# Jamestown Necrocannibals **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [May 2, 2013, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jamestown-necrocannibals/657290 "2013-05-02T04:43:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2013, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jamestown-necrocannibals/657290/101 "2013-05-06T01:49:12Z")
> [@Try2B\_Comprehensive](#): > > I think it must always be wrong, whether or not you have a ‘moral qualm’ about it. _Why_, though? I mean, they’re dead. It’s not like they need their bodies. ---
**Author:** ![the\_diego](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7bcc69/32.png) [@the\_diego](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/the_diego)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2013, 6:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jamestown-necrocannibals/657290/102 "2013-05-06T06:44:06Z")
Who are we pitting, the crazed colonials who turned to NC, or the natives who kept them hunkered in their camp, preventing them from going out to forage for food? ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Panda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ee7513/32.png) [@Darth\_Panda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Panda)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2013, 9:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jamestown-necrocannibals/657290/103 "2013-05-06T09:43:19Z")
> [@the\_diego](#): > > Who are we pitting, the crazed colonials who turned to NC, or the natives who kept them hunkered in their camp, preventing them from going out to forage for food? I pit evolution, for denying us photosynthesis. Dick move. ---
**Author:** ![MandaJo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ac91a4/32.png) [@MandaJo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MandaJo)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2013, 10:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jamestown-necrocannibals/657290/104 "2013-05-06T10:42:24Z")
> [@Try2B\_Comprehensive](#): > > Well, besides being a weirdly hilarious topic, it raises interesting philosophical questions. Is cannibalism always wrong? How about kleptonecrocannibalism? Is one conclusion that people who survive starvation in this way have nonetheless done something wrong to achieve that? What if I don’t have any ‘moral qualm’ about pointing that out? > > I think it must always be wrong, whether or not you have a ‘moral qualm’ about it. Now that it is confirmed in Jamestown, well it sure makes some of the founding fathers look pretty nasty, no? As to all the consequences there is a, uh, lot to chew on, so to speak, with the confirmation of these stories. It belongs in the pit because it is awful, but there is more to it than that. Jamestown settlement: 1607 Declaration of Independence: 1776 We are closer to the Civil War today than anyone who could be described as a “Founding Father” was to Jamestown. ---
**Author:** ![Noel\_Prosequi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b19c9b/32.png) [@Noel\_Prosequi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Noel_Prosequi)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2013, 10:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jamestown-necrocannibals/657290/105 "2013-05-06T10:59:32Z")
> [@Amateur\_Barbarian](#): > > Jamestown. > Donner Party. > Alferd Packer. > Andean plane crash. > > Are there more survival-based cannibal rifenesses? (Vs. criminal-nutcase ones; even Packer is borderline.) At the risk of being unimaginatively literal in a thread bursting at the seams with rank jokes, I give you the ur-story on which I suspect the Python Navy cannabalism jokes were based: > **[R v Dudley and Stephens](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R_v_Dudley_and_Stephens)** > > R v Dudley and Stephens (1884) 14 QBD 273, DC is a leading English criminal case which established a precedent throughout the common law world that necessity is not a defence to a charge of murder. The case concerned survival cannibalism following a shipwreck, and its purported justification on the basis of a custom of the sea. > The four-man crew of the wrecked yacht Mignonette were cast adrift in a small lifeboat without provisions. After nearly three weeks at sea, and with little hope of re... Famous case historically about the development of the law regarding the defence of extraordinary emergency. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2013, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jamestown-necrocannibals/657290/106 "2013-05-06T18:39:09Z")
No matter how much of a problem you think you have, Necrocannibals Anonymous is one meeting you do not ever want to attend. ---
