OR
Remember, this is both a philosophical discussion (based upon personal beliefs and ideas) and a sociological discussion (based upon norms and traditions in society). We know how things are, but we are wondering why. Your response should focus on WHY.
Some of the interesting points that students made were:
1.) The way we view an animal depends on cultural and religious perspective. In some cultures, dogs can be food, but pigs are not.
2.) There is an ancient relationship between dogs and humans, reaching back to the time of cavemen.
3.) Cats, dogs, and other such pets have a symbiotic (mutually beneficial) relationship to humans, such as catching rats or guarding our houses.
4.) Some animals are too "dirty" or "gross" to cuddle. This sounds funny, but it's actually a really solid point. It's about aesthetics, the appeal of a pleasant appearance.
5.) What about animals that are often considered both, like rabbits? Or animals that are considered neither, like tigers?
6.) Sometimes, it's just because of cultural norms and taboos -- how we are brought up makes us feel a certain way, even if, intellectually, we know the feeling is arbitrary and not logical.
To explore the issue further, you can read this sociological analysis of why some animals are categorized as pets and some as food: http://sociologytoolbox.com/norm-violation-pets-food/
Question: Why do we categorize animals in this way? What are the factors that determine these categories?
Remember, two paragraphs! Cite textual evidence from the article! Respond to classmates' perspectives POLITELY! Respect cultural and religious differences, and do not judge another's perspective on this topic. We are all different, and that's exactly what makes discussion -- and life -- interesting!
I can't wait to read your responses!
I think that our basis on life is an example from people from earlier times. "Our sense of the “natural” is jolted by reframing what we see as lovable pets into meat that is “just the right size for a pit barbecue.”(Pets or food). Like we discussed in class, we keep the things that help us. If a dog saves your life and catches food for you , are you going to turn around and eat it? No.
ReplyDeleteThe reason we eat animals depends on the value of it alive. We kill pigs because they give us pork and bacon, they have more of a use dead then alive. But once again different cultures eat different food that others don't. In some countries people eat monkeys. Personally I wouldn't kill a monkey because they are close to humans and are ten times stronger than man. The way we act is based off previous examples from ancestors.
I think that a reason that we don't eat specific animals is because it's part of our culture. For example, in some cultures, people eat dogs but not pigs. Also, there could be a sentimental attachment involved with certain animals. In some cases, we call "food animals" pets. Sometimes we call "pet animals" food.
ReplyDeleteAnother reason that we don't eat specific animals is because of our emotional attachment to the animal. Isn't that why we don't eat our pets, because we get attached to them and are grateful for them? For example, if a dog wards off other dogs from your house, you would appreciate it. If a cat eats all the mice in your home, you would be grateful. The reason that we don't eat specific animals is because of cultural and sentimental values for the animals.
-Isaac E.
I agree with Isaac. It depends on the local culture we have whether dogs and cats are considered a potential friend or an extra sausage or two. One reason we don't kill dogs and cats is because they have uses socially and in the workforce. For example, dogs and cats are used "to cuddle on the couch with"(sociology toolbox.com). An example for dogs being used in the work force would be as police dogs. Cows and pigs however, do not really have a better use than being in most people's dinner tonight.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I think we are killing cows and pigs to be more resourceful.Usaully, it is better to kill one cow than four dogs. For example, animals like cows and pigs are usually described as "just the right size for the pit barbecue"(sociologytoolbox.com). However, most household pets aren't
That is a great question to ask new people we meet: friend or sausage? Which one are you?
DeleteI agree with Quintin. Some animals are friends and others are food. For some people..."fish are friends, not food"(Finding Nemo). For other people... "are those fish sticks? Yum!"(Saskia Wells). Also people think that other animals are cuter than others, therefore excluding some animals from the "Tasty" and "Delicious" groups. Finally, there are some people who think animals some animal are dirtier than others. So if they eat them, they consider themselves to be filthy, dirty, gross.
