Fredrik Link

Eating like another species

Through eating like another species; can we have more sympathy for animals?

Can we briefly put ourselves in another species' shoes by restricting the tools we have to eat? This article explores the different ways animals eat  in terms of consumption and how we can have more sympathy and respect for animals by using restriction and diet to indulge . Investigating different ways they consume such as sucking, pecking, hands/no hands while consuming a herbivore diet and how this could be performed as part of the Inhuman Carnaval program.

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flowers and leafs - Fredrik Link

My research started by looking mainly at vegan diets eaten by animals. My findings found that they mainly consume fruits, nuts, seeds, flowers, tree bark and grass. I started looking at ways this could be developed in terms of consumption looking at different ways animals consume their food such as filter feeding which is simply opening up your mouth and taking in whatever happens to be there, while filtering out the undesirable parts. Which mainly aquatic animals such as sharks, whales and fish do. Grazing, which is to eat small portions of food throughout the day, which is mainly done by cattle, horses and sheep and helps agriculture. The puppy cup which is a way dogs and wolves drink by creating a small cup with their tongue that collects water. The Chameleon eats with a Tongue that Is Longer Than Its Body. The Okapi Licks Its Own Eyes and Ears as a way of cleansing its pallet and the Sandgrouse Soaks Up Water with Its Feathers. I believe this can be a beneficial way of putting yourself in other beings shoes and collecting more empathy for other species through creating tools that mimic these unique ways of consuming food. 

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Anna Lina Eating like a species - Fredrik Link

Animals eat in different ways as a way of survival. Different animals have to resort to different food and feeding habits so as to reduce the number of animal species eating the same. This way the competition to collect food reduces and every animal in that habitat can eat to their fullest. Only being able to use your mouth to consume flowers and nuts as slowly as possible while being restricted from using your hands. would this put yourself in the shoes of birds by only pecking your plate slowly. Could this make you appreciate the flavor by having an extra long time to consume your dish? Could this change your own eating habits by eating mindfully? My research started looking into “Mindful eating” which is a practice that allows us to tune in to the body's needs and be thoughtful about how we feed ourselves. By fully appreciating a food's flavors and textures and being in the moment while eating, we open ourselves up to a deeper level of gratification, and it becomes easier to make better choices. I believe animals are mindful eaters and perhaps appreciate flavor and texture more than we do. Through eating like them we can learn new ways of appreciating flavors and eating techniques as part of the programme called the Inhuman Carnaval where through lectures, events and workshops you can feel what it's like to become another being.