China (and especially Hong Kong) is the number one seller of a special dish called shark fin soup. This delicacy has been around for centuries, dating back to the Ming Dynasty. At that time it was only eaten by the rich and royalty, as it was too expensive for common people. It is now a traditional meal served at weddings or important business meetings and is considered a sign of respect towards foreigners when served to them. To prepare the dish, shark fins are very important and, frankly, it is the only part of the shark needed. Fishermen catch thousands of sharks a day. Once they are on board and still alive, the workers take sharp knives and cut off the shark's dorsal fins, pectoral fins and tail fin. Once the fins are collected, the shark, still alive, is thrown back into the ocean to sink to the bottom, slowly dying from blood loss and lack of oxygen because it cannot swim without its fins. If you search Google Images for “shark fins,” the first few lines and beyond are images of shark fins and piles of shark fins. This case of inhumanity is astonishing. The only important part of the shark is the fins, while the rest of the body is thrown away never to be used. It's a waste and it's pretty mean, especially since they don't kill sharks quickly either before or after. (Raloff 232) Humans have the mentality of speciesism, an assumption that humans are more important than any other species other than humans (Merriam-Webster.com). Animals are treated worse because people do not see their species as equal and deserving of the same rights that people have achieved. So people mistreat animals, whether they keep them in cages until they become a spectacle for the curious... middle of paper ......Renberg and Sofia Kälvemark Sporrong. “Patients' attitudes toward animal testing: 'Conducting research on animals is, I suppose, a necessary evil'.” Biosociety 9.1 (2014): 24-41. Academic research completed. Network. May 7, 2014.Matsuoka, Atsuko and John Sorenson. “Human Consequences of Animal Exploitation: The Need to Redefine Social Welfare.” Journal of Sociology and Social Welfare 40.4 (2013): 7-32. Academic research completed. Network. May 6, 2014. McArthur, Jo-anne. “The Reality of Food Animals.” Canadian Size 47.7 (2014): 26-31. Academic research completed. Network. May 6, 2014. Raloff, Janet “Clipping the Fin Trade.” Science news. vol. 162 (12 October 2002): 232-234. JSTOR. Network. May 5, 2014."Science proves elephants are even smarter than we thought." Salon.com RSS. Np, March 1, 2014. Web. May 5, 2014."speciesism." Merriam Webster. Merriam-Webster and Web. May 7 2014.