Would you eat a sentient animal?

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DorkothyParker
DorkothyParker Posts: 618 Member
in Chit-Chat
Here in Korea, just about every restaurant has a picture of a cartoon animal representing the type of meat the restaurant specializes in. Often times, the animal appears sentient in some way: wears clothes, walks in a bipedal manner, etc. Many of them seem to be aware of their tastiness. I have seen pigs bent over with their hineys in the air, biting their lip as if to say, "look at that. Wouldn't you enjoy me with hoisin sauce?" I've seen cherubic cows, eyeing their brethren, a gleam in their eyes, licking their lips in anticipation.

If animals were bred to be sentient AND had a desire to be eaten by humans (seriously, like a life-long dream), would you continue eating meat?
If you already don't eat meat, would this encourage you to try it or would you disagree more?

Again, I am only curious about whether you would eat sentient animals, let's not talk about the merits of eating animals as they are now.
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Replies

  • Lyadeia
    Lyadeia Posts: 4,603 Member
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    Of course I would.

    Animals taste good.
  • Saksgirl1
    Saksgirl1 Posts: 248
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    Thats interesting! I don't know if I could eat an animal with personality and if each animal on the menu is cartoonized, I think I'd have to go vegetarian again.
  • LilRedRooster
    LilRedRooster Posts: 1,421 Member
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    I don't particularly like eating them now, so.. Yeah, no.
  • Troy67
    Troy67 Posts: 556 Member
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    As it is I can't eat anything that still looks like it did when alive (most seafood, etc). If pork, beef, turkey, chicken, etc. looked like the little animal I probably would have to go vegetarian. I think I was traumatized as a child. My hometown was on the Mississippi River and they brought me fish with the head/eyeball everything included. About the only fish I can eat is fish sticks or stuff from places like Long John Silvers. Sounds stupid, I know. But that's me. lol
  • emma1488
    emma1488 Posts: 175
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    This is a strange post:indifferent:

    I watched a tv show about a lawyer and he was defending a man who was essentially a cannibal. He was an every day man who had a family, good job, but really really wanted to eat a person. So he created a website ad trying to find if anyone was interested in fulfilling his desire...So eventually he found this guy who was very much into it. HE WANTED TO BE EATEN!...He was depressed/suicidal.

    So cannibal man ended up hooking up with suicidal man and he killed him by giving him an overdose of sleeping pills, cut him up, cooked him up and ate him up...

    Anyway, the story went that even though this man WANTED to be eaten, it was still illegal/wrong to kill and eat another human being...This story just came to mind from this post, so i thought i would share.

    I dont eat animals now, and I do not plan to, even if for some reason wanted me to...
  • Troy67
    Troy67 Posts: 556 Member
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    I watched that same show Emma. I don't know who was crazier the diner or the dinee. I think I kept a light on that night.
  • whisperingdragon
    whisperingdragon Posts: 334
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    I wish I could stop eating meat, it's too hard.. maybe someday.

    :flowerforyou:
  • emma1488
    emma1488 Posts: 175
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    i think the show was called 'Rake'? its an australian show...Good old creepy hugo weaving!:devil:
  • emma1488
    emma1488 Posts: 175
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    I wish I could stop eating meat, it's too hard.. maybe someday.

    :flowerforyou:

    I thought it would be hard for me too! Before I was vegetarian, I was an avid meat lover...It turns out, it wasn't hard to stop at all :flowerforyou:
  • taem
    taem Posts: 495 Member
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    Here in Korea, just about every restaurant has a picture of a cartoon animal representing the type of meat the restaurant specializes in. Often times, the animal appears sentient in some way: wears clothes, walks in a bipedal manner, etc. Many of them seem to be aware of their tastiness. I have seen pigs bent over with their hineys in the air, biting their lip as if to say, "look at that. Wouldn't you enjoy me with hoisin sauce?" I've seen cherubic cows, eyeing their brethren, a gleam in their eyes, licking their lips in anticipation.

    If animals were bred to be sentient AND had a desire to be eaten by humans (seriously, like a life-long dream), would you continue eating meat?
    If you already don't eat meat, would this encourage you to try it or would you disagree more?

    Again, I am only curious about whether you would eat sentient animals, let's not talk about the merits of eating animals as they are now.

