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'Soylent' Dawkins? Atheist mulls 'taboo against cannibalism' ending as lab-grown meat improves
What if human meat is grown? Could we overcome our taboo against cannibalism?"
- @RichardDawkins - 6:15 AM - 3 Mar 2018
https://twitter.com/RichardDawkins/status/969939225180364805
https://archive.fo/kSmgi
"Lab-grown 'clean' meat could be on sale by end of 2018, says producer"
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/clean-meat-lab-grown-available-restaurants-2018-global-warming-greenhouse-emissions-a8236676.html
"'Soylent' Dawkins? Atheist mulls 'taboo against cannibalism' ending as lab-grown meat improves"
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2018/mar/6/richard-dawkins-mulls-taboo-against-cannibalism-en/
and:
https://www.nationalreview.com/blog/corner/richard-dawkins-eating-human-meat-cannibalism-taboo/
(Score: 5, Insightful) by Azuma Hazuki on Saturday March 10 2018, @03:12AM (22 children)
*In theory,* there would be nothing wrong with this so long as 1) no nerve tissue were involved and 2) it was proven that there was no risk of prion disease from consuming purely flesh meat.
However, the question still remains: why the fuck? Seriously, why the fuck would anyone want to eat human meat at all? I seem to remember a story written about this premise exactly a long time ago, I think it was called "Ambrosia."
I am "that girl" your mother warned you about...
(Score: 3, Informative) by takyon on Saturday March 10 2018, @03:27AM (10 children)
Cannibalism isn't exactly uncommon in the animal world. Technology could allow us to come full circle.
Ok, why really? First, for the amusement of Altered Carbon-style future trillionaires/quadrillionaires. Second, for the actual cannibal fetishists [theguardian.com] that are among us. I expect their ranks would... swell if the lab-grown/cultured human meat option becomes available, since there would be not need to be any death and suffering involved, and legal issues are either resolved or avoided (nobody to tattle on you if you grow and eat your own human meat). Third, academic study. We could emulate what it's like to be trapped on a ship and eating your crew mates. Fuck it, we'll hand out a PhD or two for that.
None of these reasons are very compelling for most people, but there would certainly be some individuals who would be into this.
What Does Human Flesh Taste Like? | Secrets of Everything | Brit Lab [youtube.com]
Always Sunny - Human Meat [youtube.com]
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(Score: 1, Troll) by MichaelDavidCrawford on Saturday March 10 2018, @04:11AM
The old ones don't get to enjoy their golden years
Yes I Have No Bananas. [gofundme.com]
(Score: 3, Insightful) by maxwell demon on Saturday March 10 2018, @06:15AM (4 children)
If you read the article you linked to, you'll learn that at least for this cannibal, the killing part was an integral part of his fantasy, so lab-grown human meat would certainly not have satisfied him.
The Tao of math: The numbers you can count are not the real numbers.
(Score: 2) by takyon on Saturday March 10 2018, @07:24AM (3 children)
Key words being "this cannibal" and "fantasy". They could play pretend, but with human meat. I linked that case to show that cannibalism is still happening these days, making headlines, despite an abundance of calories, and because in that case, the cannibal apparently only killed the "victim" because it was consensual. For every one extreme "ethical" cannibal that wants to end someone else's life, there are probably a larger number of others who would settle for eating a non-criminal amount of someone else's flesh, and even more who would readily jump at the opportunity to try lab-grown human flesh. And of course, some plain folks would try lab-grown human meat just so they could say they did.
We could say there are opportunistic, homicidal, situational, etc. cannibals. Is lab-grown human flesh a gateway to cannibalistic murder? Or a way to control the urge the kill? Why can't cannibals just eat some raw pork instead of lab-grown human meat to get their jollies off? Maybe because even though they would know the experience is synthetic and without a victim, just knowing the flesh has an authentic taste and is genetically human can fulfill the desire for the "forbidden fruit".
And you can apply everything above to "vampires" as well. I can see it now: an entrepreneurial biohacker creates a synthetic "True Blood" that can be safely imbibed by sanguinarians [wikipedia.org] without giving them AIDS or something, and sells it for a tidy profit. I'm thinking $250 a pint. Beats peddling kombucha or cold-brewed coffee, as long as you can reach enough customers on etsy or patreon.
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(Score: 1, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday March 10 2018, @06:25PM (2 children)
It still happens, but why would this be any different from rape? Anybody who would make use of the pretend version already is. Humans probably taste like pork or chicken, but there's not very many folks out there willing to say and few are willing to try.
There are folks that do enjoy role playing rape, it's a very different situation. Same goes for people that are willing to pretend to be eating people, there's no reason to use meat that's got human DNA as you're probably not going to be able to tell the difference without a DNA test.
(Score: 2) by takyon on Saturday March 10 2018, @06:46PM (1 child)
Like a placebo effect, except that knowing it's real could make it more effective in satisfying the fetish.
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(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday March 10 2018, @09:25PM
No. Some people just need to be locked up.
(Score: 2) by fyngyrz on Saturday March 10 2018, @06:53AM
Is that what the kids are calling it these days? A "rank"?
I can't keep up.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday March 10 2018, @10:50AM
Oh I great, now I am just waiting the movement against systematic oppression of cannibals in our society.
(Score: 1, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday March 10 2018, @02:06PM (1 child)
Cannibalism in nature means exposing oneself to the full array of pathogens afflicting the one you eat; none of "we're different species!" protection whatsoever. The danger outweighs the gain except in the direst of circumstances (a probable early death from disease is still preferable to a certain immediate one from hunger).
