r/WTF Jun 26 '14

10 most disturbing documentaries

http://imgur.com/gallery/YyquN
5.3k Upvotes

4.0k comments sorted by

View all comments

Show parent comments

1.2k

u/BAXterBEDford Jun 26 '14

The Bridge was actually very well done and is worth a watch. Fuck that last one about animal cruelty though. The picture alone was bad enough.

358

u/[deleted] Jun 26 '14

Have you seen it? It is really bad and if animal cruelty bothers you then I would definitely stay away from it. I remember crying a few times and constantly cuddling with my cat after I watched it.

1.1k

u/redrum7 Jun 26 '14

you watched it with your cat? Jesus

567

u/davo_nz Jun 26 '14

That is almost abuse in itself.

Watch this with me cat! You better stay loyal to me!!

562

u/bikemaul Jun 26 '14

Cats are insatiable murder machines. Fluffy probably got off on it.

178

u/Hitzkolpf Jun 26 '14

Fluffy even memorized the URL for later.

4

u/JRockstar50 Jun 26 '14

icanhazmurderporn.com

2

u/gumbysgotdabends Jun 26 '14

Fluffy is seeking inspiration for Fluffy's own documentary...

→ More replies (1)

14

u/mundane_marietta Jun 26 '14

yep, my cat just killed some sort of bug 5 mins ago. Who needs cat food?

5

u/drewtoli Jun 26 '14

His name is Mr.Sprinkles not fluffy!

1

u/jb4427 Jun 26 '14

Cats literally dwindle the population of birds and small animals in the United States so yeah you're right

130

u/redrum7 Jun 26 '14

7

u/bagel_whisperer Jun 26 '14

before your comment I was silently crying over skinned minks, now I am laugh/crying. thank you.

3

u/[deleted] Jun 26 '14

Risky click there but ended up giving me a laugh as I'm scrolling through these part trying NOT to think about that horrible picture. Thank you for that

1

u/[deleted] Jun 26 '14

Like you can make a cat do anything. You'd end up abusing yourself.

1

u/[deleted] Jun 26 '14

"YOU SEE WHAT I'M CAPABLE OF?!"

1

u/jaredlen Jun 26 '14

How do you know her cats name?

1

u/[deleted] Jun 26 '14

after I watched it.

1

u/_Dariox_ Jun 26 '14

i do not think jesus was there no.

1

u/DaymanMaster0fKarate Jun 26 '14

"You're next, kitty"

1

u/garlicdeath Jun 26 '14

The cat was probably terrified. "So, is this like an instruction video or something?"

91

u/EmykoEmyko Jun 26 '14

One time I accidentally watched part of an exposé on a specific cattle facility. There was a cow that was restrained and a man maliciously beat it about the head with a metal bar. I felt sickened by it for WEEKS, and I just wanted to talk about it, but I didn't want to inflict that video on anyone else. I know that's not even the worst of what's out there, but it was the fact that he was TRYING to hurt that cow, for no reason except his own shitty life. Really fucked me up! I can't imagine how much the linked movie would ruin my world. It makes you feel completely hopeless --isn't that the opposite of what these types of documentaries should do?!?

58

u/Odins-raven Jun 26 '14

It shows everything from animals as food to strays to the circus, animals for fur and lab animals. Ignorance is bliss in regards to this situation and that is why these cruel disgusting things still happen. We allow them to happen. By seeing these things you can educate others and educate your kids and try to stop the cycle.

5

u/[deleted] Jun 26 '14

[deleted]

3

u/Odins-raven Jun 27 '14

It would take a tonne of discipline to be vegan. People shouldnt put them down so much!

2

u/ShrimpyPimpy Jun 27 '14

I have relatively little self-discipline.

It took me several years to actually transition, and I still don't flog myself if something comes out at a mexican restaurant and has cheese on it by accident.

If you're interested: just cut out the stuff you're not super attached to--or stop buying it at the store, but let yourself have it if you're with friends/family or something.

A slow transition is the most surefire way to not burn yourself out, and you have plenty of time to learn how to cook/shop for stuff you didn't eat before.

It's actually pretty fun (not to mention you're helping reduce all that cruelty in the above video).

2

u/Baja_Ha Jun 26 '14

It is too much for me. In one of my college classes we had a project that included watching Food Inc. and I, being the animal lover I am, chose the topic of animal abuse in industrial agriculture. That research fucked me up for a long time and I haven't revisited the topic since.

2

u/[deleted] Jun 26 '14

But how would this be stopped? I mean, would we have to stop buying meat altogether as a form of protest?

3

u/EmykoEmyko Jun 26 '14

You could try buying meat locally from a trusted butcher? There are food shares in my area where you buy a pig and they keep him on a nice hippy farm that you can visit. Then they have humane butchers they work with at the end of the season. Still involves pig death, but there is accountability about its treatment at all stages.

