that can only take so much of friends and co-workers making jokes about eating my chickens. My PET chickens. It's really starting to get on my nerves. Anyone else have this issue?
My friend jokes that he will eat my chickens. I know that he is joking and would never hurt my chickens. Just don’t get upset and let their remarks slid doff your back like water off of a duck.
Yes this botheres me. Deeply. On a level most will never know. However, I act like it doesn’t. Show no fear to a bully, even a joking one. I realize that most people don’t really care about animals. Sure, they might like them, or watch shows about them, or have a pet they love, but the vast majority of animals have other uses and labels. Once a creature is labeled as food, it will forever be food. People simply can’t understand why someone would love an animal intrinsically. What can a duck or chicken really give you besides a meal? I feel the reason humans walk the earth is to care for it and help the animals. They teach us about loving one another and the Creator who loves us. The animals are a gift, a joy, each one a precise, perfect, masterpiece. I tell jokesters that I love my ducks, they make me happy every day with their sweet natures and shenanigans. If people were willing to look past labels, maybe they could be as happy as I am.
I have friends do this all the time. It used to infuriate me. Hurt my feelings, I would try for hours to explain that they aren't as stupid as people make them out to be. You know what? It didn't change anything. They still tease me about it. My siblings say the meanest things. So I've just started ignoring it, or playing along. Someone says "oh, that's some good looking fried chicken" I reply with "yeah, wouldn't it be great with a side of your cat?" Pick your battles, and this isn't one I needed to fight anymore. They aren't actually going to eat my chickens.
Doesn't hurt my feelings when people say stuff like that. Heck, I've even joked about eating my pets. I guess some of us are a little rough around the edges. I'm used to keeping rather insensitive company, I know they mean no harm, they just don't understand how a human might love an animal that is typically bred for the farm. They're mostly dog and cat people, ya know?
Have you taken the time to tell them how it makes you feel? Or do you simply laugh it off in an attempt to be part of the group when they're making these comments? Your response may be giving a signal that you're not trying to give and telling them that their comments are OK. Generally speaking people are not inclined to go out of their way to hurt someone and made aware that that's what's happening a decent human will stop.
I guess that's the problem with my friend's neighbors. My friend has house chickens, no bother to the neighbors. But they keep making remarks that the bantams are only good for a snack- but not worth plucking. That makes her furious. I'm sure I would have some great words to yell in their direction but, she just stays sullen.
I hadn't actually considered looking at it that way. Thanks for the advice, I will try telling people how I'm feeling and hopefully they will be more considerate in the future.
Some people I feel like are just being mean, though ... earlier in the week someone commented how they don't like birds and the only good bird is one on a plate. Stuff like that just gets to me, you know?