this post was submitted on 17 Jul 2023
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It's simply disgusting, it's not political, it's gag inducing.
Do you like lobster or shrimp? They're basically bugs.
I actually can't eat lobster either, the giant sea bugs creep me out. Shrimp I'll eat but not if I have to remove the shells and such. Obviously people are different and my disgust sensitivity might be higher than normal. I grew up in a household that ate a lot of seafood so it's not due to lack of trying.
I'm pretty sure everybody removes the shells from shrimp before eating. It's called a carapace, and roaches have them too.
Also, whether or not you specifically eat lobster or shrimp is only somewhat relevant. The point is that people in general eat those things. Lots of people. In fact, lobster is considered a delicacy.
These are essentially insects, and they've been a popular part of human cuisine for a very long time. It is hypocritical. Any difference between the two are entirely mental.
Having a preference is not hypocritical. What the fuck are you saying LOL
"hypocritical" may not be the best word for it but the point that there isn't much of a difference between some of the foods we already eat (shrimp, lobster, crayfish) and insects and that the primary block to eating insects is a mental one seems pretty inarguable. (it's honestly also likely people do eat insects and just don't know they are--they're everywhere, unintentionally, in the foods we eat.)
I like crab, bit I can't stand soft shell crab. It's a mouthfeel thing, and I expect a lot of insect food preparations are similar
No, insects are ground into a powder and essentially used like flour. You probably wouldn't even know you're eating it if someone didn't tell you. No mouth feel to speak of.
Yeah in some cases. In others they are served whole, like fried crickets, beetles, etc.
Yeah, some people eat them that way, but when people talk about some vague conspiracy to get people to eat insects, they're referring to the flour and being "forced" to eat things made with that instead of wheat flour.
Like I said
Nothing about it is inherently icky. You’re just not used to the idea and therefore don’t want to try it.
Also, you’ve most likely consumed insects before, because they are also used in food colouring.
I'm not necessarily accustomed to eating insects... but even the packaged/processed foods we have today are allowed to be a certain percentage of hair/bug/mouse-poop so that it doesn't become impossible to produce legal food :)
Disgust at eating bugs isn't political, but it's cultural. It's far from universal.
I grew up eating seafood but I still hate dealing with it if I have to remove shells and clean it. Telling people to suck it up and eat something they don't want to eat makes no sense to me.
Nobody is being forced to eat anything. The point is that people have an irrational revultion at the thought of eating insects.