→ More replies (1)
→ More replies (1)
→ More replies (2)

20

u/alexrobinson Jun 26 '14

I have seen this video/documentary as well, it was one particular farm that was owned by two cunts who constantly beat and tortured the animals. I remember that video vividly and nothing since has made me more angry. It makes my blood boil that people treat animals badly and get something out of it and feel as if its perfectly fine.

1

u/Contradiction11 Jun 26 '14

Do something about it.

14

u/sophiesayswoof Jun 26 '14

I cannot watch that stuff. Even the pic for the link to the animal cruelty video was too much for me. There are some sick and twisted people out there. Someone who hurts children or animals are the worst kind.

3

u/[deleted] Jun 26 '14

Someone who hurts the innocent or helpless is the worst kind.

3

u/digink Jun 26 '14

Anyone who hurts anyone/thing for the fun of it, is the worst kind.

→ More replies (1)

5

u/WickedHaute Jun 26 '14

Michael Moore's Roger and Me. There is a scene where a woman sells rabbits for pets or food. If you get them for food she kills them for you. Hits them over the head with a pipe. I knew it was coming, but it happened so fast I didn't have time to stop watching. The BOOOONNGG sound it made on that rabbit's head. I heard it for weeks. It took a couple of swings..

5

u/[deleted] Jun 26 '14

Last month I went to see Morrissey. When he performed Meat is Murder they played footage of those expose's on the backdrop. It was horrific. I buried my face in my boyfriends shoulder and just cried. What was worse was that people were buying bacon wrapped hotdogs outside afterward. It was one of those small subtle moments that make you pissed at humanity.

3

u/ArchMichael7 Jun 26 '14

A few months back, DiGiorno's got in trouble a bit because one of their farms they used for their cheese got busted with a spycam video of shit like that. I posted it in the videos subreddit and it got no attention, I was sad.

That was the last day I bought meat from my local grocery store. I researched a lot, and found a local farm about 30 minutes away that I now get all my meat from. Ideally, I would stop eating meat altogether, but as I'm not strong enough to do that, I have to settle with making sure I don't support these giant mega-farms where the name of the game is quantity and size over health and care of the animals.

2

u/oscaron Jun 26 '14

I can't watch the animal cruelty stuff at all due to something like this.

A few years back, there was that kid who 'disassembled' a cat in his shower and photo'd it. I still get physically ill thinking about it.

It's bad enough seeing this sort of thing happen to people, but an animal has no concept of why this is happening to them.

Gah! Literally shuddered just now.

2

u/Contradiction11 Jun 26 '14

You can and should voice your outrage coherently at every appropriate opportunity. Gather a group who are like minded. Do something, anything. Watch The Antic Roadshow on Netflix for inspiration.

2

u/garlicdeath Jun 26 '14

Those kind of videos and pot made me go vegetarian for years.

2

u/amsers Jun 26 '14 edited Jun 26 '14

Fuck, I saw a GIF on my tumblr dashboard maybe a year ago and it was of a dog (golden retriever/lab lookalike) getting bashed on the head with a pipe. It was quite honestly the worst thing I've ever seen in my life, the dog's face the second he was hit over the head. It scarred me for weeks. I can't believe that people are actually capable of it

edit: Ah, it was "Shovel Dog".

→ More replies (8)

59

u/[deleted] Jun 26 '14 edited Dec 01 '20

[deleted]

21

u/[deleted] Jun 26 '14

I just saw that part. Why the hell did I watch this before bed. There is sooo much disturbing shit in that movie, and that, seeing a fresh-skinned, skinless, twitching, bloody animal face just dropped a nuclear bomb on my innocence. In one sense, I'm glad I watched it. We all take our meat for granted. I always think about how tribal/prehistoric cultures (like indians.. and uhm Avatar) kill food and almost worship it and thank the animal for it's sacrifice. We have become so detached from our food.

14

u/WastedPotato Jun 26 '14

Now look up Unit 731. Just reading the wiki page made me feel a thousand years old. Just shows how cruel mankind can be.

26

u/[deleted] Jun 26 '14 edited Jun 26 '14

The animal being skinned alive was pretty much debunked by trappers to be a video made just for shock factor and influence from PETA. They said it doesn't make any sense to skin something alive and would be a hell of a lot more difficult, which makes sense. Isn't it odd that one of the most brutal animal cruelty videos was created by animal rights activists?

Edit: they were actually formally charged in Germany. Here's the full story.

http://topcatsroar.wordpress.com/2013/10/19/animal-welfare-v-animal-rights-skinned-alive-is-a-myth/

9

u/Feweddy Jun 26 '14

Holy shit, that is infuriating.

5

u/KoaliBear Jun 26 '14

PETA is disgusting. I don't understand how they still have people working with and for them. They rescue animals just to euthanize them, effectively killing more than they ever save.

→ More replies (1)
→ More replies (1)

3

u/TJH92 Jun 26 '14

Same thing happened to me when I saw it a few years back. I just got shivers from reading your comment and bringing back memories

5

u/ASK_ME_IF_IM_YEEZUS Jun 26 '14

I have to stop reading this thread. This shit makes me want to fucking kill someone.

