Cannibalism in a society is deemed as radical and sinful, however when facing a great obstacle that determines your death or survival, it can be the only option left. In the crash of the F-227 plane the survivors were faced with the harsh reality of what their lives were to become over the next couple of weeks. The though of cannibalism isn’t something anyone ever has to come to think of to ensure their own survival, however when the question came of whether they chose to die or survive long enough to be rescued they each had a choice to make. They all looked at the concept of cannibalism as something ludicrous and unnecessary to survive. Although, when it came down to it they had to set aside the social norms they were raised upon to work towards a greater goal, their survival.
The survivors came to deconstruct everything they were told about cannibalism to make the thought of it easier to digest. The beliefs behind cannibalism were no longer there but instead they saw cannibalism as a way of survival. It wasn’t going to be permanent but instead only something that’ll make them stronger. They came to make their own norms around cannibalism to completely change the ideology of what it stood for surrounding all the negativity and disgraceful symbol that came with it. When creating a new norm for cannibalism, the survivors took something that was constructed to be sinful and made it to be the very thing that ensured they stayed alive. Just like cannibalism was made to be unappealing it was constructed to be their holy grail. The social construct of cannibalism came to be because it was declared to not be induced and carried a sinful symbol to it. This surviving team of rugby players just as easily contrasted amongst themselves that cannibalism was to be erased of its past judgement and instead focused on all the ways it benefit them. Still the held back because of what they previously believed but it became easier as time passed and they became accustomed to it just like society becomes accustomed to new norms set in motion because it was declared so. The ideology behind cannibalism and anything in society is so because we made it so and followed through for so many years that we don’t question it.
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