[taxesareforever]

We are not supposed to enjoy dog fights or cock fights but many will pay to see human beings beat each other to a pulp. Something wrong with this picture.

[fortheDeclaration]

We are not supposed to enjoy dog fights or cock fights but many will pay to see human beings beat each other to a pulp. Something wrong with this picture.

What wrong with the picture is that the animals don't have a choice, people do.

[ReignOfError]

We are not supposed to enjoy dog fights or cock fights but many will pay to see human beings beat each other to a pulp.

The humans don't fight to the death, and the humans have a choice. I don't care for boxing, but it's not the moral equivalent of dogfighting.

[Dave Elias]

“We are not supposed to enjoy dog fights or cock fights but many will pay to see human beings beat each other to a pulp. Something wrong with this picture.”

Is this a trick question or something?

[monday]

“We are not supposed to enjoy dog fights or cock fights but many will pay to see human beings beat each other to a pulp. Something wrong with this picture.”

Presumably humans can decide for themselves whether or not to participate. They are not slaves or gladiators. Animals have no such choice.

[lonestar]

many will pay to see human beings beat each other to a pulp. Something wrong with this picture.

People have a choice. I can't imagine paying to watch boxing or wrestling--but at least the fighters are there by choice, as are the idiots who pay to watch.

Some fighters beat up on their wives and bite ears off; maybe to call them "animals" is a slam to animals.

[brytlea]

I suppose at least the people who beat each other to a pulp are making a rational decision on their own. However, I don’t like to see that stuff either, even when I know it’s fake. I guess there’s something wrong with me.
susie

[Titan Magroyne]

We are not supposed to enjoy dog fights or cock fights but many will pay to see human beings beat each other to a pulp. Something wrong with this picture.
For one thing, a prize fighter chooses to train and enter the ring. Just as importantly, he may choose at any time to refuse a fight or leave that career altogether. Within the rules of the venue, he can choose his style of fighting and he knows it is not a matter of death if he loses to a challenger. The same goes for his competitor, who also chooses to be there.

Also important, the prizefighter is fighting toward a goal that will result in direct reward to him. He gets to enjoy the proceeds of his toil. As I understand it, each fighter gets "face" money for showing up (amount dependent on his ranking) plus the possibility of winning the winner's purse. As he accumulates wins, his face money increases along with the prospect of future fights with larger purses.

That doesn't compare to the short, bloody "career" of a dog whose instincts are exploited by the man enriched through animal suffering. Or for that matter, the cruel fate of the confused, small bait animals used to train him, or the starvation sometimes imposed to force aggression from a dog destined for the pit. There's no such option as choosing retirement into the lap of luxury for these poor beasts at the end of their careers.

Getting back to the subject of this thread, I do prefer the company of my critters to that of certain people. Make that most people. I'm very quiet and never cause trouble for my neighbors. You'd hardly notice me out in public. You may rest assured that I have no tendency to be unkind to my fellow human beings. This applies until further notice or until the bodies are discovered. ;o)