where did humans get the idea that eating certain animals is wrong?

[TheVenomWithin]

We as humans commonely eat animals like pigs, cows, and chicken. Why do you think we had standards and morals to be against eating certain animals such as dogs, cats, horses, etc here in the US.

 

 

And how did we get a bond in the first place with these animals?

 

Discuss.

[praise]

Would you want to prepare your house cat for Sunday dinner? No, of course not.

[Langweenee]

We tamed them to help us hunt and the bond grew. I wouldn't want to eat my friend.

[Mr. Slanders]

I would like to taste some human venison. This is some skyrim shit or somethin'

[TheVenomWithin]

Would you want to prepare your house cat for Sunday dinner? No, of course not.

 

I'm not talking about now, I mean a while back.

[Professional Map Painter]

Depends on what they were used for I guess - horses were usually trained for war or puling loads (or passengers) for example, rather than bred for meat.

[Lord Shako]

If it is made out of meat and not poisonous, I'll eat it.

Top of the food-chain!

 

But probably because cats, horses and dogs provided services like guarding, killing pests, pulling carts and stuff like that.

[praise]

I'm not talking about now, I mean a while back.

Back then, people didn't have access to the normal foods we have today. Anything tasty was prepped and used for food mostly. These days, if you go and roast a common pet like dogs, cats etc. It would be seen as animal abuse. Imo.

[Langweenee]

I'm not talking about now, I mean a while back.

I am still talking about far back. Some cultures did and still eat animals we consider pets.

[A n d y]

I ate a dog once.

 

Thought it was bacon.

[Heated Bread]

I think the deciding factor may be social bonding.  Humans are social creatures; we lead a social existence as part of our survival strategy, which is most likely how we developed morality.  Morality allows us to maintain social coherence with one another and thereby facilitate the survival of the group and the individuals within it.  So when we started forming social bonds with other animals, it only makes sense that our morality probably began to extend to those animals as well.  We don't eat eachother for obvious reasons, so it would make sense that it would become taboo to eat animals that we've formed social bonds with as well. 

 

And before anyone chimes in with the issue of cannibalism, I just want to say that as far as I am aware, cannibalism is primarily a tribal act.  It's my understanding that tribes which have practiced cannibalism have not typically eaten members of their own tribe.  They've eaten members of other tribes.  It would not be very conducive to social coherence and group survival for someone to eat members of one's own tribe.  I'm wrong about this, actually.  Apparently there are two kinds of cannibalism practiced.  Endocannibalism (eating members of one's own tribe) and exocannibalism (eating people from other tribes).  Endocannibalism is practiced on the recently deceased.

 

source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cannibalism

[KERPKEK]

It's completely natural. We eat some species, we co-exist with others. It's because we're animals too, we tend to forget that.

[Yackitori]

In China, if it moves, and isn't human, you can eat it.

[CSKangaroo]

In response to Yackitori. There is a lot of cases of chinese canibalism even today. (Ex: widespread eating of aborted fetuses for "medicinal" purposes)

[krawtch]

Not everyone has real problems, since they live in the first world.

Some of them feel the need to invent problems so their life can have a feeling of overcoming adversity.

Many people also thrive on drama and conflict so there's a need to create that too.

 

short version: big whiny babies gotta bitch about shit people like.

[Budi]

This doesn't happen now because of social norms which have been ingrained, but if you go back further in time there are 2 main reasons why those animals were not eaten. In ancient history, (Egyptians and other religions) saw cats as gods or deities, so you wouldn't be eating those to risk not getting to the afterlife. 

 

As far as dogs and horses, most of that comes from domestication which was a direct result of utility. Dogs and horses were worth much more for the jobs they could do (horses - for war, travel, carrying things) and dogs for hunting, security, companionship. Wouldn't make sense to get one meal out of them when they could provide years of service. The only exception to this obviously is in extreme cases of famine or starvation in which it was a last resort. 

[v³ Unknown NO FEAR]

I ate a dog once.

 

Thought it was bacon.

 

Underrated post. 

[Python.]

Because chickens, cows, pigs and turkey do not have many functions that would help humans survive besides their meat

Chickens can run fast, but can't carry much if anything, and if they could, wouldn't be worth it

Cows are stupid, hunks of meat. They aren't fast and they're easy to tend to and feed

Pigs are the same, while perhaps not being as stupid as cows, they're not very helpful and they eat leftovers

 

Horses, Llamas, Dogs/Wolves, and Cats however, have some kind of use

Horses, used for warefare; bread with donkeys to create mules which were easy(er) to train and could carry more weight

Llamas could be used for their wool which they growback, as well as carrying goods

Dogs and Wolves for hunting and companionship

Cats because, well, fuck cats. See, you have nothing to gain from a cat. Little meat on the bones. Might be your companion if you feed it.

 - Edit: They kill mice. WOOPDEE-FUCKING-DOO EVERYBODY. HOW CAN WE LIVE WITHOUT LIVING MOUSETRAPS AMIRITE

 

You'd only eat the 2nd list of animals if you're in China or senile

 

TL;DR: Cats are dicks. Hard to train. Eat your food. Scratch you when you try to care for them.

[PeterLG]

Horses for riding (omg shut up pervert)

Dogs for hunting

Cats for punching

 

Why eat what you can use when you can eat useless stuff like pigs

[Heated Bread]

TL;DR: Cats are dicks. Hard to train. Eat your food. Scratch you when you try to care for them.

 

You should stay away from cats.  You clearly do not understand them.  Your whole attitude and body language would probably frighten and antagonize them.  Cats are very loving animals that can form deep bonds with people.  They can also be trained to follow verbal commands fairly easily.  People like you just don't understand their nature.  You have to learn how to treat different animals for what they are, not how you expect that they should act.  You probably have the kind of attitude that can work with dogs because dogs are submissive by nature.  A cat's respect has to be earned by demonstrating peacefulness and acceptance; they require a totally different approach.

[TheVenomWithin]

You should stay away from cats.  You clearly do not understand them.  Your whole attitude and body language would probably frighten and antagonize them.  Cats are very loving animals that can form deep bonds with people.  They can also be trained to follow verbal commands fairly easily.  People like you just don't understand their nature.  You have to learn how to treat different animals for what they are, not how you expect that they should act.  You probably have the kind of attitude that can work with dogs because dogs are submissive by nature.  A cat's respect has to be earned by demonstrating peacefulness and acceptance; they require a totally different approach.

That's why i'm a dog person.

[Python.]

You should stay away from cats.  You clearly do not understand them.  Your whole attitude and body language would probably frighten and antagonize them.  Cats are very loving animals that can form deep bonds with people.  They can also be trained to follow verbal commands fairly easily.  People like you just don't understand their nature.  You have to learn how to treat different animals for what they are, not how you expect that they should act.  You probably have the kind of attitude that can work with dogs because dogs are submissive by nature.  A cat's respect has to be earned by demonstrating peacefulness and acceptance; they require a totally different approach.

Why are you telling me to stay away from cats when what I said clearly shows I already do, and when it's a pretty obvious joke

The rest of that paragraph can be summed up in: You don't know me and you're making assumptions about who i am for a joke I made

 

If you like cats, fine, good for you. The point is they have no value looking at it through a survival standpoint.

[WAAAAHT]

In China, if it moves, and isn't human, you can eat it.

 

Didn't know China liked to eat your mother.

 

EDIT: 

 

Joking.

[Python.]

-bullshit-