If you haven't been reading the "I" thread, you may not know what I'm talking about. It's about a traveling exhibition that seems to be showing mostly at museums of science in the US and around the world - Body Worlds. Here's a link to the website of Gunther von Hagens, the inventor of a process that takes dead human bodies and transforms them into plastic figures.

I've been taken aback by the fact that others don't seem to be perturbed by this. I think it's an assault on human dignity. I think it's ghoulish and exploitative. Unseemly, as the Victorians say. But when I read the website, downloaded the plasticization information and consent forms, it was even more so.

There is room for religious debate within this subject though that's not my focus. I just believe in a high level of dignity in considerations of the human body after death.

On the other thread, one suave dugpa cites examples of using human bones to "decorate" shrines somewhere in Rome. Yes, I'm familiar with the catacombs of Rome and the human bones arranged throughout the underground Christian vaults. But it was not interior design and it was not with the notion that the deceased human body is the equivalent of "a hunk of human meat."

Early Christians left the practice of cremation because they believed with the imminent second coming of Christ, they would require their bodies. But forget the Christian ideas and go back to Ancient Greece or Rome. The same concept of respect for the human vessel that once housed a living being was to be afforded the greatest respect. Hence the most extreme and reprehensible act of dragging an enemy's body by chariot to ravage the flesh and bones. So while utilizing human remains in sacred domains is not new, public entertainment that features anonymous dead bodies in artful arrangements is something novel to most civilizations I can think back to. And when it is part of prestigious institutions like state or city supported museums of science, I think this is a departure.

Heck, I recall a class action lawsuit here at the LA County Coroner's Office when corneas were being harvested from unclaimed bodies. DESECRATION. If we lose the concept of valuing the human remains, I'd suggest we will have gone a long distance from our human fore-families.

That, in a nutshell, may be why some people felt the need to protest the choice of their tax-supported facilities. I'm not sure calling these people "close-minded" is a fair and accurate description of their ill ease over this departure from past decorum.

Yeah, I am troubled by a generation removed from the Nazi perpetrated Holocaust, with their cavalier consideration of Jewish "hunks of human meat" even while still alive. Knowing that the son of a Nazi's line of work is turning dead people into plastic for the sake of entertaining the public bothers me, yeah. But I think I'd be equally repulsed even if the lead carny in this side show was the son of an American veteran of WWII. Maybe even more so.

I wonder too about those who think this is all fine.  Who think a dead body is... well nothing of value anymore.  Would they also feel that ancient burial grounds uncovered from time to time when construction begins on a high rise building, for example, should not elicit any more concern than excavating a swamp full of bullfrogs?  I've read about those "close-minded" Native-Americans who get all riled up over this "indignity."

Susan

     
“Half a truth is often a great lie.”

Ben Franklin

You're right, Chris. The Seattle show was executed by one of the "copycats." This explanation from Son of a Nazi Herr von Hagens:

Should you be interested in donating (they don't pay -- they charge others to see your donation) to the Genuine Article, here's a link for the consent forms. Imagine all the empty space provided by future empty graveyards! Imagine how many new (ho hum) plastic human museums will be in their place!

Susan

     
“Half a truth is often a great lie.”

Ben Franklin

Here's where I find it get's really bizarre.

While not as strict/conservative as American TV standards, I was surprised to see a series of shows, by Gunther, on free-to-air TV here.

Each week he pulls out a body or 2, and slices and dices them in front of the camera.  No gore spared, no blurry bits, no pixelation, no cutting away to a filler photo - just full graphical detail of people being hacked up.  It's all done in a very medical fashion - not just for shock value or anything...but I'm left feeling they've crossed a line somewhere showing this.

Last week he had a woman with breast cancer...he couldn't get a good look at the cancerous growths just cutting in, so he froze the body, wrapped it in cloth, then took a super-size bandsaw and cut her into sections.  Through looking at these sections he was able to trace the cancerous growth.  But running a body through a meat slicer on TV?

     
“Half a truth is often a great lie.”

Ben Franklin

Yeah, right.

Gunther's all about "education."

Check out his website, Booth. 

     
“Half a truth is often a great lie.”

Ben Franklin

I'm looking, but I'm not sure what I'm supposed to be looking for. All I find is stuff like this:

What is the purpose of the exhibitions?
The BODY WORLDS exhibitions aim to educate the public about the inner workings of the human body and show the effects of poor health, good health and lifestyle choices. They are also meant to create interest in and increase knowledge of anatomy and physiology among the public.

Okay, Booth.  I guess I'm really pretty much alone, huh.  I'm not buying Gunther's intense need to educate through public autopsies and his ticketed traveling show.  

If going directly to the source didn't raise your short hairs at all, how's about a basic Google of Gunther von Hagens.  

Or maybe not.  Maybe my aversion just some personal hang up.  I should get over it really. 

Susan 

     
“Half a truth is often a great lie.”

Ben Franklin

Susan - I'm with you to an extent.

For me a person is more than skin and bone, flesh and blood.  They have a spirit, and an intrinsic value and right to be treated with a certain level of respect and dignity - just for being human.

So from this pov it seems inhumane to slice and dice people on TV with cheesy grin wearing an Indiana Jones hat to boot.  Did I mention that live male and female nudes of model proportions are on stage during this television slice-fest... for illustrative purposes of course?

But...

When I think about it, once someone's dead, all they really are is skin and bone, flesh and blood.  And while it's initially disconcerting, if it's for some medical educational purpose, and not sicko entertainment, then it's probably ok.

But Medical education or Sicko entertainment?  The jury's out...