What is the point of creating a thread that links to a story about an animal being horrifically abused?

We are all aware this kind of abuse happens so I was wondering why people feel the need to post these types of stories.

I am not being facetious or anything I am just curious. I may have started a similar type of thread when I first started but it seems pointless now. Unless the thread leads to a petition asking authorities for stiffer penalties or something...

I tend to agree. These links to these stories just make us feel horrible and since most of us are doing much in the way of cruelty free living as best as we can, I dont see the point of posting the stories either. To be honest, I dont even read them any more because of the way they make me feel. I am powerless to do much anyway.

I avoid those threads all together. I already know animal abuse exists and it makes me too sad to read that stuff. However, I'm also the type of person who usually avoids watching the news. There's just so much suffering in the world and it makes me feel helpless that I can't keep it from happening.

I have to agree, also. I always feel horrible reading those threads and knowing I wasn't able to stop the abuse from happening.

becuase it reminds us why we are vegetarian, and maybe just maybe do somthing it we can to stop it

I avoid those threads all together. I already know animal abuse exists and it makes me too sad to read that stuff. However, I'm also the type of person who usually avoids watching the news. There's just so much suffering in the world and it makes me feel helpless that I can't keep it from happening.


Same here. And I think that's OK too. Life's too short to do / view things that upset you. I think the key is that you are aware. If you know these things go on and choose to avoid them, that's one thing. If you are living in a world of kittens, squirrelz and unicorns, that is another.

If you are living in a world of kittens, squirrelz and unicorns, that is another.

*prances through a field of wildflowers with butterflies fluttering about*

becuase it reminds us why we are vegetarian, and maybe just maybe do somthing it we can to stop it

I dont think we need reminding why we are vegheads. That thought is ALWAYS with most of us.

Kind of like the preacher preaching to the choir?

I avoid those threads too. Can't take 'em.

Same here. And I think that's OK too. Life's too short to do / view things that upset you. I think the key is that you are aware. If you know these things go on and choose to avoid them, that's one thing. If you are living in a world of kittens, squirrelz and unicorns, that is another.


Did you ever think about how annoying kittens are? I have bloody scratches all over my freaking body! LOL! My unicorn is harmless however.

I agree.............I never read these posts. This one caught my eye because of the title. I don't read news stories or watch any TV where animals are abused. I can't deal with it. I bought the RAVE tape and it's excellent. It's about what an animal based diet is doing to us, but the last half is on the treatment of animlas. I can't watch that section. I know this stuff is going on...........and I can't deal with it. I give money to every organization I can that helps animals, but I can't watch it or listen to stories.

Everyone here is well aware of the treatment of animals. We aren't the people who need to be enlightened about this situtaion.

I think being informed is a lot more useful to our cause than not being informed, however upsetting the specifics. To merely be 'aware' that animals are abused, with no knowledge of precisely how they are being abused puts you at a disadvantage when trying to explain your position, in my opinion.

Surely, the more you know, the more specific evidence you can adduce in argument, the more convinving your argument becomes.

Also, it is hardly necessary to state that it's important to know of specific instances or cases of animal abuse so that you know where to target your efforts to reduce them.

But the articles that are posted here seem to me to be most often the particularly gruesome and horrific abuse of pets, because those are the acts that make the news. It's just as important, perhaps more important, to be aware of what goes on in factory farms, slaughterhouses, circuses, zoos, animal testing labs, and people's backyards all the time, day after day. None of that makes the news. So in a sense, you could say the the frequent posting of THOSE articles is actually misleading.

BTW, I also avoid the horrific-abuse articles. I have enough nightmares without adding to them.

But the articles that are posted here seem to me to be most often the particularly gruesome and horrific abuse of pets, because those are the acts that make the news. It's just as important, perhaps more important, to be aware of what goes on in factory farms, slaughterhouses, circuses, zoos, animal testing labs, and people's backyards all the time, day after day. None of that makes the news. So in a sense, you could say the the frequent posting of THOSE articles is actually misleading.

BTW, I also avoid the horrific-abuse articles. I have enough nightmares without adding to them.

