How far would you go?

[Old Timer]

The survival instinct is strong in some people and weak in others. Some will never give up: some will give up at the first obstacle.
How far would you go? Would you turn cannibal (Alive)? Would you abandon your companion (Touching the void)? Would you kill to eat an animal you knew to be virtually extinct?
I have no particular reason for asking this question, other than curiosity.

 

[Eric_Methven]

What I think I'd do now may well bear no relation to what I'd actually do in a desparate situation. Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs will kick in and take over.

I don't think it is possible to say for sure.

Eric

 

[boisdevie]

I'd do just about anything to survive. Including eating dead human flesh (with a touch of garlic of course - I try to be civilised) and I'd eat an animal on the verge of extinction. If I ate a dead labour city councillor would that count as both I wonder?

 

[Old Timer]

If I ate a dead labour city councillor would that count as both I wonder?

Sounds a bit poisonous to me

 

[Ahjno]

I think I'd probably sit down, crying for my Mum and then ... die ...


IMHO it's impossible to answer this question, unless you've been in such a situation you don't know how you will react. It's all about factors at such a moment ...

 

[william#]

pretty sure this is a unpreditable one .
though the higher motivated the individual the more they will try
or maybe its just the hungryer the indervidual is

 

[Old Timer]

IMHO it's impossible to answer this question, unless you've been in such a situation you don't know how you will react. It's all about factors at such a moment ...[/QUOTE]

I think that if you left it to the moment before deciding it might be too late. Some decisions need an attitude change well before the moment.

 

[mace242]

In my mind it's down to importance. As a person am I more important than the thing I have to eat to survive. Would I - for instance - kill and eat my dog to survive? Yes. Endangered species? It all depends. I'd have to be there, as it's been said. There are a whole load of people (too many I recon) but withot being there I really couldn't say.

 

[Bisamratte]

I think after a point desperation would make you do anything if you think it will help you to survive. Whether its the right thing to do at the right time or not is another question. I just got this image of the rescue plane appearing on the horizon as your serving up your companion :theyareon

 

[Old Timer]

I just got this image of the rescue plane appearing on the horizon as your serving up your companion :theyareon

Always travel with a large companion. That way you can share with your rescuers.

 

[ilan]

Thats a difficult one to call I cannot see any situation I would need to kill another humane to survive. so no Yes I would eat humane flesh from someone already dead yes I would abondon a companion if I could justify it .I allways think you asses the situation calculate the risk without relying on any one to get you out of the sh*t its a bonus if they do ! equaly If I dececide not to do somthing its my call . Yes I would eat somthing very rare as if killing one will cause it to become extinct its already there .

 

[Bisamratte]

Always travel with a large companion. That way you can share with your rescuers.

 

[Ahjno]

I think that if you left it to the moment before deciding it might be too late. Some decisions need an attitude change well before the moment.

Changing your attitude ...
Exactly, that's the whole point. IMHO you can't change your "will to life". You've got the "will" or not. It's inside you - and it's darn hard to change your personality, letalone change / switch the button from "off" (no will) to "on" (having a will).

Survivaltraining - yes, very usefull and gives you a bit of a head start. But to life or to die, it's still between your ears (and it's there, or not).

Stress, pain, loss of loved ones (or even badly wounded), thirst, hunger, rain, hot, cold, etc. etc. are all factors that play an important role.

It's very easy to say in front of the computer - nice and cosy, well fed and a brew / beer within handreach - to say you'll cope with it. To say: "yeah, I'll eat a <whatever>, even if there's a chance that this species will extinct".

Of course, it's all about perspective: you see it one way, I see it otherwise.

