A theory as to why people are bothered so much by the Seal Hunt?
Seal clubbing is brutal. It upsets a lot of animal rights activist and people just in general.
I realize we live in a world in which we kill animals for food – cattle, fish, chickens, pigs, ducks.
So, why shouldn’t people see the seals as just another in that last of animals?
I think it’s because the seals appeal to our sensibility as humans.
The reason we have pets like cats and dogs is because they’re soft, cuddly, cute, and they become companions in our life, and some may even say family. I think we as their human caretakers also enjoy having a being so appreciative that you’re looking after it with food, shelter, care, and love.
The harps seals are also soft, cuddly, and cute (especially the baby seals). So, therein lies why people are so infused and vehemently against seal clubbing. It would be like clubbing one of our dear pets.
When you look at the other animals being killed for human consumption, they don’t appeal to our sensibilities in the same way as seals (and cats and dogs). Fish don’t seem like they have feelings, chickens are lower down in the animal kingdom, etc. So, it’s because we don’t see these animals in the same vain as our cats and dogs (and seals), it’s why we feel it’s okay to kill them.
So, with this being said, the majority of people are evolved enough to see the harp seal as appealing to our human sensitivities and emotion. (The same way cats and dogs do) For this reason, the people who carry out this work are able to kill without a conscience seemingly. They see the harp seals at the lower level of fish, and the like. Whereas the majority of people see the same harp seal at near the same level as our pet cats and dogs.
That is the summation of my theory.
After thought – I think there’s an evolutionary level in the animal kingdom at which we draw the line to killing for human consumption. We stop at the level where we don’t see those animals as having the pull on the heartstrings, and so collectively we deem it acceptable and a fact of life that they would be killed for food and other uses (leather). Currently, I think as a society we’re inbetween a step – from the step where people see harp seals as being in that acceptable killing level mentioned earlier, and the step where we see the harp seals at the level of human companion. (I think it’s also why people also strongly protest the killing of dolphins in that one bay in Japan, because dolphins are seen as highly evolved aquatic creatures, but the fishermen just see the dolphin as another fish)
Which way we go as a society – either allowing the continuance of the killing of the harp seals, or agreeing to stop the killing of the harp seals, will be an indication of the health and direction that our society is going.
I hope that we go the route of becoming more enlightened.
cool story bro
they’re just so cute!
What is the question? Stopping wasting people’s time by ranting; and seals get hunted the most humane out of all of the animals I have seen hunted. They take a sledgehammer blow to the head, this is quick and a sure kill.
Maybe because clubbing a cute cuddly baby seal over the head over and over again until they’re dead is inhumane, painful or is a slow death. Also because they could be endangered.
I’m not sure about the fish and chickens but maybe to most people, they’re not as cute and cuddly and there is a huge number of them around the world so it’s not a big deal to be killing them. In addition, maybe fish and chickens are given a quick death so they don’t feel the pain.
I actually think the seal hunt is the most ethical hunt in the world.
(Maybe it’s because I think seals are ugly and mean?) They’ve done numerous scientific studies that the method of kill is not cruel and doesn’t prolong suffering. It’s quick and painless. They’re an overpopulated animal who will starve to death anyway, they’re not very intelligent, and the people who hunt them live in a poor region where they have no other natural resources to survive on. They kill in a non-cruel way and the seals live a free, wild life beforehand, which is more than you can say for cows.
I think the hand-writing is cultural ignorance (and believing some of PETA’s lies – hunting baby harps has been banned for 20+ years).
I think people become too attached to there pets as it is.
I have a dog, I do love her but really, she’s no comparison to a human being.
Truthfully, I’d eat a cat. I hate cats. So therefore I don’t care. They are just like cows or pigs to me, stupid and ugly. So using the same logic with all pets, or animals, I don’t see what the big deal is, unless they are indangered.
I think the club is the reason. A bullet to the brain would not cause such an outrage.
It’s called neoteny. humans are attracted to rounded features, big eyes, small noses and ears. it’s like a human baby and why certain cartoon characters are so popular. Nice theory, but not new.
Creat a new game, call it “Whack a Seal”, give little kids a hammer and we can move on to more important things.