DeleteI agree with almost everyone that it's our culture that really limits us on what to eat and what to pet. Although the article talked about many things that we could possibly eat, I think the reason why we eat some animals and not others "is because in the US, most find the idea repulsive"(sociologytoolbox.com, paragraph 3). For example, in past years some Americans find eating beef, pork, or chicken as a normal food and are not surprised that they are eating a cow, pig, or chicken. But if we were to give them dog or any other household pet, they would find this repulsive or unusual. Most Americans would usually see these social and loving animals as pets, not their dinner. I think they would feel this way because it goes through their mind that they are eating what could have been someones loyal pet.
ReplyDeleteAnother reason why dogs, cats, and other pets are considered pets and not food is because they are easily cuddled. They are fun to be with and can be trained to do things for us. For example, take a guard dog. They can protect you and keep bad guys away. If a robber gets closer to what the dog is watching, the dog would bark and bare it's teeth and would attack. On the other hand, cows and pigs are sometimes are too hard to handle and may be considered wild. Just imagine if you place a cow or a pig as a guard. Not only they are not intimidating, they are not trainable and they are not meant to be a guard. If a robber were to go up to a house with a guard cow or pig, these animals would just stand there and let the robber in. Some of these animals can be "trained" but they can possibly attack and in some cases and kill you. Dogs and cats usually accept someone as a master and will obey. Like what Pierce said,"they (pigs and cows) have more of a use dead than alive."
The guard dog is a great example of the way an animal's usefulness might determine its category. It's as if ancient man asked, "Can you be used for something besides food? No? Okay, sausage it is."
DeleteI think one of the reasons we eat some animals and not others because some religions say that it isn't proper to eat pork or beef or any other animal. Also with some religions, they think that pigs aren't clean. With that being said, they might not want to feed themselves something that isn't clean(the filth might soak into them). Another reason, for me at least, is that some people think that cats or dogs are just really cute and then you have bacon, a cheeseburger, and chicken tenders. ;) Finally, some animals are sacred. The ancient Egyptians worshiped cats and crocodiles and may others.
ReplyDelete*many
DeleteJust noticed that. ;)
i think one of the reasons why people don't eat specific animals is because like many people said it mis about your or their culture. I think it is partly about culture because for example muslims can't eat pork or drink alcohol.Another reason why people don't eat specific animals is because they are pets. Like, would you want to eat a fried dog or a fried cat everyday for breakfast? I wouldn't because cats have soft and could be guard cats haha. Dogs could be like a guard dog. My last reason is because it is just the way the animal is not clean. Like chimps, monkeys, and gorillas all live in the wild, would you just want to kill them and eat them? I wouldn't. What im basically trying to say is it is about culture, usefulness, and the fact that some animals aren't clean. - Carlvesi L.
ReplyDeleteI think people don't eat some animals is because of their uses like "that guy again" said. Its definitely not a good idea to replace guard pitbull with a cow. The only thing it will do is annoy the burglar with a bunch of giant farts. The pig could probably just eat the burglar's pants or something, but that would just slow the burglar down. Plus, there is also the chance that the burglar might take out a grill from his back pocket and just fry the pig or something. Not only use for safety, but keeping a pig is pretty hard since it will eat practically anything from your lamp to your lamppost. When it comes to cows, they will just fart all over your house.
ReplyDeleteThere is also the fact that some animals are just too dirty to actually play with. This is actually ht esame reason some religions don't eat pork. Pigs are dirty, therefore, some religions do not want to eat dirty animals. In order for dfoods to be eaten, they must have split hooves, and chew their cud. Pigs do not have split hooves and they don't chew their cud. The there are cows that are sacred to hindus. Living a good life can either result in becoming a cow, a prince, or a priest. Therefore it is not nice to eat your uncle or your great grandfather.
-Asha A.
I think that the reason why people eat animals and have some animals as pets, is because of their culture or it's a tradition. People rather eat pigs than dogs because they are already used to dogs being pets and pigs being food. Some people rather have bacon instead of having a pig as a pet. Others may be grossed out about eating any meat like vegetarians.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Asha about the burglar part. If you just had a pig it wouldn't really protect you. It seems that people rather have a dog rather than a pig or cow as a pet. Cows and pigs are really slow, so anyone who's trying to break in will get in. On the other hand, if you had a dog, you could train it to attack or something.
