# VEGETARIANISM Many omnivores are confronted by a “meat paradox”. They are morally conflicted by the thought of their behavior harming animals, while also enjoying meat as a desirable staple in their diet. 4N justifications of meat consumption: * Necessary * Natural * Normal * Nice 4Ns correlate with dementalization (act or process of removing something from a mental context), meat consumption, and lower consumer guilt. Omnivores endorse 4Ns more than restricted omnivores, vegetarians, and vegans. Rationalizing meat consumption. The 4Ns - ScienceDirect https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0195666315001518 Does Humanity Have to Eat Meat? | Scientific American https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/does-humanity-have-to-eat-meat/ These three words-normal, natural, and necessary-form the core rationalization framework (often referred to as the "Three Ns") identified by psychologists and sociologists like Dr. Melanie Joy to explain how and why societies justify harmful or unquestioned behaviors, particularly meat consumption. Normal: The belief that a behavior is standard because everyone else is doing it. It appeals to social conformity and the path of least resistance. Natural: The assumption that because somethifghas historical roots or stems from our biology (e.g., human evolution as omnivores), it is inherently right, ethical, or unchangeable. Necessary: The conviction that the behavior is required for human survival, strength, or economic function. Nice: Add a 4th in 2015 Carnism is a concept used in discussions of humanity's relation to other animals, defined as a prevailing ideology in which people support the use and consumption of animal products, especially meat