I've often wondered about this... What If I ate a dog? Obviously the repurcussions would be huge. People in this country have developed a loving relationship with dogs. They are 'man's best friend.' To suggest that someone kill a dog to eat it is outrageous to most people.
The same can be said about cats. Now, of course, in other countries where people do not have this 'man's best friend' conception about dogs, eating dogs is perfectly acceptable. To us, this is disgusting and outrageous.
Thus, I can completely understand eating dogs is shunned in America. Compared to commiting mass genocide on ants and other insects (pests) and crushing snails, etc. Killing dogs is far worse. Because not all living creatures are created equal. Insect's and mice's lives are worthless compared to larger mammals. But what about cows? Aren't cows large mammals?
My friend expressed to me the other great concern over the abuse and atrocities we as a society commit against cows. Cows are not like lions or tigers, they are not fierce and malicious. Killing and eating tigers should be okay-- they deserve it at least. Cows, on the other hand, are (for the msot part) benevolent (unless you piss them off) and hard working. For example, we make cows work the fields (hard labor), we constantly take their milk, we herd them around, we kill and eat them, we take their skin, the list goes on and on. Yet we do not feel any regret when we eat our hamburgers or wear our leather tennis shoes. Do we not feel sorry for these overworked animals? Have we not disrespected their existence enough?
Why is that? Why is eating a dog so wrong, but eating cows okay? Is there any logical justification to this? Or is it simply because dogs are cuter? Why do we as a society discriminate between species?
EDIT: Before I get flamed: I am not advocating that we eat dogs. I love dogs as much as anyone else. In fact, I had 7 cats prior to coming to college and it would pain me greatly to see any harm come to cats of any sort. It is because I exhibit the mentality I have described above that I am trying to understand why I feel this way. I also feel terribly sorry for cows. I just cant stop eating hamburgers.
The same can be said about cats. Now, of course, in other countries where people do not have this 'man's best friend' conception about dogs, eating dogs is perfectly acceptable. To us, this is disgusting and outrageous.
Thus, I can completely understand eating dogs is shunned in America. Compared to commiting mass genocide on ants and other insects (pests) and crushing snails, etc. Killing dogs is far worse. Because not all living creatures are created equal. Insect's and mice's lives are worthless compared to larger mammals. But what about cows? Aren't cows large mammals?
My friend expressed to me the other great concern over the abuse and atrocities we as a society commit against cows. Cows are not like lions or tigers, they are not fierce and malicious. Killing and eating tigers should be okay-- they deserve it at least. Cows, on the other hand, are (for the msot part) benevolent (unless you piss them off) and hard working. For example, we make cows work the fields (hard labor), we constantly take their milk, we herd them around, we kill and eat them, we take their skin, the list goes on and on. Yet we do not feel any regret when we eat our hamburgers or wear our leather tennis shoes. Do we not feel sorry for these overworked animals? Have we not disrespected their existence enough?
Why is that? Why is eating a dog so wrong, but eating cows okay? Is there any logical justification to this? Or is it simply because dogs are cuter? Why do we as a society discriminate between species?
EDIT: Before I get flamed: I am not advocating that we eat dogs. I love dogs as much as anyone else. In fact, I had 7 cats prior to coming to college and it would pain me greatly to see any harm come to cats of any sort. It is because I exhibit the mentality I have described above that I am trying to understand why I feel this way. I also feel terribly sorry for cows. I just cant stop eating hamburgers.
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