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April 30, 2007

Screw the Goat

Have I just been transported to another dimension? I mean, in the world I know, if a major company held a press event to launch it's latest product geared toward teenage boys (despite its claims to the contrary), and that press event was themed as a Greek orgy complete with topless women and a dead goat, severed head and dripping blood and all, as the centerpiece, people wouldn't be arguing over whether it was alright to kill a goat. But that is exactly what is being argued about over Sony's launch party in Athens for God of War II.

I first read the event description published by the Daily Mail, and apparently it was written by someone who did not actually attend. According to Sony that description was wrong about people reaching into the goat's corpse to eat its still-warm entrails, as reported in the newspaper. Rather, guests ate warm soup that was billed as offal. Various sites disagree on whether it was or was not actually offal, but in any case, it was not offal from the bloody goat corpse on the table at the event. Furthermore, Sony says it did not butcher the goat on-site. It was killed off-site by a butcher, and after the party it was returned to the butcher.

I have a hard time believing Sony, and here is why. Its latest official PlayStation magazine features photos of the event and asks readers how far they would go to get a PlayStation 3 (the magazines have since been recalled and the spread containing the photos removed, though 2,000 copies were already in the mail).

How about eating still warm intestines uncoiled from the carcass of a freshly slaughtered goat? At the party to celebrate God Of War II’s European release, members of the Press were invited to do just that.

Animal cruelty groups are crying foul over the way the goat was killed (apparently by near-beheading) and their assumption that it was killed solely for this event (though it went back to the butcher). I understand their view, but I don't share their opposition to eating goat or any other commonly eaten meat. What I find repulsive is the mixture of topless women feeding grapes to the guests, a bloody goat carcass, and a focus on the Fear Factor-style eating of disgusting, make-you-vomit items. Death and sex and vomit do not belong together.

Slasher movies featuring the murders of hot young women are horrible. Engaging young men in the scenario by selling killing games featuring sexy women is even worse. When that sex/bloodlust combo is transported out of the game and into reality at a party, we're most definitely on a speedy downward slide. I don't even want to know where we go from here. I just know I'd like to find my way back to Kansas.

(For any animal rights people who may find my analysis callous, I refer you to my earlier posts explaining my views on the matter of animal rights: Fur Defender Says Animal Pain Doesn't Matter, Don't Let the Door Hit You on the Way Out, Take Responsibility for Your Food Choices, and Pro-Hunting Animal Lover.)

(Oh, and I didn't mean "screw the goat" literally, in case anyone misunderstood.)

Posted by Becky at April 30, 2007 01:24 PM