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Week 10 [17.12-23.12.18] What can happen with human body after his death?

Death is the last step of every human being. The body succumbs to biological processes. 
Embalming of corpses is used in order to temporarily prevent decomposition and restore a natural appearance for viewing the body after death. The blood is replaced with special fluids in order to ensure no diseases will be transmitted to the third-party persons. The embalmed body dries up instead of rotting.

In the natural process of body decomposition, the first thing we can notice is a green spot on the stomach. That means the stomach started rotting. Next, the veins become extremely visible and the bloating of the whole body can be noticed. The body within 6 years from the burial will fall apart, turn into dust.



When it comes to body cremation, it lasts from 2 to 3 hours. It depends on the posture of the man and the material which was used to build the coffin. The wooden one burns longer than cardboard. This method is usually chosen when the body has been deformed during some kind of accident. The only condition for preventing the corpse from being burnt is having a pacemaker. People often fear that someone will confuse urns with ashes.



Summarizing, both of these methods have their own advantages and disadvantages. In the advantage of cremation is fact that it’s much cheaper. Body decomposition leads to groundwater pollution. We can take under consideration also religious aspects. Church in a theory accepts both methods, but not in favor of cremation. The embalming doesn’t mean that the body will be buried, it can still be burnt.

Planning own funeral is a rather individual case. People who care about their appearance will probably choose a typical funeral and embalming. It’s also popular to be buried next to the family members. Typically, husband lays next to his wife and vice-versa. In Poland, the more common is to be buried, but it can be changed in near future. Cremation becomes more and more popular.

Many of us probably haven’t think about death yet. The decision should be made knowingly.
That decision should be respected by our family after our death.


1.         Do you prefer to be cremated or subjected to embalming?
2.         Which method do you think is better? Why?

Comments

Definitely I prefer to cremated, because I see no reasons to be buried. In my opinion there are only disadvantages. The first one is that you need to pay for place to buried to. Sometimes it can cost thousands of dollars. For what ?To be decomposing for the next 5-6 yeas ? Also, as you mentioned it is quite harmful to the Earth. In my dreams, as I said, I'd like to be cremated and after scatter the ashes somewhere in the mountains.
I think, and it may sound absolutely barbaric and heavily hurt religious people's feelings, (therefore I ask you that if you are one, do not proceed with reading), but the Earth is actually running out of resources. And a human body can provide a bunch of materials to go from. Of course, not only recycling, but any form of desecration of one's remains is not acceptable by any religion in the world, (even Satanism!), therefore in a super advanced world that uses every single resource possible, with Dyson sphere built, and so on, there will be no place for a religion in a modern way of it. The morality of people also should be modified to allow the fact that energy one is using could be one of his fellow homo sapiences not to disturb and cause protests and riots. However, it is good that we have moved from an old fashioned burial to more convenient cremation.
Nataliya Tkach said…
1. Do you prefer to be cremated or subjected to embalming?
I want to be cremated. The idea that worms will crawl on me and lay the larvae leads me to fear.And it isn't clear what will happen to my bones 200 years from now, no one wouldn't like to have that on his grave was someone's house or a shopping center.

