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The Right To Be Stupid?; Do you believe in this right?
Topic Started: Oct 26 2004, 01:32 PM (437 Views)
corky52
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Simple question, "Do you believe people have the right to do things that are not in their own best interest without outside interference"?
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passinthru
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John - Gainesville, FL
Nobody ever stopped me.
Faster horses, younger women, older whiskey, more money...
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pentax
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Kamloops - BC Interior
But not a simple answer....

For example, does a guy have the right to sit in the living room, belting back shots of Scotch until he has a problem getting down the hall to the bathroom? Sure he does.
Does he have the right to stumble out to his car in the same shape?
Not on your life.
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"Kirk to Enterprise - Very funny, Scotty.... now beam down my clothes!"
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DanielDenali
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Was it Jeremy Bentham that called those deeds "self regarding acts"?

Yes I am in favor of people being able to destroy their own lives, as long as they limit it to themselves. When you start denying others their freedom or liberty, then someone must stand up for victims of others stupidity.
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Peralko
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You may think it is a simple question, but it has no simple asmwers. It all depends! Does someone have a right to committ suicide?
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passinthru
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John - Gainesville, FL
Mur is right; my aunt used to say, "Do whatever you want as long as it doesn't take any skin off of someone else's behind." Just don't going crying for help when the skin is off your own.
Faster horses, younger women, older whiskey, more money...
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corky52
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Peralko,
Isn't the freedom to end ones existence the last freedom one has?
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Peralko
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Corky,

Read passnthru's post. Is a person committing suicide the only one it affects? Do you have experience with suicides? I do!
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corky52
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Peralko,
Yes I do, a very close relationship. I would not have stopped it if I could have.
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passinthru
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John - Gainesville, FL
Almost everything we do in some way affects those that love and care for us. None like to see those we love do stupid things that adversely affect their well being, be it physically, mentally or financially, or any other way. We can't live their lives for them.
Faster horses, younger women, older whiskey, more money...
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jrf
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How would one with such a mind be trusted to make the decesion that his actions were affecting only himself?

For others to make the decision for him is interference.
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TexasShadow
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Jane
people have the right to be stupid so long as it doesn't hurt anyone else.
that said, when does it NOT hurt someone else?
smoking, drinking, eating too much, driving too fast, living too hard, taking risks....
all these things hurt the person doing it, but the person doing it isn't living in a vaccum, so others get hurt, too.
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corky52
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One persons choice to die in no way limits my freedom, but my stopping that choice of action limits their freedom. Not pleasant but actions at the extreme rarely are.
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brewster
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Winemaker Extraordinaire
corky;

What happens when someone goes mountain climbing - alone - without proper safety gear?

It happens about once a year in my neck of the woods.

I hate to cut into someone's right to be stupid, but unfortunately, they don't usually die. Now we have searchers, ambulances, doctors, hospotals, cops.... The cost to society is enormous.

That's one example, but there's many.

It's really hard to say how far a right to be stupid should go.... It would be a lifelong debate all on its own.....
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august-alberta
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Colleen - Cold Lake Alberta
TexasShadow
Oct 26 2004, 02:12 PM
people have the right to be stupid so long as it doesn't hurt anyone else.
that said, when does it NOT hurt someone else?
smoking, drinking, eating too much, driving too fast, living too hard, taking risks....
all these things hurt the person doing it, but the person doing it isn't living in a vaccum, so others get hurt, too.

So, what's your answer to the question, Jane? :dunno:
Do people have the right to be/do stupid things or not because someone else will ultimately be hurt? :thinking:
Colleen
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