Why are TV shock shows allowed to show people eating live animals?

I was never a fan of Fear Factor for that reason.

@The_Compassionate_Heretic: wouldn’t you know it, the crap that catches my eye when walking by happens to be just the thing to set me off.

people in general enjoy seeing others enjoying themselves

It is the response that many having when passing an accident scene, they are fascinated and repelled at the same time.

There’s a difference between animals and insects. They’re not sinking their teeth into a live kitten, now are they?

Humans generally have a distaste for bugs (a good evolutionary consideration). They are not seen as equal to kittens in terms of the sanctity of critter life. Combined with their larger populations and ease of reproducing, it is seen as acceptable to destroy them or subject them to torture for our entertainment.

Is it fair? Life’s not fair. I am not of the opinion that all bugs deserve the right to live, I feed various bug larvae to my lizards often, I don’t release a found bug into the wilderness. At the same time, I find nothing redeeming about people eating bugs etc, so I don’t watch these shows.

There sure as hell would be an uproar if PETA made a Fear Factor spoof ad with kittens instead of bugs, to highlight the fact that bugs are animals too. But PETA knows that bug sympathy is not high enough for them to profit off of it, so they don’t.

Survival of the fittest – no vocal chords. You would not see this sort of thing if the bugs could scream in pain.

I’m convinced that’s why we cook live lobster in a pot of boiling water. They can’t scream.

i don’t think it would be quite as “shocking”, hence the name in your question, “TV Shock Shows”

why not?

@Rsam: I thought it was cruel for the live stick bugs to be crunched on.

“you” thought so. and fortunately one person doesnt get to decide whats good or bad for everyone else. : V