2.Which method do you think is better? Why?
When cremation doesn't need to look for a place where your remains will lie. When embalming too much of a hassle. Everyone chooses what he would like to do with his body after death.
I'm not sure how better will be to deal with my body in future because I has no think about this. There so much helpful things that can be done with body after death, for example we can be a donor of some parts of body or give body for a scientists instead of cremate it or just put in to the ground.
I think that get participation in donor program after death will be the best solution because in this case you can help other people to get a change to stay leave for a longer time.
I think I choose being cremated. In my opinion, this way is much more 'hygienic' than being buried - there is no corpse (which results in lesser pollution of the environment), and after cremation, your urn requires much less space to store than a classical gravestone.
I think a better way to go is to be cremated. I kinda think that it is a good idea to use ashes as a fertilizer for a tree for example, so instead of ugly and gruesome cemeteries we would have a beautiful groves. It is weird to plan for own funeral, but the truth is that everyone will die one day, and i think that instead of some weird reigious practice one should go with some usefulness.
1. Do you prefer to be cremated or subjected to embalming?
Creamated - then my tombstone won't need as much place as coffin would require.
2. Which method do you think is better? Why?
Creamation - tombstones with coffins require a lot of space, and graveyards require more and more space. I can't find any reason to choose embalming
I don't think about it as i'm too young for it. When i will be 60 years old, i will make that decision. Cremation is the combustion, vaporization, and oxidation of cadavers to basic chemical compounds, such as gases, ashes and mineral fragments retaining the appearance of dry bone. So, cremation is a better way to do it.
I haven’t thought about that, because I believe that still a lot of time left for me. I don’t know which method can be better. It all depends on personal beliefs. In polish tradition being buried next to your family is very common and I think that still a lot of people want to rest next to their ancestors.
I’m not sure if I can choose which one is better. But, in my opinion cremation can be a little bit more.. clean?
I don't about that, because for me it doesn't matter what will happen with my body after my death. If i can choose i would like to donate my organs to science. I think they would do something good with them. But if i must choose between cremation and burial i would choose first. Burial is expensive, and also my urn could stay in my family house, not on graveyard.
Unknown said…
At the beginning I would like to say that this is not a typical presentation topic, but it is very interesting. I never thought about it. I've always liked the fact that somebody wants his ashes to be scattered in some nice place and now when I think about it, I'd like to do the same.
Looking at the fact that more and more people are dying, cremation seems to be better. There is no need for so much space, which will soon be lacking.
This question is very complicated if we will talk about other people. Because in Earth we have a lot of different religions and cultures. Some of them forbid to burn body after death but in some of them this is necessary. I prefer to be cremated. This is cheaper and I don't see anything good to have your own place at the cemetery. Maybe, someone won't understand me but it's only my opinion. To my mind in the future we will have only cremation, because this solution does not occupy a place that can be used for other purposes which could be more useful.
Unknown said…
I don't think I care whether I'm cremated or subjected to embalming - neither of those changes the fact that I'm dead, and once I'm dead, then the manner of my burial is the least of my worries.

As for which method is better, I think that cremation is propably slightly better because as the population of the world increases, we might slowly start running out of space for burials, and cremating would enable more efficient storage of remains. Regardless, I think that the difference between the two is small enough that it's really mostly a matter of preference. If someone wants their appearance to be somewhat preserved, then they should choose embalming.
Foodocado said…
Sometimes death comes to us unexpectedly, it's worth to think about a little bit earlier and share our feelings with our close family and friends.
Foodocado said…
I also consider scattering the ashes in some important place for us as a very good idea.
Where would you like your ashes to be scattered?
I prefer to be cremated. I don’t want to anyone to stare at my dead body, I cannot see purpose in it. What is more, cremation is much more practical in my opinion, human instantly turns to dust, which is easy to bury. Decomposing human corpses don’t benefit for nature, except for bacterias, so cremation isn’t a waste from environmental point of view. What is more, I also hear that rotting human corpse is quite toxic, therefore it can even be counted as benefit for nature.
Unknown said…
After my death I want to donor my organs. In this case it’s hard to be embalmed, so I’d prefer to be cremated. But it isn’t the only reason. Nowadays, we can see that a lot of cemeteries are full. After cremation, ashes from human remains are stored in a urn. Urn compared to the coffin takes less space making it more economical. Moreover, decomposing corpses contaminate groundwater and cremation isn’t threat to the environment - bodies in modern furnaces burn in a smokeless and odorless way.
Bartosz Barnat said…
1. Do you prefer to be cremated or subjected to embalming?

