Monthly Meme - The AITAs of March

[pumpkinhollow]

BEWARE THE AITAS

C

ry havoc, and let slip the hounds of war interpersonal conflict! In this month's mingle, spin us a yarn of drama, suspense, romance, or petty arguments. Submit the tale for judgement to the court of public opinion, in pursuit of the answer to one all-important question--- "Am I the asshole?" You may defend yourself, but ultimately it is up to your neighbors to decide your fate.

Unlike other public forums, we don't have any rules about fake stories, validation posts, excessive arguments in the comments, or stabbing the emperor. Fudge details to your heart's content, but don't be surprised if the other people involve in the story jump in with a counter-argument. To vote, here is a glossary of important shorthand:

• OP - "Original poster", the person who submitted the story
• YTA - "You're the Asshole," for when the OP is the primary wrongdoer
• NTA - "Not the Asshole," for when the OP is the one who was wronged
• NAH - "No Assholes Here," for when no one is technically in the wrong, the conflict was simply a misunderstanding
• ESH - "Everyone Sucks Here," for when all parties are in the wrong and all of you should be ashamed of yourselves
• JAH - "Justified Asshole," for when OP is definitely an asshole, but for good reason
• INFO - "Information," for when the story is too vague to make a decision, usually followed by a question

Stories should include the OP's name in brackets and then a punchy title in the subject line. Additionally, you may use [ANONYMOUS] in place of your name--- this will allow players to know who OP is, but the characters will not know. Have fun!

Comments

[Very, Very Anonymous] AITA for eating people?

[thethirteenthchild]

No need to beat around the bush. My biological state obligates me to eat other humanoids. It is what it is. Does it make me evil?

[tisnotthehouse]

INFO: did you choose this requirement for yourself?

[thethirteenthchild]

No. I was born with it.

[tisnotthehouse]

Then it's obviously not your fault. Your body needs what it needs to support your existence, and you have as much right to that existence as any other living thing. Furthermore there is nothing alive that doesn't partake of the death of others in some way or another -- even stationary plants require the detritus left by decaying plant and animal matter to restore nutrients to the soil in which they spend their lives. When the soil becomes spent, they too die.

Many sapient species like to believe that their intelligence allows them to stand apart from this cycle, but that is a comforting lie at best. Sooner or later, the great wheel of nature will either have its due, or everything that lives within its bounds will perish. You are simply a more dramatic example of this truth than most.

anon.

[abhorrently]

NTA.

You must survive. It is no different than consuming any other meat.

[yournewsidekick]

Obviously NTA. You do you, buddy.

[thelatechrisfreeman]

INFO: "Eat" can be a neutral term, is that all that's obligated? Is it the flesh that satiates or some other aspect?

[thethirteenthchild]

The answer would be too identifying if I were to give details, but suffice it to say that it's both.

[thelatechrisfreeman]

Have you tried making adjustments? Testing if eating the dead is any better or worse than actively hunting? Testing if sapience is a requirement for your meals to satiate?

I ask because at least trying to mitigate the harm one does would lean me toward "not evil".

I make no call about whether or not you're an asshole, because that wasn't your question.

[thethirteenthchild]

All of this has been tested. No luck.

[redlightgreenlight]

NTA.

One of my best friends was a cannibal and he was by choice, though to be fair, he also asked first. Still, being obligate means you can't live without that particular source of nutrients.

Being a predator doesn't make you evil.

[gruesomegourmand]

INFO

What sort of humanoids do you mean? There's several varieties. Some are more human-like, of course, but others are more animalistic while only being "humanoid" by bearing human traits in more of a mimicry sense.

For example: if you ate a merman, I wouldn't consider that evil. They're more fish than they are people, and they don't seem to be sapient! Sirens are definitely closer to a "human" category, but I'd argue in favor of them being fair to eat, as well, but I've been told my opinions on this aren't really aligned with what a lot of other people think...

I'm leaning NTA. (NE? Not evil?) It's all a matter of perspective, and if your diet needs something, you're not wrong for getting it how you have to. Food is at the very core of what everything needs to live, and it always comes first.

[thethirteenthchild]

Generally the more human-like, the better.

[restingslasherface]

INFO:

Are you content with the situation?

[thethirteenthchild]

I don't know.

[restingslasherface]

I don't know enough to judge, really...but I've encountered something like this before. Those were, however, a culture - transformed against their will, and rendered unable to communicate with humans other than themselves. The entire world thought they were mindless monsters, but we were wrong. They have tribes; they have loved ones, they have traditions, and values. Would they change if they could? I don't know.

But I do think it's on the rest of my home to reach out to them. They, too, are victims.

Perma anon!

[thethirteenthchild]

I have never had the space to consider whether I am content or not. It isn’t as though I can choose. If there is a way to make me not what I am, I do not know it. I was born a monster. As far as I know, I will die one. Contentedness is a luxury only afforded to those in control.

[crushed_pearls]

SIFFLEUR??

[thethirteenthchild]

Unfortunately no.

[takethatnature]

JAH. I don't like being eaten, but what else are you going to do, starve to death?

[thethirteenthchild]

The wording of this got a laugh out of me. This is… an incredibly fair asssessment.

I find it actually makes me uncomfortable when people are too forgiving, but in the end, it’s just a fact of life. Thank you for treating it that way.

[astrogator]

YTA.

[thethirteenthchild]

No elaboration?

[astrogator]

It's a truly horrific thing to do to someone.

I can imagine mitigating circumstances. If the target was a condemned criminal and you made their death very quick. If the target consented. But you'd have given those, if they applied.

[thethirteenthchild]

Efforts to mitigate have been made. There are no such criminals on the island, and even then I cannot take the same prey repeatedly. Consent is difficult to obtain as my identity must be kept secret—- in no small part due to reactions like this from my neighbors. What sort of punishment might be doled out by fearful people to stop me? Killing me repeatedly, via a daily manhunt? Imprisoning me and starving me out over and over forever? Is there even an ethical way to stop it?

Containing myself to this environment where nobody dies is, so far, the best I have been able to do. But I am a monster. Humanity has never been my strong suit. If you have thoughts about obtaining consent without revealing my identity then I am open to hearing them, but that sounds far too much like human sacrifice for my liking.