Escaping Cattle, Laughing Cows

Deidre Wicks’ analysis of the dairy industry suggests that, collectively, there is a certain awareness of violence against animals kept in place by an apparatus of excusing language, animal welfare assurances and distracting mystifications. The mystifications are always themselves infected, haunted, because of the very leakiness of coded language. While laughter can work to distract and mystify, it can also work to cut through and illuminate. Wicks’ wordsmithing models this strategic deployment of wry humour in the service of demystifying the exploitation of dairy cows.