Why is it better to boil lobsters alive opposed to killing them first and then boiling them? Also, what other ways are there to cook lobster?

I think the flesh of the lobster contains a flesh-liquefying enzyme that gets released as soon as the lobster dies so one has to cook it quickly in order to preserve the texture. My (Chinese) mother used to drain the lobster by inserting a chopstick up the tail and then she would chop it up before stir frying with ginger and scallions. I like Kenzi's lobster yoga, though!

Check out Kenzi's really comprehensive piece on how to cook a lobster: http://food52.com/blog/7839-how-to-cook-a-lobster