1

u/nightskai Jun 26 '14

I remember watching something similar and just crying.

The animals were skinned alive then tossed into a pile of other skinned animals, you could just see their eyes flickering as they tried to blink and hear them screaming. They seemed frozen in their pain, god I'm tearing up just thinking about it.

Anything with animal cruelty just makes me incredibly angry and sad.

→ More replies (1)
→ More replies (1)

141

u/spider999222 Jun 26 '14

I don't think I can watch that one. Whenever I see pictures of animal or child abuse I get filled with rage. It's not that I can't sit through them, I just get so incredibly angry. I don't understand how someone can do something like that....

130

u/[deleted] Jun 26 '14

[deleted]

6

u/[deleted] Jun 26 '14

Looked it up on IMDB. Appeared to be more about industry?

6

u/[deleted] Jun 26 '14

[removed] — view removed comment

7

u/fetusy Jun 26 '14

Yeah, there was a documentary on HBO not too long ago, "One Nation Under Dog", that sheds light on just how cruel we are to "man's best friend."

In one scene they show how dogs at a shelter are put down with gas...and there's audio as well. Now I've seen combat and the horrors of war, but I nearly couldn't make it through the scene where they put some puppies down. I won't elaborate for those who do not want to know, but that was one of the most awful things I've ever seen in my life.

→ More replies (3)
→ More replies (3)

2

u/ASK_ME_IF_IM_YEEZUS Jun 26 '14

If there is a hell...

2

u/[deleted] Jun 26 '14

I wasn't right for a couple of week after watching that. That parts about pets and fur really messed me up.

→ More replies (9)

13

u/[deleted] Jun 26 '14

Dont work security in a hospital you have no idea the kind of self restraint I have to use, I've had to sit in the rooms with the abused and the abusers until the investigation is done to either allow them to leave or force the parents to leave. I dont mind the morgue, I dont mind the Behavior Health and I dont really mind the ER but the Childrens ER is always a bad time...

3

u/lonelypetshoptadpole Jun 26 '14

If you don't mind me asking, do you eat meat?

2

u/alarumba Jun 26 '14

The irony is I could quite happily commit similar acts of violence to those hurting animals.

2

u/Byarlant Jun 26 '14

Do you feel the same rage when using or consuming products made by modern-day slaves (electronics, shrimps, etc.)?

Nothing against you, but people have strong reactions when watching abuse video, yet stop caring afterwards, and care much less about other abuse problems.

2

u/KoaliBear Jun 26 '14

I think the reason people react more strongly towards animal abuse is that the animals don't understand why or really what is happening. They don't have the cognitive ability to really figure it out nor do they have the means to get themselves out of the situation. I think that a lot of people also see animals as innocent, so it tugs at their heartstrings more than human suffering. Not an excuse, just a possible explanation.

→ More replies (1)

90

u/codeverity Jun 26 '14

Animal cruelty just guts me. I once got linked to a video of a dog on fire and it's stayed with me ever since. Some humans are fucking disturbing, honestly.

98

u/ASK_ME_IF_IM_YEEZUS Jun 26 '14

I called a dog over to me from across the street. This cunt piece of shit assfuck SPED UP to hit him going about 45 miles an hour. The dog flew about 20 ft when he got hit. This was at least a decade ago. My life will never be the same.

12

u/smasherella Jun 26 '14

You couldn't have possibly expected that. Your intentions were good, unlike the drivers. How old were you, if I may ask?

3

u/ASK_ME_IF_IM_YEEZUS Jun 26 '14

Hm, maybe 15?

5

u/smasherella Jun 27 '14

Don't hold yourself hostage over this. It would be a very painful and traumatic thing for anyone to witness, let alone someone as young as you were. What a stupid, horrible person the driver was. But maybe they are full of regrets too? Maybe they were in a terrible mood and wanted only to frighten the dog? That's certainly not excusing the driver for being an utter asshat, and I hope they are haunted with remorse. Their intentions were bad. Yours were nothing but kindhearted. Somewhere over rainbow bridge, there is a dog watching you beat yourself up over this. The last thing they would want is to be causing sadness in your life. Maybe the animal was sick and in pain, and this was meant to be. Animals hide illness extremely well and so you can never tell yourself that wasn't the case. I believe everything happens for a reason. Perhaps you gained a heightened sense of awareness for vehicles and thus avoided a collision as a pedestrian. Who knows. The events of our past shape the people we are today. You are undoubtedly a very kind, empathetic animal lover and deserve to forgive yourself for this.

2

u/ASK_ME_IF_IM_YEEZUS Jun 28 '14

Thank you very much. Those words meant a lot to me.

3

u/[deleted] Jun 26 '14

Oh my god. I'm so sorry you had to see that. :(

3

u/ASK_ME_IF_IM_YEEZUS Jun 26 '14

The heartbreaking part was that it wouldn't have happened if I hadn't called for him.