Cats and dogs are definitely on my list for pets. But eating snails? No thanks. There are so many reasons, and just as many cultures that categorize animals. Any animal, unless poisoned or unhealthy, is food. If it sustains us, it is automatically food. Then, different people and different countries start narrowing down the list.
ReplyDeleteOne way that we narrow down the list is by religion, like Paulina and others said. "Although some Hindus may occasionally eat meat, almost all avoid beef"(http://www.faithandfood.com/Hinduism.php). Cows are sacred in India, because, like Pierce stated, of their living usefulness. Their waste is used as fertilizer, and their cow power is used as transportation. Other religions believe that animals such as pigs, are too "dirty". They have good reason too, because pigs wade in mud and such, giving the appearance of being a dirty animal.
As Asha said, usefulness has been a part of this as well. If a dog strayed in during a hunt and began to help, the dog would be valued. If a cat comes in and starts killing rats, it would be valued. But, if a pig comes in, or a cow, it will be immediately killed and savored. Though pigs are smarter than dogs, they are lazy and cannot be trained. Brain power doesn't matter if you're not willing to use it.
Many, many people in America love bacon. The look of bacon has become a known symbol that we all love to talk about. But you place a dirty pig picture and say, "eat this," much less people would want to eat that. Just like that, if you make dog bacon, and make it look like bacon, society wouldn't care. So how the food is placed matters. Plain crickets? Yuck. Strips of delicious sauteed slices of unidentifiable crickets? Sure. "Cows, chickens, and pigs are food that come in the form of steaks, burgers, strips, ribs, and hot dogs"(http://sociology too box.c om/norm-violation-pets-food/). This also applies to rabbits, who are considered as both. It depends on the final look.
Finally, it all comes down to the cuteness factor. Everyone loves a cute kitten, even dog lovers. Just like that, baby animals are cute. Once they lose this aesthetic advantage, though, the food is up for grabs. Plus, if you are like humans in any way, you get an additional advantage, like chimpanzees have. Why do you think baby animals are cute? For protection. Nature has proven that if you are aesthetically pleasing, you have more of a chance of survival.
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Thanks for reading! I couldn't really help how the links appeared, I tried but it still went down to the next line. Sorry!!
Cheers,
Sriha S. =^.^=
Sriha's point about the way a food item is presented is really important. That is also an aesthetic consideration, just as much as the cuteness of a potential pet is an aesthetic consideration. If the food looks pleasing, we will not be as repulsed by it. This is true even for animals we would typically consider food, I think! If we present someone with a cow's tongue, they may be repulsed -- it's still beef, but it's a tongue, and it is clearly a tongue. Part of the issue, then, is how closely the food resembles the animal part -- or how recognizable it is as an animal. Are we only able to eat meat because it is so far removed from the animal it comes from? Because it looks nothing like that animal or any part of that animal? Insects, on the other hand, always look like the animal it is. You don't eat insect parts the way we do chicken legs or t-bone steaks; you eat the entire animal, head, body, legs, exoskeleton, etc. It is very recognizable AS that animal. Interesting idea!
DeleteI believe that the main reason why we consider certain animals pets, while others are seen as food depends on ancient tradition or beliefs. For instance, Muslims can not eat pork or drink alcohol. In addition, "In the U.S, most find the idea repulsive" (sociologytoolbox.com). For example, even though I love the taste of bacon, I myself would find it weird to eat a dog or cat. Also, pigs are more dirty than dogs and are harder to take care of.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Isaac that what we eat depends on the local culture. This means that because we have a certain bond with dogs, we would be hesitant to eat one rather than a pig or a cow. I also took note to Asha that people won't eat an animal because of it's looks or cleanness.
I believe we eat certain animals and have others as pets because of many reasons. One being is that some animals are too big or dirty to cuddle with, such as cows or pigs. Dogs and cats though, they are perfect size and they are clean, so they make great cuddle buddies. Which one would you choose to cuddle with? Which one would you eat? A pig or a dog? I know I would choose to cuddle with a dog and eat a pig.
