How one cow story exposed the danger of homogenized lives | Kirsten Hunter | TEDxPiscataquaRiver

I’m April of 2016 a woman came to visit

I’m April of 2016 a woman came to visit my family’s farm in New York where we

my family’s farm in New York where we

my family’s farm in New York where we teach people about the 40 years we’ve

teach people about the 40 years we’ve

teach people about the 40 years we’ve spent home setting on our 16 acre

spent home setting on our 16 acre

spent home setting on our 16 acre property raising much of our own meat

property raising much of our own meat

property raising much of our own meat and vegetables during her visit she went

and vegetables during her visit she went

and vegetables during her visit she went on a tour with my mother and during the

on a tour with my mother and during the

on a tour with my mother and during the tour in response to a question from the

tour in response to a question from the

tour in response to a question from the group about the cows age and how long

group about the cows age and how long

group about the cows age and how long she would live on the farm my mother

she would live on the farm my mother

she would live on the farm my mother explained that our cow was being raised

explained that our cow was being raised

explained that our cow was being raised for beef the next day the same woman

for beef the next day the same woman

for beef the next day the same woman called the farm spoke with my dad and

called the farm spoke with my dad and

called the farm spoke with my dad and said she wanted to buy the cow she

said she wanted to buy the cow she

said she wanted to buy the cow she explained to him that she wasn’t a

explained to him that she wasn’t a

explained to him that she wasn’t a vegetarian she didn’t have an issue with

vegetarian she didn’t have an issue with

vegetarian she didn’t have an issue with eating meat but she felt that because we

eating meat but she felt that because we

eating meat but she felt that because we allowed people to come to our farm and

allowed people to come to our farm and

allowed people to come to our farm and interact with our animals we shouldn’t

interact with our animals we shouldn’t

interact with our animals we shouldn’t then be allowed to use them for food she

then be allowed to use them for food she

then be allowed to use them for food she suggested that we could probably go to

suggested that we could probably go to

suggested that we could probably go to Whole Foods and buy our meat like

Whole Foods and buy our meat like

Whole Foods and buy our meat like everyone else when she was told no that

everyone else when she was told no that

everyone else when she was told no that the cow was not for sale this woman

the cow was not for sale this woman

the cow was not for sale this woman became angry she did not understand that

became angry she did not understand that

became angry she did not understand that for us homesteading was a lifestyle

for us homesteading was a lifestyle

for us homesteading was a lifestyle choice one that involved raising animals

choice one that involved raising animals

choice one that involved raising animals knowing what they were fed knowing that

knowing what they were fed knowing that

knowing what they were fed knowing that they were treated kindly and that that

they were treated kindly and that that

they were treated kindly and that that was quite different for us than going to

was quite different for us than going to

was quite different for us than going to Whole Foods to buy your meat she was not

