Of the many strange behaviors we humans have engaged in, few seem more abhorrent than cannibalism. But the act of feasting on another human's flesh cannot be so easily dismissed as simply disgusting or deviant. Freud, in fact, believed cannibalism played a role in the birth of religion itself.
Throughout history some cultures considered cannibalism tradition -- a way of venerating the body of the deceased. In other cases it served as the only means of survival in a truly desperate situation. This hour, we speak with experts on the history of cannibalism and on the curious ways it's portrayed in modern media.
GUESTS:
- Charles Bramesco - Freelance film and TV critic and author of We’re Living in the Golden Age of On-Screen Cannibalism
- Bill Schutt - Professor of biology at LIU Post, research associate at the American Museum of Natural History, and author of Cannibalism: A Perfectly Natural History
- Gil Valle - Former New York City police officer and co-author of Raw Deal: The Untold Story Of NYPD's "Cannibal Cop"
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Colin McEnroe and Chion Wolf contributed to this show.
