The Difference An Animal Killing CEO Makes
Remember Bob Parsons and his great elephant hunt? Mr. Parsons is the CEO of GoDaddy.com, and he went out and shot a “nuisance” elephant, killing him. After the hunt, the local people stripped the elephant of his flesh and ate him. Oh my gosh, did the world give him crap for that or what? PETA labeled him the scummiest CEO of like forevah, and every other domain registrar offered deals to transfer domain names away from GoDaddy.com to theirs. Around 20,000 people did just that and switched to NameCheap, for example.
And then Mark Zuckerberg, founder of Facebook, went out and boiled a lobster alive, slit the throat of a pig, goat and chicken, and everyone is swooning! I mean that literally, in some cases. PETA sent him a gift basket and may name him awesomest CEO of the year or something, I dunno. Zuckerberg is calling himself mostly vegetarian, which is like being mostly pregnant or something equally “either/or”. No one seems to be suggesting abandoning the Facebook ship, either.
Parsons = evil. Zuckerberg = primal genius. Weird!
So on one level, yeah, I think every meat-eater needs to get themselves down to the local slaughterhouse and kill them some adorbs sheep or piglets or chickens or moo-moos. I think it’s a super easy way to get a lot more people to reduce their reliance on animal products.
On another level, I cannot even BEGIN to describe the creep-factor I experience when I read stuff like this, “I think many people forget that a living being has to die for you to eat meat, so my goal revolves around not letting myself forget that and being thankful for what I have”.
So don’t forget it, Zuckerberg, and don’t slit anyone’s throat!
Thoughts?
Stephanie Ernst
Marji
Kelly G.
Deb
Mary Martin
I haven’t read anything about people supporting Zuckerberg. (Although I wouldn’t be surprised if slow-food people do.) Regarding PETA, they sent him a vegan gift basket, hoping he’d stop eating meat all together. They also wondered if he lacked an empathy gene: http://www.peta.org/b/thepetafiles/archive/2011/05/27/mark-zuckerberg-only-eats-those-he-kills.aspx
Unfortunately, it’s easier to change one’s domain registrar (I was one of those who did) than it is to find another entity like Facebook. I think Zuckerberg is a jag, but I get too much animal-friendly info and have “met” too many like-minded people through Facebook (like you!) to give it up.
I tried to cancel GoDaddy as my website host, but I’m ashamed to admit I didn’t try hard enough. I emailed NameCheap with questions, but didn’t hear back from them, then weakly didn’t pursue it. When it comes time to renew my GD.com contract, however, I will definitely go elsewhere.
If anyone could please tell me the names of any reputable web hosts whose owners are animal-friendly, I would love to bring my business to them, if their prices are within reason.
I’m not on Facebook, but I can well understand the dilemma for those who are. It seems to be a case of the benefits (meeting fellow vegans and spreading the vegan message) outweighing the downside, which in this case seems to be not the worst thing in the world. Then again, it is for each animal whose eye went dim when “master” Zuckerberg plopped him in boiling water or slit her pretty throat.
Lack of empathy is painful to behold, especially for those of us who know what it felt like when we were fellow zombies. But we were never outright killers, just ignorant tag-alongs.
I posted this on FB: I suggest all people who feel the need to kill animals they eat should go head-to-head with all the goddess-given weapons they’re born with. Zuckerberg needs to get naked, toss his weapons and go face-to-face with a tasty bull shark.
See who wins.
This whole thing disgusts me. I’d thought to leave FB, too, but based on what I’ve seen of the vegan community it’s like we’re willing to boycott A but not B when, like you point out, A and B are doing pretty much the same thing. It makes no sense. I could head over to Volenta to stay but as many times as I’ve tried to leave FB I haven’t been able to stay away. Plus a one-person boycott is about as effective as trying to kill a bull shark with your bare hands.
This is disturbing. I mean, what is his point? That he is willing to slaughter sentient beings? He expects praise for this or what? I think it’s some strange attempt to make the case for ‘responsible’ carnism. Like saying thank you to the corpse makes it all right? Ugh, sorry, my thoughts are scattered on this because it makes no sense to me at all. Reminds me of the mantra of those who raise and kill animals to eat, that the animals ‘sacrifice’ themselves. Right. Good try. Not logical or true but an attempt to claim some moral high ground.
I agree with your every point, vida. There are so many excuses given for doing something immoral in order to assuage guilt. If it were moral, there would be no need to justify it.
He’s been really rich for quite a while now, so it makes sense that he’s moved from wonder-kid, to eccentric billionaire. I do think it is eccentricity and those that think what he’s doing makes sense and even those that don’t think it makes any sense – are victims of believing that he is doing this for other reasons rather than ‘because he can’. So in other words – what’s next Zuckerberg hot air balloon rides with air that has only been heated by your body temperature?
No matter how sincere the effort, it is just ego to think that killing something directly, is more valid than killing something (someone) by proxy – it looks like a heroic effort (like the attempted hot air balloon ride), but in the end, it is not doing a whole heck of a lot for anyone except himself – and even then it seems to illustrate his misconceptions about what he is trying to do. The action doesn’t live up to the ideal. Sorry Zuckerberg.
