(OT) Teenager dies of Acute Stupidity Disorder
- Thread starter Tiefling
- Start date
The blowhole I saw was pretty cool. I could imagine standing over it to get blasted. It sounds, frankly, pretty fun. When I stood and watched it for awhile, it had little sprays for five minutes or so, and then one really big geyser effect when a big wave came in at the right angle. I can imagine a young enthusiastic person seeing the little sprays, mostly a big splash of mist, and not waiting to see one of the big ones.
As I said: Stupid? Yes. Staring-into-the-muzzle-of-a-loaded-weapon stupid? No. Not if you grew up only hearing about blowholes and didn't see them all the time. The kid was in unfamiliar territory, and was more curious than cautious. He died because of it. I've done stuff that's about that stupid when in unfamiliar territory (treating small natural waterfalls as natural waterslides, leaping from rock to rock while camping, etc), and been lucky enough to avoid serious injury. Maybe I deserved to die for my mistakes, by your standards.
The mother's comments illustrate grief rather than stupidity. I think that sneering at those comments, and referring to the kid's death as Darwinism, is in bad taste.
I think that putting it up on your website to laugh about it is also not something of which one ought to be proud. Your mileage may vary.
Note: I laugh at a fair number of the Darwin awards, too, so it ain't that.
-Tacky
As I said: Stupid? Yes. Staring-into-the-muzzle-of-a-loaded-weapon stupid? No. Not if you grew up only hearing about blowholes and didn't see them all the time. The kid was in unfamiliar territory, and was more curious than cautious. He died because of it. I've done stuff that's about that stupid when in unfamiliar territory (treating small natural waterfalls as natural waterslides, leaping from rock to rock while camping, etc), and been lucky enough to avoid serious injury. Maybe I deserved to die for my mistakes, by your standards.
The mother's comments illustrate grief rather than stupidity. I think that sneering at those comments, and referring to the kid's death as Darwinism, is in bad taste.
I think that putting it up on your website to laugh about it is also not something of which one ought to be proud. Your mileage may vary.
Note: I laugh at a fair number of the Darwin awards, too, so it ain't that.
-Tacky
Tharkun
First Post
Tiefling said:
That tells me something about the 18 year old (assuming this is true) then. He ignored the warnings of the other people and the sign (though the sign could have been missed if it was small and/or hidden behind something).
I know this may be a bad analogy but, if you go out to drink and you've gotten drunk before than you know you aren't "up to snuff" and your timing is off etc. If you go out get drunk and then drive home and get into an accident then you deserve to get the book thrown at you. Why because you are being grossly irresponsible & can kill someone.
Blood Jester
First Post
1) People who feel bad for this kid did note that he wasn't 'leaning over to look down a hole' but was braced across a large fissure in the ground? Sorta' the difference between getting hit by a car while crossing at the intersection in broad daylight, and getting hit as you lay in the road at night to prove you're brave. (BTW - grew up in NYC jaywalking as a way of life, yep, if I couldn't time it right and make sure the way was clear, it would have been ALL MY FAULT.)
2) Just because most H.S. seniors might be too stupid to ignore the ovious and do something dangerous, does not make it 'smart' or reasonable to do.
3) No, I have NEVER done anything remotely this stupid. And make no mistake, this was not a tragic accident, but an intentionally dumb, macho, teenager with raging testosterone granstand stunt to pull.
2) Just because most H.S. seniors might be too stupid to ignore the ovious and do something dangerous, does not make it 'smart' or reasonable to do.
3) No, I have NEVER done anything remotely this stupid. And make no mistake, this was not a tragic accident, but an intentionally dumb, macho, teenager with raging testosterone granstand stunt to pull.
Jeez, just read that second article. If the witnesses are correct, that boy did everything he could to get himself killed. Wow.
Moe Ronalds
First Post
Cedric said:
And they don't even have any signs warning of the danger!
Apok
First Post
This incident, and more specifically the mother's reaction to it, has served to strengthen my own belief that the American people are far more concerned about placing the blame than they are about fixing the problem.
The problem, in this case, was that the kid willfully ignored a warning sign, did something colossaly stupid and got killed in the process. Although I do feel some sympathy in a general sense (the death of any human being shouldn't be taken lightly) I am not morally outraged nor driven to action against blowholes. I treat this kid's death the same way I'd treat the death of a teenager who died while street-racing or skateboarding in a traffic-heavy area; "Sad, but he had it coming."
If someone participates in an activity or does somthing that is potentially life-threatening or hazardous and dies as a result, it's their own fault. It is not the responsibility of the government (or anyone else, for that matter) to Nerf life. There are some things that should really just be common sense and set of that "Gee, maybe I shouldn't be doing this" alarm in your head. I know that one could argue that the kid was 18 years old and, like many teenagers, has no concept of his own mortality but that's not the kind of thing the government can do anything about, nor should it try to shape society to protect teenie-boppers who think they are invincible. I have seen too many friends die because they thought, "Hey man, no problem, I can handle this." I mourn their deaths, but realize that it was their own fault and there is nobody to blame. Some people just cannot or will not realize this which is unfortunate.
The problem, in this case, was that the kid willfully ignored a warning sign, did something colossaly stupid and got killed in the process. Although I do feel some sympathy in a general sense (the death of any human being shouldn't be taken lightly) I am not morally outraged nor driven to action against blowholes. I treat this kid's death the same way I'd treat the death of a teenager who died while street-racing or skateboarding in a traffic-heavy area; "Sad, but he had it coming."
If someone participates in an activity or does somthing that is potentially life-threatening or hazardous and dies as a result, it's their own fault. It is not the responsibility of the government (or anyone else, for that matter) to Nerf life. There are some things that should really just be common sense and set of that "Gee, maybe I shouldn't be doing this" alarm in your head. I know that one could argue that the kid was 18 years old and, like many teenagers, has no concept of his own mortality but that's not the kind of thing the government can do anything about, nor should it try to shape society to protect teenie-boppers who think they are invincible. I have seen too many friends die because they thought, "Hey man, no problem, I can handle this." I mourn their deaths, but realize that it was their own fault and there is nobody to blame. Some people just cannot or will not realize this which is unfortunate.
As a side note, while I stand by the "bad taste" line and do feel deeply sympathetic, I also don't think grates are necessary. The kid should have looked at the signs and, failing that, listened to people. He thought he could handle it, thought that the signs were just there as an unnecessary safety mechanism (like the signs that say "Don't stand on the baggage belt in the airport, because DEATH can result"), and he was wrong, and then dead.
If anything, more signs everywhere would perpetuate the problem -- there are already so many signs that most people ignore them. Do not stick screwdriver in eye, do not apply rubbing alcohol internally, watch out, there's a sidewalk bump here. You see these signs, and then you see "watch out, blowhole!" and you think, dang, they had to put up a sign because people were afraid to get wet or slip on the rocks... Again, I'm not saying it wasn't stupid. But there are signs that predict dire consequences if I don't hold onto the escalator railing, so after awhile, you get desensitized.
-Tacky
If anything, more signs everywhere would perpetuate the problem -- there are already so many signs that most people ignore them. Do not stick screwdriver in eye, do not apply rubbing alcohol internally, watch out, there's a sidewalk bump here. You see these signs, and then you see "watch out, blowhole!" and you think, dang, they had to put up a sign because people were afraid to get wet or slip on the rocks... Again, I'm not saying it wasn't stupid. But there are signs that predict dire consequences if I don't hold onto the escalator railing, so after awhile, you get desensitized.
-Tacky
