Would you kill an animal for food?

[Ceros]

Imagine that you were starving. It was several days since you ate a proper meal, and it would be another few days before you would get payed from your job.

You ask your friends for help you until you get enough money to buy food on your own, and a farmer friend of yours agrees to lend a hand. However, there is one condition: You can take any of his animals and eat them, so long as you butcher them yourself.

Would you do it?

And would it matter to you whether you would be killing a small animal, such as a chicken, or a large one such as a pig or a cow?

[{aspiring_to_clarity}]

Nah, I wouldn't. If I am in contact with other people, I am sure I'd be able to find another way to get some sustinance.

[Fullcrum]

If I were starving I'd probably buy fruits and vegetables because that's cheaper and more filling as well as easier to prepare.

But if I were, say, stuck in a forest, I would definitely kill as many animals as I need to survive - I have no qualms about killing animals for food. And I would kill the animal myself. But the way we do it today is not sustainable, and also not very nice for the animals, etc.

But in contact with other people, I'd probably just go the way of fruit. I could not afford to dull my senses with meat (which I admit has me feeling at least slightly less energized than after eating fruit) when I was starving.

So my answer is - no. Not to your situation. And those were my reasons.

[Dannyboy1]

Originally Posted by Ceros

Imagine that you were starving. It was several days since you ate a proper meal, and it would be another few days before you would get payed from your job.

You ask your friends for help you until you get enough money to buy food on your own, and a farmer friend of yours agrees to lend a hand. However, there is one condition: You can take any of his animals and eat them, so long as you butcher them yourself.

Would you do it?

And would it matter to you whether you would be killing a small animal, such as a chicken, or a large one such as a pig or a cow?

And, if anyone says they wouldn't because it's wrong, yet they buy meat from the supermarket regularly, they're a bit hypocritical.

[Ceros]

Okay, maybe I wasn't clear enough.

My point is: If this was the only way you could get food for the next couple of days (you have no money and you know no one else who would help you): Would you kill the animals?

[{aspiring_to_clarity}]

Originally Posted by Ceros

Okay, maybe I wasn't clear enough.

My point is: If this was the only way you could get food for the next couple of days (you have no money and you know no one else who would help you): Would you kill the animals?

Then I would say "how many days exactly" because if it's just a couple I still wouldn't do it.

[Ceros]

Then I would say "how many days exactly" because if it's just a couple I still wouldn't do it.

Good. I accept that answer.

[konmai]

with water fasting, i'm sure i could sustain until i get that job. it's just a couple of days, right?

[Ceros]

Just to note, the point of the question isn't a "kill or be killed" situation, but a "kill or feel a moderate, but bearable, amount of suffering".

I didn't specify the exact amount of days because every one of us has a different breaking point - decide for yourself what would be a "bearable but highly unpleasant" amount of days.

How much or how little is necessary for you to take the life of a living being with your own hands?

[Rose of Cairo]

Originally Posted by Ceros

If this was the only way you could get food for the next couple of days (you have no money and you know no one else who would help you): Would you kill the animals?

No.

I've already fasted for seven days and was feeling perfectly fine. I know I could do it much longer too. We humans can fast for weeks and still survive. No reason to kill anyone.

Also, I cannot imagine a situation where the only way to eat would be to eat an animal. Even lost in the forest, there are roots, greens, mushrooms, berries, leaves... whatever, that are certainly easier to eat than an animal. I've got a book about how to recognize wild edible greens

I don't think food is the only way we can get energy anyway.

[Ceros]

Also, I cannot imagine a situation where the only way to eat would be to eat an animal.

Certainly.

The situation I described may be an imperfect an example, but the point is still there: You either conveniently kill something or suffer.

What's your book called? I always wondered which leaves are edible and which aren't.

I don't think food is the only way we can get energy anyway.

Please clarify.

[Rose of Cairo]

Originally Posted by Ceros

I didn't specify the exact amount of days because every one of us has a different breaking point - decide for yourself what would be a "bearable but highly unpleasant" amount of days.

How much or how little is necessary for you to take the life of a living being with your own hands?

