I agree with the idea of humans being innately cannibalistic. If humans are genetically 99% similar to Chimps, then why do most humans not practice cannibalism? Most humans do not practice cannibalism because of the society we live in today. I believe that without the laws of man, society, ethics, morals humans would eat other humans. Without the laws that ever human has been taught I believe cannibalism would be a natural part of life.
Moreover, cannibalism is not part of our life because of language. Communication is the key to relationships, interaction, emotion, and many more aspects humans come in contact with everyday. Through language humans share feelings, thoughts, ideas, and understanding. Without language humans would be just life animals, trying every way to survive. Survival of the fittest has existed since the dinosaurs roamed the earth. Due to language, many people try to help others and do not practice in survival of the fittest and everyman for himself. Language creates a barrier from barbaric to civilize.
Many question why there are some humans who participate in the act of cannibalism. I believe those particular individuals are wired differently from many people living in society. Another idea to ponder on is what about people who could be born and never introduced to society, language, morals, reasoning, logic. How would these people live? Would they create their own language and civilized society or practice the saying every man for himself?
The question that all humans are cannibals at some sort of genetic level is interesting and most diffidently an idea that has and will continue to be debated.
I can certainly agree that humans might be innately cannibalistic, but when we were talking about why more people don't practice it in class all I could think of was Mad Cow disease...
ReplyDeleteThe idea of eating another person grosses me out...but I feel like it's because we have language, like you said. Let me explain. I don't think I could chow down on a human leg without thinking, 'oh my god I could have had a conversation with this person!' It just seems so wrong.
I really think Ashley does a good job of pointing out how important language is... and what a difference it has made in the way humans live. If the fact that humans are 99% the same as Chimps, then yes, I have to agree we are probably innately canibals-- as scary and uncomfortable as it is think.
ReplyDeleteI strongly agree that humans have the innate ability to be cannibalistic, but that our society, along with language, has prevented the majority of humans from resorting to it. I do not agree that the people who have resorted to cannibalism are somehow differently wired. I think that the feelings and thoughts raised by language in opposition as well as the restrictions that society implements are absent in most of the known cases of cannibalism. Therefore, the oppositions to our innate ability is removed.
ReplyDeleteI like what you said about communication being the key to relationships. It's true, and with out communication a relationship is doomed to fail. And to me, survival of the fittest is a rule that humans follow only when they are in a competition, but it is not part of a daily routine. I think that the saying 'every man for himself' is only when there is something to lose.
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