Whole Foods to buy your meat she was not

Whole Foods to buy your meat she was not interested in the problematic precedent

interested in the problematic precedent

interested in the problematic precedent that would be set if we were to comply

that would be set if we were to comply

that would be set if we were to comply with her request and most importantly

with her request and most importantly

with her request and most importantly this woman did not feel that we had a

this woman did not feel that we had a

this woman did not feel that we had a right to say no to her the phone call

right to say no to her the phone call

right to say no to her the phone call that day didn’t go well she eventually

that day didn’t go well she eventually

that day didn’t go well she eventually hung up but not before ominously

hung up but not before ominously

hung up but not before ominously declaring to my father that she would

declaring to my father that she would

declaring to my father that she would find a way to save that cow the Monday

find a way to save that cow the Monday

find a way to save that cow the Monday of that week as I spoke to my parents

of that week as I spoke to my parents

of that week as I spoke to my parents from here in New Hampshire and heard

from here in New Hampshire and heard

from here in New Hampshire and heard them retell the events of the weekend I

them retell the events of the weekend I

them retell the events of the weekend I took out my laptop and I started

took out my laptop and I started

took out my laptop and I started scrolling through their newsfeed and my

scrolling through their newsfeed and my

scrolling through their newsfeed and my stomach sank in a period of less than 48

stomach sank in a period of less than 48

stomach sank in a period of less than 48 hours an unbelievable

hours an unbelievable

hours an unbelievable viral

viral

viral attack started um it began with a posted

attack started um it began with a posted

attack started um it began with a posted Facebook group save mini the cow the

Facebook group save mini the cow the

Facebook group save mini the cow the local news was contacted my parents had

local news was contacted my parents had

local news was contacted my parents had agreed to an interview and the avalanche

agreed to an interview and the avalanche

agreed to an interview and the avalanche of viral media was in motion over the

of viral media was in motion over the

of viral media was in motion over the course of two weeks you’ve seen these

course of two weeks you’ve seen these

course of two weeks you’ve seen these things play out just this viral

things play out just this viral

things play out just this viral firestorm unfolded and I don’t really

firestorm unfolded and I don’t really

firestorm unfolded and I don’t really need to describe all the details to you

need to describe all the details to you

need to describe all the details to you because you’ve seen these kinds of

because you’ve seen these kinds of

because you’ve seen these kinds of things in lots of contexts basically the

things in lots of contexts basically the

things in lots of contexts basically the same format every time first there’s an

same format every time first there’s an

same format every time first there’s an issue that’s kind of put for it says

issue that’s kind of put for it says

issue that’s kind of put for it says being above dispute and there’s a call

being above dispute and there’s a call

being above dispute and there’s a call to arms the sides of us versus them are

to arms the sides of us versus them are

to arms the sides of us versus them are established people far and wide hop on

established people far and wide hop on

established people far and wide hop on board as the media latches on to the

board as the media latches on to the

board as the media latches on to the story and really quickly participants on

story and really quickly participants on

story and really quickly participants on both sides of the issue lose sight of

both sides of the issue lose sight of

both sides of the issue lose sight of the humanity and the people with whom

the humanity and the people with whom

the humanity and the people with whom they now find themselves in opposition

they now find themselves in opposition

they now find themselves in opposition and that loss of a sense of humanity

and that loss of a sense of humanity

and that loss of a sense of humanity eliminates our need to try to see the

eliminates our need to try to see the

eliminates our need to try to see the other perspective to try to understand

other perspective to try to understand

other perspective to try to understand someone else’s point of view or even to

someone else’s point of view or even to

someone else’s point of view or even to agree to disagree

agree to disagree

agree to disagree it sounds familiar right on the farm

it sounds familiar right on the farm

it sounds familiar right on the farm baby lambs were being born school

baby lambs were being born school

baby lambs were being born school classes were visiting seedlings were

classes were visiting seedlings were

classes were visiting seedlings were sprouting in the greenhouse the rhythm

sprouting in the greenhouse the rhythm

sprouting in the greenhouse the rhythm of the life that my family chose

of the life that my family chose

of the life that my family chose continued almost without pause but the

continued almost without pause but the

continued almost without pause but the fear of what was happening online was

fear of what was happening online was

fear of what was happening online was very real for all of us even for me here

very real for all of us even for me here

very real for all of us even for me here in New Hampshire from the moment I

in New Hampshire from the moment I

in New Hampshire from the moment I started monitoring the frenzy I felt

started monitoring the frenzy I felt

started monitoring the frenzy I felt this intense mix of adrenaline and fear

this intense mix of adrenaline and fear

this intense mix of adrenaline and fear it was all happening so fast and no one

it was all happening so fast and no one