I find this disturbing on so many levels. That quote you ended this post with is just horrifying. Strange as it may sound, I actually sympathize a lot more with the people who willfully keep themselves in the dark on this issue than I do with Zuckerberg. For the former, acknowledging where their food comes from would probably mean an eventual transition to a vegan/vegetarian lifestyle. But for Zuckerberg apparently, it is a source of pleasure and happiness. Something to pride oneself and revel in. Complete and utter nihilism, in my opinion…
Late to the party – But here’s my hunch. It’s all about a girl(friend). I read Zuckerberg’s response on FB to someone who asked outright “Why?”.
He said he knew it was possible to live fine on a vegan diet but that “at this time” he and his *girlfriend* found it to difficult (or impractical) to maintain such a diet.
Hum! I say fine… In my idea of what it takes to be vegan – The full recognition and respect of sentient life – Zuckerberg never was a vegan at all. You don’t “forget” how live justly.
That said, I have no problem continuing to use FB – Unlike GoDaddy – No money is going Zuckerberg’s way to be on FB. Besides, as so many have voiced before me – Meeting likeminded people there… It would be difficult to give up those friendships and support.
Zuckerberg disappoints. He really should know and do better. :/
Ooops – sorry for the few typos and grammatical errors. Some brainiac is shooting off fireworks and my pups are frantic over it! :(
First-this is something about how people once lived that will shock you. Back when America was largely rural, pre WW2, many or most people did slaughter their livestock themselves. The men slaughtered hogs and cattle, and girls learned to wring birds necks. This was normal, and given the conditions people lived under back then ( Think Third World-outhouses, no heating, cooking on wood stoves), it worked, just like using horses for farm work and pulling wagons. In those days, animals were also too valuable to mistreated while they were alive.
Second-It’s good that people are getting realistic enough to admit that human life is not valued or valuable and it’s more sensible to value money, animals, sex, et c, and stop having hysterics about bullying, domestic violence and crime against humans.
Rose, I certainly do not live under the presumption that our world now is like our world in the 1800s or early 1900s. I hope you don’t, either! A billionaire certainly does not need to slaughter an animal to survive. Most people in the United States (who now mostly reside in urban areas) don’t need to kill or consume animal products to thrive. I’m talking physically. The disparity in food access between those with resources (like more money) and without is very real.
Your second point is totally lost upon me.
Hello Rose – If you’re being sarcastic I wish you had indicated it… Because as it is, we all can only assume you’re serious.
And if that’s the case considering the kind of world you’re satisfied with I make these suggestions to you: Stay rich. Stay healthy. Stay young. Pray that your sex, your race and even your species never falls into being considered inferior or disposable.
Make sure your mind and heart are never at peace… If true wisdom or enlightenment come your way – Cast them aside quickly because your “real world” will be threatened and challenged by the possibility of a better way.
But most of all, make sure you squash the efforts of every human who desires to heal injury and direct homocentric culture out of the darkness. Because you haven’t the strength, determination or incentive to join the fight. And the guilt of benefiting from such a better world, without contributing to it, will shame you.
I would wish you a good life… But as your mindset indicates to me – I just don’t know if that’s possible. Still as naive and flawed as my thinking might be I do wish you ~peace~
No, I am not being sarcastic. I wish I could be. As someone who really is not rich, young, healthy, and who did learn that my life had no value and my suffering was ok and my fault, this is really what the world is like now and I don’t approve. I am and always have been disposable. Many humans are.
As for wisdom, enlightenment and being at peace-wisdom is perhaps the most valuable thing one can have, certainly better than power or wealth. Enlightenment, ditto. As for at peace, comfort and certainty are destroyers of souls and worlds. However, what people usually mean by such statements is, “Accept what I say without question, even if it is dangerous, out of line with a physical reality, et c, because I know everything and I don’t want my assumptions challenged “.
“Squash the efforts….” -that’s hilarious. “You haven’t the strength…”-also hilarious. The only people who want to heal pain rather than inflict it are getting payed for it or are living saints.
Unfortunately, sainthood is rare. I have tried to live ethically and have been abused for it, and given to others at the cost of years off my life. Don’t worry about my”being shamed”. I will not live enough more years for that to happen, if it were possible. Most people are not that compassionate. Maybe they could be, but they won’t. I’m too
drained to even take care of myself. I know- exhaustion, illness,injury and death are just laziness.
“Wish me a good life..”-again,hilarious. “Peace”-ditto. My mindset is what my life has been like. Yes, I do think you’re naive.
Marji-your awareness that the world has changed in the last hundred years is a wonderful surprise, and that is absolutely NOT sarcasm. Most people don’t know that life has ever been different from what it is now.
Hi Rose, I’m sorry your life has been so tragic and full of disappointments… I wasn’t born/raised in a heaven on earth either…
But shouldn’t that make it even more obvious that someone’s got to stick up for victims? I would think empathy should kick in to say the hell to all abusers! I’m going to live another way! Like a saint? No… Just a human with choices to be kind in spite of all the triggers and motivations to join the hurting crowd.
I sense a very bitter tone Rose… I used to (and still do) sing that sad tune too. But honestly, with the best advice I can give – I say that it does more harm than good… Not only to the disenfranchised that still get the boot… But to yourself too. If you let things eat at you in a defeatist kind of submission – It only lets the bad guys win.
I deserve better. So do you!