Understanding
 

I am trying to understand why dolphins are considered to be fish and are eaten as such?

because they are basically. only difference is warm blood and that's it. they taste good and can be caught like any other sea creature - by fishing.

and if you are keeping an animal then yea...at least take care of it or if you can't then put it down or since it's a big fish - eat it. at least you'll get your money back :cool:

I know you were just trolling... but I just had to let you know that you need a lesson in marine biology haha

Why are dolphins not respected as intelligent, sociable and curious mammals that they are as opposed to just fish? I really would like to understand, is this due to differences in empathy, culture, tradition?

It's because such an idea is probably very recent.

I don't think treating animals badly is due to tradition. In fact Japanese tradition tends to revere nature more than anything else.

I would just put it down to ignorance.

How do you think ignorance can be changed into knowledge and understanding?

Thank you for your feedback. :)

It's a difficult question. Through discussion and debate hopefully. But I can't really give a answer better than that.

Oh and you're welcome :)

One last question for the moment :) - where is the best place ie forums/networking sites etc to possibly have a discussion to understand other peoples views? Obviously other than this forum which is great.

Thanks again:)

The places I frequent are mostly full of Westerners so I couldn't tell you but I think regarding topics concerning Japan this place is the best.

There's another forum called Asiasfinest out there that discusses all things Asia including Japan but that forum is not moderated very well and as a result is full of racists and trolls.

If you are speaking about Japan specifically, I don't think that you will have a hard time educating people to know and understand but you will have a harder time having them voice and enact anti-slaughter anti-whaling sentiments ... UNTIL it becomes seen as accepted group thought.

In order to do that, you need group thought leaders to voice it.

At present the paid, governmental pro-whaling group thought leaders are working overtime to establish an anti-conservationist group thought based on false arguments and false logic.

The tendency you are fighting against is not stupidity or a lack of compassion but conformity.

If you look back at the Minamata Disaster, you will see the exact same dynamics. At first the company and government got away with it all because no one would speak out, next those that did speak out were turned against for bring shame onto the company, then a local leader got involved and suddenly everyone supported the issue and progress was made but ... THEN the government did what it does best, digging its heels in and dragging the whole thing out for as long as possible.

I propose the very same dynamics will happen here related to dolphins and whales. In this case, those dragging the heels are those whose self-interest is in being paid for life and pensioned on the back of bureaucracies that do not need to exist and which are generously financed by Japanese tax payers (of which I am one).

In such as case, my opinion is that Japan and the Japanese really do not have the personal and organization tools to challenge and change the situation and so change can only come form within and by "non-Japanese" methods.

Over to you Sea Shepherd, Greenpeace and all ...