Guest Posted October 11, 2015 Share Posted October 11, 2015 Guys, I went to a really cool really legit renaissance festival today. Lots of historically accurate garb, minstrels, old cottage structures and things like that- I mean really, it was neat as heck. Somewhere in ohio. Because a lot of this stuff was historically accurate, of course there was a lot of animal products. Meat, up the wazzoo. Leather. Bones in the apothocary and other places. It was seriously really cool!At one point, though, I came across some furry tails. "Haha", I thought. "What if I found one in my dumb murrsona's color?" And I totally did. Because said murrypurry is striped, I didn't think it was a real animal tail. Welp. It totally was. Guys. I love meat. I love steak. I'm pretty sure I could eat veal a lot. I lose my mind for pulled pork and brisket. Pretty sure I'd make a hat out of bacon, and then eat it. I also prefer genuine leather goods from small companies because I know they take care of their heads. Hell, I use ANIMAL BONES that I whittle down into ink tips and bone brushes with horse or racoon hair. So I'm all about using animal products.But these tails? I have no idea, but I suddenly got incredibly nauseous when the shopkeep let me know they were real; some were just dyed. I seriously had that 'HURK' thing happen in cartoons to me. I have no idea why it was gross!So that is my story from the ren faire. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Umbra.Exe Posted October 11, 2015 Share Posted October 11, 2015 Maybe you had that reaction because the tails weren't being utilized for anything other than a silly accessory? That would be my first thought. At least with the other examples you gave, the animal parts were going to better use.I like meat and such too, but I'm not really a fan of those animal tail accessories, either. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolflich Posted October 11, 2015 Share Posted October 11, 2015 I have no idea why it was gross!Unexpected empathy?Just because you'd happily murder the shit out of some things doesn't mean you'd be okay with doing it to all things. Especially one you had briefly identified with your—and I hate this word with the intensity of a thousand suns btw—'murrsona' before you realized it was an actual tail that had been attached to a thing that probably liked having a tail and being not dead.I mean, when you think about it, the ability to compartmentalize our will to mercilessly and brutally annihilate things that we don't like and/or find vaguely useful in death is probably an important part of continuing to exist. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joel Posted October 11, 2015 Share Posted October 11, 2015 It doesn't surprise me that they would use real animal tails for this its still an unfortunate reality that animals are breed and killed simply be der fur is purty no longer is it for warmth or trade hopefully with further advances in synthetic materials we won't need to do it any more. Also that steak better be medium Rare or that cow died for nothing :V Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikazuki Marazhu Posted October 11, 2015 Share Posted October 11, 2015 Where is this place anyway... sounds neat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Umbra.Exe Posted October 11, 2015 Share Posted October 11, 2015 It doesn't surprise me that they would use real animal tails for this its still an unfortunate reality that animals are breed and killed simply be der fur is purty no longer is it for warmth or trade hopefully with further advances in synthetic materials we won't need to do it any more. It is pretty sad, considering the option of synthetic fur. (Although you could also make the point that we probably don't need to be killing meat animals simply because they taste good, as there are alternatives to that, too.)Also that steak better be medium Rare or that cow died for nothing :V Finally, someone who understands. v: 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 11, 2015 Share Posted October 11, 2015 (edited) Unexpected empathy?Just because you'd happily murder the shit out of some things doesn't mean you'd be okay with doing it to all things. Especially one you had briefly identified with your—and I hate this word with the intensity of a thousand suns btw—'murrsona' before you realized it was an actual tail that had been attached to a thing that probably liked having a tail and being not dead.I mean, when you think about it, the ability to compartmentalize our will to mercilessly and brutally annihilate things that we don't like and/or find vaguely useful in death is probably an important part of continuing to exist.A) I use Murrsona with as much seriousness as when I saw 'yasssss' whenever I agree with something. It's such a dumb word, haha. B) 'Happily Murder the shit out of'? Just because I love meat doesn't mean I'm gonna go out and kill a steer with my bare hands. My family has a farm, for pete's sake! We took care of our animals, and they had good lives before their death. We both can agree major meat distributors treat a lot of their animals horridly, but that's the beauty of finding local butchers that source their meat from organic, humane and animal friendly farms. If I missed the point, I apologize, though. C) @Umbra.exe and @Joel hit the nail on the head. The sudden revulsion came from the fact that i was nothing but an accessory. At least with meat, there's an industry dedicated to using most if not all parts of the animals humans use to eat. It bothered the hell out of me there was foxes or rabbits out there that was killed purely for their fur- which we don't even use for it's old intended purpose anymore. D) @Joel, yep. Rare or medium rare; depends on the wine and the sides that accompany the meat. For me, it also depends on the cut, too. Edited October 11, 2015 by Lemon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skylar Husky Posted October 11, 2015 Share Posted October 11, 2015 (edited) I had a similar experience as well. I bought a fox tail at Texas Renaissance Festival in like 2006 or so and only paid like $8.00 for it so I thought it must be a synthetic or a fake. Later, as the afternoon progressed my group made it around to that side near that vendor and I went in and asked. Much