    That is interesting. Korea, since the 1950s, or when the American diet came over was primarily a vegetarian society (they used meat as condiments if they could afford the meat or fish).

    I recently switched to a plant based, whole foods diet (I do fail once in a while) but I am trying. I switched for health reasons but I recently learned about the Paleo diet that says evolutionary dietary life is great, so I don't hate meat so much if you can kill the animal, but I know I cannot so I my thoughts on vegan is still intact. I know however, that when I visit my family over holidays, there will be some form of meat.

    So no, I will not eat a sentient animal (cartoon or otherwise). I do however, am not a purist (I think you got that), but I am trying. I won't buy leather but I won't throw away my leather shoes or belt. I will no longer support meat plants that slaughter their animals in a cruel fashion.

    For those that do eat meat, they should watch this movie (unless they kill their own meat). http://www.documentarywire.com/earthlings

    But then again, Americans just adore a rat--Mickey Mouse so who knows, right?
  • elizwelshman
    elizwelshman Posts: 136
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    myfitnesspal does not have a "smiley" to represent the look on my face. :laugh:
    Definitely made my day, I like interesting questions!

    Never thought about it to be honest. I've seen signs like that also, but never put that much depth of thought into if the animal really really REALLY wanted me to eat it. I guess if it's okay with animal I'll go ahead and bbq it then? ::shrugs:: Guess I would have to experience an animal saying "Eat Me!" to give you an accurate response of how I feel about it.
    I'm going to ask my friends that question just to see their reactions.

    @emma1488
    Oh and the tv show about the man who ate another man... completely and utterly bizarre. Definitely creepy. :indifferent:
  • TropicalKitty
    TropicalKitty Posts: 2,298 Member
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    I sing songs to the cows as we pass them on the highway about how yummy they are. So I don't think that a cartoon is going to change that - Chik Fil A uses those cows to try to convince us to eat their chicken.

    I'll take my chicken with a side of cow please.

    I already think that animals have personalities and all that good stuff. They taste good, they are food. So I wouldn't be deterred.
  • Lyadeia
    Lyadeia Posts: 4,603 Member
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    But then again, Americans just adore a rat--Mickey Mouse so who knows, right?

    How dare you call Mickey a rat?

    :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:
  • TropicalKitty
    TropicalKitty Posts: 2,298 Member
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    But then again, Americans just adore a rat--Mickey Mouse so who knows, right?

    How dare you call Mickey a rat?

    :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

    Yeah! Mickey is a MOUSE, not a rat.

    Edit: I'm blonde so I had to put the clairfication. And it's almost 1am.
  • emma1488
    emma1488 Posts: 175
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    Just to clarify, aren't animals sentient anyway?
  • DorkothyParker
    DorkothyParker Posts: 618 Member
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    Just to clarify, aren't animals sentient anyway?
    There is observational evidence that suggests this is so, but it could just be human projecting and anthropomorphism. I don't believe there is any way of testing it currently.

    In any case, I guess I mean "sentient" in the way Star Trek would mean sentient life. I mean, beings that are conscious of their own existence past the point of mere survival and biological needs.

    To answer my own question, I think it would take some getting used to, and I might feel bad thinking that the animals have just been socially trained to believe their lives are worth less, but I would probably decide it's best not to think about. I really love meat. I wouldn't eat a sentient animal that didn't want to be eaten, though. That's just rude.
  • Blackthorne99
    Blackthorne99 Posts: 250 Member
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    Just to clarify, aren't animals sentient anyway?

    That's what I was thinking. Sentient means having a conscious mind. Animals are sentient; plants may or may not be.

    And yes - I would still consume them. I follow the rules of the animal kingdom. I do not eat "self".
  • Hearts_2015
    Hearts_2015 Posts: 12,031 Member
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    I watched that same show Emma. I don't know who was crazier the diner or the dinee. I think I kept a light on that night.
    I think I'll do that tonight!! :noway: Keep a light on that is..:laugh:
  • bigfatbino
    bigfatbino Posts: 136 Member
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    Yup. I'd cook 'em and eat 'em. No regrets, pass the BBQ sauce =)
  • Hearts_2015
    Hearts_2015 Posts: 12,031 Member
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    But then again, Americans just adore a rat--Mickey Mouse so who knows, right?

    How dare you call Mickey a rat?

    :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:
    :bigsmile: :tongue:

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