Carne Diem · 6:56pm Dec 6th, 2014
Yooo, what's the deal with this apparent dichotomy in fanfiction regarding ponies' reactions to carnivory? I don't know if it's a changing-of-the-guard in fanon, or if both "sides" are still present and active. The case is that I've seen a few authors these days writing their pony characters as being uncritical of meat-eaters and the eating/cooking of meat. Now, I'm okay with that viewpoint. But what I don't get is that the authors make a big fuss about making a statement out of it, as though the "other side" is equally combative. The pony characters (apparently as mouthpieces for the authors' fanonical views) are vehemently nonchalant. And I see it with only increased fervor in the comments — although that tends to be the nature of comment sections. But I haven't seen any such "other side" that pushes fanon about ponies being squeamish, and at least nowhere near as pointedly. The situation is non-mutual, and I don't think people see that. There seems to be this view that ponies being "intolerant" of carnivores is a bad or "tired" story element, and that it needs to be presented loudly and aggressively that it makes no sense for the pony characters to be squeamish around meat.
Well then.
Frankly, I prefer my ponies to be squeamish as hell. It's cuter. It's funnier. And it's more in line, I feel, with the unabashed naivete of such a herbivorous society as Equestria. Ponies are green when it comes to blood and gore, not jaded at all... huh. Why are "green" and "jaded" opposites? Anyways, I think it's plenty reasonable that ponies would be averse to meat, that they would not have much experience with carnivorous species, and that as a sapient species descended from herd animals they would be fearful of predation. (It's a lucky thing they didn't end up like Pierson's Puppeteers!) And look at mythological contexts, for another thing. Griffons and horses are said to be mortal enemies. I didn't think it was any surprise how Gilda acted, nor how the ponies reacted.
So now you know where I stand. And that's all I have to say about that.
I like the idea of ponies accepting carnivory in theory, but being hard pressed when presented with meat itself.
The exception, of course, is Fluttershy, who manages entire food chains:
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Yeah. She's about as squeamish as a proctologist.
2637013 I would think she accepts the reality of her job but that doesn't make her any more able to deal with it emotionally.
I've held the belief that they find it disgusting personally but their culture of tolerance expands to understand that not everyone is an herbivore.
I also hold the opinion that Fluttershy, who has the most familiarity with it, probably finds the idea of killing animals appalling unless every bit of them is used. And I figure if she has extra fish and no animal friends who want it... well, Greenland horses are known to eat fish to supplement a diet in the colder months. It beats letting it rot, though I imagine she'd be terrified of anypony finding out.
2642999 Eugh. Good thoughts, yeah. But not something I'd personally agree with, that Fluttershy would eat meat so that it wasn't wasted. Seems to me she'd go with more of a funeral type arrangement.
i.imgur.com/VDvV502.png
People often make comparisons to real world horses, but the ponies of Equestria aren't real world horses. There have already been demonstrated quite a few physiological differences, and in this case what is relevant is that they can vomit -- and that this vomiting was in response to the baked bads, which had meat in them.
2643912 To be fair, the baked bads had earthworms in them, and were in general not fit for consumption.
I can see Fluttershy preparing a small funeral for the remains, but I also think she'd loathe the idea of burying something that will probably be dug up and eaten anyways. Depending on whether she's feeding them live fish or not, she'd probably feel horribly guilty at killing something and then just putting it in a hole. It died to be food, at very least she can have the decency to see it through. Though honestly she'd probably just beg one of her animal friends to eat a bit more than usual.
2643912 2643942
To be fair on both ends, I can see most Ponies being squeamish about actually eating meat, but the trope of Ponies bugging Humans and Gryphons over the issue has died off for a very good reason. Namely, Ponies eat baked goods. Quite a few such foodstuffs are made with eggs. AKA: Unborn baby chickens.
No Scootaloo jokes, please.
The point being, depending on the author, Ponies are either borderline Omnivores in denial, or full blown Omnivores with a very limited palette. Also, as of Equestrian Games, it was shown that there is at least one town in Equestria proper with a high enough Gryphon population to fill out their entire flight team. (It is a National event rather than an International one, after all.) There are already members of Equestrian society who are natural born Omnivores, if not full blown Carnivores. Having every pony squick out over the issue post Season 4 would be stretching believability well past the breaking point. (Now, Legacy stories like Bad End get a pass due to how long ago they were started. No one expects a Season 1~2 fic to account for developments that happened in Season 5, after all.) Now, the members of the Mane Six least likely to Squick out would be Fluttershy (2637013 already covered this), Rainbow Dash (grew up with Gilda), and as a borderline choice, Pinkie Pie (because of the above egg issue, but also Pinkie Pie being Pinkie Pie). The remaining three could go either way, really.
3053968 You know, come to think of it, in general I can see pegasi having a more open attitude about it. Earth ponies have more of a history of farming, it could be appalling to, say, AJ because why eat meat when there are so much better things available. Hint hint.
Unicorns might also have strong taboos because of the lack of refinement.
Also, the issue of eggs is a good point; they're not strict vegans. But also a sticking point: chicken eggs have to be fertilized. If these hens are kept separate from roosters, then they're not unborn chicks, they're just eggs.