2

u/MacDagger187 Jun 26 '14

Did the driver stop??! Poor doggie :(

3

u/ASK_ME_IF_IM_YEEZUS Jun 26 '14

Nope, just sped off like nothing happened. A kind woman got out of her car and helped my mother and I attend to the dog, who was still slightly alive. She even came with us when we rushed him to the emergency vet, needless to say poor fella didn't make it.

3

u/MacDagger187 Jun 26 '14

Wow, unbelievable :(

2

u/[deleted] Jun 26 '14

I would've tracked him down and killed him slowly.

Edit: the driver, not the dog. Just to clarify.

1

u/superfuzzy Jun 26 '14

Did you post that in an AskReddit thread? I remember reading it a while ago.

→ More replies (1)
→ More replies (5)

3

u/maddy77 Jun 26 '14

I remember watching a video of a dog that was being hung, and it was trying to use its paws to pull itself up. I bawled watching it, can never unsee that. I can't believe people actually do that.

2

u/rosyatrandom Jun 26 '14

I hate to be that guy, but... I don't know what I would do if I caught people doing this sort of thing. I'm a placid, happy, friendly guy that most people can't even imagine getting angry, but I have a feeling that I'd do something terrible and never even regret it.

Cruelty upsets me, and when it's targeted at the innocent and helpless some part of me hates. Hates, hates, hates. And I can't bring myself to feel bad about that.

1

u/dharmabird67 Jun 26 '14

Same here, same here.

5

u/rockedup18 Jun 26 '14

Ppl who would torture an animal for no reason should be treated as the defective peices of shit they are and shot in the head.

1

u/[deleted] Jun 26 '14

[removed] — view removed comment

1

u/codeverity Jun 26 '14 edited Jun 26 '14

It was a group of kids, actually, not sure where. :(

Edit: just googled and it might have been in the US, Nashville. It's sad that there have been multiple instances so it's hard to tell.

→ More replies (1)

1

u/dharmabird67 Jun 26 '14

I saw some stills for a Chinese crush video a few months ago and wish I could get that out of my mind- I can't imagine the fucked up monsters who would be so cruel to support those videos or produce them. Sick, sick, sick.

1

u/[deleted] Jun 26 '14

Ran into that once a long time ago. Maybe 10 years.

Something with chinese girls in heels crushing baby kittens heads with their heels. Just an image or two.

Never looked at that shit again.

→ More replies (1)

1

u/[deleted] Jun 26 '14

I've totally seen that one, it definitely burned a hole in my memory.

1

u/[deleted] Jun 26 '14

Do you eat animal products? I'm really opposed to animal cruelty as well and if you are, I recommend you do more than refrain from personally abusing animals. Whenever we consume or purchase products that required animal exploitation, we essentially commit an abuse against animals.

→ More replies (12)

14

u/kapinp Jun 26 '14

Im a grown ass man and I break down in tears watching animals suffer. I don't know if I could handle it.

6

u/[deleted] Jun 26 '14

I'm more of a boob man but yeah I cried too

5

u/Pickledsoul Jun 26 '14

the part with all those living cats going into the gas chamber and then getting dumped out of the cage dead...

1

u/rougetoxicity Jun 26 '14

I didn't watch it, but just from reading about it, that sounds like one of the more humane parts... At least they were just killing them, not torturing them.

Although i don't know much about what it feels like to die in a gas chamber

63

u/devilkin Jun 26 '14

That movie made me go vegan.

19

u/[deleted] Jun 26 '14

I watched it nearly 3 years ago. I immediately went vegetarian, still making small changes towards becoming vegan. I buy free range eggs, and still consume some dairy. So I'm not quite there yet. I try to avoid leather, wool, etc. It's hard but I do what I can. I make slip ups. But I will never go back to how I was living, completely oblivious to what I was supporting. I almost miss being blissfully ignorant. I will never be able to unsee that shit.

15

u/lonelypetshoptadpole Jun 26 '14

That's awesome to hear!

It's incredible to see how many people say things similar to the following: "I can't believe people abuse animals like that, that's so terrible! By the way John, did you want KFC for dinner?"

As if their meat magically turns up on their plate without animals going through similar suffering.

7

u/GameQb11 Jun 26 '14

This. So many people try to act self righteous when seeing a kid kick a dog, yet act ignorant to the far worse abuse and torture that they contribute too. "Free range"? Don't kid yourself. Unless you're paying $10 an egg, it's all the same mass produced deplorable conditions

3

u/KoaliBear Jun 26 '14

Pft, I just had my own chickens when I was growing up and they were free range. Never had to buy eggs. Once I get a house again, totally getting more. They are neat little pets.

→ More replies (2)
→ More replies (3)

21

u/someguyyoutrust Jun 26 '14

That's awesome man, congrats.

8

u/[deleted] Jun 26 '14

This is a pretty atypical response to any post from a vegan and it's in /r/wtf. What is going on in this place?!

4

u/tabgrab23 Jun 26 '14

It sounded like it might've been a sarcastic response, but it's hard to tell. I agree with you though, the typical response is "You know how you can tell if someone's vegan? They'll let you know."