ReplyDeleteAgreeing with Paulina R, another reason is because of culture or tradition. Some cultures say to eat pigs and cows and befriend dogs and cats. Some would like to have bacon over having a pig as a pet. If a dog or cat had sentimental value to you, I'm pretty sure you wouldn't want to eat it. These are just a few reasons on why we eat certain animals and have others as pets.
Katelyn, great term to use here! "Sentimental value." That is key in considering individual perspective on how we categorize an animal. Person A loves his dog/cat, so he is horrified by the idea of eating a dog/cat.
DeleteThere's another part to this, though. Even someone who eats, say, a chicken nugget may have a chicken as a pet, but would be horrified by eating their OWN pet chicken! It's very much about the sentimental value attached to that particular chicken. So, there are broad categories (this TYPE of animal is a pet) and there are personal categories (this PARTICULAR animal is a pet).
We categorize this way because of cultures and how people view things. As it was in the past and as it still is in the future people have religious rules that have to be followed. Or maybe some people just think that some animals taste better than others. In the article Norm Violation: Pets or Food it states, "Our sense of the "natural" is jolted by reframing what we see as lovable pets into meat." This means that it is really up to the person that feels like eating.
ReplyDeleteBut again, some religions aren't aloud to eat certain animals like Muslims are not aloud to eat pork. They believe that pigs are dirty animals and should not be eaten. Also, "cows, chickens, are food that come in the form of steaks, burgers, strips, and hot dogs. Beagles on the other hand are seen as pets" (Norm Violation: Pets or Food). This is how I think most Americans categorize pets and animals. -Isaiah A.
I agree with Asha, Paulina, and Sriha. The uses of the animals are important to the role they play in our lives, and the level of emotional affection we feel for them. Sriha mentioned the concept of a "cuteness factor". I agree wholeheartedly. An animal's appearance can significantly impact our ideas and feelings about them. In this case, specifically, our preferences about them.
ReplyDeleteIt mostly comes down to the way we see the animals we eat. For example, the article states that : "Cows, chickens, and pigs are food that come in the form of steaks, burgers, strips, ribs, and hot dogs. Beagles on the other hand are pets that we call by name, buy accessories for, and snuggle on the couch with." . This statement implies that our "visual", if you will, affects our feelings. I believe that our brains are wired like that.
Of course, some of us, prefer not to eat animals at all. Most people (like myself) have probably gone through a vegetarian phase before. People who stick to the vegetarian lifestyle may view all animals as pets. Various religions and cultures have different diets, which include different types of animals. It is a choice that we are able to make.
In my daily warm-up, on Friday, I wrote about about our "ignorance" toward where our food comes from. Obviously, most of the meat we consume comes from local farms. Most of us do not live on farms, so we do not see pigs running around every day. We do not really "connect", with the pigs we eat. It is simply easier for us to eat "nameless, faceless pigs", instead of our own pets. Some people could not imagine eating their pets, or their pets' "relatives". However, eating a pig we have never seen, nor met, is generally not as hard of a temptation to ignore.
In short, I believe that the general appearance of an animal, as well as the level of emotional endearment we feel for it, contributes to the decision we make: "Pets or Food?"
Eating these animals such as pigs and cows give us nourishment, makes us stronger, and helps us grow. They provide foods such as hamburgers, pork, or bacon. I think that we should eat animals because it benefits us and the animals as well. To start off, some animals such as the dogs and cat which are commonly used as pets, are generally smarter than a cow or pig. Dogs can learn cool tricks like roll over and sit whereas a cow cannot do anything. Also, a dog is much easier to maintain, but on the other hand, there might not be a field or room big enough for thew cow to roam around in.
ReplyDeleteReligions such as Islam and Judaism do not eat pork. It says in the Hebrew bible in Deuteronomy chapter 14, verse 8, that "And the pig, because it has a split hoof, but does not chew the cud; it is unclean for you. You shall neither eat of their flesh nor touch their carcass." Also the Greeks believed that the cow was the animal of Apollo. Let us not forget that the Egyptians worshiped the cat so they didn't eat them because without the cats then the rats and mice would damage the crops. Which leads me to my next point: The Food Chain.
