Why are people so disgusted by whaling?

Whales were overhunted

A movement was started

Perceptions change slowly

*But* there have also been plenty of fuel for the fire. Clips of whales being tortured. Natives that demanded the right to hunt whales as their ancestors did but then did so in power boats with harpoons.

And while we slaughter cute piggys and happy cows, we don't chase them down and hunt them. Okay, we hunt wild pigs, but that just doesn't get international hackles raised. And there are more deer hunters than deer activists, so good luck there.

Nope, whales have an image. Hurt the whales and you are evil.

And while I say this tongue in cheek, I do believe whale hunting needs to go with caution or not at all. We already overfish (some areas), clear forests, and so on and so forth.

Aren't many species of whales threatened because of whaling? Or, certainly, many species are dwindling, perhaps due to environmental factors, but a lot of people perceive that their diminished numbers can't be sustained or replenished while whaling continues.

Also, there's a perception that whale carcasses aren't fully used. Like, only blubber and meat are taken and the skeleton and skin are discarded. I don't know if that's true, but it's a perception I have.

Harpooning also seems like an inhumane way to kill a creature, sort of akin to bullfighting. Like it's torture.

I don't know how much of that is truth and how much myth. But I suspect Iceland will have to dispel whatever is untrue in order to change the image of whaling and make it palatable to most people.

There are a lot of things people perceive in whales that they mostly don't perceive in, say, cows and pigs:

-great intelligence (and a big brain)
-wisdom
-gentleness, maternalness
-whales 'sing' to each other so they are perceived almost as mystical beings
-most people haven't seen a whale, or have only seen one at Sea World, so they are also more 'exotic' or novel

All these things make them more person-like, so we are less happy about killing them for commerce.

My top issue would be that it is not possible to kill a whale humanely. They die slowly and horribly even using state of the art methods. Added to that they are particularly amazing creatures and the products made from whales can be made just as easily from renewable sources of domesticated animal and plant stocks. It is hard to think of any commercial, large scale hunting of mammals that has a good reputation these days.

Bahamutchild said:

And while we slaughter cute piggys and happy cows, we don't chase them down and hunt them. Okay, we hunt wild pigs, but that just doesn't get international hackles raised. And there are more deer hunters than deer activists, so good luck there.

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Yeah because it's way more humane to cage them up in little fields or pens all their lives than to go out and actually hunt them.

I'm against it because Whales are good people. We really don't starve for the things we get from them anymore, so leave them alone. They're magnificent animals.

I've spent time both working and volunteering (and even doing some paid volunteering, which I was surprised to learn existed when I was first offered that particular position) in environmental education, wildlife education and zoos.

There are certain animals that are more likely to capture people's hearts and minds, to evoke sympathy and protective feelings. They're referred to, collectively, as charismatic megafauna. These are the animals used to "give a face" to attempts to protect wildlife or its habitat. Examples include (among many others) pandas, gorillas, giraffes, elephants, polar bears, dolphins and whales.

There are plenty of other factors at work here, and lots of reasons to (in my opinion) be opposed to whaling. As far as disgust though, whales are just one of the animals that (for reasons already detailed in posts above) inspire warm fuzzy feelings in people. Their image has been used, very successfully, to raise money and lobby for legislation to protect the health of our oceans.

Of course actively hunting them down and killing them is often met with widespread disgust.

To me, whales are in the top 5 among the most magnificent creatures on our planet. Their intelligence, grace, and beauty are almost unmatched. Plus, humans as a species can easily survive without the products secured by butchering whales. The only reason we do it is to profit by it. Only a rare few kill whales so that they can avoid starvation by eating blubber.

efreysson said:

I'm Icelandic, and today I was listening to the news and heard a debate about how international contempt for whaling would wreak havoc on Iceland's image, at a time when we're trying to rebuild it after the economic collapse.

It got me curious enough to ask: Why? What is it about whaling that makes it less acceptable than the killing of any other animals? I'm not looking to start a debate or an argument, I just want to hear people's thoughts on the matter.

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Same thing happens here with bullfighting, there's a heated argument weather is part of our Hispanic culture and tradition or just a savage and outdated entretainment.

I'll kill anything that tastes good.

scarletpeaches said:

I'll kill anything that tastes good.

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scarletpeaches said:

I'll kill anything that tastes good.

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Does whale meat taste good?

Seriously though, what do they use the whales for? Meaning the ones still killed in Iceland, of course. I thought whaling didn't happen anymore.

Except Colin Farrell of course.

What is it about whaling that makes it less acceptable than the killing of any other animals?

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Offhand, I can't think of anything we need dead whales for. It seems like an excuse to torture and kill lovely creatures. Ditto for bullfighting.

efreysson said:

Why? What is it about whaling that makes it less acceptable than the killing of any other animals? .

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Because they're endangered and the only way we have to improve their chances of survival as a species is to stop killing them. We can't pen them and protect them. We can't raise them in captivity. They are big and slow to breed.

Hunting whales is probably much like the now long dead civilization that logged the last trees on Easter Island. "We need logs and firewood!"

But if you cut down the last trees, they can't make more trees. Then they are gone permanently. Nobody will have firewood."

"We need firewood now!"

They burned the last of the trees, then they couldn't make boats, they couldn't fish, they got hungry and ate each other to death.


What is killing the last of the whales going to do? All that would do is delay a sustainable economic solution. Whaling is not a long term viable solution to anything, and oh yeah, it would kill the whales. If you want to eat your own livestock, I support your right to do so, but you don't own the whales. Nobody does.

Whales aren't the only creatures which are endangered. Where's the fuss made about the lesser-spotted twatfinch?

efreysson said:

. . . good people?

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Better than most.

scarletpeaches said:

Whales aren't the only creatures which are endangered. Where's the fuss made about the lesser-spotted twatfinch?

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I was wondering the exact same thing.

Atani said:

Does whale meat taste good?

Seriously though, what do they use the whales for? Meaning the ones still killed in Iceland, of course. I thought whaling didn't happen anymore.

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The Japanese still do whaling. Of course they say it is in the name of science...gastronomic science possibly.

scarletpeaches said:

Whales aren't the only creatures which are endangered. Where's the fuss made about the lesser-spotted twatfinch?

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They don't have as good of a lobby.

Dangit Peaches! Now you made me google that just to see if it really was a silly named creature.

maxmordon said:

Same thing happens here with bullfighting, there's a heated argument weather is part of our Hispanic culture and tradition or just a savage and outdated entretainment.

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They're your bulls. It's your country. It doesn't affect me or my family. It's your decision.

And how are you personally affected by whales being killed?