Curious ElfCannibalism is a horrifying act or practice by humans that tells us that if there’s a zombie apocalypse, it will not be a complete nuisance. However, cannibalism introduces a series of unanswered questions that should have been solved, considering that humans have been engaged with this practice for millions of years.
From the leading cause of this practice to the best body parts that you eat, you will get answers to all the questions that you were too scared to ask.
- Why do humans practice cannibalism?
The exact answer to this is still unknown. Apart from the survival and ritualistic cannibalism, there’s only conjecture as to why criminal cannibalism takes place. The bible of psychiatric ailments, DSM, has not listed cannibalism in it. However, psychologists say that humans practicing it may relate back to their childhood trauma due to separation anxiety from their parents and oral aggression. Most presumably, the criminals committing cannibalism may have schizophrenia.
In the most extreme and horrifying event, the act of cannibalism may relate to the sexual desire of the human when they derive sexual satisfaction by fantasizing about consuming the flesh of other humans.
- Who are the most popular cannibals?
Most commonly, the characters from the Silence of the Lambs, James Gumb, most popularly known as Buffalo Bill for the line, “It puts the lotion in its skin,” along with Hannibal Lecter. Bill is a serial killer named Ted Bundy, who acted to be injured to ask the victims for help. Ed Gein murdered and skinned women and made them hide in suits which he later wore. And lastly, a Philadelphia criminal who used to burrow women in a five and a half feet deep pit.
It may be too presumptuous to tell what was the inspiration for Thomas Harris’ Hannibal. Still, the author probably told a librarian once that the character was based on the killer William Coyle, who eloped away from prison in 1934 and went straight into a cannibalistic murder streak.
Some other real notable cannibals are Stella Maris from the Rugby team, who ate the fellow teammates after the team’s plane crashed in the Andes in 1972. Another one is Jeffrey Dahmer, an American necrophilia cannibalistic serial killer, Armin Mewes, and Albert Fish, a cannibal, pedophile, and serial killer executed in 1936.
- How does the bible describe cannibalism?
Several references to cannibalism come from the siege of cannibalism and what would be the consequences if the Israelites disobeyed their God. One verse from Jeremiah 19:9 says: “I will make them eat the flesh of their daughters and sons, and they will eat each other’s flesh during the anxiety of the siege imposed on them by the enemies who seek their lives.”Some verses even mention human sacrifices. In some verses, human sacrifice is demanded by God, and in others it is forbidden. It’s best for the theologians to argue and see whether they are metaphorical or literal.
- How does human flesh taste?
The human flesh tastes like profuse pork that may have contributed to the native culinary term for the human flesh, which is a ‘long pig.’ Miewe, the popular German cannibal, shared in his interview from a jail cell: “The human flesh tastes more like pork, slightly more bitter, and strong. It was quite good.” In the 1920s, two German serial killers even sold human flesh in the black market by the label ‘pork.’
- Will eating human flesh kill you?
The last known group of cannibals was the Korowai tribe of Papua New Guinea. According to the Smithsonian Magazine story from 2006, the practice of eating human flesh is still entrenched in their culture. They kill and eat their fellow tribesmen because of khakhua, which is disguised. The khakhua eats their victims from inside when they are asleep.
However, the practice declined as ritualistic cannibalism eventually led to the mass spread of a disease called Kuru among the tribe members. This disease is similar to the Mad cow disease, affecting the brain and nervous system. The consumption of human flesh consisting of infected protein or prion leads to loss of motor control, brain deterioration, and death.
