[beerpls]

I don’t really follow. There are billions/trillions of these creatures who are eaten alive every year in the wild. Why is it so significant that humans also do this?

Are we trying to make reality fit our wholesome romanced version of reality?

Not that I could stomach it myself, but I don’t really see this as much of a moral issue.

Devour to survive. So it is, so it’s always been…

[autoexec]

> There are billions/trillions of these creatures who are eaten alive every year in the wild. Why is it so significant that humans also do this?

Most animals eat other animals in such cruel ways because they don't have better means available to them and because if they didn't use the teeth and claws they have to catch prey they'd starve. Humans don't have to be needlessly cruel in order to eat an animal. For us, it's a choice.

I'd prefer that every hamburger I eat comes from a cow who lived a long happy cow life then died suddenly and without pain. There's no section in the meat department at my grocery store for "happy cows that died painlessly" though, so I'm left with what's available. I can accept that, but there's zero reason for me to torture a live cow and excuses like "well, a lion would have ripped it apart while it was alive" wouldn't justify my actions if I did.

By all means, eat animals! They're delicious! At a minimum though, we shouldn't go out of our way to make a living thing suffer.

[johnnyanmac]

> I can accept that, but there's zero reason for me to torture a live cow and excuses like "well, a lion would have ripped it apart while it was alive" wouldn't justify my actions if I did.

TBH I just see it as false platitudes since there's it's very likely the burger I'm eating wasn't some ethically raised and slaughtered cow. Sure, I didn't do it, so clearly I'm absolved of all fault there.

[rs999gti]

> There are billions/trillions of these creatures who are eaten alive every year in the wild

Don't forget the thousands/millions of bugs, small mammals, birds, and reptiles that are killed as part of vegetable and fruit agriculture.

[xdennis]

> For us, it's a choice.

Yes, it's your choice, and your choice to consider it "cruel". Don't force your choices onto others.

[zvmaz]

> I don’t really follow. There are billions/trillions of these creatures who are eaten alive every year in the wild. Why is it so significant that humans also do this?

That tells us little on our moral obligations towards them and, for that matter, towards our fellow humans. Animals also murder other members of their own species, is murder hence ok?

[nvahalik]

> Animals also murder

I think you mean kill. Murder involves intent. Animals do not have intent. Usually murder involves malice. Animals don't have malice.

Killing can be in self-defense or self-preservation. Most animals don't simply kill other animals unless provoked or they are hungry.

Animals kill. Humans are the only beings capable of murder.

[xdennis]

No one is saying we should do everything animals do.

But when it comes to basic things like eating, the fact that non-human omnivores eat animals is a good indicator that we should be doing the same.

[virgildotcodes]

This is an appeal to nature fallacy. Rape, homicide, and infanticide happen in nature, is that a justification for us to do it?

[zabzonk]

> Rape, homicide, and infanticide happen in nature

those can only happen within the same species

[johnnyanmac]

People do it regardless. It's not a justification, but it's also not a preventative measure to say "this is bad".

But in the grand scheme of things, I don't think honoring prey is even in the top 100 issues in terms of impacts humans have on marine ecosystems. Sorry if I sound belittling, but it does sound like this whole thing is more of a symbolic gesure than a means to really resolve the issues we have caused. That's why I don't take it quite as seriously.

[lisasays]

Because in this case - they're not being devoured so someone can survive. But for the sheer gall and thrill of it.

Meanwhile, humans have a huge empathy problem in regard to animals (and other types of species) - perhaps its most categorical failing, and the driver for the most pressing crises of our time, in fact.

[mvdtnz]

Because we can do better. I don't know about you but I hold myself to a higher moral standard than a shark.

[xdennis]

"Better" is your personal morality.

Whenever people are doing too well they invent hardships for themselves. No one who is struggled find food will come up with random rules about should and shouldn't be eaten.

[Lorkki]

Morally, it's pretty significant that we make conscious decisions (as a process that we often see as distinct from the rest of the animal kingdom) to kill and eat thousands of other animals mostly for the sake of taste, rather than for the sake of necessity, which is why most other animals hunt.

[endtime]

Animals do lots of things we consider unethical and unacceptable for humans to do.

[permalac]

We may need to try and be better than them. I think that is the point, at least for me.

I'm no vegetarian, and I like to indulge myself with some 'pulpo a la gallega', But one thing is killing an animal because we are at the top of the food chain, and another thing is killing in the name of sport or culture.

[jabl]

Animals don't have the mental capacity reason about moral philosophy, so we can't really judge them for not behaving in another way. But we humans have, and yes, we can judge other humans for causing unnecessary suffering towards others.

[TecoAndJix]

Great point. Do you think it is immoral for the animals to do these acts? Should we as bystanders have any obligation to prevent this from occurring?

[zabzonk]

such as what?

[dweymouth]

Animals devour to survive. Humans (in first world countries at least) don't need to do that. We eat meat because we like it, not because we need to. And we have the choice to do otherwise. In fact, plant based alternatives are healthier for us (look up the China study), and for the planet (most Amazon deforestation is to grow cattle feed). There is no need for most of us to eat any animal products at all.

[jackmott42]

One of the great things we are capable of as humans is NOT doing what has always been done just because. People who think that is a justification or clever quip could be argued to be barbaric and without any creative imagination.

[srameshc]

Because there is a difference between being eaten in the wild by other animals who survive on those and humans expoliting the wild life or marine life.

[dsego]

What's the difference honestly?

[burnished]

Its a bit hard to take this perspective seriously - you arent exactly living in the conditions that you are talking about you know?

'Man at top of heap says situation basically acceptable'

Don't mistake this for moralizing, I just think your position is weak.

[wizofaus]

Do non-humans also create YouTube videos showing off their bravado (or whatever it is) where they knowingly inflict pain and misery on other species?

[zabzonk]

do non-humans have access to YouTube? if they did, there is no telling what they might post there.

[diydsp]

Because we have awareness.

Err some of us.