Author Topic: Cannibalism  (Read 5368 times)

V_Translanka

  • Interim Global Moderator
  • Arbiter (+8000)
  • *
  • Posts: 8340
  • Destroyer of Worlds
    • View Profile
    • http://www.angelfire.com/weird2/v_translanka/
Cannibalism
« on: July 13, 2006, 05:08:49 pm »
I recently made a topic about Cannibalism over at FFI...And, since it took off, I figured I'd see what we Compendium...ers...would say about it...This is what I said and some of what was said...

edit: If you don't feel like reading it all (I didn't realize how much there was when I first posted this...), just read the first quote.

Quote from: Me
I don't understand why people aren't eating people...Does it not make perfect sense? Your body takes your food and turns it into more of you (protein cells, etc)...The more like you the food you injest is, the easier this process is...

Not to mention the fact that we'd have a useful way to 1) get rid of deathrow inmates, 2) feed the poor, and 3) stave off overpopulation. Babies would be the veal of cannibalism, yes?

Soylent Green is people!!!

Quote from: ShurikenMasterYuffie
People feel troubled with eating a person of their own kind who may have had a loving family and friends who would miss them dearly; they can't face that guilt.

It's hard to force yourself to eat a person who may have lived near you and shit. We humans are too sentimental and moralistic. Plus, it would probably get way out of hand; we may just start slaughtering a huge percentage of our population if we get addicted to the taste of human flesh.. and thus, many lives would die by the hand of hedonistic neighbors.

Quote from: Me
Oh, I think people are the exact opposite...They don't really care about any of that stuff...I mean, who thinks about any of that when they bite into a hamburger? Hell, I doubt if many people even think about cows when they eat beef...It's just food...And as for being addicted to human flesh...that seems a little fantastical...I mean, we're not talking about zombification here or anything...It would just be another (healthier?) choice...

And I'm not saying that all other laws should be ignored for cannibalism...I mean, I don't think people should just go out and murder just anyone on the street so that they can eat...I'm just saying there's a lot of untapped resources there...

Quote from: Earl Of Slander
For a start, who would want to work in a place that processed actual dead bodies?

Quote from: Me
People who need jobs. Wow! Look, another socio-ecological problem solved by cannibalism!

Quote from: Earl Of Slander
People on death row are often very skinny or pretty muscular. Neither of these make good food.

Quote from: Me
Tell it to the starving people who eat garbage...People already eat shitty food...I'm sure that eating shitty food that was once a person isn't going to be that much of a difference...

Quote from: Earl Of Slander
I wouldn't want to eat a convicted rapist.

Quote from: Me
Why not? Put the fuckers to good use already!

Quote from: Lionheart
Unless humans become a degenerative race and can no longer think for itself then thats the time to eat our own kind. Sure we are part of the
animal kingdom but our ability to think and feel guility is whaty separates us from the beast. Plus the thought of eating a human is just disgusting in my opinion.

Quote from: Me
Why feel guilty for something that is dead? It's not like you yourself killed it...I don't see how there would be any difference between the death of people and the death of animals (or even plants for that matter)...And I also don't understand automatic disgust for no reason...Isn't that being prejudiced or something?

Well, anyways, I think the best way to implement cannibalism would be in the same way that organ donors are givin the choice to give their various body parts for the use of...w/e...Except in the case of criminals...I think they shouldn't get that right to choose...Do the crime, pay w/your body and do the world a service...

I would feel similarly about organ donation if not for the fact that you cannot choose where your organs go...

Quote from: Mord Sith
We kill animals for food; primarily. We don't eat animals that haven't been killed for the sole purpose of the eating. Anyways, are you saying that we should kill humans for eating? I mean, otherwise you don't know WHERE it's been. That dirty human body. You know. Expect death penalty victims; you can't use that.

Quote from: Lina
Is this supposed to be A Modest Proposal? It seems like you're trying too hard to post a rebellious topic. Do we really need to discuss whether or not cannibalism would benefit society?

Questions aside, if people ate people, our whole society would change immensely. If humans looked at other humans as food, the value of human life would depreciate, thus bringing about more crime. If cannibalism was an accepted element of society, what's to stop a poor person from murdering some random guy on the street for meat?

