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From: rigney@uokvax.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.followup
Subject: Re: Re: Cannibals [I suppose 'Orphaned R - (nf)
Message-ID: <3873@uiucdcs.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 16-Nov-83 05:02:05 EST
Article-I.D.: uiucdcs.3873
Posted: Wed Nov 16 05:02:05 1983
Date-Received: Thu, 17-Nov-83 06:04:58 EST
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#R:utcsrgv:-263900:uokvax:2700010:000:1700
uokvax!rigney    Nov 14 20:24:00 1983

But here goes anyway.  See the books for a further description,
especially if you think you see any flaws in the reasoning. Any
such are due to the brevity of my treatment or the failure of
my memory.

Pigs are forest animals.  They don't sweat, and therefore have
great difficulty living in grassy, open areas; this is why pigs
spend much of their time in water (or mud) if there's no forest,
they're trying to keep cool.  

In a forest environment, pigs are excellent food animals.  Pork
is very high in food value, and very tasty as well.  In most
cultures it is coveted.  But when the Middle East changed from
a forested region to a grassy one (Man's influence, I believe -
The book goes into why), it was no longer economical to raise pigs,
they were no longer an efficient source of protein, but people
still desired pig-flesh (A much better term than pork, no?).
So the strictures against pork were levied to prevent anyone from
wasting resources in raising a non-efficient protein source.

Again, this has been grossly simplified.  PLEASE read the book or
think very deeply before responding with comments like "how did
people know what was efficient" or "But I always thought pork was
forbidden because it was a dirty animal" or similar questions that
are fully covered by the books.

Both CANNIBALS & KINGS and COWS, PIGS, WARS, & WITCHES are 
available cheaply in paperback, I cannot recommend them strongly
enough to anyone interested in the human condition.

	Carl
	..!ctvax!uokvax!rigney

P.S. Those who disagree with Harris's theories are free to present
their own, but don't forget to also explain why certain South Pacific
Island cultures adore their pigs instead of abhorring them.