[Quinny]

This is from the official CDC site:

http://www.cdc.gov/phpr/zombies/#/page/1


I think we should maybe start to get worried!

[Whitefang]

To me a person very hungry equals a zombie when willing to kill humans for food.
Cannibalism is the logical result of permanent lack of food.

http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/glob ... ound-world

North Korea's long-standing food crisis has led to a rash of reports of cannibalism in this secretive communist nation, as family and friends turn to feeding on one another to avoid starvation.
New reports of cannibalism in North Korea hit the Western media in January 2013, as supposed citizen-journalists secretly operating out of the DPRK claimed a man had been executed for killing and eating his two children.
Cannibalism rumors in North Korea have persisted for years, likely beginning during the deadly food shortage of the 1990s, in which nearly a million are thought to have perished.
The North Korean government refuses to confirm or deny these cannibalism reports, and it remains unlikely anyone outside the country will know the unpleasant truth in the near future.

Read more from GlobalPost: New rumors surface of famine-induced cannibalism in North Korea

Is the country currently experiencing an unusually damaging famine? As is often the case with North Korea news, it's extremely hard to say for sure. A recent UN crop assessment found that food production appears to be improving, although children still are suffering from malnutrition in unacceptably high numbers.
North Korea experienced an extreme drought in the summer of 2012, which likely has resulted in a dangerous drop in food production. Under these conditions, it's not unthinkable that North Koreans may be turning to desperate measures for survival.

[Lore]

Most people will starve to death rather than practice cannibalism. It's a big social taboo and for the most part has only been carried out for ritual reasons among humans. I would expect more of those taking from those that have.

[SteveO]

Most people will starve to death rather than practice cannibalism. It's a big social taboo and for the most part has only been carried out for ritual reasons among humans. I would expect more of those taking from those that have.

Look up the "Minnesota starvation experiment". One participant, who was removed from the study do to cheating and threatening the doctors, reported cannibalistic desires. Other participants also reported considering cannibalism. These men were down to about 1500 calories a day.

When the most basic needs (food, water, shelter) aren't met, our veneer of social taboo and civilization gets stripped away very quickly.

[Lore]

Most people will starve to death rather than practice cannibalism. It's a big social taboo and for the most part has only been carried out for ritual reasons among humans. I would expect more of those taking from those that have.

Look up the "Minnesota starvation experiment". One participant, who was removed from the study do to cheating and threatening the doctors, reported cannibalistic desires. Other participants also reported considering cannibalism. These men were down to about 1500 calories a day.

When the most basic needs (food, water, shelter) aren't met, our veneer of social taboo and civilization gets stripped away very quickly.

Thinking about it and doing it are two different things. Many civilizations have passed through starvation, some to extinction, without resorting to wholesale cannabalism. It's a fictional myth. Not that you won't have some of it in a desperate situation, but such unsanctioned acts are quickly stomped out. It's a visceral, hard wired reaction to preserve the group.

[ROCKMAN]

Pstarr – True but it does look like they were trying to get folks to think about planning for any kind of emergency. Unfortunately they felt they had to present it in a format geared towards the mind of a 14 yo boy in order to get adults to pay attention. I said unfortunate…not unnecessary. LOL.

There's an easier way to test such human response without going whole hog towards cannibalistic thoughts. Stick a nice horse steak medium rare in front of a group of very hungry folks and check the reactions. I know a few folks who would have a great deal of difficulty. I’ve had horse in Mexico and it was pretty good…especially compared to the beef down there.

Now take the horse eaters, get them hunger again, and stick some nicely grilled dog in front of them. I suspect the number of diners would decline. Now repeat and use some nice sautéed rat. Crowd getting thinner? (pun intended). I could go on and make it even nastier (kitten on a stick) but I think the point is clear: it’s all about emotional context. Like putting a burger in front of my buddy from India or a nice ham steak in front of an orthodox Jew.

But how many have really been that hungry to test themselves? When I was 5 yo I was rushed to the hospital to get moth balls pumped out of my little tummy. Obviously I was rather hungry. I even had a short period as a food thief before times got better. I was in my late 20’s before I stopped having a panic attacks when I saw someone leaving food on their plate in a restaurant.

