Why is Woodstock (the bird) committing cannibalism? Why are ostensibly sapient animals eating another ostensibly sapient animal? Feels like a pretty good illustration for humanity and capitalism eating itself. In this, the darkest of timelines, we don’t really have much to be thankful for.
Since January, the number of people working full time has increased by two million while the number working part time increased by only 245,000. Unemployment is at 4.1 percent, a 17-year low. New unemployment claims in September were at their most modest since 1974.
I’m thankful for the wonderful people who enrich our lives, the great music I can listen to freely, the books I can read and write, and for the many blessings of living in a nation where the rule of law often matters and power transfers take place peacefully. The world is far safer and more peaceful than during the 20th century. Even Saudi Arabia is making some effort to modernize. I wouldn’t want to live any other life in any other time. Peace.
Woodstock and the turkey are in the class Aves; but then people and pigs, cows, and sheep are in the class Mammalia. If Woodstock is guilty of cannibalism, so are we.
Since 2000, the majority of jobs created are precarious in nature (PT, contract). Also, U4+ unemployment rates are significantly higher than the bullshit U3 rate of 4.1%. Automation is likely to start decimating one of the largest employers in the US (logistics) in the next few years.
Saudi Arabia, in concert with the US, is currently perpetrating one of the largest humanitarian crises in Yemen, in the form of starving out 20 million civillians.
Also, nice “rule of law” dogwhistle, you fucking troglodyte.
I hesitated to post this response earlier, but I see the vaguely vegan whinging has continued. What does sapience have to do with the ecology of predation?
I’m not a vegan, dipshit. As for whether sapience should or shouldn’t determine the ethical nature of predation… well, I urge you to consider the idea of killing and eating something that can act with self-awareness (sentience) and with purpose and forethought and “wisdom” (sapience). You would be eating a being equivalent to yourself. The animals in Peanuts are clearly both sentient and sapient, acting with self-awareness, imagination and forethought. For them to be eating something with similar mental capabilities would be as close to cannibalistic as you can get across species.
{ 9 comments }
Pavel A 11.24.17 at 1:15 pm
Why is Woodstock (the bird) committing cannibalism? Why are ostensibly sapient animals eating another ostensibly sapient animal? Feels like a pretty good illustration for humanity and capitalism eating itself. In this, the darkest of timelines, we don’t really have much to be thankful for.
Probably the best parody of animals happily eating other animals is this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y4xytsouUYo
ph 11.24.17 at 3:01 pm
Since January, the number of people working full time has increased by two million while the number working part time increased by only 245,000. Unemployment is at 4.1 percent, a 17-year low. New unemployment claims in September were at their most modest since 1974.
I’m thankful for the wonderful people who enrich our lives, the great music I can listen to freely, the books I can read and write, and for the many blessings of living in a nation where the rule of law often matters and power transfers take place peacefully. The world is far safer and more peaceful than during the 20th century. Even Saudi Arabia is making some effort to modernize. I wouldn’t want to live any other life in any other time. Peace.
steven t johnson 11.24.17 at 5:30 pm
Woodstock, like Snoopy, is a “funny looking kid.”
Jim Harrison 11.24.17 at 5:34 pm
Woodstock and the turkey are in the class Aves; but then people and pigs, cows, and sheep are in the class Mammalia. If Woodstock is guilty of cannibalism, so are we.
ccc 11.24.17 at 8:34 pm
Happy Thanksgiving to everyone – except those who celebrate with violence.
Kent 11.25.17 at 4:44 am
On my small iPad it looked like Woodstock might have been eating a tiny white dog.
Gary Larson where are you?
Pavel A 11.26.17 at 7:49 pm
@ph
Since 2000, the majority of jobs created are precarious in nature (PT, contract). Also, U4+ unemployment rates are significantly higher than the bullshit U3 rate of 4.1%. Automation is likely to start decimating one of the largest employers in the US (logistics) in the next few years.
Saudi Arabia, in concert with the US, is currently perpetrating one of the largest humanitarian crises in Yemen, in the form of starving out 20 million civillians.
Also, nice “rule of law” dogwhistle, you fucking troglodyte.
Nia Psaka 11.27.17 at 1:26 am
I hesitated to post this response earlier, but I see the vaguely vegan whinging has continued. What does sapience have to do with the ecology of predation?
Pavel A 11.27.17 at 1:27 pm
@Nia
I’m not a vegan, dipshit. As for whether sapience should or shouldn’t determine the ethical nature of predation… well, I urge you to consider the idea of killing and eating something that can act with self-awareness (sentience) and with purpose and forethought and “wisdom” (sapience). You would be eating a being equivalent to yourself. The animals in Peanuts are clearly both sentient and sapient, acting with self-awareness, imagination and forethought. For them to be eating something with similar mental capabilities would be as close to cannibalistic as you can get across species.
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