Well I prefer to be creamed. I don't like to have my own grave that people would come to pray on because when people who know me will die too my grave would be dirty, empty and I think that people would see it like I see the old graves in the graveyard when I come to see my ancestors. Beeing creamed is easier, you dont need to worry about your grave or what will happend to your body, you will just dissapear with a wind blow.

2. Which method do you think is better? Why?

I think it depends on a person and what they would like to happend with them. There is no better method what to do with a body. I said what is my point of view but of course when everyone would choose creamation it would be much more free place because there would be no graveyards.
Unknown said…
1. Do you prefer to be cremated or subjected to embalming?
When I die... I won't care what happens with my body. How can I know if I am cremated, tossed to acid, embalmed or sent in space? I am dead, end of tale.

2. Which method do you think is better? Why?
Cremation. That way human body is not taking so much space. Just imagine if everyone was putt in a coffin and we would never get rid of very old graves. The whole world would be one giant graveyard.
1. Do you prefer to be cremated or subjected to embalming?
To be honest I haven't thought about dying yet but I think I would prefere to be cremated. Ashes takes definitely less space than whole coffin being burried and I think as cementaries already are huge and overloaded people should invent an idea how to limit their expansion.

2. Which method do you think is better? Why?
Both methods have their good and bad sides. I think embalming is traditional and it is easier for family to understand that body of their beloved one is laying in a coffin, however creamation makes human body to take much less space.


Denys Pogurskyi said…
When i will dead, I think it will be doesn't matter, what will with my body, because my soul will free :D But being cremated is better, and after that, want that somebody dispel my remains on the seashore .
Marcin Zając said…
1. Do you prefer to be cremated or subjected to embalming?
I prefer to be cremed.

2. Which method do you think is better? Why?
Cremation is better in my opinion, becouse it takes less space and is definitely less expensive, but I'm not thinking about my death now.
This comment has been removed by the author.
I prefer to be embalmed.

I think cremation is a better method. That's because our body is burned and a symbolic urn with ashes can accompany our family.
1. Do you prefer to be cremated or subjected to embalming?
I would preferred to be cremated. But there is also a one good idea. It is to turn your remains into a tree
https://www.thelivingurn.com

2. Which method do you think is better? Why?
I think that cremation is more eco friendly. And considering how much squeezed cities get these days, it is hard to find places for graveyards
Marcin Krupa said…
Generally, what will happen with my body after my death doesn't bother me. But... in the other hand, It would interest my family and they - i think - would like to subject me.

I think that cremation is better way. I don't know prices, but IMO cremating someone is cheaper than changing person into mummy or burying. But still, I don't really have any solid opinion 'bout this topic.
Unknown said…
I don't really care what happen with me after my death. I don't believe in any special meaning connected with burial.
I think that cremation is better, because it's cheaper and easier to do.
Unknown said…
1. Do you prefer to be cremated or subjected to embalming?
I'd prefer to give my "healthy/useful" organs to those who need it. After it I'd like to be cremated.

2. Which method do you think is better? Why?
I think that method chosen by me in previous question is way better :)
Come on, I can only have urn in 60x60 cm place on cementary :) This way I would not waste place. I'd had even no problem to burry my ashes in... garden :) Circle of life huh? :) I'd agree with having only picture of me, date of birtth/death on a cementery. I don't care about my ashes, I'd be dead ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Unknown said…
A hard question, I did not think about it. But I think I would prefer cremations.

I think this is a better method because we occupy little space then and our body doesn't rot or anything else happens. It is can be said more hygienic.

Do you prefer to be cremated or embalmed?

I think that I would prefer my body to be used for scientific purposes. Then I would contribute to medicine :)

Which method do you think is better? Why?

