Topic: On cultural differences

[Peripatetic Phil]

Having been married to a Chinese/Vietnamese for 13 years, and having visited both China and Vietnam on a number of occasions, it is often brought home to me how much the oriental and the occidental attitudes to animals differ, yet never has it been brought home to me more forcefully than when reading the introduction to Lo Yin-Fei's "Mastering the Art of Chinese Cooking", where she writes :

I have shopped in the Qing Ping market often,
and on any morning I have found live chickens and
ducks and their eggs; whole pigs, live and roasted;
fish swimming in shallow zinc pools; crawling crabs
and piles of fresh mussels and clams; ... This unstructured
retail space, which snakes its way through a zigzag
of tiny alleys, began as an underground free market
decades ago when vegetable and fruit growers, fishermen
and poultrymen, and the driers and blenders
of spices and herbs rebelled against the rigid communes
of the Mao Zedong era, which they believed
cared more for numbers than for freshness and quality.

For me, visiting such a market is like a visit to hell and something to be avoided at all costs; to see live animals crammed into a cage, patiently awaiting purchase and slaughter; to hear the pigs scream as they are weighed by being hung upside down by their crossed legs on a square wooden bar; to see a live hen being transported home hung upside-down by its legs on the handlebars of a bicyle; or a live turtle secured in a wicker basket in which it will be steamed to death -- all of these sights and sounds are seared into my memory, visions and sounds of hell that I can never forget.  Yet read Yin-Fei's words (above) where she rejoices in these sights and sounds, where to her they represent the ultimate in food freshness, the ultimate in choice and quality.  How is it possible that we are both human beings ?  How can we look on such sights, and hear such sounds, yet react in such totally opposite ways.  This is something I think I shall never, ever, understand.

** Phil.

[Les]

I agree with you Phil, I know that all our meat comes from live animals, but I hate to see them (too me) mistreated in such a way, Animal or human should die with respect and dignity (as far as possible that is), I love animals and could never hurt one myself, BUT I do realise that there are some very cruel cultures out there, We are all brought up different I suppose. I was brought up on a farm, and believe it or not when I was still of school age I was shown how to wring a chickens neck and had to do one myself after, I messed it up so bad the chicken was running around dragging it's head between it's feet.my old man had to kill it for me, and I never hurt another animal after that.
Ah memories

Les

[DalPuri]

And studies show that meat from a stressed animal will be of poorer quality and flavour than one that is treated and killed humanely.

[Willyeckerslike]

It is all to do with ones conscience.

How you treat animals, or even human beings who live in the place where convicts were once sent to, and shag sheep apparently (who by the way are humanely treated after the dirty deeds ) is an important factor in this world of ours. 

Even people who choose to make a website because they are unhappy with what is happening have the right to do so and not be hung drawn and quartered at every opportunity without the ability to respond (which is all too frequent IMHO) 

I have met CA and he is a great guy, genuinely passionate about everything curry, tandoori etc etc.
 
The people who join his website in an honest and open minded conscience have the right to be respected, welcomed and allowed to enjoy it without coming back here to the rubbish which is posted (which I respond too)

I suppose this will never end as there seems to be immense jealousy/hatred by the same 5 or 6 regular posters.

To be honest I am fed up with it, have been for ages but it's been fun ;D.

I am going to spend more time throwing barbies at my prawn (Phils suggestion)

As a regular on here (contributor of

[Les]

Best of luck with your curries Willyeckerslike, Sad to see people leave, but a man gotta do, what a man gotta do

Les

[Peripatetic Phil]

Will, we have had many differences in the past, but even I can recognise both the sincerity and the humour in your message.  I wish you well and happiness in your new home.

** Phil.

[George]

It is all to do with ones conscience.
How you treat animals, or even human beings who live in the place where convicts were once sent to, and shag sheep apparently (who by the way are humanely treated after the dirty deeds ) is an important factor in this world of ours. 
Even people who choose to make a website because they are unhappy with what is happening have the right to do so and not be hung drawn and quartered at every opportunity without the ability to respond (which is all too frequent IMHO) 

As a long standing member here, and nothing whatsoever to do with my role as moderator - what a further load of absolute drivel. How on earth can you compare a bit of banter on here with the sort of animal cruelty which Phil describes? You really have got a damned cheek, posting such rubbish to fit your and your mate CAs agenda, taking this thread way off topic but prompting the sort of freedom of speech which this website allows, and CA will never tolerate.

Good riddance to you.

[adamski]

I agree with George. That was not appropriate. If you don't have anything constructive or positive to say then don't say anything.

I have very strong feelings about cruelty to animals I believe that some humans in this world who do terrible things are treated better than some animals who have never done anything wrong.

After the foot and mouth issue and seeing heaps of animals being burnt I turned vegetarian for many years, (still love the taste of meat though, as long as it's responsibly sourced).

Still at least Indian food offers some of the most tasty and interesting veggy food in the whole world.

[Invisible Mike]

Out of interest, what are peoples thoughts on halal?

[Peripatetic Phil]

Out of interest, what are peoples thoughts on halal?

Very very ambivalent.  As I wrote elsewhere, if Scientologists claimed that that the Thetans required them to hunt foxes once a week, I would be 100% opposed.  But because Islam is a genuine religion, I feel that I should respect their beliefs, even though they conflict with mine.  So with some reluctance, I accept that Halal slaughter is justifiable in terms of their beliefs, even though for me such a form of slaughter seems barbaric and cruel.

** Phil.