Unlike filets and stewing meats, organs look like what they are: body parts. That's another reason we resist them. "Organs," says Rozin, "remind us of what we have in common with animals." In the same way a corpse spawns thoughts of mortality, tongues and tripe send an unwelcome message: you too are an organism, a chewing, digesting sack of guts.
Organ meats are often less appealing to people compared to filets or stewing meats because they retain their identity as body parts, making them harder to accept. This distinctiveness can evoke uncomfortable thoughts about our connection to animals, as noted by Rozin. The reality of consuming organs reminds us of our own mortality, similar to how encountering a corpse does. The very nature of organs, such as tongues and tripe, serves to highlight our biological existence as living, digesting beings.
This visceral reminder can deter many from including organ meats in their diets, as they symbolize a more primal aspect of being an organism. The notion of eating parts that are recognizable as once being part of a living creature can evoke feelings of unease. As Mary Roach points out in her book, these foods represent a raw truth about our existence that many may prefer to avoid, choosing instead more palatable cuts of meat that mask this connection to animal life.