And really, who would want to choose to eat another human? It's absurd; no one [sane] would want to ingest something that they know lived a life similar to theirs.

Quote from: DOC
A disturbing topic to put it best, a very interesting one though. In truth, I have no idea what makes us find cannibalism so repulsive, but I have my suspicions:

People don't eat people because they have a conscience. They've seen and felt how people live, and can compare themselves to that person.

If we could look into the mind of say a rabbit, we'd probably also be compelled to call the hunting of rabbits murder - because we understand and have had a look at how they live.

And, deathrow inmates? Don't you consider the riots we'd be facing (from both prisoners and common people - and even prison guards who'd morally object?

Quote from: Dhóchas
Cannibalism is one of the earliest form of Satanism. It's barbaric, and yes, I know that under certain circumstances, it's the only option.

But why sacrifice your soul to stay alive?

Quote from: Squall's Griever
Eating people would never work out besides that it's disturbing, people would walk around all day hunting people for food and money only to be killed for murder
Now that would get rid of over population and only eventually cause under population and then there would be no one to do the jobs that nobody wants to do and the human race wouldn't survive

Quote from: Me
I think that the value of human life would sky-rocket...As for...(the) question, "What's to stop people from murdering people for meat"...The same thing that stops people from murdering people right now: The Law.

I don't know if it should be an institutionalized breeding center kind of thing (I'm sure that'd be difficult to develop), but more of a "Hey, I don't mind if you eat my body once I die" and a "Oh damn, I killed people (or w/e), I guess you're going to be able to eat me now" kind of thing.

And I still don't understand the thought of cannibalism being repulsive, barbaric, or gross...People are made of meat...People eat meat...It seems like a simplistic conclusion to me...It seems to me to be far more barbaric to simply bury or reduce to ash and cinders that which could feed a small family for a couple of days (or however long)...

Also, I didn't create this topic to be racey, rebellious, disturbing or w/e...I just don't see cannibalism as being such a bad thing...and well, I thought sharing some thoughts (from either side) would be interesting/enlightening...

Quote from: DOC
it is NOT natural - you do not see a specie eating itself.

Quote from: Me
I could count various species that will and/or frequently eat their own. Hell, even cannibalism in a couple human societies was well practiced...

If you want to see the whole thread...Go Here
« Last Edit: July 13, 2006, 05:40:59 pm by V_Translanka »

CyberSarkany

  • Heir to the Masamune
  • Black Wind Agent (+600)
  • *
  • Posts: 695
  • "So zetta slow!"
    • View Profile
Re: Cannibalism
« Reply #1 on: July 13, 2006, 05:30:43 pm »
Don't have much time, but I will read everything tommorow, here what people think:

A lot of animals eat each other
"We" claim to be better than animals
-> "We" don't want to behave like them-> "We" don't want to eat each other

or

Eating another human is wrong, but eating an animal is right
-> human life value > animals life, so if you can eat something with a lower value, it's better.

All BS in my opinion.

Hadriel

  • Dimension Crosser (+1000)
  • *
  • Posts: 1044
    • View Profile
Re: Cannibalism
« Reply #2 on: July 13, 2006, 05:40:07 pm »
There are relatively few verified examples of animals eating members of the same species.  Judge by the norm, not the exception; this cannot be used as some kind of proof of the supposed merits of a vile and revolting practice.

It's true that some ancient human societies practiced cannibalism.  These are the same societies that nowadays think raping virgins cures AIDS.  These are the same societies that burn their children alive in sacrificial pyres to Grudock, God of Bat Shit and torture unbelievers until they relent.  These are the same societies that any civilized nation would happily drop a nuclear bomb on.

V_Translanka

  • Interim Global Moderator
  • Arbiter (+8000)
  • *
  • Posts: 8340
  • Destroyer of Worlds
    • View Profile
    • http://www.angelfire.com/weird2/v_translanka/
Re: Cannibalism
« Reply #3 on: July 13, 2006, 05:43:30 pm »
What's vile and revolting about it, though...This automatic assumption, which I akin to people's disgust w/animals that appear unnatural in appearance or movement (like spiders) is one that I vehemently do not understand. It just seems, I dunno, prejudiced or something...

