There are many ways to die. Old age, disease and hunger are common conditions in today's world; however, being killed and eaten is not so typical. Cannibalism happens in various religions and for sadistic and survival purposes and still happens today, but being a cannibal has some pros and cons when it comes to your health. Cannibalism is the consumption of human flesh by another human being. In some cases it is used for religious purposes. Some people believed that if they ate someone else's body, they would gain the abilities and powers that the deceased had when alive. It is also thought that tribes in South America and Africa ate their enemies after killing them. This symbolized their victory and the defeat of their opponents. Archaeologists have details to believe that the people of the tribes ate their loved ones after their death to show their worship and confirm that the person would be reincarnated into their tribe (Vizental). Cannibalistic behavior has occurred for many purposes unrelated to religion. Cannibalism commonly occurs for survival purposes. In 1846, settlers moving west decided to take a shorter route to California. It was spring and they were stuck in the middle of a blizzard in the Sierra Nevada mountains. When people began to die of cold and starvation, the other settlers ate the remains. This group of settlers lost half of their original 90 people. Without cannibalism, all the colonists would have died. The group is now known as the Donner Party (Weiser). Another form of cannibalism has nothing to do with survival. It is related to sex. Some people devour others to release their sexual frustrations. They may or may not get sexual gratification… middle of paper… Hybalism occurs in a couple of different cases. In some cases, it is the only way for people to survive in critical situations, but acts of cannibalism also occur for sadistic reasons. If a person has to feast on the flesh of another human being, he may experience amazing sensations, but he will run the risk of contracting deadly diseases. Works Cited Bell, Rachael. "Sexual cannibalism". All about cannibalism: the ancient taboo in modern times. Turner Entertainment Networks, 2013. Web. 02 December 2013. Robles, Frances. "Top stories." The Miami Herald. Miami Herald, August 8, 2012. Web.02 December 2013.Vizental. "Cannibalism and religion - PARAPSYCHOLOGYinfo.com." Cannibalism and religion. Parapsychology, 2011. Web. 02 December 2013. Weiser, Kathy. "The Tragic History of the Donner Party." The tragic story of the DonnerParty. Legends of America, April 2012. Web. 01 December. 2013.