Duelling

[Evil_Maniac From Mars]

Bah. I spit on your flirt with aristocratic macho-nonsense.

Taking a life is illegal. And it should remain as such.

Do you support assisted suicide? If both parties agree to a duel in writing, both should have the reasonable expectation that they will die. Like soldiers, if you will.

[CountArach]

Yeah, money makes right tends to be so much better.
Or perhaps even, technicality makes right?

I thought that this was about non-legal matters? Besides, I don't think our current court system works, so that argument holds no sway with me.

Do you support assisted suicide? If both parties agree to a duel in writing, both should have the reasonable expectation that they will die. Like soldiers, if you will.

Euthanasia and Duelling are incomparable. One is about choosing to end your own life. One is killing another person.

[PBI]

It's an interesting take on it, however instead of viewing it as assisted suicide you could equally well view it as premeditated murder.

For the record, I do not support assisted suicide for anyone but the terminally ill. Certainly not for perfectly healthy young men who still have plenty to contribute to society. The example of Evariste Galois always springs to mind, a brilliant young mathematician killed in a duel aged 20.

[rory_20_uk]

If two morons want to kill each other, from thugs fighting with broken bottles to aristos with platinum swords I really don't have a problem with it. Chances are they're going to do it anyway. At least no one else wil get hurt.

[HoreTore]

Anyway, EMFM, have you been getting inspiration from muslims lately?

[Kralizec]

Do you support assisted suicide? If both parties agree to a duel in writing, both should have the reasonable expectation that they will die. Like soldiers, if you will.

That's a good argument, actually. But even in places where asisted suicide it's proceeded by careful deliberation and review by medical experts. In contrast I don't see how you can prevent scenarios where one drunk challenges someone and the other is to far gone to refuse while he otherwise would have.

[rory_20_uk]

With regulation. Rules such as has to be sober, written contract etc etc.

It might stop drunks killing each other on the street if they have to get things sorted out and the red rage will have settled down.

[CountArach]

With regulation. Rules such as has to be sober, written contract etc etc.

It might stop drunks killing each other on the street if they have to get things sorted out and the red rage will have settled down.

No it won't help with that at all. Drunk people are still going to kill each other - if they are drunk enough to kill someone what makes you think they are going to stop and arrange for a challenge? Besides, if, as you suggest, they have to be sober to do it... then it physically cannot help anything.

[KukriKhan]

What is your stance on duelling?

No problem. It's just as ridiculous as war, with its 'rules' about who, and how, one human can kill another human.

Just know that where I live, the winner/killer gets to go to jail for the rest of his/her life, and maybe be served a life-ending drug cocktail as well.

[yesdachi]

It's an interesting take on it, however instead of viewing it as assisted suicide you could equally well view it as premeditated murder.

For the record, I do not support assisted suicide for anyone but the terminally ill. Certainly not for perfectly healthy young men who still have plenty to contribute to society. The example of Evariste Galois always springs to mind, a brilliant young mathematician killed in a duel aged 20.

So… if it were a pair of terminally ill people it would be ok?


We have thousands of years of animal instinct built into us and yet we try and hide it behind a fake sophistication where being physical is taboo. A personal dispute has to be resolved by courts and laws that are filled with loopholes and emotionless technicalities. I don’t think every argument needs to be solved with a death match but I think a good smack down now and again is healthy. Flashes of my childhood come to mind where fighting with my friends and brother was a good way to blow off steam and settle arguments. Maybe sometimes we need to embrace the inner animal.

And remember…

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

The first rule of fight club, you do not talk about fight club.

[Ronin]

We have thousands of years of animal instinct built into us and yet we try and hide it behind a fake sophistication where being physical is taboo. A personal dispute has to be resolved by courts and laws that are filled with loopholes and emotionless technicalities. I don’t think every argument needs to be solved with a death match but I think a good smack down now and again is healthy. Flashes of my childhood come to mind where fighting with my friends and brother was a good way to blow off steam and settle arguments. Maybe sometimes we need to embrace the inner animal.

we have plenty of laws that go against our basic animal instincts because our instincts don´t take into account the rights of other people....and the respect of such rights is necessary for us to function in a society...

if laws that go against our instincts where to be thrown away then one could make the case that for example the definition of rape should be removed from the law.....after all If I see a pretty girl walking down the street and my instincts tell me to have sex with her then what´s the problem?...the fact that she might not be so inclined?...pfff....I am stronger than her so I can force it so what´s the problem any way?

likewise 2 people kicking the crap and/or killing eachother does not "solve" anything.....it does not determine who is right....only who is stronger/more well trained/luckier/whatever.

