rant · moment 2 of 14
Decomposed Bodies, Morgue Work, and Viewing the Dead
from The Montauk Project · #95
Audio-only archive episode — no video to seek.
3 minRay, drawing on his morgue/funeral background, argues society should be less squeamish about viewing dead and decomposing bodies, describing bizarre details of decomposition; they riff on career day, wedding photography versus funeral work, and whether curiosity about death makes someone a sociopath.
- 0:30The creature looked like a hybrid—wildebeest or werewolf—and people blamed Plum Island.
- 0:53Tim explains it was just a decomposed dog, which is why it looked so strange.
- 1:10Tim says his life was enriched by seeing different variants of people in decay.
- 1:23Viewing the dead is necessary; we're meant to see it, and avoiding it creates moral hazard.
- 2:06Decomposition causes bizarre physical changes—bloating, gas expansion—that look unnatural compared to living bodies.
- 2:42Tim argues that seeing decomposition demystifies death and shows humans as part of the natural cycle.
- 3:15Watching an autopsy—seeing someone's asshole removed—makes him question what any accomplishment means.
- 3:41Getting a job at a morgue is the only real way to view the dead; you can't just be a voyeur.