Consuming human flesh to stay Alive, could you do it ?

robbiezero wrote: »

But does that not negate the statement I was responding to i.e. "Everyone would do it if they where hungry enough"?

If he was dying of starvation outside of a prison it would be a different story. There are also monks that go without food for weeks and months using the starvation as a religious experience rather like doing drugs.

There are of course always exceptions but I don't think you'll find to many of them. They're so rare the stories can last years, decades even centuries.

CreepingDeath wrote: »

Actually I'm surprised with the famines in Africa that they haven't resorted to their old ways.
It would be a two-fold solution, feeding the starving and reducing the population.

I wouldn't be surprised if it happened but in a superstitious society like that I'd imagine it happens as some sort of magic ritual where they are trying to eat the persons soul so they'll have the victims "power".

Many species will not kill their own, it's some sort of safe guard to protect the species. Even when you watch lions fighting the loser runs away with his life more often than not. It's huge taboo that goes back before modern human civilisation so even the most primitive tribes will see it as a disgusting act.

ScumLord wrote: »

People have rationally and democratically made the decision to kill one of the group so the others can live in the past.

I don't think most people would be above killing to survive either.

I'm sure they wouldn't, but that's when you get into the 'what I'm doing is wrong' territory, as opposed to the consumption of meat that is currently taboo/not advised.

Precious flower wrote: »

I'd like to think I wouldn't but that's unlikely, starvation makes people do awful things I'm sure. I always wondered if during the famine people resorted to this? I've never heard it mentioned but I can't help wondering.

There are reports of human cannibalism during a famine in North Korea in the 1990s, and they have apparently executed several people in more recent years for commiting cannibalism due to food shortages.

3ndahalfof6 wrote: »

the brains and then the bone marrow, discard the rest.

Bit suspicious to go straight for the brain. Better load this shotgun just in case.

Teyla Emmagan wrote: »

Yes. True starvation would lead you to do nearly anything I think.

As long as you don't deliberately kill someone to eat them I think it's okay.

Human flesh is just protein after all.

If I remember rightly "Alive" was the first book about the Andes air crash - I think I read it in 1972 - must have been published in the same year as the crash itself.
Apparently anthopophagy was the term used for eating human flesh - it was pointed out in the book, and later in the film, that parts of the bodies of those who died in the crash were eaten by most of the survivors. Most of the passengers were students and some were medical students - so I doubt if people were taking chunks out of each other!
One of the survivors, an older man, told the others that, at the height the plane had crashed at, (they had crashed into a mountain), they would find no food - the only protein was in the frozen corpses of their fellow passengers.
Some could not bear to eat human flesh - even when the slivers of flesh were rolled inside pices of chocolate to try and make them palatable.
When these people died, they became food for others - as I recall the only exemptions were relatives and two women.
I think they were all Catholic and felt strong feelings of guilt afterwards - hence the need to stress that they had killed no-one for food.

sheesh wrote: »

there was the story of ship that sank going round the horn of africa there were 3 life boats in 1 life boat they decided that they were not going to make it unless they started to eat each other so they drew lots they killed and ate the person and continued doing this as needed until they were rescued.

the 2 other boats that didn't do this apparently didn't make it.
:eek:

Although now that I think about it maybe the guys in the cannibal boat ate the other 2 boats.

your not a cannibal if you eat a boat.

Rabidlamb wrote: »

Me, no qualms, I'm quite the fat ****er so I'd have to watch out for my fellow survivors causing me an accident.
I reckon I could go 3 days max then I'd be noshing the hind quarters off some poor unfortunate.
Would like it cooked first mind but maybe it's not the place to be fussy.

Could you break one of society's final taboos to stay alive.

i would cook it first .

3ndahalfof6 wrote: »

sheesh wrote: »

there was the story of ship that sank going round the horn of africa there were 3 life boats in 1 life boat they decided that they were not going to make it unless they started to eat each other so they drew lots they killed and ate the person and continued doing this as needed until they were rescued.

the 2 other boats that didn't do this apparently didn't make it.
:eek:

Although now that I think about it maybe the guys in the cannibal boat ate the other 2 boats.

your not a cannibal if you eat a boat.

Maybe he meant goats!!!

If it was someone I cared about probably not. Otherwise pass the BBQ sauce.