As I have spent several earlier years of my life in South Korea, I have experienced different food cultures and norms compared to those have been raised in America. In certain instances, the foods that Koreans eat is socially unacceptable in the American society and vice versa. In both cultures, octopus is a socially accepted food and many people enjoy eating them or more accurately it is not out of the social norm. However, one particular Korean dish serves a living octopus. This is a special case in which there no inputs in the livestock, because the octopus is served fresh from the ocean. I have never ate a live octopus in my times in America. When I have visited Korean for the past two summers, eating live octopus has become one of my favorite dishes because most people eat it without any hesitations.
Although eating live octopus is a social norm in Korea, it poses a significant health issue. Eating live octopus does not pose any health issues as people who have eaten them hasn’t suffered any serious health problems. However, it is extremely danger to eat live octopus. As most people are aware of the stickiness of octopuses tentacles, they tend to eat them nonetheless. When a person intakes the entire octopus as one bite, it has a decent chance for the octopus to lay in the esophagus, that allows us to breathe with our mouths. If this occurs, the person is chocked out of air and faces death. I think that any food that is consumed should not be alive. Although they are many foods that impose serious health issues in a long term, but live foods such as octopuses should not be a social norm as it causes immediate death.
Hi David, my name is Shoheb. Your entry caught my attention right away as soon as I read live octopus. Although I do enjoy eating octopus, I doubt I can bring myself to eat a live one, but I find it pretty cool that you have and had the opportunity to experience a different lifestyle and culture. The way you expressed the health concerns and pant input for eating octopus was also very helpful. Great work with the diagram as well in explaining each part of your entry. Keep up the great work!
Here is the link to my entry.
http://geog030.dutton.psu.edu/2016/03/04/mod-6/
Hello David Youn my name is Lucas Skiba and I’m from Boalsburg, Pennsylvania. Your post really caught my eye because I have also ate octopus, but I’ve never heard, seen, or eaten live octopus. In my experience food from the sea is always more organic and rich tasting and I couldn’t imagine the flavor and taste of a live octopus. It is also interesting that there is risk in just eating the meal and a chance the tentacles could get caught in the throat. But if its a typical dish Koreans eat and I do come across a live octopus I may just have to try it. Here is a link to my module, I talk about the social norm of bacon as a breakfast item. Thanks. http://geog030.dutton.psu.edu/2016/03/03/module-6-food-choice-and-social-norms-ljs5300-lucas-skiba/