Today we visited a technology convention where we went on a tour of the Gigabyte Technology company led by Liam Quinn. We got to see new technology from Gigabyte that submerges computer centers in water to combat overheating. I am not very technologically inclined, so it was interesting to hear about recent advancements in the industry, and still surprises me what engineers have been able to innovate and the capacity that these new learning language models have.
Later in the day, we visited a shrimp fishing farm. This was a significant experience for me because I have never been fishing and actually caught something, so I was very new to the process. It was especially startling to me to take the shrimp out of the water. I experienced a range of emotions, but mostly felt bad for the shrimp because I killed them. I even thought for a minute that I should become vegetarian, even though I’ve never thought twice about eating meat or fish before.
This made me reflect on the disconnect between consuming food and truly understanding where it comes from and the ethics behind it. I especially struggled to clean, cut, and prepare the shrimp for cooking because the shrimp continued moving throughout the process, and I felt bad inflicting pain on the animals.
This experience also made me consider how I get food on a daily basis. Meat and fish is a large part of my diet, and I tend to consume it at most of my meals. However, when I eat meat, I either get it in a package from the grocery store, or already prepared. Without having to see the killing of the animal, it dehumanizes the process and makes me feel less guilty about consuming it.
At dinner, I talked to Professor Young about the emotions I experienced throughout the evening. What changed my perspective was when he said that one way or another “You must kill in order to live.” After thinking about this statement, I realized that even vegetarians and vegans – who at the surface level appear more ethical – are actually participating in the process of killing because even harvesting plants is an act of killing.
Visiting the shrimp fishing farm was a memorable experience for me because not only was it fun, but it also made me consider the ethics behind food production.
