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> Will we get to the point where statues of now-famous people are pulled down because they ate animals? Assuming some variant of "cancel culture" exists then, w

> Will we get to the point where statues of now-famous people are pulled down because they ate animals? Assuming some variant of "cancel culture" exists then, will that act retroactively and currently-lionised people get cancelled because they are carnivores, even though the current culture that they exist in considers it acceptable? Perhaps, if those statues were originally erected in honor of their diet, and to remind the vegetarians of the time who was in charge. I know the false equivalency isn’t really your point, but come on.

Clewza313 5y ago
We're busily pulling down statues of various slave owners, none of which were erected to honor their slave ownership.
- psychometry 5y ago
  Well, no. Many of those (Confederate "heroes") were more principally known for treason, sedition, and waging war in defense of slave ownership rather than their personal predilection toward owning slaves.
  - waterhouse 5y ago
    Thomas Jefferson statue pulled down in Portland: https://www.opb.org/news/article/thomas-jefferson-statue-pulled-down-portland-jefferson-high/ https://www.opb.org/news/article/thomas-jefferson-statue-pul...
    - psychometry 5y ago
      Congrats, you found a single counterexample, namely the founding father that was by all accounts the worst human being of the bunch, what with the likely raping and impregnation of his slaves and all. I'm all for replacing TJ statues with ones honoring better human beings.
- gowld 5y ago
  Which ones? Most of the statues were specifically erected decades after the Civil War, by KKK and friends, as part of an intimidation campaign against black people and in support of Jim Crow -style laws and resistance to the progress of equal rights legislation.
marcus_holmes 5y ago
I wasn't really referencing the US statue-pulling-down because that's a lot more fraught and convoluted. It was more the thing with Cabot in my home town of Bristol (UK). But fair criticism, it's not an equivalence. I was struggling to find a decent example. Though I can totally see a PETA stunt of pulling down a statue of Elvis because he ate meat.
- smogcutter 5y ago
  > Though I can totally see a PETA stunt of pulling down a statue of Elvis because he ate meat. Oh most definitely. I get it, and I really debated whether it was worth posting and opening the whole can of worms. From an American POV, I figured the can was already cracked and it was worth airing it out all the way rather than let it sit. It’s a sore spot. Gotta say I think the wider point about how things we take for granted today may be viewed in the future is a good one, and can be applied across our social/economic relations. I for one hope to be considered a barbarian by our ancestors.

Clewza313 5y ago

We're busily pulling down statues of various slave owners, none of which were erected to honor their slave ownership.

psychometry 5y ago
Well, no. Many of those (Confederate "heroes") were more principally known for treason, sedition, and waging war in defense of slave ownership rather than their personal predilection toward owning slaves.
- waterhouse 5y ago
  Thomas Jefferson statue pulled down in Portland: https://www.opb.org/news/article/thomas-jefferson-statue-pulled-down-portland-jefferson-high/ https://www.opb.org/news/article/thomas-jefferson-statue-pul...
  - psychometry 5y ago
    Congrats, you found a single counterexample, namely the founding father that was by all accounts the worst human being of the bunch, what with the likely raping and impregnation of his slaves and all. I'm all for replacing TJ statues with ones honoring better human beings.
gowld 5y ago
Which ones? Most of the statues were specifically erected decades after the Civil War, by KKK and friends, as part of an intimidation campaign against black people and in support of Jim Crow -style laws and resistance to the progress of equal rights legislation.

marcus_holmes 5y ago

I wasn't really referencing the US statue-pulling-down because that's a lot more fraught and convoluted. It was more the thing with Cabot in my home town of Bristol (UK). But fair criticism, it's not an equivalence. I was struggling to find a decent example. Though I can totally see a PETA stunt of pulling down a statue of Elvis because he ate meat.

smogcutter 5y ago
> Though I can totally see a PETA stunt of pulling down a statue of Elvis because he ate meat. Oh most definitely. I get it, and I really debated whether it was worth posting and opening the whole can of worms. From an American POV, I figured the can was already cracked and it was worth airing it out all the way rather than let it sit. It’s a sore spot. Gotta say I think the wider point about how things we take for granted today may be viewed in the future is a good one, and can be applied across our social/economic relations. I for one hope to be considered a barbarian by our ancestors.