But I’m much better now. Mostly thanks to Blue Bell ice cream. LOL.

[SteveO]

Most people will starve to death rather than practice cannibalism. It's a big social taboo and for the most part has only been carried out for ritual reasons among humans. I would expect more of those taking from those that have.

Look up the "Minnesota starvation experiment". One participant, who was removed from the study do to cheating and threatening the doctors, reported cannibalistic desires. Other participants also reported considering cannibalism. These men were down to about 1500 calories a day.

When the most basic needs (food, water, shelter) aren't met, our veneer of social taboo and civilization gets stripped away very quickly.

Thinking about it and doing it are two different things. Many civilizations have passed through starvation, some to extinction, without resorting to wholesale cannibalism. It's a fictional myth. Not that you won't have some of it in a desperate situation, but such unsanctioned acts are quickly stomped out. It's a visceral, hard wired reaction to preserve the group.

If you look at the bios of the men who participated, they were mostly WW2 vets and typically much more disciplined and tied to their community and church that most 21st century people are. Also they knew that they were in a short term study so they banded together to support one another. I'm not saying that there wouldn't be groups of people with that kind of discipline, I'm saying that people with that mentality are the minority in this instant gratification age.

Also, people tend to react to groups that are not their group with surprising levels of inhumanity. I'm willing to agree they may not practice cannibalism within their own group/tribe/family unit but outsiders won't get that level of courtesy during a famine.

[ROCKMAN]

pstarr - " Could it be an inherited taboo?". Maybe from the thoughts like; "Yeah...I'm very hungry too. And why are you staring at my leg?"

And don't get me started about squirrel. One of biggest laments is not being able to get out and hunt those tasty little rats with furry tails anymore. LOL. I used to ride the bus down to the City Park in Nawlins, harvest those little buggers with a pellet pistol, haul them back to campus in a Schwegman's grocery bag and cook them up in my electric skillet in the rock lab. Those were really great days. LOL. Really...fond memories.

[Lore]

If you look at the bios of the men who participated, they were mostly WW2 vets and typically much more disciplined and tied to their community and church that most 21st century people are. Also they knew that they were in a short term study so they banded together to support one another. I'm not saying that there wouldn't be groups of people with that kind of discipline, I'm saying that people with that mentality are the minority in this instant gratification age.

Also, people tend to react to groups that are not their group with surprising levels of inhumanity. I'm willing to agree they may not practice cannibalism within their own group/tribe/family unit but outsiders won't get that level of courtesy during a famine.

You'd have to point me to where this has historically happened at any time in our human history other than as some type of ceremonial, or superstitious pagan ritual. Roving groups of post apocalyptic cannibals makes for a good movie plot, but there's no real foundation in its reality.

Which leads to an interesting question. Would the "Walking Dead" series be so popular if it were human cannibals chasing down people rather then dead Zombies munching on living humans and then getting their heads splattered? I think not. A thin line exists around being fascinated by a subject and completely reviled by it.

[Plantagenet]

You'd have to point me to where this has historically happened at any time in our human history other than as some type of ceremonial, or superstitious pagan ritual.

That's easy.

Among modern humans, cannibalism has been practiced by various groups.[32] In the past, it was practiced by humans in Europe,[33][34] South America,[35] among Iroquoian peoples in North America,[36] Maori in New Zealand,[37] the Solomon Islands,[38] parts of West Africa[2] and Central Africa,[2] some of the islands of Polynesia,[2] New Guinea,[39] Sumatra,[2] and Fiji.[40] Evidence of cannibalism has been found in ruins associated with the Anasazi culture of the Southwestern United States as well.[41][42] --Wikipedia


Long pig again? Jeez….how about some fish for a change?

[Lore]

You'd have to point me to where this has historically happened at any time in our human history other than as some type of ceremonial, or superstitious pagan ritual.

That's easy.

