Author Topic: Cannibalism (Read 5780 times)

teamnelson · « **on:** March 12, 2009, 01:26:09 PM »

On another thread we started discussing whether or not cannibalism would occur in the aftermath of a major EOTWAWKI scenario in the US.

I said no because there's a lot of starving folks in the world today who aren't eating each other - they're just dying.

But some folks said yes and brought up some great examples from some pretty significant major crisis in the past.

Got me thinking ... something the examples all had in common was that folks prior to the crisis had plenty. Crisis hit, they ate each other. I was looking at folks around the world who have been in starvation for generations ... perhaps that's the difference. Perhaps folks who are used to regular meals are more likely to eat each other when they stop coming. What do you think? No recipes please.

torpedoman · « **Reply #1 on:** March 12, 2009, 01:36:18 PM »

with the kind of people we have it wont take long they are used to instant gratification when they miss 2 big macs in a row all hell will break loose.

kevthebassman · « **Reply #2 on:** March 12, 2009, 01:38:15 PM »

I think that if we had a sudden interruption in the food supply, we would indeed see cannibalism. I know that I personally would kill, butcher, cook, and consume another human being before I would starve or see my family starve. It would have to be bad, bad times before I'd go that far.

Oldshooter · « **Reply #3 on:** March 12, 2009, 01:45:46 PM »

Have you ever been to a super market before a hurricane hits? People running around like women at 2for sale in the ladies drawers dept!

They will start killing each other at the Wally world for the last can of spam!

And no doubt they will kill and eat you if they get hungry enough!

I never say never but it would be a serious stuation when I kill humans to eat 'em!

Now if they come here to my place to try and eat me or mine....................I may eat a few livers just for the show/fun of it !

teamnelson · « **Reply #4 on:** March 12, 2009, 02:00:32 PM »

Quote from: Oldshooter on March 12, 2009, 01:45:46 PM

Now if they come here to my place to try and eat me or mine....................I may eat a few livers just for the show/fun of it !

Might want to lay up some fava beans and a nice Chianti to go with it.

billy_56081 · « **Reply #5 on:** March 12, 2009, 02:43:56 PM »

I see people talking about "survival " situations all the time and find it laughable to hear them talk of living off the land. The natural carrying capacity of America would come no where close to the population we now have. Modern agriculture has greatly increased the carrying capacity beyond what the native plants and animals could ever sustain. Reading the journal of Louis and Clark, they talk of the indians in the mountains that were near starving, the plains Indians jealously protected their food source from the others and fought to keep it.

Having and protecting a good food source would be number one in a survival situation. Dried beans and rice would be probalby the most impotant staple you could have. If a great failure of civilization were to befall us, the livestock would be first to go, then thegame animals, then pets, then vermin, then people would start eating each other. I would be willing to bet better than 90% of Americans could not preserve their own fruits vegitables and meat. Without a way to preserve good, there will be a huge amount of waste, that will make foodstocks dwindle in a very sort time.

If a situation were to come where civilization breaks down, hopefully you can find a group of people to band together with. Finding and defending a territory that will support you would be key.

kevthebassman · « **Reply #6 on:** March 12, 2009, 02:54:34 PM »

Quote from: billy_56081 on March 12, 2009, 02:43:56 PM

I see people talking about "survival " situations all the time and find it laughable to hear them talk of living off the land. The natural carrying capacity of America would come no where close to the population we now have. Modern agriculture has greatly increased the carrying capacity beyond what the native plants and animals could ever sustain. Reading the journal of Louis and Clark, they talk of the indians in the mountains that were near starving, the plains Indians jealously protected their food source from the others and fought to keep it.

Having and protecting a good food source would be number one in a survival situation. Dried beans and rice would be probalby the most impotant staple you could have. If a great failure of civilization were to befall us, the livestock would be first to go, then thegame animals, then pets, then vermin, then people would start eating each other. I would be willing to bet better than 90% of Americans could not preserve their own fruits vegitables and meat. Without a way to preserve good, there will be a huge amount of waste, that will make foodstocks dwindle in a very sort time.

If a situation were to come where civilization breaks down, hopefully you can find a group of people to band together with. Finding and defending a territory that will support you would be key.

By thunder Billy, I can't find a single thing there that I disagree with!

