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[Arx]

We're sixteen genes away from chimpanzees

35,000,000 single-nucleotide differences, so probably more than 16

My bio teacher could have been mistaken. It's the figure quoted to me. The point is that the difference is minor - and more so than the difference between us and a cabbage or a snail.

[Descan]

Being charitable, he might have meant that our brains being as... absurdly big as they are, is only a result of 16 genes.

I don't know if that's actually true, but *shrug* could have just been worded poorly.

[Arx]

Being charitable, he might have meant that our brains being as... absurdly big as they are, is only a result of 16 genes.

I don't know if that's actually true, but *shrug* could have just been worded poorly.

Looks like he might have just been out of date, on doing a bit more research. 1% difference as opposed to 4%,

[Rolan7]

Personally I'm not really creeped out by full on cannibalism. I mean, obviously if the person is going around chopping up living people to do it, but if someone just happened to have a heart attack in front of you and all attempts at resuscitation failed then I say why the fuck not? If you don't eat them then worms will, and that is creepier to think about in my opinion.

Same here.  I understand fantasy cultures that treat it as a sign of respect and remembrance.  Not sure whether those are based on real world cultures or not...

[TheBiggerFish]

Personally I'm not really creeped out by full on cannibalism. I mean, obviously if the person is going around chopping up living people to do it, but if someone just happened to have a heart attack in front of you and all attempts at resuscitation failed then I say why the fuck not? If you don't eat them then worms will, and that is creepier to think about in my opinion.

Same here.  I understand fantasy cultures that treat it as a sign of respect and remembrance.  Not sure whether those are based on real world cultures or not...

Well, that's how kuru happens so yes.  There are real-world ritualistic cannibals like that.

[NJW2000]

There are definitely cultures that have a similarly easygoing attitude to cannibalism as BFEL, such as the Maori.

[jaked122]

There are definitely cultures that have a similarly easygoing attitude to cannibalism as BFEL, such as the Maori.

Could you please give me a source for that about the Maori, the wikipedia page doesn't mention it.

[ArKFallen]

Well, that's how kuru happens so yes.  There are real-world ritualistic cannibals like that.

Isn't kuru specific to brain eating?

[NJW2000]

Erm, that kinda puts me on the spot, as it only ever came up when talking with my Kiwi dad...

Meh, the wikipedia article on cannibalsim footnoted this, dunno if that's much of an answer.

Yeah, wikipedia says they also engaged in regular eating of the dead...

They were a pretty badass bunch, imo. Some modder should do a DF Maori civ. Preferably a Maori one, for added kudos. Or at least Kiwi. Mexican will do for you Eaglelandians

[GiglameshDespair]

There are definitely cultures that have a similarly easygoing attitude to cannibalism as BFEL, such as the Maori.

Could you please give me a source for that about the Maori, the wikipedia page doesn't mention it.

The Maori certainly used to engage in cannibalism: now, however, mentioning so tends to offend the remnants of the aboriginal peoples to the point a book about it had complaints to the NZ human rights commission.

[i2amroy]

Honestly the biggest problem with cannibalism IMO isn't the "they're eating people!" thing, it's the health issues. There are all sorts of prion diseases (and many others that can survive the transition) that get transmitted like wildfire once you go around eating people. One notable example was already pointed out earlier, Kuru. And yes, while many of them are limited to brain tissue, there are plenty of others that can jump from other parts of the body, despite our best intentions.

It's still better than starving to death, of course, but it's a much riskier move than say, feeding our flesh to something else and then eating it.

[NJW2000]

Like with mad cow disease, putting surplus beef into cow feed. Of course, now that we know it's transmitted by flesh, factory farms just feed them each other's blood from the abbatoir. Because land of the free, home etc.

Hell, we're probably doing it in Britain too.

[Orange Wizard]

The Maori certainly used to engage in cannibalism: now, however, mentioning so tends to offend the remnants of the aboriginal peoples to the point a book about it had complaints to the NZ human rights commission.

I haven't heard anything about iwi being offended by mention of cannibalism - that stuff's part of basic history taught in schools. The complaint was probably more of a vocal minority.

[NJW2000]

The book did seem a bit Penny-dreadful when I looked at it. Some Maoris could've felt their culture was being judged.

[Robot Parade Leader]

http://www.cracked.com/article_22282_6-signs-your-job-will-be-dystopian-hellhole-in-20-years_p2.html

"#1. Companies Will Give You Implants"

Fuuuuck. Thaaat.

If this shit becomes the norm, I don't care who knows, I am straight up going postal. If I can't get a job anywhere without being chipped like a god damn dog, then game over. Fuck it. Don't care. If people don't revolt if and when they do this shit, then I don't belong in society, or rather, society is so screwed up, I don't want to belong in it. No argument; don't care. Jesus Christ. I like to imagine I at least own my own fucking body. If I don't own mine, then whoever gets hurt doesn't own theirs? But I mean really, is nothing scared anymore?

No. No. No. No. No. No. No.