The tone of the article is a little gung-ho, which fits with the subject manner. Trying to write about eating a beating cobra heart in a serious, analytical, news-y sort of way would never work. This isn’t meant to be an investigative report, or an analysis of animal rights. It’s a foreigner’s perspective on the experience of a bizarre local custom, as brutal and ridiculous as it might be. The emotions shown through the words chosen reflect the cowboy feel of the entire process of snake eating.

That said, I really enjoyed this look into life in another, totally distant part of the world. Thanks for bringing a totally odd part of the planet to my laptop!

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With all due respect, compassion should be based on suffering, not intelligence. The subtle nuance is that I’d feel sorry both for the snake, which suffered for someone’s insecurity, and for the diner, who may get the chance to “man up” when told they’ve contracted hepatitis. If pathos were based on IQ, I wouldn’t give a crap about either of you, so I’m glad it’s not.

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The blood/venom liquor actually goes down pretty smoothly. I didn’t get the heart though, my uncle did.

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- Max “The IT pro”

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However, I don’t agree with Ross B. and Kate Sedgwick’s defense against Ant’s criticism – this article is neither “an investigative report” (by any stretch of the imagination), nor does it “explore being a carnivore without guilt”.

The subject matter of this article is fascinating, but is treated superficially, and the tone and writing is gratuitous. The fact the locals have even more gratuitously macho attitudes than that of the Ross (the author) doesn’t excuse these 2 critiques of this piece that I mention, and that I think Ant was trying to get at.

I don’t think anybody has suggested anything about wanting a “personal disclaimer on everything”, nor that you “condemn those travellers who experience parts of other cultures we may not all be prepared or willing to experience ourselves”, and I’m surprised & disappointed to read Kate resorting to such defensive arguments, in response to a critical comment from Ant that made no such suggestions.

An actual exploration or ‘investigative report’ would have been far less superficial in it’s treatment of such a complex situation and therefore covered many more of the associated issues and in greater depth…such as how much of this actually does occur for the tourists (not just a casual opinion, without explanation or supporting information – I would argue there is strong evidence that tourist money is a significant motivation, that is now closely intertwined with the historical cultural motivations); or perhaps a discussion of the conditions the snakes are kept in (not to mention the turtles, rabbits and dogs) – greater ethical issues than eating snake heart are alluded to by a passing mention of these animals kept in room full of wire cages in the restaurant; maybe a more considered discussion (not necessarily negative, but balanced) of the baiting and stressing of the cobra to agitate it for the sake of the machismo & bravado that is tied up in the whole thing; etc, etc.

Overall I think it was a missed opportunity that such a complex and fascinating subject was treated superficially at best, and with gratuitous machismo (perhaps even callousness) at worst.

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