Oh, and as for that last paragraph, Hadriel...No, they're not.

edit: also, in terms of "exception to the rule"...just because a lot of people are doing something, that doesn't make it right or the best course of action...We can look to many historic occurances to back that up...not to mention current ones...
« Last Edit: July 13, 2006, 05:45:21 pm by V_Translanka »

Hadriel

  • Dimension Crosser (+1000)
  • *
  • Posts: 1044
    • View Profile
Re: Cannibalism
« Reply #4 on: July 13, 2006, 08:56:53 pm »
Quote
What's vile and revolting about it, though...This automatic assumption, which I akin to people's disgust w/animals that appear unnatural in appearance or movement (like spiders) is one that I vehemently do not understand. It just seems, I dunno, prejudiced or something...

Yeah, it damn well is prejudiced.  For some reason or another, we evolved to be disgusted at cannibalism.  I don't know about you, but I like to preserve people's dignity after they're gone.  I usually don't resort to "that's fucking gross-ass shit" arguments, but I don't feel bad about doing it here.

CANNIBALISM IS FUCKING GROSS-ASS SHIT.  OHMYGOD.

Daniel Krispin

  • Guest
Re: Cannibalism
« Reply #5 on: July 13, 2006, 09:19:29 pm »
There are relatively few verified examples of animals eating members of the same species.  Judge by the norm, not the exception; this cannot be used as some kind of proof of the supposed merits of a vile and revolting practice.

It's true that some ancient human societies practiced cannibalism.  These are the same societies that nowadays think raping virgins cures AIDS.  These are the same societies that burn their children alive in sacrificial pyres to Grudock, God of Bat Shit and torture unbelievers until they relent.  These are the same societies that any civilized nation would happily drop a nuclear bomb on.

Cannibalism also exists as a form of burial. The Massegetai, spoken of by Herodotos, practiced it, I believe. Whereas the Greeks burned their bodies (and presumably the Persians left them out to the birds), the eastern Massegetai ate their dead forebears. Rather strange, though.

Here, though, I feel inclined to comment in the following manner:
Everything in this room is *eat*able. Even I'm *eat*able. But that is called cannibalism, my dear children, and is in fact frowned upon in most societies. - Willy Wonka

Lord J Esq

  • Moon Stone J
  • Hero of Time (+5000)
  • *
  • Posts: 5463
  • ^_^ "Ayla teach at college level!!"
    • View Profile
Re: Cannibalism
« Reply #6 on: July 13, 2006, 10:05:57 pm »
While not in so flippant a tone, I agree with V. Cannibalism isn’t a physical issue at all, beyond the nutritional value and potential contamination of human flesh. At this point in our social progression, the fact that we have such a strong taboo against cannibalism is almost entirely the function of tradition and moral reckoning.

Were cannibalism a legal practice, the biggest physical obstacle would be the quality of the likely sources of meat: Most people who die due so because of age, sickness, or trauma. None of these potential sources would compare in quality to prime, healthy humans slaughtered especially for their meat. And, on the reasonable premise that we would never condone the slaughter of human beings for their meat, we are then left to the second-rate pickings of the deceased. We’d be, in effect, scavengers. I don’t know how healthy it would be to consume this meat—scientific studies would be in order.

Furthermore, there is the risk that, were cannibalism accepted in regions marred by lawlessness, people would slaughter one another simply to eat. Goodness knows we don’t need yet another reason to kill each other. But the reason this potential concern doesn’t carry much logical gravity is that we assume in parallel that the world will gravitate toward lawfulness, and it is therefore in the context of the rule of law that we would most prudently decide these issues.

Were the quality, purity, and social ramifications not an issue, however, cannibalism could certainly have a practical use. We waste exorbitant amounts of land and money in the outmoded tradition of burying our dead in petite boxes. Human flesh is at the top of the food chain, and the top of the industrial chain. Every human being represents an incredible investment of resources. Consuming our own flesh would probably be one of the better returns we could get on this expensive venture known as humanity. And, as postulated by Robert Heinlein, cannibalism could even evolve into a practice as dearly head as our current methods of dealing with the dead.

To put it briefly, I’ve got nothing against cannibalism. If I lived in a culture where people ate human meat, then I’d probably eat it too. But cannibalism is so deeply rooted in our social psyche as something unnatural and monstrous, and the need to legalize cannibalism and incorporate it into our way of life is so comparatively small, that the matter is and likely shall remain one of purely academic interest.