It is natural to eat these animals although. You can think of it as a food chain. Humans eat animals, animals eat other animals, those animals eat insects, insects eat grass, and grass takes from the sun by photosynthesis. Imagine if we didn't eat the cows or pigs. Then the animals maybe overpopulating and might take over the land. Also everyone would be a vegetarian due to no meat. No one would eat dogs or cats because we might have gotten attached to them when we were first starting off in this world. You wouldn't eat your pet that you love so dearly, right? Also, there are laws around the world that states that it is forbidden to eat those kinds of foods. But I would understand if it would be in a crisis or a time of need that you might need to eat the dog or cat and you might not have any food lying around. It could happen when the world is ending, a war is going on, or you have been stranded in a place yet you cannot find any food and are on the verge of hunger.This is why I think that people should eat animals.
~Sofia K.
We categorize animals into food or pets because we may feel that it is okay to eat some animals, but not others. It depends on what a type of animal is seen as and what it looks like. For example, people may find puppies or kittens adorable and fun to play with. While, people may find pigs disgusting and dirty animals who will eat anything. Although, some people do eat dogs or can not eat cows. It depends on your culture and what religious beliefs you have.
ReplyDelete"Cows, chickens, and pigs are food that come in the form of steaks, burgers, strips, ribs, and hot dogs. Beagles on the other hand are pets that we call by name, buy accessories for, and snuggle on the couch with"(sociologytoolbox.com). Most people find it strange to eat dogs or keeps pigs as pets. Also, dogs and humans have an ancient relationship. This is why we respect dogs. People may think that it is appropriate to eat some animals and then keep others as pets.
I believe that we consider some animals as pets and others as food because we grow up in different areas that teach us we are able to eat different things. For example, I grew up here in the U.S. and we do NOT eat dogs because we think it is repulsive and I agree. But from my culture, we can eat dogs as if we are eating a hot dog. So even though we may think hamburgers are good others may say eating hamburgers is like eating a pet. I think it mostly depends on our own perspective and maybe even how we are taught to eat specific things and consider other things as pets.
ReplyDeleteWe also divide the animals we eat and the animals we keep as pets because of our culture. We may think eating crickets and grubs like popcorn is gross and maybe even unsanitary. But here it says, "In western Kenya, the site of much of my research, the first rains of the season bring out swarms of termites from their large earthen mounds that dot the landscape. A flashlight in the dark night attracts the termites. People collect them and sauté then up with a little oil and salt. They taste like popcorn." This shows that around the world, people will eat things we think is gross and revolting. Maybe to them, eating Spam is gross and revolting. It all depends on your culture and your own personal likes. But maybe we shouldn't judge food by the way it looks and just try it. You will never know how it tastes if you don't try it.
- Eliza A.
Some animals are considered food and others pets due to many things.It can be due to culture,stereotypes, personal beliefs,religion,and etc.For example,"What we could eat is much broader than the cultural limits that define what we should eat and what we would even find appetizing." (Norm Violation:Pets or food?). This means there are many things we could have chosen to eat,but we limited ourselves to what we think is right to eat.For example, some people choose to be vegetarian, and that means they are limiting themselves to what they can eat.
ReplyDeleteOne reason why dogs are considered pets and not food is because that is what society thinks is normal. For instance, "Culturally, in the US, most find the idea repulsive." (Norm Violation: Pets or food?). This shows that society has a certain image about food, that Dogs,cats,and etc are pets, and cows,pigs,and etc are food. There's also the fact that in movies and such, farm animals are shown as animals with no real intelligence,compared to dogs who seem to have intelligence. For example, in the movie Mr.Peabody and Sherman, Mr.Peabody,who is a dog, was portrayed as smart. Other movies like Free Birds showed some of the birds as lazy and dumb.
Some animals are considered food while others are not. Some animals can have sentimental value more than others."Just the right size for put barbecue". This means that some animals have more value. Meaning that it can be nutritious while others should be loved.
