I have some serious suspicion it's just evolution conditioning our brain to not try and eat these mofos. And maybe to stay away because some of them can give you a nasty bite (I mean, whatever that has way too many legs). Except people living under the most harsh conditions, having to resort to cricket thighs and locust butts.

[–] ChickenLadyLovesLife@lemmy.world 3 points 5 months ago

It's more likely that in the developed world we've eliminated most of the critters that look like this so we're just not used to seeing them. People in Papua New Guinea aren't skeeved out by this kind of bug - they snatch them up and eat them when they see them.

[–] victorz@lemmy.world 1 points 5 months ago (1 children)

I don't know, maybe. I'm also very disgusted by shrimp and other shellfish with their shell intact. But we do eat those, and people hunt them without fear. And people keep crickets as pets and touch insects without fear, think they look "cute" etc. Insanity to me but, it doesn't affect them like it does me.

I think it's just a matter of exposure.

[–] Dicska@lemmy.world 3 points 5 months ago (1 children)

I mean, I didn't mean people were terrified of them - just didn't generally consider them cute/attracting/nice/edible. But we eat quite a lot of things because at one point desperate people had no other choice and found out it isn't even bad at all (think of lobster as a prison food in the 19th century).

And then there are people who just grew up with them around all the time or just simply different (some actually like spiders or snakes as pets, etc.). So yeah, matter of exposure is a big factor.

Or I don't know, kinks : ). I'm just talking about the average reaction.

[–] victorz@lemmy.world 3 points 5 months ago

I'm with you, I agree. 😊

think of lobster as a prison food in the 19th century

I did not know about that, that's crazy to think of today!