Cannibalism during a SHTF scenario - would you eat or die?

I think most Americans anyway, would probably make better candles than food.

As far as eating people goes... If you are one of the types who has come to the metaphysical conclusion that once you die there is nothing else because you are positive there is nothing after death (eventhough such a definitive conclusion is just as metaphysical as believing there is an afterlife because you can't prove anything which happens after death either way), then you're probably also the type who will kill your neighbor and eat them figuring this life is it, there's nothing else, and you won't be judged for it anyway, so why not fry up the neighbor?

For the less metaphysical and more rational, I think it would depend upon what the odds of long-term survival "if" they turned cannibal would be in comparison to if they do not. In other words, if you are stuck in antarctica somewhere and there is no hope for rescue and you are going to starve to death anyway, why bother? Unless you are so in touch with calling yourself an animal that you can't control yourself and you simply have to eat your buddy even if it only means it will buy you another week or two of life.

I'd like to believe the overwhelming majority of well-functioning humans would reject cannibalism unless there were absolutely no alternative, and even then only if they thought it was actually going to keep them alive rather than just buy them another week before they die. On the other hand I know there is a large percentage of people out there who see absolutely no difference between their self and a rabid mountain lion, who have their minds made up that this life is it and that is that despite the obvious metaphysical conclusion they are drawing (the rest of us just say we don't know, because that's all we can say and remain rational), so I plan not to let anyone near me, and everyone is suspect of potentially turning on me and wanting to eat me.

puts a new slant on the term "eat me"

The younger the baby the sweeter the meat..



Regards
Lee

reply to post by newcovenant


Haha.. well, all other things set aside. Eating cooked meat would be a lot less harmful to you then biting your fingernails. Nails are more prone to bacteria than cooked fresh "meat" - which is purely sanitized..

I personally would not eat another human (on purpose).....I would have to not know about it.

I am also thinking ...that maybe some of us are eating human flesh without really knowing about it.

We all know about death and embalming....suppose the insides of people are sold and ground and passed off as meat...mixed in with other animal flesh...and that many fast food places and meat companies...partake of this arrangement.

reply to post by Tasty Canadian


WOW.. simply.. WOW.

1. That is one screwed up individual ordering roast from the hospital for the sake of testing and writing about it.
2. Laughing sickness, jeez. Like someone else also said here, I think you can contract some kind of decease from eating the brain.
3. Papa new Guinea - isn`t that where that sailor got eaten by his guide recently (3 weeks ago) - and his wife barely got away?

Found the link: www.ksee24.com... als-131991073.html

Originally posted by jrmcleod
reply to post by br0ker

 

I'd rather stab myself in the eyes with a spoon continuously than eat someone else. What a ridiculous thread.

There are plenty of things to eat besides humans. Millions die everyday of starvation, they aint away cooking their mother or neighbour.

Tell you something, if a SHTF scenario were to arise and somehow all the edible plants and animals died before the humans, any person who tried to eat me or my family would soon regret it.

And to say that survival is a natural instinct and you'd not manage to control it is an opinion of the weak minded...anyone with true love in their heart would find the nearest cliff and jump before they ate someone else...

Really?

It might be a ridiculous thread, but the fact that you think people in general (and I`m not talking about the mentally deranged ones) know which plants they can eat. Other then that, do you really believe there would be enough "plants and animals" in nature to feed everyone in middle America? You must be kidding me, you`d be jumping off that cliff or starving to death within a year.

There is a lot of weak minded people out there, if one such SHTF scenario was to occur - you my friend would have to watch your back. Just look at the responses in the thread, many would consider it and a few would have no problems going the full 9. yards.

Personally, I don`t think I could do it - but you`ll really never know until you`re in the situation. I would however watch my back. Joining new "communities" when times get really bad and there is no food to find wouldn`t be safe either. Like many here say - the thought of it is easier with strangers.

reply to post by KnowYourEnemy


not true, i for one KNOW i would not touch another human being to survive, id sooner eat myself, and THAT isn't going to happen either. I know this because the smell of human blood, just makes me throw up if there is alot of it, so doubt id be able to swallow, and my mind set is completely against it.


some people would, some people wouldn't. id not Dam myself. you eat your own kind thats when you go mad/bad. check it out in animals, the meat goes really bad !

Originally posted by camaro68ss
When you resort to cannibalism your throwing away your humanity and any ethics you might have left. When you have no humanity left or ethics what is left to live for?

There is no way I will be eating anyone and if I catch someone eating another person in the SHTF world I will shot them on the spot, hang them from a tree, and post a sign reading “cannibals beware!”

edit on 1-11-2011 by camaro68ss because: (no reason given)

Sorry man, I`m under a different impression. I don`t think people live for humanity and ethics. People like all other things live primarily to breed. Breeding and survival in general is what`s in our genes. This is also one of the reasons why almost everyone is "cheating". Females are prone to security of family and finding one mate, men in general are prone to wanting to spread their genes everywhere. And once you`re done with you`re 5 to 50 minutes of breading (50min being your`s truly) then reality kicks in and you`re wondering what the hell you`re doing and why you`re doing it.