it was all happening so fast and no one on either side seemed to be taking any

on either side seemed to be taking any

on either side seemed to be taking any pause before throwing more fuel on the

pause before throwing more fuel on the

pause before throwing more fuel on the fire

fire

fire generally I believe that there is great

generally I believe that there is great

generally I believe that there is great wisdom in ignoring much of what happens

wisdom in ignoring much of what happens

wisdom in ignoring much of what happens on social media but it became quickly

on social media but it became quickly

on social media but it became quickly apparent last spring that if we remain

apparent last spring that if we remain

apparent last spring that if we remain silent people feeling protective of us

silent people feeling protective of us

silent people feeling protective of us would speak for us in a way that

would speak for us in a way that

would speak for us in a way that often made the situation worse and so I

often made the situation worse and so I

often made the situation worse and so I settled in in front of my computer and

settled in in front of my computer and

settled in in front of my computer and tried to maintain control of our message

tried to maintain control of our message

tried to maintain control of our message if for no other reason than to assure

if for no other reason than to assure

if for no other reason than to assure those coming to our defense that we had

those coming to our defense that we had

those coming to our defense that we had things under control and that they could

things under control and that they could

things under control and that they could go back to their own lives I wrote a

go back to their own lives I wrote a

go back to their own lives I wrote a short statement that I posted on the

short statement that I posted on the

short statement that I posted on the protest page save miny the cow in which

protest page save miny the cow in which

protest page save miny the cow in which I explained the circumstances and some

I explained the circumstances and some

I explained the circumstances and some history about my family’s farm and our

history about my family’s farm and our

history about my family’s farm and our business in my post I volunteered to

business in my post I volunteered to

business in my post I volunteered to remain online after posting it for half

remain online after posting it for half

remain online after posting it for half an hour should anyone want to have a

an hour should anyone want to have a

an hour should anyone want to have a dialog and then I sat and sorted through

dialog and then I sat and sorted through

dialog and then I sat and sorted through the barrage of messages that came back

the barrage of messages that came back

the barrage of messages that came back at me putting aside angry hateful

at me putting aside angry hateful

at me putting aside angry hateful retorts and lifting up anyone who

retorts and lifting up anyone who

retorts and lifting up anyone who sounded halfway rational by engaging in

sounded halfway rational by engaging in

sounded halfway rational by engaging in a conversation with them and trying to

a conversation with them and trying to

a conversation with them and trying to come to a place of mutual understanding

come to a place of mutual understanding

come to a place of mutual understanding my message was simple that we respected

my message was simple that we respected

my message was simple that we respected different points of view and that we had

different points of view and that we had

different points of view and that we had a right to our choice I wanted that

a right to our choice I wanted that

a right to our choice I wanted that message to be visible to anyone who was

message to be visible to anyone who was

message to be visible to anyone who was still to come to the protest page and so

still to come to the protest page and so

still to come to the protest page and so I planted it there I planted similar

I planted it there I planted similar

I planted it there I planted similar statements on each of the change.org

statements on each of the change.org

statements on each of the change.org petitions that had been created the one

petitions that had been created the one

petitions that had been created the one to save many of the cow and the counter

to save many of the cow and the counter

to save many of the cow and the counter protest that had been laid out to save

protest that had been laid out to save

protest that had been laid out to save the farm not created by us no matter

the farm not created by us no matter

the farm not created by us no matter that we didn’t need saving I also placed

that we didn’t need saving I also placed

that we didn’t need saving I also placed similar statements on the on the hateful

similar statements on the on the hateful

similar statements on the on the hateful reviews that were popping up on Yelp and

reviews that were popping up on Yelp and

reviews that were popping up on Yelp and on our business pages my clarity during

on our business pages my clarity during

on our business pages my clarity during all of this stems from an understanding

all of this stems from an understanding

all of this stems from an understanding that’s been growing in me about the way

that’s been growing in me about the way

that’s been growing in me about the way the culture that we live in operates it

the culture that we live in operates it

the culture that we live in operates it is a culture where our lack of exposure

is a culture where our lack of exposure

is a culture where our lack of exposure to different kinds of experiences

to different kinds of experiences

to different kinds of experiences compels us to expect agreement from the

compels us to expect agreement from the

compels us to expect agreement from the people around us and you can imagine

people around us and you can imagine

people around us and you can imagine this is kind of problematic in the story

this is kind of problematic in the story

this is kind of problematic in the story of the cow we are looking at a situation