ClayAKAMe

  • Guest
Re: Cannibalism
« Reply #7 on: July 14, 2006, 12:39:17 am »
There is only on ething I have to say about cannibalism. F***ing Gross!!!

Kid   "Hey mom what's for dinner?"
Mom  "Greg"
Kid   "Glad it's not Cyndi. She doesn't look all that tasty."

Radical_Dreamer

  • Entity
  • Zurvan Surfer (+2500)
  • *
  • Posts: 2778
    • View Profile
    • The Chrono Compendium
Re: Cannibalism
« Reply #8 on: July 14, 2006, 02:51:39 am »
My main objection to cannibalism is a practical one. Anything that can infect a human being, at the risk of a tautology, can infect a human being. So assuring that the meat was clean and healthy would be of the utmost importance, because there would be zero room for error in this regard. I agree with Lord J that the taboos against cannibalism are mostly social, and that it isn't neccisarily wrong per se, but the trouble is finding people that would be good to eat and ready and willing to die for the purpose. I also agree that burrials are hugely wasteful, but that could be aleveated by using biodegradable coffins, and burrying our dead in any open field, rather than specific plots.

Matt Shadows

  • Enlightened One (+200)
  • *
  • Posts: 254
  • A7X
    • View Profile
Re: Cannibalism
« Reply #9 on: July 14, 2006, 03:00:32 am »
What if this "open field" happens to become someones property. They have it all planned out. They start to build the pond they've always wanted. Then they dig up a corpse.

Burning Zeppelin

  • God of War (+3000)
  • *
  • Posts: 3137
    • View Profile
    • Delicate Cutters
Re: Cannibalism
« Reply #10 on: July 14, 2006, 03:03:40 am »
Hm, wouldn't human meat be the least nutritional? Seeing as how as you rise up the food chain, food becomes less nutritional (cow meat compared to lion meat) and less energetic (plants compared to eagles). Well, whatever. There are many reasons why I wouldn't eat human meat. One being, I don't like to eat things that have been in a similar position and have lived a similar life to me.

Daniel Krispin

  • Guest
Re: Cannibalism
« Reply #11 on: July 14, 2006, 03:22:36 am »
The thing I have against the advocacy is that it is based on utilitarian grounds. In my view, utilitarian can lead to a host of other problems, in that it generally degrades the worth of a human - if the body thus is not neccessary to be respected, why then the mind? Where does one quite draw the line? The danger is the loss of respect for humanity, which can lead to degradation of general morals in the living.

However, I suppose, raising again the people of the Massegetai... they did it as a sign of respect. In that rare case, it can be considered. However, even there it is doubtful, for the very reason so many have pointed out: it's perilous to health. The ancient Jews had laws against even touching a dead body without the proper 'purification'. That wasn't some obscure religious right: that was hygene. They knew well the potential for disease in a dead body. So it comes down to that.

Matt Shadows

  • Enlightened One (+200)
  • *
  • Posts: 254
  • A7X
    • View Profile
Re: Cannibalism
« Reply #12 on: July 14, 2006, 03:24:20 am »
Eating people would be the last thing I would put on my to do list. Then I would mark it out. Sorry. No zombie action for me.

Daniel Krispin

  • Guest
Re: Cannibalism
« Reply #13 on: July 14, 2006, 03:29:21 am »
Eating people would be the last thing I would put on my to do list. Then I would mark it out. Sorry. No zombie action for me.

Yeah, that's another danger, you know. If you start eating people, you'll have every zombie-movie loving guy after you with his shotgun.

Matt Shadows

  • Enlightened One (+200)
  • *
  • Posts: 254
  • A7X
    • View Profile
Re: Cannibalism
« Reply #14 on: July 14, 2006, 03:41:28 am »
Eating people would be the last thing I would put on my to do list. Then I would mark it out. Sorry. No zombie action for me.

Yeah, that's another danger, you know. If you start eating people, you'll have every zombie-movie loving guy after you with his shotgun.
Hahaha! It would be all over the news. "Are zombies real? Stay tuned and hear the story of Joe Shmoe an his hunger for human flesh. All this and more right after this.