Is bug fighting wrong?

On the internet, I have noticed that a lot of people have uploaded videos of arena fights between bugs as some kind of gladiator match with creatures like spiders, ants, wasps, scorpions, centipedes, beetles etc. on stuff like Monster Bug Wars and Japanese Bug Fighting. Is this wrong?

I use to do it when I was little with cow killers and regular ants.

@lord_tenebrous: @alextheboss: @erkan12: @i_like_swords: @greysentinel365@kilius: @mygod000: @idrisiangraecus:

I think that in general, people who derive pleasure from watching creatures tear each other apart have issues.

SI thread. Fun. I agree with BoD from there @yousufkhan1212

I would say it’s not a moral thing to do, and you could say it’s “wrong”, but on the overal evil scale, it’s extremely low considering how unintelligent bugs are.

What do you think of this?

https://youtu.be/9Yo-y_fZaBM

I would say it is morally wrong to make any creature fight either other.

I think on a question of morals it is definitely the right thing to do And it would be wrong to waste a good bug by leaving it be.

Inflicting pain on bugs is just as immoral as inflicting pain on humans, assuming that they feel pain to the same degree

I definitely think so.

I don't like it. It bothers me because I keep spider's and scorpions as pet's. I couldn't imagine fighting my Pink toe spider against an emporer scorpion. I feel responsible for their well being. And the Pink toes are too cute and easily frightened to fight anything anyway.

I really don't hold bugs up to say, dogs or cats. I used to put needles into potato bugs and burn ants with a magnifying glass. I wouldn't say I have issues, either.

@king_majestros: Even if they feel pain to the same degree?

@bladeoffury said:

I've never heard that they do.

@king_majestros: Their nervous systems resemble ours and neural transmissions occur are similar, so it's likely. Assuming that they do, would you consider it equally immoral to hurt them and say, dogs?

@bladeoffury said:

Nope; I don't believe they're comparable.

@king_majestros: So what's the differentiating factor?

"is it wrong?"

1. Base on established ethical norms:

- No, base on the general cultural standards of the (Japanese) people and people who appreciated their culture this activity is morally acceptable.

- Yes, base on the standards of animal rights activists like PETA and people who sympathize with their cause this activity is unethical.

2. Base on the number of entities who benefited:

- No, obviously it provides entertainment to many people

- Yes, obviously it causes distress to many people

- No, who knows, insects may actually find enjoyment in fighting each other

- Yes, insects are peace loving animals and forcing them into fighting each other hurt their feelings

3. Base on intent

- No, obviously people who do this means no harm they just want to find something to entertain themselves.

- Yes, obviously people who do this are malicious and want to cause undue suffering and pain.

@bladeoffury said:

That the bugs aren't anywhere near the same as dogs.

@king_majestros: I mean, what property do dogs have that makes hurting them immoral, a property that insects do not have or have to a lesser extent?

@bladeoffury: Bugs, for the most part, have "the most basic aspect of consciousness, a subjective experience," says a study in a 2016 Smithsonian magazine. So, while they may have slightly similar brains and minor senses to those of Humans, they don't have a level of sentience comparable to a Human's, nor a dog's. That's a big difference in how I treat bugs against dogs.

Personally, I'm not yet at a place where I extend my moral community to insects. The day I do that I'll probably stop walking on grass and never use a pesticide again. However, it says more about the individual if their pasttimes include making creatures fight to the death for their entertainment. That kind of behaviour is on the spectrum of symptoms used to predict psychopathic and other personality disorders. Granted, making ants and beetles fight is a whole other world from say, chickens or dogs, which would be more worrying.

I would hesitate to use right or wrong if we are going to be super reductionist and specific with moral arguments, because that implies a level of consistency on the part of the moral agent which eventually falls apart. I like to think of actions as either better or worse. If I had a baseline agreement with someone like, say, killing humans for no reason is bad, then I'd be happy to use the word wrong if they then chose to do that.

@i_like_swords: Will this add anything to your perspective?

It's a very small wrong.

yes obviousely.

its unnecessary and not really how things work naturally.

They're freaking bugs, you weirdos. In fact, just because of this, I'm going to kill an insect, don't worry, I'm sure it lived it's days lifespan already and produced hundreds of offsprings, terrorizing our lives.

Nah I changed my mind, I'll save a mosquito if it bites me now

@yousufkhan1212:

I guess it's more of a question of morals dude.

😣

I used to love this show as a kid. Now that I've matured, I think this should be morally wrong, but I honestly feel pretty indifferent about this.

@jaggernutt: ima squash it 🥴

Any more opinions to share?

Its immoral

Dogs are so overrated.

Like seriously

I'd say it's morally wrong but it's not beyond the borderline that considers you to express it to people that you've done something wrong; like telling yourself or your friends "I used to fight those bugs when I was a kid, I wish I didn't do those things.".

I also used to pee in my mother's garden which killed a plenty of plants, bug fighting should be just as immoral as it.

Every person in the world have done "immoral" as that for once, most people does that level of immorality everyday tbh, and that level of immorality is almost nothing to consider.

@juicers: When I meant bug fighting I specifically meant forcing two bugs to fight in a gladiator match.

In the grand scheme of the vast universe, I think there are more important things to ponder.