Cannibalism Essay - 1136 Words

ABSTRACT Cannibalism is an act that is thought to be heinous and inconceivable in the minds of men. But, contrary to what many people think, cannibalism is very much alive and still being practiced within the continental United States of America; the thing is†¦the government just hasnt found out about it yet. This report will take you through the history of cannibalism, the different types of cannibalism, and the different cases of cannibalism. Cannibalism is one of the strangest and most horrific American taboos. When the common person thinks of cannibalism, a ballistic, deranged, serial killer who cuts his victims into pieces and boils them in bloody water quickly comes to mind. Cannibalism is precisely defined as the eating of ones†¦show more content†¦in Anasazi Cannibalism? p. 1). nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;All cannibalism is not the same. One way to classify cannibalism is by who is eaten. There are three ways: autocannibalism--eating parts of oneself (not including common traits such as nail biting); exocannibalism-- the eating of outsiders or foreigners (such as invaders or enemies); and endocanniballism--the eating of ones own social group. There are also functional types of cannibalism, based on why someone is eaten: survival cannibalism, religious or ritual cannibalism, and dietary or gastronomic cannibalism. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Survival cannibalism is one type of cannibalism that clearly without a doubt has occurred and is well documented. quot;Simply put, survival cannibalism occurs when people are trapped without food in some way -- in a boat adrift on the ocean, on a mountain by snowfall -- and resort to eating other members of the groupquot; (qtd. in The myths and perturbing realities of cannibalism p.1). The most notable case of survival cannibalism is the case of the Donner party of 1846. A group of 90 immigrants led by George Donner was caught in a blinding snowstorm high in the Sierra Nevada range of California in October 1846. Survivors, who made their way out early in 1847, had been forced to resort to eating the flesh of their comrades in order to survive. The survivors openly admitted to the mediaShow MoreRelatedThe Horrors of Cannibalism605 Words   |  2 Pages Cannibalism to say the least is a very taboo word. Cannibalism is known to be very disturbing and sets off a certain set of powerful emotions when spoken about. One thing about cannibalism is that it used to be considered a normal part of life, and has only recently been seen as taboo in the recent centuries. Many people believe Cannibalism should be legal world-wide, but only have reasonings of culture and religions. Cannibalism should be illegal because of immorality, diseases , and murderRead MoreEssay Cannibalism2296 Words   |  10 PagesCannibalism Cannibalism has been around since the beginning of time. Mainly as an act of defense or as an alternate, last resort, for food. Cannibalism is also used as an act of violence among animals to preserve their genetics. Human cannibalism however, was not used as an act of violence to cause pain and anguish amongst other human beings. Cannibalism within the human race is widely known throughout the world, though you may not know it. From New Guinea to the high deserts of ArizonaRead MoreEssay about Cannibalism1512 Words   |  7 PagesCannibalism is the consumption of human flesh by other human beings. The concept of people eating other people is highly debatable, but it has been proven to occur throughout history. The word â€Å"cannibalism† comes from the Carib Indians of the West Indies, which were called â€Å"Caribalesquot; or â€Å"Canibales† (Spier 543). The Spanish word â€Å"canibales† translates to thirsty and cruel in English. Another known term for cannibalism is the Latin form â€Å"anthropophagy† (Bell). 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