Consider The Lobster: Ethical Issue Of Eating Animals

Wallace makes the argument in his essay ‘Consider the Lobster,’ that the question of animal suffering is complex. Wallace may have been wrong to believe that, because lobsters aren’t human, it is not ethical to cook a live lobster. This idea, however, is false and involves ethical considerations. I prefer the more logical of the ideas.

David Foster Wallace discusses the ethics of eating lobster. He starts his reading by discussing Maine’s lobster industry, which includes the Maine Lobster Festival where over 25,000 pounds fresh lobster is consumed each year. The Maine Lobster Festival raises some difficult ethical issues, according to him. To support his argument, he brings up the fact that lobsters often end up in kitchens. Then, he asked an interesting question: “Isn’t it wrong for us to cook a living creature just so we can enjoy its taste?” I was flooded with images as he asked the question. What if it were me? What would I think? The paper cut hurt, and I thought about being tortured. Wallace also notes that “for instance, it tends to come alarmingly to life when placed into boiling water”. Wallace mentions that “for example, the lobster tends towards a frightful resurgence when placed into boiling water”.

Wallace also stated that the lobster had a similar behavior to a person in pain. Wallace notes that lobsters are able to demonstrate pain, which is a standard ethicists use when determining whether animals can experience pain. The animal’s behavior in response to pain. Wallace says lobsters don’t have as advanced a nervous system, but they can still detect temperature increases. Once the lobster has been thrown in the boiling pot, it is impossible to deny that the lobster will try desperately to escape. Pollan mentions in his article that the evolution of food has been a product of human survival. As evolved creatures, we should give more consideration to morality when selecting foods. It’s better to give them an opportunity, than torture.

Some people cook and consume lobsters with no problem because they believe lobsters to be non-human. Wallace points this out without surprise. The Maine Lobster Festival also supports the claim. They might say that lobsters resemble small, annoying insects more than humans. This statement is not true for me. They lack responsibility and ethical decision-making.