**Author:** ![Malthus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/85f322/32.png) [@Malthus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malthus)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2013, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jamestown-necrocannibals/657290/107 "2013-05-06T20:28:56Z")
> [@MandaJo](#): > > Jamestown settlement: 1607 > Declaration of Independence: 1776 > > We are closer to the Civil War today than anyone who could be described as a “Founding Father” was to Jamestown. Hell, be glad that the US took its holiday of Thanksgiving from the Puritans, rather than from Jamestown. _Turkey_ once a year is okay … 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Duke\_of\_Rat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Duke\_of\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke_of_Rat)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2013, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jamestown-necrocannibals/657290/108 "2013-05-06T20:35:44Z")
> [@Malthus](#): > > Hell, be glad that the US took its holiday of Thanksgiving from the Puritans, rather than from Jamestown. _Turkey_ once a year is okay … 😉 Somebody dig up Aunt Martha, it’s Thanksgiving again. But I’m not doing the stuffing this year. ---
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2013, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jamestown-necrocannibals/657290/109 "2013-05-06T22:33:34Z")
Did they have “bath salts” back then?:eek: ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2013, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jamestown-necrocannibals/657290/110 "2013-05-07T01:29:49Z")
It’s exasperating thinking about cannibalism. I usually just throw up my hands. ---
**Author:** ![Try2B\_Comprehensive](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/try2b_comprehensive/32/65_2.png) [@Try2B\_Comprehensive](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Try2B_Comprehensive)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2013, 4:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jamestown-necrocannibals/657290/111 "2013-05-07T04:57:01Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > _Why_, though? I mean, they’re dead. It’s not like they need their bodies. Well, if cannibalism isn’t always wrong, then we have a case of ‘founding fathers’ (some people don’t think that term applies) applying situational ethics. They don’t adhere to a rigid ideology at all… apparently about _anything_ if kleptonecrocannibalism is fair game. How will today’s right-wingers defend their ‘no tax increases under any circumstances’ ideology in the face of this example? I mean, today, without affordable health care, people are literally dying, and we’ll have to raise taxes and cut the military to pay for it along with all the other programs we’ll want to apply to our situation. Ideology as a means of resistance goes pretty much out the window if you are going to budge on cannibalism fer cryin’ out loud. I could produce plenty of other examples; they don’t have to focus on the right. A world with NC allowed is a world with very few bright lines, no? ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2013, 5:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jamestown-necrocannibals/657290/112 "2013-05-07T05:48:59Z")
You know, I think you made more sense when you were railing about circumcision and BP. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Mollie\_Magill](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mollie_magill/32/20882_2.png) [@Mollie\_Magill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mollie_Magill)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2013, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jamestown-necrocannibals/657290/113 "2013-05-07T16:05:03Z")
> [@Try2B\_Comprehensive](#): > > Well, if cannibalism isn’t always wrong, then we have a case of ‘founding fathers’ (some people don’t think that term applies) applying situational ethics. They don’t adhere to a rigid ideology at all… apparently about _anything_ if kleptonecrocannibalism is fair game. > > \ > > I could produce plenty of other examples; they don’t have to focus on the right. A world with NC allowed is a world with very few bright lines, no? Your logic is not sound. NC is not “allowed” in our society by any means. Nobody has set up Stiffy’s Cemetery and Delicatessen. Cannibalism is only acceptable in dire survival circumstances, and then only barely so. Once a person is dead, and other people are literally starving to death around said dead person, then the dead person must be a source of protein, it the others are to survive. This is simple, logical survival ethics. ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2013, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jamestown-necrocannibals/657290/114 "2013-05-07T16:41:06Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > It’s exasperating thinking about cannibalism. I usually just throw up my hands. That took me a minute to process. Bravo. (ETA - my god, why didn’t I say “two thumbs up”?) ---