 

[william#]

In my mind it's down to importance. As a person am I more important than the thing I have to eat to survive. Would I - for instance - kill and eat my dog to survive? Yes. Endangered species? It all depends. I'd have to be there, as it's been said. There are a whole load of people (too many I recon) but withot being there I really couldn't say.

pretty sure you wouldnt care how rare the species if you were hungry enough .
i imagine its very hard to just lay down and die eventually hunger or thirst will be overwhelming
even if you dont want to keep going you have to deal with these feelings (maslow).
maybe the question should be could you lay down and die - really think about that b4 answering - even if you dont see a point or a way out yu will still have to deal with the basic functions and compulsions .
while we are on the subject
do you think oats really walked out into the snow giving his life so as there would be more rations left for the rest or
they ate him and that was what was meant by him giving his life ?

 

[Old Timer]

Do you think oats really walked out into the snow giving his life so as there would be more rations left for the rest or
they ate him and that was what was meant by him giving his life ?

If they had eaten him I'm pretty sure that they would have survived. They weren't that far from a food dump.

 

[william#]

bet they were happy about that then maybe thats why he did legg it he could see the hungry eyes lol

 

[Scots_Charles_River]

Yes would do an ALIVE since it's down to MASLOWs needs as posted.

Nick

 

[BorderReiver]

I would have no qualms about eating a dead person or a rare animal if the situation demanded it.

BUT,as has been said,I don't know how I would act in the actual situation.

Eating and drinking must be done before the situation gets desperate.People have been found dead from thirst who still have water in their containers.Your large dead companion might have decayed beyond safe consumption by the time hunger drove you to eat him.

I always find it sad that people die with a ready supply of protein available.

Scott's lads were too far gone to eat Oates.They were totally done in by exhaustion and the cold.

 

[Mike Ameling]

Now, what did that phrase from those South Pacific Islanders translate to? Oh, yeah - Long Pig!

What does Spotted Owl taste like? A lot like Whooping Crane!

OK, enough of the frivolity.

As many others have already said, it's too hard to know/judge what any one person would do in such a situation.

I've seen Mall Rats and Soccer Moms totally dissolve into sobbing lumps when their cell phones wouldn't work, or their vehicle quit! Their world suddenly ended and they didn't know how to continue on! I also know a number of people who would kill another person to obtain food - in the right situations. All of these are just regular everyday people - not those street trash who live off of hunting people for their possessions.

So it's a hard thing to say, until you've been there. I spent part of "lifetime" in a time/place where few rules of civilization applied. For too many people, "civilization" is a thin veil too easily pulled aside. Adapting to a more primitive existance without devolving into base savagery becomes a priority. But it's still very hard to tell how any one individual will adapt.

Simple answer? I would survive as best I could. Any discussion of what actually transpired only matters to those still living to "tell the tale".

Such deep and troubling thoughts require a ... wee dram or three ...

Mike

p.s. Just remember, SOILENT GREEN is PEOPLE! IT'S PEOPLE!

 

[Toddy]

Under no circumstances would I eat another person, dead or alive.

Death isn't something I either welcome or fear, it just is and it is eventually inevitable anyway. I am told that hunger to the extreme of starvation doesn't hurt, the uncomfortable/ aching stage is long gone by then and there comes a point when the body just no longer can accept and digest food.

Bluntly, I find the thought of eating animal flesh repulsive and the same goes for fish, fowl, insect or invertebrate. It takes an effort for me just to eat cheese and butter.

But, these are personal preferences and decisions, and I would defend against, even to the extreme, anyone trying to kill me or mine for food.

Could I deal in a civilised manner with cannibals? Well of course I could, they are people. I might not agree with their choices, might find the whole concept utterly repugnant but y'know humanity comes in many guises, creeds, cultures and circumstances, I don't live as they do and they aren't on my doorstep, if I invade their territory that's my lookout. Cannibals from necessity? I really hope they are afforded discretion and some good counselling.

Kill a threatened species? I doubt it. I see no need unless attacked and I can't get out of the way.

So there we have the range of views; polemic, from those who have no issues to those who would refuse to eat even though meat can be considered nutritious.

Funny old world, isn't it?

cheers,
Toddy