to my dismay I learned it was a real fox tail.Now I am in almost every measurable way the opposite of what all those Earth and Animal people are all about. I think most of them are just plain nuts, however, when I saw they had whole wolf hides, I actually had to walk out. I am very partial to wolves. The vendor saw I was visibly very upset and she followed me out and stopped me to assure me that they were not killed for their hides. She showed me they are barcoded, tracked and approved for sale by the US Department of Agriculture and a few other outfits because in so many parts of the United States wolves are protected. The wolves have to receive a necropsy to verify that it died of natural causes and was not slaughtered. (Animals get necropsies, only people get autopsies.) It still made me sad to know though. Even though it was a wolf who died of natural causes it is a deed I am glad I didn't have to do. I felt the same way about the fox who gave me its tail. I have not bought another one since and I have scarcely worn the tail since, as I posted a few days ago in the Den section about tails. I do wear it more often with Renaissance faire garb (costume) though.I think it is natural to feel this way. I felt that way the first time I shot my own supper while hunting with friends. I am glad I do not have to survive by doing that. I think I might be a vegetarian if I did, or at least eat a lot more vegetables and a lot less meat. Edited October 11, 2015 by Skylar Husky 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolflich Posted October 11, 2015 Share Posted October 11, 2015 A) I use Murrsona with as much seriousness as when I saw 'yasssss' whenever I agree with something. It's such a dumb word, haha. B) 'Happily Murder the shit out of'? Just because I love meat doesn't mean I'm gonna go out and kill a steer with my bare hands. My family has a farm, for pete's sake! We took care of our animals, and they had good lives before their death. We both can agree major meat distributors treat a lot of their animals horridly, but that's the beauty of finding local butchers that source their meat from organic, humane and animal friendly farms. If I missed the point, I apologize, though. C) @Umbra.exe and @Joel hit the nail on the head. The sudden revulsion came from the fact that i was nothing but an accessory. At least with meat, there's an industry dedicated to using most if not all parts of the animals humans use to eat. It bothered the hell out of me there was foxes or rabbits out there that was killed purely for their fur- which we don't even use for it's old intended purpose anymore. D) @Joel, yep. Rare or medium rare; depends on the wine and the sides that accompany the meat. For me, it also depends on the cut, too. Posts may contain traces of hyperbole.Point is I'm pretty sure it's just part of being human to sometimes be bothered by x and not y even when rationally the difference may be hazy. For instance, even if we do eat some animals and not others, in the developed world our staggering meat intake isn't really necessary to us any more than wearing fur or leather is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clove Darkwave Posted October 11, 2015 Share Posted October 11, 2015 I've never understood these aversions. It doesn't make the animal any less dead. Metaphorically speaking it may as well be more dead. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vae Posted October 11, 2015 Share Posted October 11, 2015 I have one of those silver fox tails.I also have coats and stuff made of rabbit fur.I actually want one of the full fox pelts they sell at the Renn, but they're too expensive.I've never really gotten the aversion to it.I mean I've seen and touched plenty of taxidermy in my life, and been deer hunting with my father, so maybe that's a contributing factor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lucyfish Posted October 11, 2015 Share Posted October 11, 2015 I'm pretty against hunting for sport and that kind of thing. I'm over here like "If you're gonna kill the animal please make sure it's for somethinggggg."That being said I prefer said "something" to be something practical. Food, clothing, resources, etc.I don't really know how I feel about killing a squirrel because you want a real squirrel-tail keychain though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ayattar Posted October 11, 2015 Share Posted October 11, 2015 I don't understand you.Animals are animals. We are humans, the apex predators in the food chain.And probably most, if not all of those were from the farm animals, which were disposable from the very beggining, or common pests, which needs to be controlled anyways. I don't really know how I feel about killing a squirrel because you want a real squirrel-tail keychain though.It's okay. There are plenty of red squirrels in the central and eastern EU and gray american squirrels are considered invasive species and pests, so you can shoot them on sight. And they're not endangered in any way. Also that steak better be medium Rare or that cow died for nothing :VAnd I like mine either bleu or between a point and bien cuit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lucyfish Posted October 11, 2015 Share Posted October 11, 2015 It's okay. There are plenty of red squirrels in the central and eastern EU and gray american squirrels are considered invasive species and pests, so you can shoot them on sight. And they're not endangered in any way.Yeah but getting shot sucks. D: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolflich Posted October 11, 2015 Share Posted October 11, 2015 Yeah but getting shot sucks. D: Well they don't shoot back, they're squirrels! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lucyfish Posted October 11, 2015 Share Posted October 11, 2015 Well they don't shoot back, they're squirrels!I imagine getting shot sucks to a squirrel, too.These are the things I think of in the night. :C 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ayattar Posted October 11, 2015 Share Posted October 11, 2015 Well they don't shoot back, they're squirrels!But muslims do shot back in the middle-east. And despite that it's still fun to shoot them :C Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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