I think that cremation is better. Because the cremated body takes up less space, and the body is not subject to rotting processes
Unknown said…
1. I decided that after my death I want to donate my organs and after taking everything useful from my body they should cremated my.
2. I don't think that cremated is very popular in our polish culture. Burying body in coffin is the most popular way but I think that more and more people decide that they would prefer to be cremated. I think that it is better than decomposition under the ground.
Anna Moskalenko said…
In my opinion cremation is the only right way. I would like to be cremated, there’s so much cemeteries in the world that it’s just becoming a problem. A stupid problem though, because we can easily change it as we have for example cremation. But generally talking about what should’ve be done with my body after my death - I would like it to help others in any way. Organ transplantation or something like this will be ok.
Unknown said…
I prefer to cremated, because I see how my parents or grandparents must pay for the place to be buried. This is very expensive thing and also after my death somebody must pay for me to be there and clean all stuff. So I think cremated is better method because it don’t use a lot of space which is nowadays not enough because of increasing overcrowding.
Mykhailo Reznyk said…
Well, nowadays there are a lot of options for you to choose what you want to be done with your body after your death. Cremation and burying are the oldest and the most common ways to deal with a dead body, so even now they are the most popular approaches. To be honest, if I had to choose between cremation and embalming, I would not choose any. Both of them heavily destroy your body. Cremation does it completely, while embalming leaves a hollow shell. For me there are 2 acceptable options. First, is to leave your body to science. I think it is a right choice, since it will help humanity to better understand all process in our bodies and maybe even help to find a way to prevent horrible diseases. The only disadvantage is that, most likely, this will upset your family, since they won’t be able to visit you again. Another, even better approach, is cryogenic freezing. In my opinion, it is an ideal solution. This method completely stops the process of degeneration and decaying of your entire body, including the most important part of it – the brain. Even after your death, if your body was freezed, you can be literally resurrected and healed from the disease that killed you. This is incredible. That is the choice I will make and try to force my relatives to pick the same approach.
Ahmed Elsawi said…
- I don't know the best burn or embalming, but I think it's due to the nature of religion or what their own think of dying time.

- I think the method of burial in the inner of the ground next to the family, it's possible to feel a sense of comfort !.
Unknown said…
Basically I don't care. If it is a possibility I would want my organs and any useful part donated to medical and\or science prepuces.
Oh, this is such a morbid topic.
I actually read there are scientists who are working hard to study the way bodies decompose in different environments. They actually create so-called "body farms" where they can study it. Why? Scientists want to better understand the process of decomposition so they can find the time and circumstances of death in criminal cases. People actually donate bodies to such research. They are placed in varying conditions and their decomposition is then carefully studied. I found this idea fascinating. I would like to work on something like this, but still, I admire the people who actually are doing it. This helps to solve some crime mysteries and catch some really bad people.
For myself, I don't really care. Once I'm dead, I'm dead - so I will not feel anything anymore and I will not care what will happen to my body. It can be burned, it can be donated for an organ transplant or some scientific study. I'm not a religious person, so I don't believe some day I will get back to my body to use it in some way - I guess once I'm dead, I'll be just gone from here - maybe in some other reality, maybe not. But my body will be left here without "me". I think burning it to ash will be just most ecological.
The decomposed body creates more life so I don't want to be cremated I feel that would be a waste of organic matter, energy and purpose. Although I'm only 21 and I hopefully will have many years ahead of me, I've already decided I want to be buried in a biodegradable coffin made of bamboo so my decomposed body will act as fertilizer and create more life.
Maciej Nowak said…
I haven't thought about my funeral yet and I am not going to change that for now. It is hard for me to pick one method as the time when this decision will be important seems be rather distant from now. Cremation seems better as you don't have to worry about burial ground and is cheaper, but as you said, for some people tradition can be more important.
Unknown said…
I would never like to be cremated. I would like my body to be deprived of organs for other people in need and then with the remnants of organs I would like my body to be buried in the same way as my ancestors. Embalming is also not an option, because after death I will not care much about what will happen to my body. I think that this decision will more relieve my family.
In my opinion, cremation is better because it takes up the least space, it is the least troublesome. This way of burying the dead should save us a lot of space on earth in the future so the whole earth does not become one big tomb.

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