I went and saw an exhibit at a museum that used actual dead bodies to show the human anatomy. It was called "Body Worlds," and if the idea interests you and you live in the Los Angeles area, I recommend it. It's really quite fascinating to actually see how all of your internal organs fit together and all that. If you want to get an idea, there are some pretty good pictures here: http://www.channel4.com/science/microsites/A/anatomists/hagens1.html
Anyway, I was pretty excited about getting to go - I read about this years ago, but I didn't think it would come to America. Well...wait, okay, now that I think about it, one mild disappointment and I'm not even sure I should call it that. In previous articles, I'd read that people were allowed to touch the exhibits, because the bodies had been through a process that made them durable. The Science Center didn't allow you to, though they had two pieces, specifically, that you were allowed to touch: a liver and a lung. And the lung you were only allowed to poke with your finger. It felt...spongy and interesting. The liver was hard as a rock. And yes, it was fucking weird to be touching someone's actual internal organs.
This all sounds pretty morbid, but it's really not. It was interesting to me that I was so okay with this when I still find open caskets at funerals disturbing. The difference being that I was looking at these bodies a bit more...scientifically, I guess. A casket is done for nostalgia, I guess, it's meant to remind you of the person who was alive. It does nothing of the sort for me, and I guess I find the whole idea that I have to see someone's dead body to really accept their death is almost offensive to me. Whereas seeing a human being's anatomy, with layers stripped down to the muscle is fascinating.
Oh, and if you are offended because you think it's disrespectful to the dead, you should probably know that all of the people who took part signed a thing saying that if they should die, their corpse could be used. So it's not like someone's memory is being descrated. And since this exhibit has been shown, the number of people who signed up for that has increased to many thousands.
So there, poopheads.
Anyway, I was pretty excited about getting to go - I read about this years ago, but I didn't think it would come to America. Well...wait, okay, now that I think about it, one mild disappointment and I'm not even sure I should call it that. In previous articles, I'd read that people were allowed to touch the exhibits, because the bodies had been through a process that made them durable. The Science Center didn't allow you to, though they had two pieces, specifically, that you were allowed to touch: a liver and a lung. And the lung you were only allowed to poke with your finger. It felt...spongy and interesting. The liver was hard as a rock. And yes, it was fucking weird to be touching someone's actual internal organs.
This all sounds pretty morbid, but it's really not. It was interesting to me that I was so okay with this when I still find open caskets at funerals disturbing. The difference being that I was looking at these bodies a bit more...scientifically, I guess. A casket is done for nostalgia, I guess, it's meant to remind you of the person who was alive. It does nothing of the sort for me, and I guess I find the whole idea that I have to see someone's dead body to really accept their death is almost offensive to me. Whereas seeing a human being's anatomy, with layers stripped down to the muscle is fascinating.
Oh, and if you are offended because you think it's disrespectful to the dead, you should probably know that all of the people who took part signed a thing saying that if they should die, their corpse could be used. So it's not like someone's memory is being descrated. And since this exhibit has been shown, the number of people who signed up for that has increased to many thousands.
So there, poopheads.
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P.S. Has anyone ever told you that you look a little like Dennis Quaid?
[Edited on Sep 23, 2004 9:33PM]