What would you do?


Faced with a similar situation, what do you think you would do? Would you starve to death rather than contemplate the unimaginable? Perhaps you would sacrifice yourself for the greater good? Could any of you imagine being so desperate as to participate in cannibalism?

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Though of course it's impossible to know how we would react in actuality, I can imagine being prepared to eat human flesh in order not to starve, but I cannot imagine a situation where I would be prepared to kill someone (even someone willing to sacrifice themselves) in order to feed myself. I'm pretty sure I wouldn't want to be the one who was killed in order to be eaten, I don't think I would be prepared to kill myself in order for my companions to survive, but I would be willing for my flesh to be used to keep others alive in the event of my death.

What about you? what do you think you would do?

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It's a difficult proposition to attempt to put yourself into the mind set of someone who has experienced such brutality and has been systematically stripped of almost all vestiges of humanity along the way BUT I think we are hardwired to survive. What sets those who do survive apart from those who succumb is often a deep rooted capacity to do what ever it is necessary. It's interesting that during the 19th century, the so called 'custom of the sea' was devised to allow people in distress at sea to rationalise murder and cannibalism. Although never legal in the eyes of British law, it was an accepted evil until 1884.

I think the point you make at the end is very interesting. Many are willing to donate organs after death but how many would be willing to offer their body for sustenance to others after death?

I would like to think I would take the heroic option and throw myself on the fire for the greater good but something tells me that if the times comes, I might perhaps think otherwise!

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I would bring sammiches.

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