of the cow we are looking at a situation

of the cow we are looking at a situation where people have become so far removed

where people have become so far removed

where people have become so far removed from the source of their food

from the source of their food

from the source of their food that they can no longer relate to the

that they can no longer relate to the

that they can no longer relate to the realities of farming the fact that the

realities of farming the fact that the

realities of farming the fact that the of the four million people living on

of the four million people living on

of the four million people living on Long Island many of them have absolutely

Long Island many of them have absolutely

Long Island many of them have absolutely no experience with animal husbandry it

no experience with animal husbandry it

no experience with animal husbandry it has created my family’s business which

has created my family’s business which

has created my family’s business which is something of a museum a place where

is something of a museum a place where

is something of a museum a place where people can go and have a window into an

people can go and have a window into an

people can go and have a window into an experience that they do not know

experience that they do not know

experience that they do not know firsthand and our willingness to vilify

firsthand and our willingness to vilify

firsthand and our willingness to vilify that which we don’t understand has

that which we don’t understand has

that which we don’t understand has become dangerously easy because in our

become dangerously easy because in our

become dangerously easy because in our day to day lives we aren’t challenged to

day to day lives we aren’t challenged to

day to day lives we aren’t challenged to navigate different cultures different

navigate different cultures different

navigate different cultures different experiences and different perspectives

experiences and different perspectives

experiences and different perspectives we live many of us in bubbles surrounded

we live many of us in bubbles surrounded

we live many of us in bubbles surrounded by people so much like ourselves that we

by people so much like ourselves that we

by people so much like ourselves that we can hardly imagine it might be any

can hardly imagine it might be any

can hardly imagine it might be any different

different

different somewhere else online this is perhaps

somewhere else online this is perhaps

somewhere else online this is perhaps even more true as we can unfriend and

even more true as we can unfriend and

even more true as we can unfriend and friend voices based on our comfort with

friend voices based on our comfort with

friend voices based on our comfort with what they have to say we read a headline

what they have to say we read a headline

what they have to say we read a headline and come to a conclusion about what we

and come to a conclusion about what we

and come to a conclusion about what we think in a matter of seconds and then we

think in a matter of seconds and then we

think in a matter of seconds and then we pass judgment with a thumbs up or a

pass judgment with a thumbs up or a

pass judgment with a thumbs up or a thumbs down we take intensely

thumbs down we take intensely

thumbs down we take intensely complicated issues and we dilute them to

complicated issues and we dilute them to

complicated issues and we dilute them to a value of good or bad and hardly any

a value of good or bad and hardly any

a value of good or bad and hardly any time is spent considering all of the

time is spent considering all of the

time is spent considering all of the details that are being washed away in

details that are being washed away in

details that are being washed away in that process the story of many of the

that process the story of many of the

that process the story of many of the cow gives us a way in to examine the

cow gives us a way in to examine the

cow gives us a way in to examine the dangers of this isolation that we’ve

dangers of this isolation that we’ve

dangers of this isolation that we’ve created communities today are divided

created communities today are divided

created communities today are divided across socio-economic lines and across

across socio-economic lines and across

across socio-economic lines and across political lines families find the means

political lines families find the means

political lines families find the means to buy into the best school districts or

to buy into the best school districts or

to buy into the best school districts or they’re shut out from them

they’re shut out from them

they’re shut out from them decades of discriminatory housing

decades of discriminatory housing

decades of discriminatory housing policies have left us with whole

policies have left us with whole

policies have left us with whole communities that are almost solely

communities that are almost solely

communities that are almost solely people white folks other neighborhoods

people white folks other neighborhoods

people white folks other neighborhoods almost solely people of color it’s

almost solely people of color it’s

almost solely people of color it’s stories like this personal experiences

stories like this personal experiences

stories like this personal experiences where we can examine these things that

where we can examine these things that

where we can examine these things that can cause us to stop and reflect

can cause us to stop and reflect

can cause us to stop and reflect to sit back and to take a different look

to sit back and to take a different look

to sit back and to take a different look at how our world is navigating and we’ve

