Comments | similiesslip: Gazing into the Face of Death

similiesslip

Gazing into the Face of Death

Dec 13, 2011 10:59

Rituals of death often define a culture. Many societies have strict ideas of what should be done with the husk a human leaves behind at death.

( Cut for possibly disturbing discussion of dead bodies, including one photo of a Bodyworld art exhibit. Please do not read if this would upset you. )

Comments 51

theafaye December 13 2011, 17:29:20 UTC

Having seen my mother's dead body, my opinion hasn't changed. A body is a dead body. The person that once inhabited isn't there any more and as such, the body itself has no meaning. I really don't care what happens to it after the person has gone - make it into art, bury it, burn it, eat it, chop it up for science, whatever. It's all the same as far as I'm concerned. Although I understand that others feel that the human body is deserving of reverence in and of itself and I respect that opinion, so stand for people's rights to determine what happens to their relatives' remains, at the same time, I can't really understand why people get so worked up about them, because it's just a dead body to me ( ... )

similiesslip December 14 2011, 03:40:29 UTC

I'm glad to hear your perspective. I do agree, if it your relative, your wishes should be respected but, at the same time, perhaps the people who want to be in Bodyworld should also be respected, as you said.

I haven't had the chance to go to Bodyworld but the idea of it seemed to fit this week's prompt. I had a hard time thinking of something to write about but when I thought of this, I realized I would enjoy reading the perspectives of any commentors.

Thank you for commenting!:)

theafaye December 14 2011, 12:11:39 UTC

I have a real issues with the notion that the wishes of relatives should override the express choice of the individual. It bothers me big time that someone who has said they want to donate organs then doesn't because it offends the sensibilities of a relative. My body, my choice and I really don't care what other people think - these are my bits to dispose of as I will (unless, of course, my choice would cause a public health hazard).

similiesslip December 15 2011, 01:18:04 UTC

It is the last choice a person gets to make. I understand what you are saying.

team_jessie December 13 2011, 18:02:40 UTC

I've seen the Bodyworlds exhibit when it came through Philly a while back. I really enjoyed it ( ... )

similiesslip December 14 2011, 03:41:43 UTC

I wondered if any commentor would have seen the exhibit for themselves. I have not had the chance. I agree that it probably is a big health help to others to see the difference in smoker's lungs vs. healthy.

Thanks so much for telling me your experience!

baxaphobia December 13 2011, 18:25:06 UTC

As you said, people donated their bodies. It's not like he is robbing graves to do what he does. I can't say I'd go to the exhibit but art is art no matter what you feel about it.

similiesslip December 14 2011, 03:44:11 UTC

Thank you for sharing your perspective.

I think I would go but I am not sure. I read about it several months ago and it seemed to fit the prompt this week (I had a hard time thinking of anything that fit.)

One of the reasons I wanted to write about it this week is to hear what other people think of the exhibit. I mentioned it to a person IRL and they thought it was so WRONG but..like you said, if the participants volunteered..

I'm always interested in other's perspectives. Thanks for sharing yours. Hope I didn't gross you out too much or anything! I am concerned this entry will offend people.

faerie_spark December 13 2011, 19:32:10 UTC

I do think the combination of art and science is interesting, makes the exhibit less gruesome in a way. I don't think I'd want to see that, but I do think that the workings of the body don't have to be this strange mystery. Has he gone too far? I imagine that he'll have a huge backlash, but so do most forward thinkers. His exhibit isn't to my taste, but I'm not sure if that's because it makes me squirm or if it's because it's just not to my taste. Perhaps I'm more of a earth and flowers girl ( ... )

similiesslip December 14 2011, 13:47:33 UTC

Though I love my dogs, I can't see skinning them after death however, like you say, if that works for your friends then that was the right choice for them.

I'm not sure if it was a good idea to use this for the topic but it seemed to fit the idea of a travesty. I'm glad people are commenting as it seems to be a contraversial exhibit so it's interesting to hear many different opinions on it.

dblicher December 13 2011, 19:50:29 UTC

Great topic. I'm not sure I'd want to see such an exhibit, but I love the idea of people donating their bodies for the education of others. Do you know anything about the folks who prepare the exhibits? What's it like for them?

similiesslip December 15 2011, 01:20:02 UTC

I have tried to research this today online and haven't found any kind of perspective or quotes from anyone who prepares the bodies except for von Hagens.

However, now that you mentioned it, it would be interesting to hear what they have to say about the tasks involved in preparing the bodies.

You raise some really good questions!