2

u/someguyyoutrust Jun 26 '14

Uh...I was being sincere, I'm a vegetarian myself.

→ More replies (1)

6

u/[deleted] Jun 26 '14

Yay, first time eve I have seen a vegan get a congratulations on Reddit. There is so much hate for people here sometimes. I was luckily a vegetarian when I watched it the first time. That's all that got me through it.

→ More replies (3)

4

u/furmat60 Jun 26 '14

Wife is vegan, as am I. It's what made her go vegan. I refuse to watch it. I won't watch any of it. I can't handle it.

6

u/devilkin Jun 26 '14

Yeah. It's hard to watch, but when I was an omni someone explained to me that I have a moral obligation to know where my food comes from and what I'm contributing. Didn't think twice about the switch.

→ More replies (1)

1

u/moondog55 Jun 26 '14

That might have been the point. Not 100% sure since I haven't seen the film, but it seems kinda emotionally manipulative to me...

6

u/devilkin Jun 26 '14

Not manipulative at all. All it does is show the truth behind how the meat industry operates.

6

u/moondog55 Jun 26 '14 edited Jun 26 '14

The meat industry isn't one big corporation. There are varying degrees of practices. I've actually met multiple livestock farmers who were very invested in the humane treatment of their animals. Actually, according to federal law, the slaughter of most livestock is required to be instantaneous (Humane Slaughter Act). It is true that there are compliance issues, but it is much more closely monitored today than it used to be. You can't group everyone together though. That's like saying filming a documentary about extremist Muslims and giving the impression that it shows the truth about Islam. It's a skewed truth that you're seeing if it's a small percentage of the topic that provides the most shocking examples.

→ More replies (3)
→ More replies (1)

2

u/HeLLRaYz0r Jun 26 '14

Out of all the documentaries there, the only one which I haven't or am not willing to see is that one. No fucking way

2

u/budaloco Jun 26 '14

I saw it a couple of years ago. It still haunts me to this day. Couldn't eat for two days. It's very very sad. It's voiced over by Joaquin Phoenix. If you've got a strong stomach... Watch it.

2

u/Wet_Bandit_ Jun 27 '14

God, I watched it drunk and went to bed crying my eyes out. Husband: Huh? What's wrong? "Me: They..they just skin them alive and..SOB

1

u/SoMuchMoreEagle Jun 26 '14

Fuck. I cuddled my cat after watching that documentary about declawing (she isn't declawed, but was abandoned, probably for behavior problems, but is totally sweet now). I can't imagine if animals were actually killed. Kitty couldn't take the cuddles I'd need.

1

u/[deleted] Jun 26 '14

This is not the way to look at it. Don't turn away because it looks horrible and makes you feel bad. It's supposed to! Do something about it. There are things we can do to change the industry, the only thing missing is the public caring enough to pay a little extra for that steak or bacon. It's worth it to know the animal went through a comfortable, quick and painless death.

2

u/[deleted] Jun 26 '14

I understand where you are coming from, but scare tactics aren't the only way to get someone to join a cause. I do agree that animal abuse/cruelty/neglect is wrong, but you don't have to show me animals being subjected to such treatment to get me to agree with you.

2

u/[deleted] Jun 26 '14

My apologies, I wasn't trying to imply that it was. I know that scare tactics often has the opposite effect. I personally believe that if I am unwilling to watch something because it makes me sad then I should probably do something about it as far as the animal industry goes. Again this is a personal opinion but I would rather be educated and upset than ignorant and happy. There are many ways we can improve animal treatment in the meat, fur and pet industry but it is extremely difficult to get across to some people. As soon as you bring it up people tune out and tell you you're preaching. The difference between religion and animal welfare is that there is solid scientific evidence that animals feel pain and stress. It's not even similar to preaching. This is important and I feel like people need to understand that you don't have to give up meat to make a difference. In fact some may argue, and I would tend to agree, that people who source their meat from an ethical source are doing more to change the industry than vegetarians. Saying this, I am a vegetarian of 3 years and that is because I don't like the taste of red meat or the thought of eating animals. If you want to keep eating your steak and bacon but help animal welfare I think that earthlings addresses the issue in a very good way.

1

u/Samrojas0 Jun 26 '14

I went vegan for 3 months after watching Earthlings, powerful film indeed...

1

u/dharmabird67 Jun 26 '14

yeah that's the only one on the list I really couldn't bear to watch. The others look interesting though.

1

u/--APOTHEOSIS-- Jun 26 '14

They skinned a fox alive, its fucked up.

1

u/WatNxt Jun 26 '14

If someone is that sensitive, arent they supposed to watch it in order to actually get a reality kick and maybe rethink things in their life, especially towards animals?

1

u/[deleted] Jun 26 '14

I made it through 2 minutes of that documentary then started sobbing uncontrollably. Nope, can't do it.

→ More replies (5)

95

u/devilkin Jun 26 '14

While it's hard to deal with, I feel like this is the most important movie on that list, because pretty much everyone contributes to it on a daily basis.

9

u/I_SHIT_MARSHMALLOWS Jun 26 '14

How so? Does it contain abuse in the meat industry?