Among modern humans, cannibalism has been practiced by various groups.[32] In the past, it was practiced by humans in Europe,[33][34] South America,[35] among Iroquoian peoples in North America,[36] Maori in New Zealand,[37] the Solomon Islands,[38] parts of West Africa[2] and Central Africa,[2] some of the islands of Polynesia,[2] New Guinea,[39] Sumatra,[2] and Fiji.[40] Evidence of cannibalism has been found in ruins associated with the Anasazi culture of the Southwestern United States as well.[41][42] --Wikipedia


Long pig again? Jeez….how about some fish for a change?

You just pointed to where it was done as a ceremonial, superstitious, or ritual practice. These groups just didn't kill their enemies for food. That's what the discussion here is about, try to keep up!

[Plantagenet]

The world is a big and complicated place, Lore. Just about anything you can imagine has been done by humans somewhere in the world. Don't rely just on your TV for your info----open your mind to the wide variety of human experience out in the real world.

For instance, check out what a native Fijian has to say about his people's history of cannibalism---and note this man also says his own grandfather was a cannibal.

the-history-of-cannibalism-in-the-fiji-islands-

Fijians adopted cannibalism from their long voyage at sea. The lack of adequate nutrition forced these sailors to consume the dead in order to survive. When these seafares landed in Fiji, cannibalism became part of the Fijian diet.

[Lore]

The world is a big and complicated place, Lore. Just about anything you can imagine has been done by humans somewhere in the world. Don't rely just on your TV for your info----open your mind to the wide variety of human experience out in the real world.

For instance, check out what a native Fijian has to say about his people's history of cannibalism---and note this man also says his own grandfather was a cannibal.

the-history-of-cannibalism-in-the-fiji-islands-

Fijians adopted cannibalism from their long voyage at sea. The lack of adequate nutrition forced these sailors to consume the dead in order to survive. When these seafares landed in Fiji, cannibalism became part of the Fijian diet.

Good grief... are monkeys flying out of your butt too? Many things happen, the world is complicated for our feeble minds, but some things are just a fact. You're anecdotal Fijian nightmare was not a practice for food, no more than the Donner Party was.

[Plantagenet]

The world is a big and complicated place, Lore. Just about anything you can imagine has been done by humans somewhere in the world. Don't rely just on your TV for your info----open your mind to the wide variety of human experience out in the real world.

For instance, check out what a native Fijian has to say about his people's history of cannibalism---and note this man also says his own grandfather was a cannibal.

the-history-of-cannibalism-in-the-fiji-islands-

Fijians adopted cannibalism from their long voyage at sea. The lack of adequate nutrition forced these sailors to consume the dead in order to survive. When these seafares landed in Fiji, cannibalism became part of the Fijian diet.

You're anecdotal Fijian nightmare was not a practice for food, no more than the Donner Party was.

The practice of cannibalism in the Fiji islands is not "anecdotal."

It is well documented by western travelers and by the fijian people themselves. It wasn't a one-off or rare thing---it was a basic part of Fijian society. Cannibalism in Fiji was first documented by Captain Cook in the 1760s and continued up into the 19th century. The last person eaten was a Scottish missionary in 1867------like most other discerning people the Fijians apparently found Scottish food to be disgusting, and abandoned cannibalism shortly afterward.

[Lore]

The practice of cannibalism in the Fiji islands is not "anecdotal."

It is well documented by western travelers and by the fijian people themselves. It wasn't a one-off or rare thing---it was a basic part of Fijian society. Cannibalism in Fiji was first documented by Captain Cook in the 1760s and continued up into the 19th century. The last person eaten was a Scottish missionary in 1867------like most other discerning people the Fijians apparently found Scottish food to be disgusting, and abandoned cannibalism shortly afterward.

It's anecdotal by the very fact you can pick these particular instances out from bystanders. No society has ever resorted to cannibalism as a regular food source. Again, Fijians ate their dead in need, or used it as ritualistic punishment.

After all, how could you ever trust your friend if they are a cannibal?

[Sixstrings]

Nice find. Kind of wild this is published by our government.

"We can't just shoot them, these are fellow citizens."