[ExI] will raise bugs for food

[darren shawn greer]

> People aren't grossed out about eating spiders or insects because some
> of them are venomous, it's because they find the idea repulsive. The
> fact that lobsters, crabs, shrimp, crayfish, etc., are pretty much
> just large water bugs and are not only edible but delectable means
> that making insects a desirable food product is probably not
> insurmountable, provided they really do taste good.


I never suggested that eating insects was insurmountable. Only that many of us have a deep physical aversion to them that is likely left-over evolutionary conditioning because so many of them are toxic, or were, at some stage in human development. This is kind of gross, but human beings also find their own excrement repulsive, which is also probably an evolutionary safe-guard to keep us from eating it in times of extreme hunger and getting sick. But not all mammals do. Dogs, for example, often indulge, finding in their own and other animal scat a rich source of protein which they will eat when nothing else is available. But genetic mutation and natural selection has provided them with saliva that kills more bacteria than human saliva. As a result their brains don't classify scat to be as repulsive as we do, because there is a benefit to them eating it, when for us there is only danger.


There is nothing to say that human beings can't think our way past an evolutionary imperative. We have enough technology to determine which insects are poisonous, and have been bitten enough times to be cautious.  Any biological conditioning can be over-come by force of will, necessity, and enough social conditioning. 


The lobster comment was really just a joke anyway. Although I do like them and eating spider meat doesn't really appeal to me. Who knows? Maybe one day I'll be considered a culinary boor. 


D.

----------------------------------------
> From: wincat at swbell.net
> To: extropy-chat at lists.extropy.org
> Date: Thu, 5 Aug 2010 08:14:12 -0500
> Subject: Re: [ExI] will raise bugs for food
>
> After some breeding to improve the amount of meat on the insect, perhaps?
> Who will be the first farmer?
>
> Tel.: 713-784-1388
> Cell: 713-498-1424
> Fax: 775-628-7350
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: extropy-chat-bounces at lists.extropy.org
> [mailto:extropy-chat-bounces at lists.extropy.org] On Behalf Of Dave Sill
> Sent: Thursday, August 05, 2010 6:20 AM
> To: ExI chat list
> Subject: Re: [ExI] will raise bugs for food
>
> On Wed, Aug 4, 2010 at 9:07 PM, darren shawn greer
>  wrote:
>> One major difference, besides their genus and species: I don't have an
> evolutionary aversion to eating lobster and crab,
>> or even touching them. Perhaps because my mid-brain doesn't immediately
> classify them as likely having poisonous venom.
>> Or could be that I grew up on the ocean in Nova Scotia and not in Bangkok.
> Take your pick.
>
> People aren't grossed out about eating spiders or insects because some
> of them are venomous, it's because they find the idea repulsive. The
> fact that lobsters, crabs, shrimp, crayfish, etc., are pretty much
> just large water bugs and are not only edible but delectable means
> that making insects a desirable food product is probably not
> insurmountable, provided they really do taste good.
>
> -Dave
> _______________________________________________
> extropy-chat mailing list
> extropy-chat at lists.extropy.org
> http://lists.extropy.org/mailman/listinfo.cgi/extropy-chat
>
> _______________________________________________
> extropy-chat mailing list
> extropy-chat at lists.extropy.org
> http://lists.extropy.org/mailman/listinfo.cgi/extropy-chat