Yup, I like many others have cheated - more then once in my lifetime. Everyone is doing it because it`s natural. Our minds struggle with ethics over instincts. And in the scenario - again - I believe you`re survival instincts would kick in - especially if you had a family to take care of.

Regardless the situation . . .

I cannot say yum
To some hot roasted bum

Reality is, if you're down to eating Ralph the neighbor's kids, there isn't much left of the food chain so you might as well to the bare-hinie luge down a steep slope because there's really not much left to live for.

During the course of the numerous discussions here and my numerous off color jokes concerning it... I am finding a strange trend of people at the very least behaving as if they are desensitized to the idea. I think some of you are serious concerning not only eating the flesh of your own kind, but almost rubbing your hands with glee at the prospect.


I had researched instances of canninbalism pretty heavily.. not only the social aspect of it and the causes /effects but the survivors speaking on it afterward.... and have come to the conclusion that I choose I will not eat the flesh of a human being. I would be able to butcher and feed others (my kids, husband, loved ones if they chose) the flesh of the dead.. but not by murder to provide it. I can see that it doesnt have to have any religious significance and one doesnt need a bible or manual to teach them morality or guide one to have personal ethics. The problem I find in myself is a barrier that I should not personally cross or I fear I may lose my humanity. I may lose my respect for myself. Those are things you dont gain back. Thats me personally. I will not lay that burden on others.. and would love my kids and husband the same if they chose to eat human flesh. I would kill them if they murdered for it, though. At the end of the world as we know it, I would not want to save the old ways and things personally.. but I would also wish to preserve my own civility and humanity. I do believe in a God as well,maybe not yours, and I fear its judgement of me if I consume my kind to keep a shell alive to merely prolong this life. Survival of the body is nothing in comparison to the survival of the "soul" and relationship with that God to me. If I am not worthy of my own respect, who will respect me?

When I was younger and looked at survival as survival and had less of an understanding of the universe and time I find myself in. I would have not only consumed the flesh of the dead but perhaps murdered for it without a second thought I believe. Now, not so. I guess sometimes other things grow along with the body growing old. Maybe its senility or maybe a deeper connection with my world. Feel free to eat me after I die though if it prevents the murder of a living person. But be aware of barriers. Once you start tearing down the barriers within yourself they get easier to cross and break down. More and more until you are not a human being.. why live at all when you have no humanity? I would hate to see a group of humans who may have survived armageddon, yet dont deserve the life they are trying to sustain.

reply to post by GoalPoster


What about in a temporary SHTF scenario, say adrift in a life boat? Maybe you just need to survive for a few more days and then get to return to your family & normal life. And poor seaman Jones expired before you did...rescue could be days away but starvation is only hours away.

reply to post by Advantage


Star and flag to you for the philosophy about it. I believe you`re right and by thinking about it we`re already putting ourselves in a category. This category might even make us loose self respect subconsciously. Although if the thread was purely for informational purposes of informing that others might be a security risk on this point, then I believe it would be a "more tasty subject" (pun intended).

Purely on a basis of that great point of yours I feel we should stop this thread now.

Mods - feel free to close this thread.

Human flesh tastes of pork, hence the old nickname "long pig".

I'm a vegetarian under normal circumstances but I wouldn't let myself starve when there'll be a shortage of food.

Think I'd have to stick to the wafer thin "parma" slices from the more atheletic of my quarry. I'd let them run free, perhaps through the forest while I hunt them for a bit of sport.

I think police would be fair game. I'd have no problem bashing the brains out of a cop. I'd avoid the fat ones due to high cholestorol.

Couldn't see myself eating someone's head even if there was an apple on the mouth, but then if I was starving...
apple sauce and Frenchmen fries to dip.

Bon appetit!

Knowing what I know about diseases, I think I would starve to death rather than eat tainted, hepatitis, HIV, cancerous or other diseased *meat*......eeewwwwwww

Originally posted by caladonea
I personally would not eat another human (on purpose).....I would have to not know about it.

I am also thinking ...that maybe some of us are eating human flesh without really knowing about it.

We all know about death and embalming....suppose the insides of people are sold and ground and passed off as meat...mixed in with other animal flesh...and that many fast food places and meat companies...partake of this arrangement.

OKAY GROSS LOL....I hate to even imagine that one......wouldnt it be horrible to find out if that were true?

reply to post by Starwise


Yes...it is horrible...if it is true...who knows? It is speculation on my part....but...it is possible. The longer I live..the more I learn that this world is not as it seems...and there are many hidden agendas. ATS...is a good place to try and figure them out!

Reading a post like this makes me nervous, Im 6'5" 300 lbs....I could feed a family of 4 for like a month lol.

I'd be willing to try even without facing death, if it's properly prepared.

PS: I'm a big fan of Hannibal movies

reply to post by br0ker


Meh, just another mammal.

Seriously, there is a lot more cannibalism in nature then you would think. It is pretty natural to a lot of animals.

Just ask any fish breeder.