Why do people ALWAYS say that CHINESE people EAT CATS/DOGS?!?!??!?

Question

I always come across these questions and i find it quite disgusting why do people have to pick out the chinese people while other countries eat meats liek horses and stuff and i wont mention those countries. and not ALL chinese people eat dogs/cats only a little portion do and its illegal now anyway so why ???? its rude and rlly offensive to us. why?!?!

Answer 1

I agree. Just think, people in India probably think that Americans eating cows is disgusting and barbaric. People love to generalize and can't get past the fact that in some places in Asia people do eat cat and dog mostly because they have no choice because they don't have enough money. Also, in many other countries cats and dogs roam freely and are wild. They aren't as highly respected as they are here. While I wouldn't personally eat cat, dog, or guinea pig I can see why people would. And I think it is ignorant that people assume ALL Chinese or Asian people eat cats and dogs.

Answer 2

As the others have said, only some people do. But in a large poor country like China (not now, but say 20 yrs ago), I can see that with so many mouths to feed, and so much poverty anything and everything is fair game. The Chinese are one of the people that I know that does not waste any part of the animal that they eat [for example, chicken: aside from the body, they also eat the head, neck, feet (that's a delicacy)]. Here in the US, people take a few bites and consider it done.

You also have to consider where it's coming from and if it's the only thing that they remembered, theirs is a very limited selected memory.

Answer 3

Offensive misconceptions and stereotypes imposed on the rest of the world by ignorant Hollywood producers and the American Education System are the cause. It's like saying that all Latin Americans are dirt poor, drug dealing, and unethical, or that Mexicans drink tequila, take their noon siesta, live in adobe pueblos, ride burros, sleep in trees, eat tacos and are crooks of the worst kind.

Things some cultures find disgusting may not be so for other cultures. I've also heard that Chinese eat rats, and that these are a delicacy. I know they eat shark fin soup and maybe that is not appetizing enough for others. It's all a matter of taste, unfortunately society takes the simplistic view and generalizes without making any kind of distinction because they don't know better.

Answer 4

Why? ONE WORD - STEREOTYPE.

They are NOT picking on the Chinese in particular its' just that when they talk about Chinese people, that is what they think of. These people generalised things because they don't know any better.
To these people, the Chinese eat cats and dogs, the French eat snails and frogs, Australians only eat meat pies and drink beer.

Most people of average intelligence know that these aren't true.

Ignore it. DO NOT take things on Y!A personally otherwise you will find EVERYTHING here offensive - and that is what these people want - YOUR REACTION.

Have fun - that is what Y!A is for.

Answer 5

Chinese people eat almost anything especially if they are from the mainland who just migrated here in the States .But Chinese american are no way will eat that. In the past China was very poor & they probably eat dogs out of necessity & resourcefulness & they became used to it & didn't mind having that in their diet.

Answer 6

Humans are just lazy and naturally tend to generalize/ and stereotype about ideas, people and concepts.
Just like you just said ALWAYS. People don't Always say that. I never have ;) But it obviously must always bother you when people do say it. A lot of people honestly don't know/can't tell the difference between Asian cultures and just say "Chinese" in reference to all of them.
Think of some witty comeback that is equally ignorant/stupid, or you can correct them and tell them there are lots of things they probably eat that others(not necessarily asians!) would think are terrible to eat...
Perhaps people pick up that you are a sensitive person and say these things just to "push your buttons". If so, just don't take the bait! :) Other people might just unknowingly be insulting you, and you can inform them . Who knows, there could be things you say/ think about others that you don't realize are rude... that is all part of the joys of different cultures.
Try not to take it too personally. :)

Answer 7

Most countries eat things that are repugnant to others. The Chinese ate these things years ago, to survive, so did the American Indians. Some religions sanctify cows, and won't eat beef, but most Americans do. It all comes down to your culture.

Answer 8

let's backup here for a moment. first of all, i have a chinese background too, BUT, no one has ever said to me that hey how come you chinese people always eat cat and dogs! secondly, i think that you're a bit over reacting (just a personal thought). i think that the people who do say that chinese people always eat cats/dogs are over reacting themselves. when cultures clash people will be disgusted at certain things that the other side will think is beautiful or delicious or whatever. i think that we should learn how to think outside your own "cultural box" and to try things that we think are that look or sound disgusting. "it's not what it's like on the outside (or in our case, what it sounds like), it's what in the inside ( or, what it taste like)."

Answer 9

I dont care what is offensive to anyone when I know that I am right. I know for a fact that Koreans will eat a dog...because I have seen pictures of Korea and seen them hanging dead from racks where they sell them. In the Phillipines, they eat monkey, it is on long sticks that you eat it off of. If I got hungry enough I would eat a dog with the best of them, dont get me wrong. The fact is, Chinese people have and some still do eat dogs, sorry if you dont like it, but if you are Chinese and you want to live here in America, you are probably going to have to grow some thicker skin if you know what I mean. Americans have done plenty that I am ashamed of....but the truth hurts sometimes.

Answer 10

because it happens in some small back streets in china, and because the west like dogs as pets so much, it comes across as shocking when they see it once
and yes, there are plenty of countries where unusual animals are a delicacy