351 power · « **Reply #7 on:** March 12, 2009, 05:31:17 PM »

that's why individuals won't survive catastrophies. only small fellowships/tribes will. people that will work together to maintain agriculture

bilmac · « **Reply #8 on:** March 12, 2009, 07:23:30 PM »

In places where they have been on the edge of famine for a long time all your neighbors would be skinny little string beans. Now who would even bother to eat someone like that.

billy_56081 · « **Reply #9 on:** March 13, 2009, 01:46:24 AM »

Canabilism, and killing off the competion would be the law of the land. A standard way of lifeas a predator.

SHOOTALL · « **Reply #10 on:** March 13, 2009, 04:07:07 AM »

when you start to starve you loose sugar that fuels the brain . to protect itself the brain shuts down un needed function . that said people who in more flush times turn to eating things to stay alive because the brain has changed . Your reasoning has changed or been altered to a survive mode . You are not the person you were before with morals or guilt . You either die or survive .
As far as others in the world , many live under military guard and can't do anything , others have not reached the point where they have lost reason , the bulk of them are children and i wouldn't bet some of it goes on . A good book is " mam eaters " the last chapter is imformative on the matter . It tells of a man in Africa killing and eating his wife , she is found while on a hunting trip . Women were not allowed . The PH instructed him to return the wife home . The man returned in a few days which was not enough time for the trip . It was found out he had killed his wife and she was being used as camp food . The PH remarked it looked and tasted like high grade beef . anothe book is " the jungle " by Uptom Sinclar , tells of the meat packing plants in this country and how human body parts and other things found their way into canned meats . um !
Most men are civilized until civilization lets them down .

AtlLaw · « **Reply #11 on:** March 13, 2009, 05:34:10 AM »

no problem, I play Rugby

'course I haven't flown lately, especially over the Andes mountains. $:-\$ But anyway, I'd much rather be the "eator" then the "eatee"

rparsons934 · « **Reply #12 on:** March 13, 2009, 08:01:25 AM »

Quote from: AtlLaw on March 13, 2009, 05:34:10 AM

$:-\$ But anyway, I'd much rather be the "eator" then the "eatee"

You and me both.

hunt-m-up · « **Reply #13 on:** March 13, 2009, 09:48:22 AM »

Any of the Donner party want to "weigh in" on this one? I will probably have eaten all the bark off the trees and the wifes plastic flowers before it comes to going after the neighbors.
Go ahead and crowd together in those cities and build your houses on top of one another...you'll play hell growing anything on concrete. Rural areas better be prepared because we would see a mass exodus when they come looking for our food. Supports the tribal/safety in numbers idea to defend property.

Bigeasy · « **Reply #14 on:** March 13, 2009, 10:25:37 AM »

OK, I have no constructive comment to say on this one, other then discussing canibilism on a shooting and hunting web site is kind of weird... And don't tell me it tastes like chicken..

Larry

SHOOTALL · « **Reply #15 on:** March 13, 2009, 10:40:54 AM »

One book i read said it taste like beef . It may taste like potted meat or hot-dogs after reading the other book i mentioned .

Oldshooter · « **Reply #16 on:** March 13, 2009, 10:48:54 AM »

Quote

Any of the Donner party want to "weigh in" on this one? I will probably have eaten all the bark off the trees and the wifes plastic flowers before it comes to going after the neighbors.

Quote

OK, I have no constructive comment to say on this one, other then discussing canibilism on a shooting and hunting web site is kind of weird... And don't tell me it tastes like chicken..

NOW THATS FUNNY I DONT CARE WHO YA ARE !

kevthebassman · « **Reply #17 on:** March 13, 2009, 12:51:06 PM »

Quote from: SHOOTALL on March 13, 2009, 10:40:54 AM

One book i read said it taste like beef . It may taste like potted meat or hot-dogs after reading the other book i mentioned .

I've heard that it bears uncanny resemblance to good veal.

efremtags · « **Reply #18 on:** March 13, 2009, 02:40:09 PM »

I saw a special about the explorers of the 16th and 17th century. Cannibalism occurred more often than you'd think. It has to do with the brain functions. When a human gets passed a certain point of starvation, the part of the brain that makes you polite and normal in society, shuts down. You become basically a primal predator with no regard to others at this point.

I think if life got to that point because of crisis, it could occur.

