Responsibility

[andrewducker]

This is inspired by the comment here, where ladysysiphus says "If you have consumed enough alcohol to impair your judgement, I believe you then have to take at least some responsibility for putting yourself in a position where something like this might happen."

[Poll #619684]

Comments

30 % stupid

[thishardenedarm.livejournal.com]

i think the whole problem is the phrasing of the question, responsibilites can only be understood in the context of rights: try rephrasing it like this:

"A woman walks, scantily clad, down backstreets in an area known to be unpleasant: has she forfeited her right not to be raped?

Anyone care to answer yes to that? Cause thats what your saying if you ascribe her "responsibility".

besides the idea of being responsible for rape is an oxymoron, if one was ABLE TO RESPOND it wouldnt be rape. Depressing to see that your poll produces the same proportion of stupidity as the original.

Re: 30 % stupid

[andrewducker]

When it comes to rights I fall into the Benthamist camp - I just don't find them meaningful in any sense other than as idealist views of what a particular person's ideal society would look like. I do believe in responsibility though.

So I don't tend to have a problem discussing responsibility outside of the context of rights :->