Tuesday, June 3, 2008

Bubba's Fried Turkey

Does this bird make you angry? Does he make you clench and unclench your fists? Are your teeth currently clamped together hard?

The bird is just so… unctuous. He practically drips with smarm. Unlike other suicidal "food" animals, he appears possessed by more than the typical death wish. Whereas other suicide food craves death, this guy is just so darn smug about it. "You know you're gonna eat me," his too-bright smile and lowered lids all but simper. "There's nothing you can do to keep from eating me. And loving it. It's turkey time!"

We have previously confessed bafflement about the underlying mechanism of suicide food. How does it work? Why are these images so commonplace? What does it say about us as a species that we (well, some of us) can be induced to eat dead animals in this way?

Are the images tranquilizers for overworked consciences? Do they exploit our fundamental sense of fairness? Do they trigger our inherent sociability?

Bubba's soon-to-be fried turkey presents the suicidefoodist with a different route to commercial success. In his case, the picture probably works because anyone seeing it will wish him dead.

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