Why are people offended by strange foreign foods?

[Bigfoot3814]

This was semi-inspired by the veal thread.

Take, for example, dog meat. I know it's a stereotype, and not that many asians actually eat it, but why are people so bothered by the idea? Have you ever tried dog meat? How do you know you wouldn't like it? How do you know you wouldn't love it?

 

[emzie]

I would try anything once unless I thought it was unsanitary... like intestines.

 

[warpus]

This was semi-inspired by the veal thread.

Take, for example, dog meat. I know it's a stereotype, and not that many asians actually eat it, but why are people so bothered by the idea? Have you ever tried dog meat? How do you know you wouldn't like it? How do you know you wouldn't love it?

Eat a human and get back to me on that one..

 

[skadistic]

I don't get it my self. I've eaten dog and some other meats that were less then acceptable to most westerners even bugs.

 

[skadistic]

Eat a human and get back to me on that one..

A lean Kenyan runner or a fat American?

 

[Perfection]

Take, for example, dog meat. I know it's a stereotype, and not that many asians actually eat it, but why are people so bothered by the idea? Have you ever tried dog meat? How do you know you wouldn't like it? How do you know you wouldn't love it?

Dogs are considered companions not livestock. You're using something for a purpose other then its intended role.

 

[warpus]

A lean Kenyan runner or a fat American?

I was thinking more along the lines of.. A fat German stuffed with an African American... smothered in gravy.

 

[Perfection]

Adults aren't that good, you want something young and tender like a small boy.

 

[Bigfoot3814]

I don't get it my self. I've eaten dog and some other meats that were less then acceptable to most westerners even bugs.

Exactamundo. When people imagine eating bugs, they see people snatching them up off the ground and scarfing 'em down. They're actually prepared, you know. Roasting, frying, steaming, all come into play.

On a side note, are you all aware that some people view western foods with similar distaste? An Indian man might find himself disgusted at the sight of your morning breakfast cereal. To him, those oats are cattle food.

 

[aronnax]

German Sausages and English Breakfast makes me sick...

American Fusion of anything also makes me sick

French Cheeses are very eerie to me

 

[warpus]

Exactamundo. When people imagine eating bugs, they see people snatching them up off the ground and scarfing 'em down. They're actually prepared, you know. Roasting, frying, steaming, all come into play.

On a side note, are you all aware that some people view western foods with similar distaste? An Indian man might find himself disgusted at the sight of your morning breakfast cereal. To him, those oats are cattle food.

He'd probably be more disguisted at the sight of the milk.

 

[emzie]

I'd eat dog btw.

 

[Dubai Vol]

It's all psychological, but that doesn't make it irrelevant. I love snails, but wouldn't want to eat Lassie. I love venison, but Mrs Dubai won't eat Bambi.

One of the rare times Mrs Dubai cooked, the rice turned out to be full of weevils. We were halfway through dinner before we noticed so we just finished. It was good before we saw the weevils (as good as Mrs Dubai's cooking ever is) so why is it no longer good? Extra protein!

But yeah, that took a bit of intestinal fortitude, and can see how it would put some people off.

 

[Bugfatty300]

I think its perception of taste and flavor. For instance one might think a big taste like ass. Things like dogs and cats are obvious because people have an emotional connection with them and not with a chicken or cow.

For me, I hate Mexican food. I never thought it looked very good before and after I tried it my opinion didn't change. Everyone in Mexico likes to put chili in their food and personally for me the stuff burns and I find it hard to eat food with chili and I try to avoid the stuff as much as possible which confuses people here at first.

 

[Valka D'Ur]

I would no sooner eat a dog or cat than I would my own grandmother. To me it's morally wrong.

On the other hand, I look at a cow and see milk, butter, cheese, and hamburgers. That's the cow's purpose.

I've had (and enjoyed) moose meat, and would eat it if there were no other options. I truly believe that moose are best left in the wild; nature will make sure they don't overbreed. But if humans absolutely have no other food source, it's okay to hunt. I just can't abide the notion that it's acceptable to hunt wild animals for trophies.

My grandfather grew up in Sweden, and to the end of his life (all 84 years) he refused to eat corn. Even when I kept telling him he was missing out on the best corn on the cob ever, he shuddered and refused. He insisted it was "pig food."

So I just said "oink!" and kept on eating...

 

[warpus]

I would no sooner eat a dog or cat than I would my own grandmother.

Does your grandmother know about this???

 

[Dann]

Take, for example, dog meat. I know it's a stereotype, and not that many asians actually eat it, but why are people so bothered by the idea? Have you ever tried dog meat? How do you know you wouldn't like it? How do you know you wouldn't love it?

Not me. I'm not affected at all. But remember this is only from your own POV. A Muslim Arab would at the thought of eating pork. A Hindu Indian will probably at the idea of eating hamburgers. I put it all down to cultural differences and then leave it at that. Heck cannibalism is probably still being practiced by some isolated tribe in some remote jungle somewhere but am I going to be bothered by that? No. It's their lifestyle.

 

[LightFang]

You're using something for a purpose other then its intended role.

God forbid we do things like that. Then what, we'll have piercings in ear lobes, which were not meant to have bits of metal hanging off them! Gosh!

 

[aelf]

German Sausages and English Breakfast makes me sick...

American Fusion of anything also makes me sick

French Cheeses are very eerie to me

I never could understand why Singapore is considered a food paradise. Only to Singaporeans and Westerners who like accessible 'exotic' food maybe.

 

[Ecofarm]

Dogs are considered companions not livestock. You're using something for a purpose other then its intended role.

I agree. Let's end this muppet madness. Quit playing with your food, people! Didn't your mother teach you better?

Treating livestock as companions is seriously ********.