With the disease factor excised, meat is just meat.
But having said that, once the novelty factor wears off, there is absolutely no reason synth-human meat would sell well on taste alone. The evolutional pressure has been all for DISpreferring same-species meat.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday March 10 2018, @06:28PM
In general, eating animals that eat other animals leads to that sort of problem. When it's humans it's even worse because humans generally have the same diseases that other humans can get. Plus, there's the issue of our agreement that if I kill you for food, I can reasonably expect that you won't either.
Considering that the only way to know what man meat tastes like is to actually eat somebody, I fail to see how creating lab grown human meat for consumption makes any sense outside of a philosophical puzzle. I can see it being made for medicinal reasons like replacing damaged tissue, but for consumption I don't see why people would want to eat it badly enough to pay the production costs on what's likely at best a niche interest.
(Score: 1) by cocaine overdose on Saturday March 10 2018, @03:42AM
I agree, human lean muscle is pretty awful tasting -- just like most "lean" meats. The only way I'd eat this is if they find a way to grow adipose tissue as well, so I'm not stuck chewing on the equivalent of a raw artichoke. Now human brain, what a dangerous delicacy. Risk of prions are highest here, but so is that delicious fat. As for non-cerebrum nervous tissue, there's really no risk involved. I'm even told, after it's been strung out and cleaned, it tastes like corn. Can't say I'm a fan, but to each his own.
Else, there's nothing that really puts you as close to nature as eating your fellow man. Cain did it, and look at him. Pork can't compete, although it's a close second in taste. There's just something special about knowing you're eating something that has lived a complex life full of strife. One where extensive resources have been put into raising and making sure it gets the best out of life. Unlike beef, yuck. It all tastes the same when it's cooked. "Medium rare really gets the fatty flavor out." The only thing that needs to get out is you! Steak "enthusiasts" are about as able to differentiate Kobe from ground, as wine "aficionados" are with a 1945 Mouton Rothschild and a 2018 Franzia Chardonnay! Go raw or go home. Blue, if you're a stickler for "sanitation." Pro tip from a man that's never had parasites, don't eat out of a dumpster and make sure your butcher is amish or some other straight-shooting ethnicity. He'll be about as fluid in holding a conversation as Stephen Hawking with a harmonica down his throat, but he'll get you meat that's good.
And if you're really on the Schizophrenic spectrum, get yourself some Pyrantel from the local pharmacy and chug that badboy monthly.
(Score: 2) by Runaway1956 on Saturday March 10 2018, @03:47AM (1 child)
Because, of course, we are omnivores. We eat everything that doesn't eat us first.
Personally, I have no desire to eat human flesh. But, I'm aware that most people are quite happy existing as a LCD - or lowest common denominator. They make that obvious in their choice of music, preferred inebriating drinks, and other choices. Seen any Kardashian trash lately?
I suppose that lab-grown human flesh will hit the market - and people with scruples will just have to tolerate it. The LCD's may well prefer that human flesh to real meat. It may replace beef at McDonald's. Get ready for it.
“I have become friends with many school shooters” - Tampon Tim Walz
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday March 11 2018, @01:17AM
What? Why? What is wrong with you?
There's no beef at McDonald's, so how could it be replaced with anything?
(Score: 3, Funny) by Gaaark on Saturday March 10 2018, @04:12AM
I'm just here because I wanted to watch the latest Tarantino dvd.
He was a fine young cannibal.
“You’re my wife, Roy! You’re my wife!”
Hints...hinting at hints.
;)
--- Please remind me if I haven't been civil to you: I'm channeling MDC. ---Gaaark 2.0 ---
(Score: 2) by The Mighty Buzzard on Saturday March 10 2018, @04:14AM
Number two is easily taken care of. Simply make it freely available and use the sick fuckers who buy it as a clinical trial. It's not like their healthcare information can't be easily monitored now that all our health data is hooked to the Internet.
My rights don't end where your fear begins.
(Score: 4, Interesting) by c0lo on Saturday March 10 2018, @04:29AM (1 child)
Was it though? I remember they find prions in sheep muscle back in the day.
Let me see... Ok, here it is [sciencemag.org]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0 https://soylentnews.org/~MichaelDavidCrawford
(Score: 1) by dwilson on Saturday March 10 2018, @04:00PM
Whether it was proven or not, he never implied either way.
- D
(Score: 2) by Arik on Saturday March 10 2018, @04:53AM
*In theory* there's no problem with pork consumption, as long as 1) the meat is processed and inspected rigorously, and 2) the pig farms are located in remote areas far from human habitation.
"However, the question still remains: why the fuck?"
Because many people think it tastes good, and far fewer are concerned with anything past that.
If laughter is the best medicine, who are the best doctors?
(Score: 2) by legont on Saturday March 10 2018, @04:59AM (2 children)
It should be good from a pure nutrient point of view as it could have exactly the right balance of everything.
It's bad because of the highest probability of bio contamination.
Overall, I believe that bugs ate cannibals and that's why there are relatively few of them in nature.
"Wealth is the relentless enemy of understanding" - John Kenneth Galbraith.
(Score: 4, Funny) by takyon on Saturday March 10 2018, @05:03AM (1 child)
Have you seen the average American?
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(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday March 12 2018, @11:00AM
Yes, they're a proper Atkins diet galore!