After I'm dead, I don't care what happens to my corpse. TSCC would have me think my body is a temple. I call BS. My body's a museum maybe, or some random science experiment, e.g., "Case Study: The Inexorable Effects of 65 Years of Ill-Advised Thermodynamics on a Mostly Clueless Carbon-Based Life Form."

I've noted here before that I live near the Amazon, and that I'd be thrilled if my survivors can figure out a way to dump my carcass in the jungle. That way a hungry critter like a jaguar can use me to feed her kids. I run about 5'11" carrying around 190 pounds, so there's likely some decent flesh hanging off my bones.

It occurs to me that, if y'all are in the neighborhood, feel free to chow down as well. I'd hate to think I'll go to waste. I have nothing against cannibalism provided the meal's already dead. In fact, from an environmental point of view it makes sense, right?

The mortuary/funeral/cemetery industry believes you to be clinically insane and wants you committed!!!

Oops, I forgot the headstone industry...

Eh -- pass. My evolved aversion to eating human flesh (which has a good basis, see below), my cultural aversion, and my limited knowledge of your lifestyle (!!) make it unappealing.

The biggest practical reason it doesn't "make sense" is that dead humans can and do carry human diseases which can readily pass to the ones doing the eating. That's probably the reason for our evolved aversion to the practice. A few viruses/bacteria/diseases from animals can make the crossing easily too ("mad cow," probably the AIDS virus, "bird flu," and a few more), which is a neat evolutionary trick the viruses pulled off to spread more readily. But even those nasties don't pass along as easily as humans eating humans would do.

How about donating your body to a medical school or something similar? Then the former you-body would do some good, without having to be doused in A-1 and rubbed in garlic to be palatable :)

No thanks

Anyone who wishes may symbolically eat my body and drink my blood. I only ask that you only drink a very dry wine and eat crusty artisanal bread as you worship me. Water and wonder bread would be extremely insulting. I fly higher than that.

Pizza is also an acceptable substitute and beer if you must.

I have a sister-in-law who is in hospice care and close to death. She is uber-TBM and is quite cheerful about her demise. She "knows" that she'll soon see all those other family members when she makes it to the other side. But uncharacteristic of a TBM, she and her husband have signed paperwork to give their remains to the UofU, in exchange for their name being displayed somewhere on a brick or tile wall at no cost. I am gratified that at least some TBMs choose to be cremated or give their bodies to science, much cheaper ways to deal with it.*

We shall all meet by and by. But it's great to have a cheap way of dealing with it, if you've a mind to.

*(Cremation uses a lot of natural gas. Whilst cremation is a better ecological alternative to being embalmed, put in a steel casket, and placed in a cement casing 4 feet in the ground in a small rectangle of expensive real estate, it still takes a toll. But it's only a fraction of the cost, and renders the remains into a much more convenient size and weight.)

Myron Donnerbalken Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> *(Cremation uses a lot of natural gas. Whilst
> cremation is a better ecological alternative to
> being embalmed, put in a steel casket, and placed
> in a cement casing 4 feet in the ground in a small
> rectangle of expensive real estate, it still takes
> a toll. But it's only a fraction of the cost, and
> renders the remains into a much more convenient
> size and weight.)


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Promession

Ooh. Weird. It's like what my father did to snakes when he had access to liquid nitrogen. It's a mean thing to do, but when he encountered a venomous snake, he'd pour liquid nitrogen over it, and with gloves, would throw the snake against a block wall. You're still left with tiny pieces that will thaw and rot, though.

That's the benefit of the "freeze-dried" process.
After the freezing, the pieces are broken up into, essentially, a bunch of pea-sized nuggets, then all the water is removed. Without the water, it doesn't rot. Think freeze-dried coffee.

The typical post-freeze-dried outcome is to take the dried remains, put them in a corstarch "coffin" (about the size of a small lunch pail, which biodegrades quickly), and use them to nourish a newly-planted tree. :)

Well you know, Bro, I love you, right. So how about we do an Edward Abbey style burial--sneak your body off in an old sleeping bag and bury you were you want to be buried. As far as the eating of you, "No comment." Ed's Boner.

You could have yourself cremated then the ashes turned in a diamond. Actually several diamonds.

Your family could proudly wear you as jewelry and in case of need pawn you.

I can imagine Mary Poppins singing "Feed the piranha, two pence a bag".

Christians have been eating the flesh of Jesus for almost two thousand years. How big was that guy?

Gross.

The Rich" Aerosmith. So what is your net worth? I ain't breaking out the satin bib and nice silverware unless I know you've live a good life on a rich man's diet. :)