ReplyDeleteMeanwhile, not eating certain animals can be a religious practice. Such as, Muslims can't eat pork or drink alcohol. Some people don't reject eating animals by choice. Maybe they were raised that way. Some people don't think it is right to eat animals at all. There fore they are vegetarians. The way people eat is based on how they were raised and what they believe in.
-Kailani f
Some animals are conidered food while others are not. This all is all because of culture and mabye even beliefs. For example, muslims believe that a cow is a sacred animal, and can rome free and should not be touched or eaten. They also might say to not eat pigs because they are dirty animals. Different religions have different beliefs that others might think is wrong.
ReplyDeleteThis also might be because of the stucture ans function of different animals. Cows are big and meaty and can fill a whole crowd up with food. While dogs, are small but can run fast enough to pull a sled. Cats are warm and fuzzy animals that are great to cuddle with. While a pig, is covered in mud and will eat anything! All animals are made up with different ways that we can use in our lives.
in my opinion some animals are considered food such as cows pigs etc.however some animals are not considered food because there considered pets.As my said this may be because of cultures and beliefs. I also agree with maya because it might also be about the structure and function of different animals.
ReplyDeleteI also believe that animals that are considered pets don't like to be eaten because those are the pets that live with you or protect you.However animals such as pigs, cows, etc aren't considered food because they are considered farm animals. They also produce foods such as bacon,meat,etc.
I feel that some animals are pets and some animals are food. This may be because of culture or religion or even maybe where you live. I agree with Megan and Maya , it may be because of the structure and function of the animal because some animals have more meat and fat than others.
ReplyDeleteI also believe that some animals smell bad or are pretty gross That's why we don't treat them like pets and cuddle them. Although the most of our population uses pigs as food there are parts of the world/ people who treat other animals ,such as pigs and cows, for pets. In conclusion, I believe that we decided which animals are pets and which ones are food because of cutlture, religion, and the structure and function of the animal.
I think we judge and animal not on it importance to us, but on how it looks to most people. If an animal is important but ugly we despise it. If an animal is not as important but beautiful we like them. Muslims for example, are not allowed to eat pork because it is belived it is a filthy animal. I belive this is not a good thing and is bad for us humans.
ReplyDeleteIf we continue to do this we may cause an extinction. However, for our hunger we should make some sacrifices. If an animal is big and has lots of meat, that is good for our daily meals. Not all animals are ugly to some people, but it is an animal is killed by majority. Overall we judge an animal poorly on it importance and i belive this is a terrible thing for our society.
I believe it revolves around two main ideas, our ancestors and structure. During times like the Stone Age and Ice age, people began to befriend our dog's ancestors. This started a friendship between man and dog, cats, certain birds, etc. However, animals like cows, pigs, and chickens were used for their nutrition. Which is one reason why our culture prefers cow over dog as for food.
ReplyDeleteAnother reason is structure. Cows are much larger that dogs and give more output for the input. Dogs, though, do not and In supply things like muscle and bone. Cows also have a bigger nutrition value than dogs. For example, dogs are carnivores, so they eat meat that has all ready used up most of the nutrition. however, since cows are herbivores, they supply more energy that house pets.
I think the way that we eat one or more type of animal, and how we keep the other as a pet. One reason that we do this, is that one type of animal may be useful and others not. If you had a breed of dogs/wolves pulling a dog sled, would you replace those dogs with pigs and cows? I think not. Another is that we eat mostly all of a big cow, from the tongue to the intestines, would you rather eat a small, skinny dog, with barely any meat on it? When you think about it it is mostly about what it is good for, or how efficient can this task be. Also other animals, are wanted by the community, to be regular household pets.
ReplyDeleteAnother reason is religion and cultural reasoning. People who follow Islam, are not allowed to eat pork, obviously for religious reasons, like they are dirty in a sense. Catholics are not allowed to eat meats, on special occasions. (http://eatocracy.cnn.com/2010/07/20/clarified-religious-dietary-restrictions/) Other religions and cultures ban other foods, whether it is considered dirty, sacred, alright to keep, and alright to eat. It really comes down to religion and usefulness.