I am a cephalopod fan (to put it lightly). I am aware that octopodes are some of the most complex and intelligent animals in the world. I don't seek out octopus to eat it all that often, primarily...
I am a cephalopod fan (to put it lightly). I am aware that octopodes are some of the most complex and intelligent animals in the world. I don't seek out octopus to eat it all that often, primarily because it's not all that flavorful and it's rarely prepared well here in the states, but I do eat it without giving it another thought.
Same as I do when eating beef, chicken, pork, goat, fish, or anything else. I've met examples of all these animals, each had a personality (aside from fish), and I wouldn't want the goat I was just petting to be slaughtered in front of me, but I also grew up farm-adjacent and I've slaughtered my share of livestock to put food on the table.
When it comes down to it there's a lot of things you wouldn't eat or use if you thought deeply about the consequences of their creation. So it's all a matter of how much you're willing to ignore to enjoy the luxuries of life. I do what I can to minimize it in various ways.
TBH, I would probably feel less bad about eating an octopus than I do a cow or pig. All of them are intelligent and social, but octopuses are predatory carnivores themselves, and only live 3-5...
TBH, I would probably feel less bad about eating an octopus than I do a cow or pig. All of them are intelligent and social, but octopuses are predatory carnivores themselves, and only live 3-5 years. Whereas cows are herbivores, pigs are omnivores, and they can both live 20+ years. I don't know why their own diet and lifespan makes so much of a difference in my mind when weighing the ethics of eating them, but it does.
Wanting to avoid having to do that sort of ethical calculus is exactly why I have cut down on my meat consumption so much over the last year+ though, with the goal being to eventually fully commit to a vegetarian diet. At this point I am basically a pescatarian still though, since I still eat a lot of fish. But I would ultimately prefer not to harm any animals through my consumption, if I can reasonably avoid it.
I was a vegetarian for a long time, but slowly reintroduced meat when I was preparing to live in France for a year, knowing it would be practically unavoidable. Now, I can’t imagine giving up pork...
I was a vegetarian for a long time, but slowly reintroduced meat when I was preparing to live in France for a year, knowing it would be practically unavoidable. Now, I can’t imagine giving up pork or fish. Or the occasional hamburger. Top of the food chain, I tell myself.
I never thought to compare the eating habits or life spans of my meat sources as a factor in decision making. Probably my aversion to eating octopus has most to do with how they are popularly portrayed/how I have come to think of them—cool, intelligent, mysterious—versus cows (dull), chickens (mindless), turkeys (rude), and pigs (cuter in fiction than reality).
I love octopi now
"I know that feel, bro"
Does anyone else feel bad about (the idea of) eating octopus? This has been on my mind recently.
I am a cephalopod fan (to put it lightly). I am aware that octopodes are some of the most complex and intelligent animals in the world. I don't seek out octopus to eat it all that often, primarily because it's not all that flavorful and it's rarely prepared well here in the states, but I do eat it without giving it another thought.
Same as I do when eating beef, chicken, pork, goat, fish, or anything else. I've met examples of all these animals, each had a personality (aside from fish), and I wouldn't want the goat I was just petting to be slaughtered in front of me, but I also grew up farm-adjacent and I've slaughtered my share of livestock to put food on the table.
When it comes down to it there's a lot of things you wouldn't eat or use if you thought deeply about the consequences of their creation. So it's all a matter of how much you're willing to ignore to enjoy the luxuries of life. I do what I can to minimize it in various ways.
Yes, and I find it weird that I feel this way since I don't feel the same way eating other types of meat.
TBH, I would probably feel less bad about eating an octopus than I do a cow or pig. All of them are intelligent and social, but octopuses are predatory carnivores themselves, and only live 3-5 years. Whereas cows are herbivores, pigs are omnivores, and they can both live 20+ years. I don't know why their own diet and lifespan makes so much of a difference in my mind when weighing the ethics of eating them, but it does.
Wanting to avoid having to do that sort of ethical calculus is exactly why I have cut down on my meat consumption so much over the last year+ though, with the goal being to eventually fully commit to a vegetarian diet. At this point I am basically a pescatarian still though, since I still eat a lot of fish. But I would ultimately prefer not to harm any animals through my consumption, if I can reasonably avoid it.
I was a vegetarian for a long time, but slowly reintroduced meat when I was preparing to live in France for a year, knowing it would be practically unavoidable. Now, I can’t imagine giving up pork or fish. Or the occasional hamburger. Top of the food chain, I tell myself.
I never thought to compare the eating habits or life spans of my meat sources as a factor in decision making. Probably my aversion to eating octopus has most to do with how they are popularly portrayed/how I have come to think of them—cool, intelligent, mysterious—versus cows (dull), chickens (mindless), turkeys (rude), and pigs (cuter in fiction than reality).
There are (at least) two ways to read the topic title.
?
Female octopuses throw objects of harassment at males vs female octopuses throw objects at males who harass them, maybe?
Exactly, it is not clear what “them” refers to: “female octopuses,” “males,” or “things.”
Objects of harassment 🤣