45-70.gov · « **Reply #19 on:** March 13, 2009, 03:02:08 PM »

i know it would occur

just at what point you would take my first bite of another
is the question i would like to hear from every one that cares to admit

i say i would take the first bite
as soon as i realized i had lost weight and no releif in sight
and a fresh body of some one i don't know or like was available
preferably an intruder......i don't think i would hunt human for food...but starvation may change that

young children sould be fed as they are developing and building their bodies

smoked thigh sounds good with a musturd sauce

Oldshooter · « **Reply #20 on:** March 13, 2009, 03:19:38 PM »

Quote

OK, I have no constructive comment to say on this one

This said it all for me !

hillbill · « **Reply #21 on:** March 13, 2009, 03:28:03 PM »

if i remember right, "long pig" is what they used to call man meat in the areas where cannibles ruled at one time.

45-70.gov · « **Reply #22 on:** March 13, 2009, 03:46:07 PM »

i have heard the term ''long pork'' too

Skunk · « **Reply #23 on:** March 13, 2009, 04:05:24 PM »

Quote from: 45-70.gov on March 13, 2009, 03:02:08 PM

just at what point you would take my first bite of another...

Hey 45-70, you take your own first bite. If I have to eat it, I'm going to bite off a piece for me and no one else. If you want some, you just find your own piece.

AtlLaw · « **Reply #24 on:** March 13, 2009, 05:10:32 PM »

Quote from: kevthebassman on March 13, 2009, 12:51:06 PM

I've heard that it bears uncanny resemblance to good veal.

Okay, y'all stop! I'm startin to drool here!

There was a movie some time back, one of the early ones of the star of Miami Vice, Don some thing or other, called a boy and his dog or sumpin like that. Fed his girlfriend to his dog...

kevthebassman · « **Reply #25 on:** March 13, 2009, 07:27:39 PM »

Quote from: 45-70.gov on March 13, 2009, 03:02:08 PM

i know it would occur

just at what point you would take my first bite of another
is the question i would like to hear from every one that cares to admit

i say i would take the first bite
as soon as i realized i had lost weight and no releif in sight
and a fresh body of some one i don't know or like was available
preferably an intruder......i don't think i would hunt human for food...but starvation may change that

young children sould be fed as they are developing and building their bodies

smoked thigh sounds good with a musturd sauce

I think I'd reach a point where I knew it was time. I can't predict it ahead of time, because I cannot even fathom that situation. I imagine it will come not long after I've eaten my dog. Myself, I could go a long time without food, but I won't watch my family starve.

Really I don't think anyone here can truly say what hunger could make them do. Folks in 3rd world countries eat dogs, rats, insects, worms...... Humans have an amazing will to live.

Blue Duck · « **Reply #26 on:** March 15, 2009, 06:37:38 AM »

In a true survival situation only those who survive will know how they did it. Most of the talkers and hanger ons won't be around.

Skunk · « **Reply #27 on:** March 15, 2009, 07:32:45 AM »

Quote from: kevthebassman on March 13, 2009, 07:27:39 PM

Really I don't think anyone here can truly say what hunger could make them do. Folks in 3rd world countries eat dogs, rats, insects, worms...... Humans have an amazing will to live.

I feel that we'd resort to cannibalism if we were hungry enough. We'd probably start by simply eating the dead that had died naturally. Then, when demand exceeded supply, we'd probably be just like any other predator. Some folks like say, Billy_56081

, might even organize hunting parties that search out, destroy, and bring back as camp meat, the former liberals that crossed us when we still had a partial republic of a Country.

Edit: removed the word "to" from last sentence of post.

teamnelson · « **Reply #28 on:** March 15, 2009, 07:52:23 AM »

Seriously, there's a moral issue here that can't be ignored. Is a society that would hunt another human down to eat them worth preserving? If you're already contemplating a particular type of folk to hunt ... What is stopping you now and how are you better than them?

Dying of hunger is about as bad as it gets; I've been around it in East Africa. But they have a sense of right and wrong ... Rather die right than live wrong.

Badnews Bob · « **Reply #29 on:** March 15, 2009, 08:46:36 AM »

I MIGHT eat some one who died or got killed in a accindent, maybe, I hope I never have to find out. I WILL NOT be hunting or killing another human for food, I will eat rats and bugs before I commit murder for food, I really would rather starve than commit murder.

BTW I do not consider defending myself or mine Murder. I do think killing someone just to eat them would be.