An open question about oysters

And here it is: Are oysters really food?

And who was the first person to decide that they were?

I know that I have discussed this subject in the past as it concerns eggs, but I think that oysters take the question to a new level.

I was recently having lunch at a seafood restaurant, and someone ordered appetizers for the group. One of the appetisers was blue oysters on the half shell. When it was brought out, I thought it looked intriguing, and I ate one. (I will try anything once.)

A general rule: With enough cocktail sauce, almost anything tastes okay.

It was slimy, chewy, and not particularly pleasant tasting. I am sure that some people like oysters, though I suspect that it is a developed taste.

As I looked closer, I realized what it would take to eat an oyster for the first time. Somebody had to find this rough shell thing in the ocean, crack it open, and decide that it was a good idea to eat the slimy stuff found inside. That seems like several big steps to me. It can't have smelled pleasant, I know it didn't look good. How hungry was that person? Had they seen birds or other animals eating oysters? Were there no fish around? We need answers to these questions.

As for me, I will stick to the crab cakes in the future.