Ah, now this question is a bit different.

I don't know how much is necessary for me to do such a thing. Right now I think there is no way I could do it, not even to save my life. Of course if some day I am really starving who knows how I'll react... Difficult to say, with a stomach full of cherries

But as long as it's still bearable, my answer definitely is no, I wouldn't do it.

[Rose of Cairo]

Originally Posted by Ceros

What's your book called? I always wondered which leaves are edible and which aren't.

It's a french book called "salades sauvages" (wild salads). It's written by local ecologists, I don't know if you can buy it somewhere else. But there must be other books about this topic!

Please clarify.

Well, I think food is not our only source of energy. There are others, like sunlight, or breathing. Also, water. i once read a book about water, the author explained how water works in our nerves and how it gives us energy. No need for calories to get energy. Also I'm sure that having a clean energetical system allows us to receive energy directly from the universe. In my eyes, food is only one way to get energy, I think its importance in that matter is overrated.

[Fullcrum]

Rose, have you studied the science behing human metabolism? If you have, you'll know the only way we can get energy is through food, through calories.

Other forms of energy do exist (psychic etc.) and you can believe they exist and see them, but nonetheless you need calories, vitamins, minerals, and a whole assortment of nutrients science has only just touched the surface of just to survive physically.

Sunlight definitely feels like it's giving us "energy" because it raises our core temperature and activates many metabolic pathways (hormones and the like) that raise our metabolism and make us feel "awake", hence feeling like the sun gives you energy. Of course, sunlight is not the thing that gives you energy, not directly anyway. Nor is air - air is just a required medium through which food is catabolized (broken down). Water is the same, though water serves more purposes, too.

I'm sure you knew all this, but that why would you say that last paragraph? No need for calories to get energy? Huh?

[ilovetoday]

If i was starving yes, but then depending on how starving... if i thought it was survival yes definitely but if i knew i could survive till next paycheck then most likely no. Once you reach a certain point with hunger you no longer feel it.

[Remiel]

I'd do it. I've hunted and fished so I've got no problems with it. I may not really agree with the way the supermarket stuff is done I have no qualms about eating meat.

[Dannyboy1]

Originally Posted by Rose of Cairo

Ah, now this question is a bit different.

I don't know how much is necessary for me to do such a thing. Right now I think there is no way I could do it, not even to save my life. Of course if some day I am really starving who knows how I'll react... Difficult to say, with a stomach full of cherries

But as long as it's still bearable, my answer definitely is no, I wouldn't do it.

In fact, I'm 99.9999% positive you would kill the animal before you died. No matter how you feel about it, your survival instincts would take over and you would have no control.

[{aspiring_to_clarity}]

Originally Posted by Dannyboy1

In fact, I'm 99.9999% positive you would kill the animal before you died. No matter how you feel about it, your survival instincts would take over and you would have no control.

I think you don't know Rose of Cairo .

[Dannyboy1]

Originally Posted by {aspiring_to_clarity}

I think you don't know Rose of Cairo .

I'm pretty sure I don't need to. When you're actually starving, you lose all capacity for reason at some point. You have no control.

[{aspiring_to_clarity}]

Originally Posted by Dannyboy1

I'm pretty sure I don't need to. When you're actually starving, you lose all capacity for reason at some point. You have no control.

That may be true! I hope not to have to test it out. And I can see that you get that I am being playful here. If there is anyone who could to the last breath hold onto their values, it's her.

[Dannyboy1]

Originally Posted by {aspiring_to_clarity}

That may be true! I hope not to have to test it out. And I can see that you get that I am being playful here. If there is anyone who could to the last breath hold onto their values, it's her.

lol

I really think it has to do with the fact that your body is so depleted of nutrients your body shuts down everything except for survival instincts. I know I don't even think straight if I miss a snack!

[{aspiring_to_clarity}]

Originally Posted by Dannyboy1

I know I don't even think straight if I miss a snack!

I gotta admit, that's me too .

[Fullcrum]

I'm still wondering how sunlight and air powers our body without the need for calories.