Fish Cruelty
The topic of the day is fish cruelty. I am referring of course to the asthma awareness Public Service Announcement (PSA) featuring a dying goldfish.
I am certain that the fish did not enjoy this. Despite the disclaimer on the "No Attacks" website, I cannot help but think that the fish must have at least suffered emotional and psychological trauma. But, this causes me to wonder, how does one judge cruelty against an animal that has no means of communicating its displeasure to its torturers? Perhaps we have not done enough to understand the ways in which fish communicate. This PSA is undoubtedly for a good cause, and the air starved fish is intended to represent the victim of an asthma attack. Still, I question whether the means have polluted the intended end.
Imagine if a real asthma attack had been featured in the commercial. Imagine the public outcry if an innocent child was allowed to suffer on a widely televised PSA. I ask you, is the fish not just as innocent? Who are we to judge the suffering of a child worth more than that of a fish? Certainly any fish would disagree. But have we asked the fish? A fish? Any fish at all? I submit that we have not, and the burden lies with us human beings, nay - as living creatures, to ask them. Are we to proud to learn the language of the fish and enquire of them a simple question? "Do you, the undersigned, wish to appear in this commercial, having full knowledge that this involves approximately 30 seconds of acting in an asphyxiated state - which carries with it the risk of extreme discomfort, brain damage, and possibly death - further do you waive all liability for yourself and family members in the event that one of the aforementioned potentialities does in fact occur?" Really, how many fish must suffer at the cost of our vain desire to have happy, healthy children?
posted by The warmer side of Frigid @ 9:23 PM
2 comments
2 Comments:
I have to agree with the blogger on this one. I watched the fish flop around and then at the end as you see it gasping for air, you can see its eyes moving. I can't imagine what a fish could think, or even if a fish can think, but if it can it could have only wondered why this was happening to it. The part about the way it was done poisoning the meaning of the message is true.
This commercial is terrible. I cannot believe that would do hat to a poor innocent little fish, for a television commercial. When I first saw the ad, I hoped the fish was a computer simulation but it looked very real, so I decided to look it up. I was horrified to find out that a real fish was used.
It's terrible! Such animal cruelty!
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