Cannibalism: Is it Really a Thing of the Past?

Cannibalism is a phenomenon that has bewildered people of the 'settled civilisation' for centuries and has often been attributed to the 'uncivilised world'- tribals, backward societies and other groups belonging mainly to less accessible lands and locations. Robinson Crusoe often springs to mind, wherein he too had the fear of being consumed by cannibals on the remote island on which he was stranded. Ever since then, the memory of groups of hunters, with spears and harpoons, faces painted with scary designs and bloodstained teeth, has been lurking through various urban readers ever since. But who knew, that this very act could be committed in a well-developed country by an urban resident, that too in the 21st century?

Voila Armin Meiwes, an ex-computer repairman who became notorious throughout recent history as the man for killing and eating a voluntary victim in Germany in 2001. The case brought all fears to light- from the deep perversion that lurks within urban areas to the access to internet for furthering such psychologically disturbing interests.

As brought to light by the case, Meiwes put across an advertisement on an online fantasy portal called 'Cannibal Cafe' where he put across a request for an '18-30 year old, ready to be killed and consumed.' If that wasn't disturbing enough, the ad was answered by Armando Brandes, an engineer from Berlin, who was ready to be the victim. The two met, and as a two-hour videotaped affair, Meiwes slaughtered Brandes, stored his body in his freezer and went on to consume it for the next 10 months. He was arrested in 2002 and subsequently given life-imprisonment, after a college student contacted the police after seeing new advertisements for victims and killings on the internet, which led to further investigation.

But Meiwes story brought more troubling aspects to the forefront. In an age, where processes like globalisation and increased interconnectivity between regions have enabled regions to be on a more-uniform footing about several acceptable practices and such, something as horrifying as this has been developing in secret in the very cities which pride themselves on an upright civilised 'code'.

Meiwes had said that he estimated that 800 cannibals live in Germany. Even if this figure is false, the very fact that people like Meiwes and Brandes, belonging to educated urban backgrounds could have been involved in such acts throw any sort of cataloging and characterisation of such individuals out of the window. What could have led them to such extremes? And are there more such people?

There were some troubling thoughts during Meiwes's trial, where it was difficult determining whether he should be charged as committing manslaughter, considering his victim had willingly and whole-heartedly participated in his killing. Moreover, considering Brandes' willingness to be killed, do we see suicidal tendencies at play here? The very fact that this act was made easy by the internet, where both individuals managed to receive a common platform to connect with each other undetected, also poses cause for concern.

One thing is clear: cannibalism is certainly not a phenomenon restricted to the 'traditional practices' of a few select groups in far-flung places, it is very much here, in our city, our country, and other countries as well, and the psychological context of which cannot be easily rationalised. The Nithari killings in Noida were very much proof of the same.  CoolAge