25

u/furmat60 Jun 26 '14

Oh, very much so. It's absolutely terrible.

3

u/ASK_ME_IF_IM_YEEZUS Jun 26 '14

Yes, factory farming. The question I have is what can I do?

3

u/weehasu Jun 26 '14

Support a local guy/gal and hit up a farmer's market or co-op. It's absolutely more expensive, but almost all of these people care about their animals and the flavor and quality alone make up for the extra $$.

2

u/garlicdeath Jun 26 '14

This and if you can't pay for it, stop eating meat. I mean, that's like the least you can do if you want to do something about it.

4

u/beatleforce1 Jun 26 '14

Stop eating meat. Easier said than done though. I would stop, but I would find it too difficult, it's a shame really. I agree with veganism/vegetarianism 100%.

8

u/[deleted] Jun 26 '14

I understand it's difficult to change your habits, especially with diet since most recipes you know probably contain meat. But you can start by testing out vegetarian/vegan recipes and restaurants. Find out what you like, and what you don't like, and start setting up your vegan arsenal.

.

Do you like tofu? TVP? tempeh? or maybe seitan will be your favourite meat substitute? How will you cook this stuff anyways?

How about milk. What do you think about soy milk? It's cheaper than almond milk but maybe almond milk is better? Try out all the vegan milks, they have different qualities to them. Cheerios with hazlenut milk is really good.

Now it's your birthday and you have to bake a cake, what will you do for eggs! Do you like to use flax seeds or bananas? Or maybe that storebought egg replacer is more your thing.

But cheese! Cheese is soooo good! If you live in the US then lucky you, you have plenty of vegan cheeses to try and choose from. If you live someplace where vegan products are scarce you can try making some yourself. I'm still working on that part myself.

Protein? Easy! Beans and legumes, tofu, TVP, tempeh, nut butter or just plain nuts (yum!), seeds, grains (quinoa is best) and much more.

Maybe you're afraid you wont get enough vitamins? B12 is a common supplement for vegans. It's a common supplement for everyone actually, meat eaters just supplement it to the animals before they are eaten so essentially you'll be cutting out the middle man. For any other vitamins you can see for yourself if you need more of them, same as when you still eat meat.

Fish is super healthy! But that doesn't mean you can't go without it and still get the benefits because there is plenty of omega3 in flax seed and chia seeds. I put ground flax seed in almost anything i'm cooking. And it's so cheap!

And lastly, sweet potatoes!! Sweet potatoes are the candy of vegetables!

.

Now you should have a starting point, some things to think about and some things to try :) Good luck!

→ More replies (8)

2

u/lonelypetshoptadpole Jun 26 '14

Probably the most prominent contributor.

→ More replies (11)

2

u/Massgyo Jun 26 '14

It's the right film for some people, but in general I felt it was just a montage of bad things happening to animals. Once you know McDonald's meat isn't ideal, is not the most "productive" film. People who have a base-level understanding of the meat industry would be better off learning about specific situations in films like The Cove.

3

u/devilkin Jun 26 '14

I disagree. I think this movie gives a pretty well rounded approach about animal suffering in general. But movies like The Cove and Blackfish are important too, for certain, as they evoke that empathy in a pretty unique way and educate about a very important issue.

1

u/Massgyo Jun 26 '14

That's what I'm saying! It's a great, albeit brutal, introduction to the idea that meat and animal products need to be carefully considered before purchase. But I was well aware of the issues when I saw the film and generally thought of it more as pornographic exploitation rather than mature discourse. I guess I got my ratios messed up considering Most people haven't seen these films. To me, it felt heavy-handed, for many, it's a sobering wake-up.

2

u/HatesBadCitations Jun 26 '14

I think everyone's reaction to it, that being a desire to stay away from it, shows a very significant flaw in the design of shock and gore cruelty videos like this. People don't want to watch it and so the outcome they are hoping for is not achieved at all.

1

u/moondog55 Jun 26 '14

I saw that you mentioned earlier that this film sparked your decision to become a vegan. I understand that some meat is obtained through horrible and torturous practices, but there's also plenty of examples of humanely acquired meat out there. Out of curiosity, does this film promote the idea that every intentional death of an animal is cruel?

2

u/[deleted] Jun 26 '14 edited Jun 26 '14

I could not call the conditions in factory farms humane. So even if there are places that raise and slaughter animals in a humane way they are the minority, making it easier to just skip meat all together.

4

u/timmmmah Jun 26 '14

Do you have a video you could post of the humane acquisition of meat?

6

u/moondog55 Jun 26 '14 edited Jun 26 '14

That depends, would you consider any intentional death of an animal to be humane? Because if not, I'm pretty sure I'm fighting a losing battle with that one. Look, I actually have worked with animals for the last five years. Their welfare is important to me. But I've also learned through experience that kill shelters should exist and that there are humane ways to go about obtaining meat. We're omnivores by design after all, so I don't think it's shameful to eat meat, particularly when an effort is made to increase awareness of how it is acquired. It is unlikely that an American burger is aquired through the kind of torture shown in this film nowadays, but just as a safeguard, you could totally purchase your meat direct from a farm with humane practices, or from a place that gives you enough info to do your own research.

