Index IntroductionCannibalism in historyCannibalism as a fetishSurvival cannibalismAutocannibalismConclusionWorks CitedIntroductionWhen people hear the word cannibalism, they are almost immediately disgusted by it. It is an extremely taboo topic in many cultures and throughout the United States. Cannibalism is defined as “the act or practice whereby human beings eat the flesh or internal organs of other human beings.” (Wikipedia, 2020). The act of eating the flesh or internal organs of another human being has been going on for centuries. According to a recent study conducted by researchers in France, it was discovered that around 120,000 years ago, Neanderthals cannibalized each other to combat harsh climate changes. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original EssayCannibalism in HistoryThere are stories of Christopher Columbus writing to Queen Isabella telling her about the Caribbean that he and his fellow explorers had encountered on expeditions. He had told her that they were known for their violent raids and that they cooked and ate their captives. It is believed that this is where the term cannibal comes from. Queen Isabella, being a person in power, made sure that anyone who ate human flesh was captured and enslaved. Thus, there was the first inkling that cannibalism was deviant. In 15th century Europe, a cure for epilepsy, nausea, bruises, and virtually any other medical problem was believed to be found within a brown powder that could be mixed into drinks, or used as an ointment. This brown powder was called mumia and was made from the mummified flesh of humans. Mumia was so popular that it was listed in the Merck Index, well into the 20th century. Not only was the consumption of mummified meat used as a medical treatment, but in ancient China it was believed that an adult child of a sick parent could help cure it. offering a piece of their meat. The child would cut off a piece of their thigh, arm, or even remove a finger for the sick parent. This was not seen as a sacrifice as the children did not die. This type of cannibalism was accepted then, but is not widely practiced today. The Aghoris of India are known as modern day cannibals. They practice various post-mortem rituals and believe that their practices kill the ego and bring them closer to enlightenment. The Aghoris live in the city of Varanasi or in cremation places, where they cover themselves with the cremated remains of the dead, to bring them closer to the god Shiva. They meditate for 12 years while living in Varanasi and have to cut all ties with family and friends. They will often take part in cannibalistic rituals and will eat freshly dead corpses brought to cremation grounds and eat the meat raw. They believe that God is in everything, so they are grateful for everything that is given to them. Even Aghori Babas or monks will eat the rotten flesh of a corpse if they come across one. The Aghoris are widely recognized and feared throughout India because they don't seem to have a care in the world and more often than not you will find them drunk or high on opioids. They choose this life to get closer to enlightenment. Does this make them deviant? If you look at the Aghori from a moral point of view, then yes, they are deviant, in their cannibalism and their rituals. The Aghori take pride in making sure they do particularly heinous things. They eat the flesh of the dead, urinate in the skulls of the dead and drink it, they don't have a care in the world. Cannibalism as a fetishWhat happens when cannibalism becomes an obsession or a fetish? In Issei Sagawa's case it led him to kill an innocent woman. IsseiSagawa is a Japanese man who seemed obsessed with eating a woman. While attending school in France, Sagawa befriended a Dutch woman named Renee. He took her back to his apartment, shot her in the head, raped her corpse and began eating her. Sagawa ate some of Renee raw and cooked some of her meat. It fed on its body for three days before cutting up what was left and attempting to dump it in a river. Authorities arrested him and he confessed to his crimes, but he was released after being found insane and unfit for trial by a French judge. Sagawa was sent back to Japan where he would spend the rest of his days in a mental institution but was eventually released because his case was dismissed in France. Sagawa still fantasizes about eating human flesh and says it's a fetish. He made a lot of money by being the freed cannibal, writing books and manga, and even making what are known as sexploitation videos. Issei Sagawa grew up in a wealthy family, he was able to go to a nice school, he had practically everything he could need or want. The only thing it didn't have was looks. He was born premature, so he was very small, he had some health problems that made him seem strange. He knew he wasn't handsome and he knew that no woman in her right mind would want him alone. Then, he began to fantasize about eating them, wondering what they would taste like, until he could make that fantasy a reality. Survival Cannibalism What happens when your life depends on cannibalism? Survival cannibalism is often one of the things that people will accept. You did it to live and survive. You had no other choice. In October 1972, Uruguayan Air Force Flight 571 crashed into the Andes. On board were 19 members of the Old Christians rugby team. In total there were 45 people on the plane and only 33 survived the original crash. During this time, many of the 33 people died and their bodies were carried down the mountain by avalanches. The survivors tried to live on candy bars and wine for several weeks, but once everything was gone, they were left without hope. After a long conversation, all the survivors decided that they would eat whoever died next, which they did. At the end of the whole affair, only 16 people were saved. They were trapped on the mountain for 2 months and only managed to survive by eating their fellow friends and travelers. If it weren't for their decision to cannibalize the dead, none of them would have made it out alive. Survival cannibalism has been around for centuries and this is just one case where it saved a few lives. I have a feeling that eventually the body's fight-or-flight instinct will kick in and your need to live will chase away your disgust at eating human flesh. Automatic CannibalismWhat about autocannibalism though? The act of eating one's own flesh or organs? Once again, people turn up their noses at the thought of cannibalism, but what happens when women choose to eat their own placenta after giving birth? It is well known that the placenta is rich in nutrients, providing the growing baby with everything it needs to survive in the womb, so it makes sense to eat it, right? You could argue that eating your own placenta isn't self-cannibalism because it's an organ that grows when you get pregnant and isn't with you for life, or isn't really a part of you. It's still an organ. It's still part of you and you are a human being. Why is this so widely accepted and eating a rack of John Smith's ribs is not? It's about taboo, deviance and what we consider.