at how our world is navigating and we’ve

at how our world is navigating and we’ve been hearing about that all day today

been hearing about that all day today

been hearing about that all day today throughout the two weeks of the attack

throughout the two weeks of the attack

throughout the two weeks of the attack that was taking place my family received

that was taking place my family received

that was taking place my family received messages from people all over the world

messages from people all over the world

messages from people all over the world farmers from as far away as Australia

farmers from as far away as Australia

farmers from as far away as Australia sent us messages encouraging notes

sent us messages encouraging notes

sent us messages encouraging notes asking us to stay strong because they

asking us to stay strong because they

asking us to stay strong because they could see in the experience that we were

could see in the experience that we were

could see in the experience that we were going through something that they

going through something that they

going through something that they related to something that they have been

related to something that they have been

related to something that they have been experiencing themselves in their lives

experiencing themselves in their lives

experiencing themselves in their lives all over at the protest in front of our

all over at the protest in front of our

all over at the protest in front of our house on our opening weekend the

house on our opening weekend the

house on our opening weekend the original cow activists found themselves

original cow activists found themselves

original cow activists found themselves sparring with PETA activists who had

sparring with PETA activists who had

sparring with PETA activists who had come to join into the protest but

come to join into the protest but

come to join into the protest but disagreed as to the reasons for why the

disagreed as to the reasons for why the

disagreed as to the reasons for why the cow should be saved across the street a

cow should be saved across the street a

cow should be saved across the street a counter protest was formed mostly by a

counter protest was formed mostly by a

counter protest was formed mostly by a group called bikers for Trump

group called bikers for Trump

group called bikers for Trump those guys had decided that this protest

those guys had decided that this protest

those guys had decided that this protest was clearly the work of liberals and

was clearly the work of liberals and

was clearly the work of liberals and they were there to stand up for the

they were there to stand up for the

they were there to stand up for the farmers I was down that weekend and

farmers I was down that weekend and

farmers I was down that weekend and chose not to mention to the bikers that

chose not to mention to the bikers that

chose not to mention to the bikers that my family probably be considered

my family probably be considered

my family probably be considered liberals by most measures seemed best to

liberals by most measures seemed best to

liberals by most measures seemed best to just leave the whole thing alone when

just leave the whole thing alone when

just leave the whole thing alone when around about the two-week point things

around about the two-week point things

around about the two-week point things started settling down my family and our

started settling down my family and our

started settling down my family and our farm emerged from all of this drama

farm emerged from all of this drama

farm emerged from all of this drama relatively unscathed as it turned out

relatively unscathed as it turned out

relatively unscathed as it turned out forty years investing in our community

forty years investing in our community

forty years investing in our community teaching children lessons about living

teaching children lessons about living

teaching children lessons about living off the land the grace and beauty of

off the land the grace and beauty of

off the land the grace and beauty of homesteading proved to be a potent

homesteading proved to be a potent

homesteading proved to be a potent shield against an emotionally driven and

shield against an emotionally driven and

shield against an emotionally driven and sudden attack if anything it actually

sudden attack if anything it actually

sudden attack if anything it actually all became a pretty large advertising

all became a pretty large advertising

all became a pretty large advertising campaign for my family’s farm at the

campaign for my family’s farm at the

campaign for my family’s farm at the cost of some sleepless nights and some

cost of some sleepless nights and some

cost of some sleepless nights and some long hours in front of the computer

long hours in front of the computer

long hours in front of the computer screen

screen

screen but it offered something else as well a

but it offered something else as well a

but it offered something else as well a reminder to look more closely to

reminder to look more closely to

reminder to look more closely to withhold our judgement and to value

withhold our judgement and to value

withhold our judgement and to value those experiences that are different

those experiences that are different

those experiences that are different from our own when we have the

from our own when we have the

from our own when we have the opportunity to encounter them if we come

opportunity to encounter them if we come

opportunity to encounter them if we come across a different opinion it should not

across a different opinion it should not

across a different opinion it should not signal us to draw our weapons rather

signal us to draw our weapons rather

signal us to draw our weapons rather let’s look at it as an opportunity to

let’s look at it as an opportunity to

let’s look at it as an opportunity to reach out from our own bubble and into

reach out from our own bubble and into

reach out from our own bubble and into that of another thank you so much

that of another thank you so much

that of another thank you so much [Applause]