# What do you want done with your body when you die? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 9, 2013, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-want-done-with-your-body-when-you-die/675890 "2013-12-09T14:08:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2013, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-want-done-with-your-body-when-you-die/675890/81 "2013-12-11T21:51:59Z")
Ultimately I of course don’t give a crap as that’d be one of what experts call Your Problems, living people. But I admit, I’ve always had a thing about being thrown into the sea. Feed a shark, get shat on an anemone, you know, the circle of life. Romantic stuff. But in a pinch, Soylent Green’s fine too, I guess. Don’t mind the cankerous bits, they’re for flavour. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2013, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-want-done-with-your-body-when-you-die/675890/82 "2013-12-11T21:59:02Z")
> [@Cerealbox](#): > > I find it morally abhorent that anyone chooses anything other than donate it to science / education. There’s nothing more selfish than demanding something valuable that you have absolutely zero way of getting any satisfaction or benefit from be kept from benefiting society. It’s the equivalent of taking out a hundred bucks to give to a homeless man, but then yanking it back and setting it on fire just to watch his face. It should be illegal to have your body buried or cremated. Send mine to a body farm or a medical school or a hairdresser school. Hell, if it’s become so rotten that there’s really nothing else to do with it, give it to some necrophiliacs. You consider organ donation morally abhorrent? Or is that included under the aegis of science/education? ---
**Author:** ![Cerealbox](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7ab992/32.png) [@Cerealbox](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cerealbox)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2013, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-want-done-with-your-body-when-you-die/675890/83 "2013-12-11T22:00:44Z")
> [@jsgoddess](#): > > You consider organ donation morally abhorrent? Or is that included under the aegis of science/education? Sorry, I meant to include organ donation in there, too. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2013, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-want-done-with-your-body-when-you-die/675890/84 "2013-12-11T22:07:54Z")
> [@Cerealbox](#): > > Sorry, I meant to include organ donation in there, too. Got it. Well, I think not allowing organ donation is pretty selfish, though organs can only be donated in a fairly small percent of deaths, I think. Well, major organs. I know the window is longer for some other parts (skin, corneas, etc.) After my first husband died and after they had taken what they could and I had had him cremated, I was embarrassed to realize that I hadn’t looked into scientific/educational donation. His stepfather did that and he was really proud of that decision, but it just never crossed my mind. Maybe that’s a good sign that we really need to write these things down. I’m not a very sentimental person and it didn’t occur to me, so I’m guessing it doesn’t occur to a lot of people. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2013, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-want-done-with-your-body-when-you-die/675890/85 "2013-12-11T22:55:11Z")
> [@Cerealbox](#): > > I find it morally abhorent that anyone chooses anything other than donate it to science / education. There’s nothing more selfish than demanding something valuable that you have absolutely zero way of getting any satisfaction or benefit from be kept from benefiting society. Nah. My body is the only thing I have that’s me, and when it’s done, it’s done. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2013, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-want-done-with-your-body-when-you-die/675890/86 "2013-12-11T23:43:29Z")
Cremate my body, and sprinkle the ashes along the Highline Trail in Glacier National Park, starting at Haystack Butte, continuing on to the turnoff to the Grinnell Glacier Overlook, and on up the GG Overlook trail if there’s any of my ashes left. And if there’s still any ashes left when you get to the top, chuck 'em down towards the glacier…if it’s still there, since there’s a good chance that I’ll still be around after the last glacier in Glacier has melted. I won’t be aware of any of it, of course, but I like the imagining that that’s what will be done with my remains. Someday, when the Firebug and I are hiking that trail, I’ll show him exactly where I want my ashes left. ---
**Author:** ![DummyGladHands](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/49beb7/32.png) [@DummyGladHands](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DummyGladHands)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2013, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-want-done-with-your-body-when-you-die/675890/87 "2013-12-12T03:06:56Z")
> [@](#): > > Anyone planning whole body donation, please look into what options are available in your state. My husband wanted to donate, but because he had not preregistered we couldn’t do it. Yes, yes and yes. Anybody here who wants that needs to pay attention to Gwendee. As a member of a community of widows, I have heard too many stories about people knowing that’s what their loved ones wanted, but it never happened. ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2013, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-want-done-with-your-body-when-you-die/675890/88 "2013-12-12T03:07:15Z")
Thinking more about it, I really don’t care what sort of ceremony I get, just so long as some weirdo sneaks in to translate it into fake sign language. ---
**Author:** ![Fretful\_Porpentine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fretful_porpentine/32/2873_2.png) [@Fretful\_Porpentine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fretful_Porpentine)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2013, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-want-done-with-your-body-when-you-die/675890/89 "2013-12-12T16:43:01Z")
I want to play Yorick. It’s the closest I’ll ever get to being a Shakespearean actor. ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2013, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-want-done-with-your-body-when-you-die/675890/90 "2013-12-12T16:45:06Z")
