[UGAalum94]

I suspect that if I actually went to see one, I would find bullfighting pretty bad too.

I think it's funny that K Sig RC mentioned Hemingway because when my husband and I were talking about this last night, I pretty much used The Sun Also Rises as my basis for understanding bullfighting. Thanks, Earnest.

But really, from the running of the bulls to bullfights in other places, I think the idea is based on the real possibility that the bull can gore the man and kill him. There's a bizarre element of authentic respect for the danger to both competitors, and the heroic nature of choosing to confront danger directly and repeatedly. (Sure, the bull's "choice" is probably instinctive and compelled by all the people involved, the flags, etc. I wondered what would happen if the bull just trotted over to the side of the ring by the door and stood there all like "no really man, I'm a lover not a fighter.")

Also, we take for granted that bulls are going to be killed. Most of the time today, it's going to be in a slaughterhouse maybe with electrodes really quickly.

But the tradition of bullfighting probably grew up in a time when people took for granted the legitimacy of man killing bull with knives, and bizarrely the fight probably grew out of respect and honor for the bull.

(Really, though, basically wearing the bull down and repeatedly stabbing him; not such a great example of humane treatment of animals.)