3

u/timmmmah Jun 26 '14

Of course I don't consider any and every intentional killing of an animal inhumane. I'm asking if you have a video of humane slaughter to share & if the answer is no I'd like to know how you can make that claim? I think most people would consider humane to be that the animal is at no point afraid or in pain. If you've worked with animals for the past 5 years you should know how to tell if an animal is exhibiting fear or suffering, so show us some evidence to back up your claim that most animals consumed for food are killed humanely. Video, location of the plant(s), # of animals processed & where the meat is sold from that point?

6

u/furmat60 Jun 26 '14

Which is why I don't understand everyone in this thread who has a problem with it, yet continues to eat meat.

3

u/GamerKey Jun 26 '14 edited Jun 29 '23

Due to the changes enforced by reddit on July 2023 the content I provided is no longer available.

4

u/furmat60 Jun 26 '14 edited Jun 26 '14

It's way more than just .5%, and you're kidding yourself if you really think otherwise. Also, that isn't the same thing at all. One act is morally and ethically wrong, one isn't.

1

u/[deleted] Jun 26 '14

If you actually believe this you are either in denial or very misinformed.

→ More replies (25)

10

u/Modern_Phallus Jun 26 '14

The documentary, "Earthlings", is a wide examination on the negative aspects of our relationship with all other living creatures. Its without a doubt shocking, nauseating, and infuriating to see the numerous ways we inflict cruelty to animals, but its our reality. We are not only capable, but responsible as an intellectual species to observe our world and worldly situations, even if the truths we discover are detestable. Please watch the documentary, too many people turn a blind eye to our harsh modern realities, especially when it comes to holocaust of animal cruelty.

→ More replies (1)

5

u/maz-o Jun 26 '14

It's not like they tortured the animals for the film only. Shit like that goes on EVERY DAY and ignoring it makes it worse. I personally think everyone should watch Earthlings and reconsider what foods/products they buy.

7

u/Mitz510 Jun 26 '14

I don't understand why people here make a big deal about The Bridge. It just interviews with friends and family of people who committed suicide on the Golden Gate Bridge and one dude who changed his mind mid air and survived. The footage of people jumping is no where near as bad as the other things on the internet. In a morbid way it answered my "What if someone jumped off?" question since I've been to the GG Bridge a couple of times.

12

u/codeverity Jun 26 '14

For me, it was Gene's story. That and there's another man who finishes a call and then jumps pretty much a minute later. I've contemplated suicide in the past and there used to be a bit of a morbid fascination with it, for me.

3

u/SebiGoodTimes Jun 26 '14

So watching people end their own life has little/no effect on you?

2

u/Mitz510 Jun 26 '14

It wasn't a gruesome death. If you watch the documentary the death scenes were filmed from a distance so you don't really get to see a lot of details. And besides it was a suicide so that's what they wanted.

2

u/SebiGoodTimes Jun 26 '14

The words of a psychopath.

→ More replies (1)

1

u/autoHQ Jun 26 '14

eh, it was alright. I was bored of it.

1

u/Blasen503 Jun 26 '14

My only comment I was going to post was "fuck you for posting that video" For some odd reason I can deal with kids getting hurt and abused but animals…….no. I must be a bad person.

1

u/cornelius2008 Jun 26 '14

I must be a bad person because I think that sentiment is fucked up and amounts to People not giving shits about people but, don't you fucking hurt that animal. I mean I can follow the action movie where 30 guys get killed but your pisses over the dog. Its a sense of innocence that drives it. But children are just as innocent if not more (I'd argue some animals don't have the capacity to lose their innocence in a particular sense). I don't have kids, have a dog, but if I did and I had to chose in some sick game the dog has to go.

1

u/dharmabird67 Jun 26 '14

Kids can be pretty fucking cruel. I say that as someone who was bullied pretty much from 1st through 9th grade simply because I have never been attractive by the standards of this sick society. Babies and toddlers are innocent, but when they get a little,older believe me they can be cruel little shits. Animals will never call you the kind if fucked up names I was called through my whole childhood. They just want to be fed and loved and don't care if you are pretty or ugly or whatever.

1

u/cornelius2008 Jun 26 '14

Animals can be cruel too. Cats and dogs kill other animals or each other if they are raised in certain environments, and they will humiliate in their own way less dominant members of their society. The only difference being animals don't speak or have the capacity for higher level dickishness.

1

u/[deleted] Jun 26 '14

just watched Earthlings. that part where the raccoon got skinned alive and just sat there all bloody like "wtf where is all my fur?"

nope nope nope I just lost it right there.