Actually, all the things you mention do make the news everyday. I would like to hope that reading these things would perhaps move some of you to make a petition, or write a letter, or form a group or join one in your area, protest, get out into the streets and inform others. Not reading such things does not make them stop but reading them, becoming outraged and acting on the outrage does.
That may be why people post them. It is also totally untrue that you cannot do anything about it.

There is never any good news. Of course it is because good news does not sell. And unfortunately the bad news is normally the news reported on and therefore relayed via people. I believe there was a Coca-Cola or Pepsi-Cola study on the fact that every satisfied customer positively affects 6 people, and every unsatisfied customer negatively affects 25 people. Maybe we could declare, Good News Day, and do away with the bad news for a day. Say everyone agrees to post a positive article about how they made someone smile that day, and keep it simple.

And the gruesome videos remind me of the first media shock waves of the Iraqi war by Al-Jazzera. Of course the gruesome videos depicting animal cruelty inspire some and are used as a propaganda stimulus for building cohesion and recruitment. However, I also think they feed the demented views of a very few. But, they do violate the very precepts some groups hold others to-which is rather hypocritical. On the personal side I just pass by and do not watch because I do not have a strong stomach for the cold realities perpetrated by my fellow humans.

So, I would like some feedback on two ideas I have. First, lets’ see if we can have “Good News”, and banish bad news for one day. Second, of course it would require extra-monitoring so in all fairness to our gracious host, the owner of the board, and our fellow veggie boarders, let’s see how this idea would do with a poll. And if it gets 66.67% of the vote from our brothers and sisters here lets make it happen.

So, how do you all feel about this subject?

I can honestly say, that clicking on these links does make me sad. I also feel that I can not do much about them. But, I do not watch the news either.

I think it is okay to post these things. It is your choice to click the link or not. I just think that is does keep me more educated about animals in the world.

Yeah, I used to post these types of stories at my blog a lot more, but now I try to limit it to those cases that are particularly unusual, maybe they involve felony charges instead of misdemeanor, or it is somehow precedent-setting. Otherwise, it's just depressing and demotivating.

If it ever happened that I found one of these articles before it was posted here, I'd post it because it happened.

I also don't feel a whole lot reading the news anyway, but even if I did I'd be more likely to read it because it affected me. Even if it was bad.

Actually, I don't like good news particularly. It doesn't make me happy, nor do I find it interesting, and it doesn't really matter. It's like "oh wow, things aren't bad anymore . . . then why are you telling me?"

People like to share things on message boards. They like to share their happiness and also their sadness. It's a spontaneous kind of thing.

When something moves me enough, I like to share it with like-minded people. Not only the good stuff. Also the bad stuff. And the stuff that lies somewhere in the middle.

When one talks about things, it helps one overcome one's feelings about it. Message boards are very therapeutic that way. Everyone knows that putting words to one's feelings is very important, and bottling them up inside one will just end up by causing neurosis and eventually maybe even a form of psychosis.

If I read an article about a guy toasting his dog in an oven, I need to express my disgust and sadness and sorrow and despair. I'm not going to knock on my neighbour's door at midnight, I'm going to go somewhere where I know it's okay to talk about my feelings.

And of course, it does encourage one to DO SOMETHING instead of sitting back and doing nothing. It's an incentive to try and change things in a permanent and radical way.

sure things make me upset but its there for that...we need to stay informed about it. i mean im not vegan for health reasons so...but i accept people who dont want to see that....

I read them all. I make myself read them. Knowledge is power. You cannot know what is going on by not reading them. To say that anyone may "know" what is going on (without becoming informed) is bull. Someone may have a 'sense' in what is happening but they don't know all the facts.

My kitten/Unicorn world is between me and my children - it is my sanity. The reality in the world is another thing.

I read them all. I make myself read them. Knowledge is power. You cannot know what is going on by not reading them. To say that anyone may "know" what is going on (without becoming informed) is bull. Someone may have a 'sense' in what is happening but they don't know all the facts.

My kitten/Unicorn world is between me and my children - it is my sanity. The reality in the world is another thing.

so true....

I read them all. I make myself read them. Knowledge is power. You cannot know what is going on by not reading them. To say that anyone may "know" what is going on (without becoming informed) is bull. Someone may have a 'sense' in what is happening but they don't know all the facts.

My kitten/Unicorn world is between me and my children - it is my sanity. The reality in the world is another thing.

exactly.
:up: