• EleventhHour@lemmy.world
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    4 days ago

    Maybe the Smurfs’ value in gold was not worth much more than their value as food. The Smurf to gold conversion ratio may only have yielded enough to buy other food.

    We need more information.

      • EleventhHour@lemmy.world
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        4 days ago

        Interesting thought, however, Gargamel was some sort of wizard. It’s more likely that he would perform the conversion himself.

        Still, perhaps the cost of any necessary reagents or other ingredients required to turn Smurfs into gold were not (or barely) worth the gold they produced.

        • flicker@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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          4 days ago

          Maybe cooking them is also a massive hassle?

          He had a cauldron, sure, but I imagine preparing Smurf meat is meticulous with their tiny bones. Maybe turning them into gold was less of a hassle.

          • EleventhHour@lemmy.world
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            4 days ago

            Cookery or alchemy, my point remains the same. I just think it’s possible that there is more involved in the calculus than we’re aware of.

            Although, to be fair, Gargamel’s desire to cook the Smurfs rather than turn them into gold always seemed to be a function of his maleficent cruelty rather than anything logical.

            Perhaps these were empty threats merely meant to terrorize them, and that was possibly his only goal. Maybe they can’t be turned into gold or eaten. Maybe he just wanted to scare the shit out of him. Another piece of evidence to support this theory is the fact that Gargamel never actually cooked a Smurf nor turned one into gold. He only ever threatened to do so, while also missing several opportunities to do so.

            Was the Smurfs’ interaction with Gargamel TVs first presentation of a metaphor that speaks against prejudice, bigotry, and hate crime? Against the terrorizing nature of bullies?

            Since we’re already overthinking the hell out of this, we might as well ask.

  • Punkie@lemmy.world
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    4 days ago

    I also wonder what the trade value of gold might have been in that universe? For all we know, it might be an either/or situation. Like “Well, I could have my favorite takeout every Friday for a year, OR the newest smartphone.” Both are tempting but for different reasons. Like, “I could buy a lot of turnips, potatoes, and beer with one golden smurf and not have to worry every month if I have enough food, but then they taste REALLY good on their own.” Gargamel struck me as someone who didn’t have a lot of money, so having been poor myself, I understand this weird conundrum. Also, having a golden smurf to trade might bring unwanted attention from locals would who assume he has LOTS of them, and rob his home looking for them.

  • Nougat@fedia.io
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    4 days ago

    I’m pretty sure that Gargamel is a distant ancestor of Dr. Doofenschmirtz.

  • Fredselfish@lemmy.world
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    4 days ago

    Pigs are pretty smart and bacon is delicious. I also hear dog taste amazing. So if having emotions and intelligence makes meat taste better,( not sure it works that way.) Then Smurfs would taste pretty damn good.

    • Flying Squid@lemmy.worldOP
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      4 days ago

      I think people are overselling dog to you. All I have read on the subject say that meat-eating animals generally don’t taste all that good. They’re usually far more gamey than any deer or rabbit you’ll eat.

      Maybe if you like gamey? I don’t mind a bit, but “overwhelmingly” is an an adverb I’ve read in conjunction with “gamey” in the case of meat-eating animals.

      • Infynis@midwest.social
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        4 days ago

        Yeah, in general, eating carnivores isn’t the way to go. Not only are they less wholesome nutritionally, but they can also contain more toxins because of their diet. Plus, they can’t really be consumed easily at scale, because of the amount of energy they need to live.

        Fish are an exception to this, but I’m not sure why. The fish we eat are mostly at least omnivores though

      • CarrierLost@infosec.pub
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        4 days ago

        So this is a bit of a personal peeve of mine, so please don’t take it as an attack or argumentative, I’m just offering a perspective.

        Generally speaking, gamey is a misnomer. Unless, if by gamey you mean “doesn’t taste like domesticated beef”, in which case you’re right on, but gamey itself isn’t a flavor.

        Every meat has its own distinct flavor and calling something gamey just indicates that it’s not culturally normal for you.

        • Flying Squid@lemmy.worldOP
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          4 days ago

          I’d say what I think of as ‘gamey’ applies pretty equally to elk, deer, rabbit and squirrel (at various strengths), all of which I have eaten more than once. So I’m not sure that’s true.