Schweine

No other animal is consumed as frequently, and linguistically, the pig, the sow, and the piglet are often and fondly mentioned: as expressions of undeserved luck and lack of manners, as insults for contemporaries and the capitalist system. The pig is also metaphorically an omnivore, a symbol of religious impurity and sexual desire, of particular frugality and boundless stupidity. This reveals how close we are to the pig - even physiologically. According to recent research, the transplantation of pig hearts into human chests is imminent. It is no wonder that humans try to distinguish themselves from their favorite livestock through a series of taboos and prejudices. Cultural scientist Thomas Macho traces the career of the bristly animal from early domestication and later herding by shepherds to its role as meat and allegory.