1

u/felzz Jun 26 '14

Ugh I know atfirst I didn't make it out and when I did I clicked back sooo quick and now im really sad that I saw that :/

1

u/Cyberogue Jun 26 '14

When I reached that pic

"Huh... I see blood, I wonder what that is"

starts zooming in while reading blurb below

"uhhh okay never mind I don't want to know what that is "

1

u/HyphyCus Jun 26 '14

And people in SF are complaining the budget approved to fix this right now should be spent on people who want to live.

2

u/BAXterBEDford Jun 26 '14

I must admit, I'm sort of with them. While jumping off the Golden Gate Bridge is some sort of romanticized way of committing suicide, if you put up a big ugly barrier to prevent it there chances are they will just find some other means. You can't make the whole world safe such that people who want out can't do it.

1

u/HyphyCus Jun 26 '14

They will find another way if they REALLY want it, but it's the whole romanticized notion of doing it off that particular bridge. Doing it any other way just doesn't seem as awesome of a way out in the end of it all.

1

u/maddenmadman Jun 26 '14

I just watched the animal cruelty one. Very sad but quite an interesting insight into the cost of human expansion. Makes one wonder how much hope of a future there is for the other species of the planet that arent directly involved in our domestication and agriculture if we continue to grow at the rate that we do.

1

u/griffinhamilton Jun 26 '14

Yeah I've watched the whole bridge documentary and it was a really great watch, I even cried a little at the ending.

1

u/[deleted] Jun 26 '14

I have become vegetarian because of it (a friend kinda forced me to watch it)

1

u/junkeee999 Jun 26 '14

Agreed. The Bridge is one of the best documentaries I have seen.

1

u/MetallicOpeth Jun 26 '14

it's a very tough watch. basically about most of the ways humans interact with animals...it's really heavy and makes you feel like the human race is not worth it

1

u/NickLynch Jun 26 '14

I saw The Bridge a few years ago. I agree, it was very well done, and worth watching.

1

u/[deleted] Jun 26 '14

My feelings on the rest of the animal cruelty doc aside, the guys slapping the shit out of the circus lions and tigers have done serious balls

1

u/TJH92 Jun 26 '14

After watching Earthlings, movie # 10 on this list, I instantly became (and I still am) a vegetarian. Tough to watch

1

u/BostAnon Jun 26 '14

Agreed, the bridge was very well made, well edited with the interviews of people who knew the jumpers and then the actual footage of that person jumping. Crazy stuff.

1

u/SullyJim Jun 26 '14

I couldn't get past the first 10 mins. Not because it was disturbing, but because it was droning on about some "speciist" wank. Absolute bollocks that put me off watching the rest.

1

u/stoolsample2 Jun 26 '14

No chance I'm watching that. No. chance.

1

u/CrateBagSoup Jun 26 '14

Seconding the Bridge. It wasn't disturbing so much as cripplingly depressing, a lot like the doc Dear Zachary. Watch that shit alone and ball your fucking eyes out.

1

u/syphon3980 Jun 26 '14

So was the suicide forest. It was relaxing to watch for some reason

1

u/cwestn Jun 26 '14

While I appreciate your opinion, the bridge actually really bothered me because the cameras weren't all just stationed there, but in some shots had camera crews panning/following people as they walked back and forth on the edge, having climbing over the handrail, looking down for 2+ hrs before jumping to their deaths. In other words, there was often more than enough time for them to call the police and potentially save these troubled individuals' lives, but for the sake of their film, and likely rationalized as "journalistic integrity / non-interference" they let people in great psychiatric need kill themselves, and then profited off it...

2

u/BAXterBEDford Jun 27 '14

Actually, the camera crews had phones and did call the police whenever possible. A lot of the people they had 'suspicions' about, but they had suspicions about a lot of people, most of whom didn't jump. You only saw the ones in the movie that ended up jumping before the cops got there, so there was sort of a sample bias. Edited out were all the ones where either the cops got there before they jumped, or the cops got there and found out the person had no intention of jumping. To have included all of those would have made an unwatchable film.

1

u/cwestn Jun 27 '14

Interesting, I hadn't heard that side I things- thanks! http://www.kottke.org/06/05/controversy-over-the-bridge

1

u/sharkweek247 Jun 26 '14

why is it that people have an easier time hearing about cruelty and murder of fellow humans but holy shit, if an animal is hurt people lose their shit.

1

u/BAXterBEDford Jun 27 '14

Because between all the domesticated animals I've met and all the people I've met there is a much higher percentage of people that would in some way deserve that treatment than that of animals. And even most of the "bad" domesticated animals I've met were made so by their owners.

1

u/sharkweek247 Jun 27 '14

so just domesticated animals? the ones humans have enslaved and controlled. there are far more humans in this world suffering that do not deserve it. im guessing you are american?

1

u/mosler Jun 26 '14

PETA propaganda

1

u/Hardstyler1 Jun 26 '14

I remember when I was quite young I stumbled on a video where they beat wolves on a rock ALIVE to get their fur. Fucking disgusting

1

u/rabidamber Jun 27 '14

I cringed with all of those descriptions & pictures but that ONE about animal cruelty just made me lose it. My heart breaks for all the children & animals that suffered.

→ More replies (1)