**Author:** ![Try2B\_Comprehensive](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/try2b_comprehensive/32/65_2.png) [@Try2B\_Comprehensive](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Try2B_Comprehensive)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2013, 5:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jamestown-necrocannibals/657290/115 "2013-05-08T05:34:11Z")
> [@Mollie\_Magill](#): > > Your logic is not sound. Yes it is. > [@](#): > > NC is not “allowed” in our society by any means. Nobody has set up Stiffy’s Cemetery and Delicatessen. Cannibalism is only acceptable in dire survival circumstances, and then only barely so. So, is it or is it not allowed? Whether or not ethics are situational lies in the balance. Ostensibly. > [@](#): > > Once a person is dead, and other people are literally starving to death around said dead person, then the dead person must be a source of protein, it the others are to survive. This is simple, logical survival ethics. You mean situational ethics. Therefore ideology is invalid. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2013, 6:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jamestown-necrocannibals/657290/116 "2013-05-08T06:03:34Z")
[QUOTE=Maus Magill] Once a person is dead, and other people are literally starving to death around said dead person, then the dead person must be a source of protein, it the others are to survive. This is simple, logical survival ethics. [/QUOTE] I’ve been to a couple of college graduations lately and can’t help but think how great an opening line that would be for a commencement speech. Attention getting, to the point, historically allusive, and very relevant for students graduating in the current economy. ---
**Author:** ![MandaJo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ac91a4/32.png) [@MandaJo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MandaJo)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2013, 10:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jamestown-necrocannibals/657290/117 "2013-05-08T10:49:23Z")
> [@Try2B\_Comprehensive](#): > > Well, if cannibalism isn’t always wrong, then we have a case of ‘founding fathers’ (some people don’t think that term applies) applying situational ethics. They don’t adhere to a rigid ideology at all… apparently about _anything_ if kleptonecrocannibalism is fair game. Really? That, to you, is the worst possible crime? Worse than murdering someone and burying them respectfully, so that there is more food for you? Worse than stealing firewood from someone freezing so that you can live, even though they freeze to death? I really think that is a very atypical view. ---
**Author:** ![Try2B\_Comprehensive](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/try2b_comprehensive/32/65_2.png) [@Try2B\_Comprehensive](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Try2B_Comprehensive)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2013, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jamestown-necrocannibals/657290/118 "2013-05-09T01:18:04Z")
> [@MandaJo](#): > > Really? That, to you, is the worst possible crime? Worse than murdering someone and burying them respectfully, so that there is more food for you? Worse than stealing firewood from someone freezing so that you can live, even though they freeze to death? > > I really think that is a very atypical view. I doubt it is the worst possible crime… nuclear terrorism has got to be close to the top of the list, along with dumping 200+ million gallons of oil into the Gulf, among other things. But this story was out there, it is particularly disgusting, and at a time when our politics are being made stupid and unjust due to rigid ideologies, the idea that ideologies are perhaps all void because just about any ethical line can be ignored under the right circumstances added to the draw. The last bit isn’t entirely worked out yet, but this story has got me mulling over the notion that everyone who takes a strong stand based on ideology (especially in Congress) is either dumb or faking it. Or, perhaps everyone who takes a strong ideological stand in Congress doesn’t really have an argument but merely some pet interest. So- lurid story that has me wondering about ethical questions. It’s okay that the thread is all jokes, but I wonder if anyone can see what I mean about ideology through these kinds of examples. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2013, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jamestown-necrocannibals/657290/119 "2013-05-09T05:09:17Z")
> [@Try2B\_Comprehensive](#): > > So- lurid story that has me wondering about ethical questions. It’s okay that the thread is all jokes, but I wonder if anyone can see what I mean about ideology through these kinds of examples. And I am _not_ joking when I say if I am literally starving and you are lying dead in front of me, then I am going to eat you without a second thought. _My_ ideology dictates it’s better for just one of us to be dead than both of us. ---
**Author:** ![Ranger\_Jeff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranger_jeff/32/2065_2.png) [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2013, 12:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jamestown-necrocannibals/657290/120 "2013-05-09T12:06:15Z")
> [@](#): > > Originally Posted by Try2B Comprehensive > Jamestown Necrocannibals > [@njtt](#): > > Now that is a band name if ever I saw one! 🙂 Naw. It’s the name of the local high school’s sports teams. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jamestown-necrocannibals/657290.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jamestown-necrocannibals/657290.md?page=7)