossover trial](https://ivu.org/nutrition/nutrition-articles/health-nutrition/250-2024-the-omniveg-study-health-outcomes-of-shifting-from-a-traditional-to-a-vegan-mediterranean-diet-in-healthy-men-a-controlled-crossover-trial.html) Popular               2782 downloads - [ pdf ](https://ivu.org/nutrition/nutrition-articles/health-nutrition/205-plant-based-nutrition-exploring-health-benefits-for-atherosclerosis-chronic-diseases-and-metabolic-syndrome-a-comprehensive-review.html)     [ Plant Based Nutrition Exploring Health Benefits for Atherosclerosis, Chronic Diseases, and Metabolic Syndrome—A Comprehensive Review](https://ivu.org/nutrition/nutrition-articles/health-nutrition/205-plant-based-nutrition-exploring-health-benefits-for-atherosclerosis-chronic-diseases-and-metabolic-syndrome-a-comprehensive-review.html) Popular               3834 downloads - [ pdf ](https://ivu.org/nutrition/nutrition-articles/health-nutrition/204-2024-plant-and-animal-fat-intake-and-overall-and-cardiovascular-disease-mortality-main-folder-all-cause-mortality.html)     [ 2024 Plant and Animal Fat Intake and Overall and Cardiovascular Disease Mortality Main Folder All Cause Mortality](https://ivu.org/nutrition/nutrition-articles/health-nutrition/204-2024-plant-and-animal-fat-intake-and-overall-and-cardiovascular-disease-mortality-main-folder-all-cause-mortality.html) Popular               4052 downloads                                ![](https://ivu.org/media/yootheme/cache/02/adult-guide-029d8cad.png)### The International Vegetarian Union’s Vegan Nutrition Guide for Adults  In 2 versions:  - 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