> [@pravnik](#): > > Thinking more about it, I really don’t care what sort of ceremony I get, just so long as some weirdo sneaks in to translate it into fake sign language. I’ll do it. ---
**Author:** ![shiftless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9c0ed/32.png) [@shiftless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shiftless)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2013, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-want-done-with-your-body-when-you-die/675890/91 "2013-12-12T17:13:56Z")
Throw a huge party and prop my body up in the seat of honor at the head of the table. During the party, inject me with enough alcohol so that I can be completely cremated in a huge bonfire at the end, leaving no distinguishable ashes to be gathered. I will just be gone. I reality, I hope to be cremated but fear my survivors will be pressured to going the traditional, buried in a steel box, route. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Excellent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f19dbf/32.png) [@Mr.Excellent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Excellent)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2013, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-want-done-with-your-body-when-you-die/675890/92 "2013-12-12T17:25:42Z")
Organ donation, tissue donation, med school, then hung from a lamp-post and pelted with detritus by my freshly liberated subjects. It’s how the Excellent men have always gone out - with a stiff upper lip and a lengthy indictment. Oh, and there should be a truly excellent wake. With bad decisions made there. Bad decisions are key. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2013, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-want-done-with-your-body-when-you-die/675890/93 "2013-12-12T17:39:47Z")
I kind of like the idea of giving my corpse to an artist for something … artistic. The best think I can think of would be to harvest my bones and carve a chess set out of them. I’m a bit fuzzier about the rest of the body. Scarecrow, maybe? ---
**Author:** ![janis\_and\_c0](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/janis_and_c0/32/21_2.png) [@janis\_and\_c0](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/janis_and_c0)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2013, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-want-done-with-your-body-when-you-die/675890/94 "2013-12-12T18:01:01Z")
Hack out the useful bits & then burn the body for me. When Mr. J & I are both gone, mix our ashes together & toss half over the Ohio River, Half out in the woods out at my Grandparents’ place in Kentuck. And no funeral please. A party is acceptable… I’m working on the soundtrack. ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2013, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-want-done-with-your-body-when-you-die/675890/95 "2013-12-12T18:03:12Z")
> [@Cerealbox](#): > > I find it morally abhorent that anyone chooses anything other than donate it to science / education. Science/education doesn’t need 285,000 bodies per day. ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctor_jackson/32/32_2.png) [@Doctor\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2013, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-want-done-with-your-body-when-you-die/675890/96 "2013-12-12T18:47:53Z")
Skewer me on a stake in the middle of the town square as a warning to others. That’s a form of education, right? ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Excellent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f19dbf/32.png) [@Mr.Excellent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Excellent)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2013, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-want-done-with-your-body-when-you-die/675890/97 "2013-12-12T18:58:06Z")
> [@Machine\_Elf](#): > > Science/education doesn’t need 285,000 bodies per day. And if science, medicine, and educators don’t need a body, they can decline it. That’s fair enough. But to deny them to right of first refusal seems absurd. ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2013, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-want-done-with-your-body-when-you-die/675890/98 "2013-12-12T19:12:23Z")
> [@Mr.Excellent](#): > > And if science, medicine, and educators don’t need a body, they can decline it. That’s fair enough. But to deny them to right of first refusal seems absurd. Science/education/Mythbusters-explosion/demonstration are all great causes, but I think if the people that loved you want your carcass buried or cremated, it’s not \*selfish \*to allow them that. Yes, your loved ones are behaving irrationally if they can’t stomach the idea of your body being used as a crash test dummy, but making your remains be disposed of how your friends and family wish is still not selfish. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2013, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-want-done-with-your-body-when-you-die/675890/99 "2013-12-12T19:25:14Z")
> [@bup](#): > > Science/education/Mythbusters-explosion/demonstration are all great causes, but I think if the people that loved you want your carcass buried or cremated, it’s not \*selfish \*to allow them that. > > Yes, your loved ones are behaving irrationally if they can’t stomach the idea of your body being used as a crash test dummy, but making your remains be disposed of how your friends and family wish is still not selfish. Are they supposed to vote? Do you leave your corpse to a specific person in your will so they might choose the means of disposal? ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2013, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-want-done-with-your-body-when-you-die/675890/100 "2013-12-12T19:41:11Z")
> [@Mr.Excellent](#): > > And if science, medicine, and educators don’t need a body, they can decline it. That’s fair enough. But to deny them to right of first refusal seems absurd. _Medicine_ I see. But is there a shortage of bodies needed for educational and/or scientific purposes that I’m not aware of? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-want-done-with-your-body-when-you-die/675890.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-want-done-with-your-body-when-you-die/675890.md?page=6)