[LUVBUGZ]

[quote]Originally posted by quzah to juju

So you only value something if it gives you something in return? Interesting. I suppose that is the whole concept of value though, isn't it? If you don't get anything out of it, it's worthless? I get nothing other than an armfull of poison from mosquitos, yet I acknowledge their right to exist. Furthermore, I must have assigned some value to it, for I got out of my way to avoid smashing them or what not. (IE: The spider example, I catch and release rather than just squash them.)

I don't get much out of people, I guess maybe that's why I don't value most of them too much, but at the same time I don't kill any of them either. I, sometimes begrudgingly, acknowledge their right to exist.

Quzah, mosquitos don't inject "poison" into you. They release an anticoagulant to stop your blood from clotting, then they feed by sucking your blood. However, they can transmit disease during this process (ex. West Niles virus). I'm not suggesting you start killing mosquitos, but be aware that they do pose a risk to your health.

I get nothing from the spiders, other than the occasional bite while I sleep, or a nifty web to look at, and yet, I let them go.

Most times I don't even bother moving the spiders outside, they just hang out in the corners.

I often wonder if people had to kill their own food if they'd all be so eager to wolf down a burger. I doubt it. Oh sure, there are some who it wouldn't phase. Some probably who would even enjoy it. However, I bet a number of them would change their eating habbits.

As a meat eater and an animal lover, I've thought about this many times. Those two terms seem to be diametrically opposed and at times I find some issues difficult to deal with. I do agree with you on this and I fully acknowledge the fact that if I had to kill my own food, I'd quickly become a vegetarian, or vegan rather.