[rory_20_uk]

If both of sound mind and body accede to this method of despute resolution, that's fine.

[yesdachi]

we have plenty of laws that go against our basic animal instincts because our instincts don´t take into account the rights of other people....and the respect of such rights is necessary for us to function in a society...

if laws that go against our instincts where to be thrown away then one could make the case that for example the definition of rape should be removed from the law.....after all If I see a pretty girl walking down the street and my instincts tell me to have sex with her then what´s the problem?...the fact that she might not be so inclined?...pfff....I am stronger than her so I can force it so what´s the problem any way?

likewise 2 people kicking the crap and/or killing eachother does not "solve" anything.....it does not determine who is right....only who is stronger/more well trained/luckier/whatever.

I am not talking about throwing out all the laws that allow us to function as a society. I purposely left out the sexual aspect but that is another topic we have tried to repress to the point it is almost sacrilegious to have an “impure” thought, which only builds the frustration that can be vented with a good physical tussle.

How many single people go to bed every night alone because they were too cautious/proper/shy/guilty to let an attractive someone know they would like to spend some animal time with them? I don’t know but I know there are a lot of randy people out there that could use a good nights worth of instinct (Olympic village anyone).

Occasionally consenting adults ought to embrace their animal, be it fighting, sex or anything else physical.

Who says two people kicking the crap out of each other needs to "solve" anything.

[Ronin]

Occasionally consenting adults ought to embrace their animal, be it fighting, sex or anything else physical.

Who says two people kicking the crap out of each other needs to "solve" anything.

We are kind of in agreement then...


I have no problem with 2 consenting adults that decide they want to bring violence upon each other....as far as I know the law already has no problem with this...it only becomes a police matter if someone files an assault charge.

but branding this a "duel" and giving it a specific definition in law gives it an air of significance that the act itself does not deserve......


as far as the sexual thing I also agree with you that people should be in tune with their sexual desires and less preoccupied with societal taboos...but that still doesn´t equate with throwing the rule book out the window...

[Evil_Maniac From Mars]

Anyway, EMFM, have you been getting inspiration from muslims lately?

Hardly. Duelling is a European tradition where two equals can settle personal matters if they so wish, not someone killing his wife because she wasn't a virgin. Nobody is being forced to duel.

[LittleGrizzly]

I think i could support it in a sense, no weapons and no fighting to the death. Accidents happen, but something like boxing someone can throw the towel in or the referee can call it, if there's two people who really want to beat the crap out of each other then let them go for it legally, though i would probably challenge a few local policemen, meaning i could insult them if they backed out (or legally get some revenge whilst getting my ass handed to me)

[Rhyfelwyr]

Duelling would be a bad idea. You'd just end up with lots of idiots wasting the health services money.

On the other hand, it would be hilarious to see the whole slap in the face with the glove thing again.

[HoreTore]

Nobody is being forced to duel.

We both know that's just wishful thinking.

[LittleGrizzly]

Just stick it on tv in exchange for healthcare being provided for all duellers, im sure tv companys would snap it up, i'd like to see some flat out brawling between fairly normal guys, UFC is good but give me some unskilled flat out aggressive street fighting anyday!

It would be some great entertainment!!

[seireikhaan]

Duel with wooden swords, or something else non-lethal, if you want. I don't care if two guys want to bash each other up a bit as long as they're not doing any serious damage.

[Papewaio]

It is stupid. Young people suffer from peer pressure to drink and smoke. Men of all species will do dangerous things to impress females that are present. Heck even guppies have been shown to do the equivalent of 'train surfing' if females are present, take them away and they don't do such foolish things.

As much as I think our meme's and gene's when in alignment can be far more productive, I don't think foolishly wasting resources is a grand act.

The act of creating life, raising that individual, teaching them and keeping them healthy... all to throw that life away on some moronic notion of personal honour in a duel. That is the pinnacle of sheer idiocy. Honour your country, your ancestors and your ideals, but do not pick a path so pathetic that all that society has invested into is thrown away over a personal insult.

Create don't destroy.

If people are so out of tune with their instincts that they think dueling to the death is natural and healthy then they have a lot of maturing to do. Most animals that fight over mates do so with minimal damage done were possible, personally I prefer the Bonobo's dueling . As for those who can't form the beast with two backs because they have feel curtailed by social norms, then they too will be edited out of the evolutionary track.

[Ice]

No.

[Evil_Maniac From Mars]

We both know that's just wishful thinking.

Sorry, but perhaps you'd care to explain how people will be forced to duel when their identity must be verified, they have to submit a signed paper to a third party, etc.?

[Strike For The South]

Sorry, but perhaps you'd care to explain how people will be forced to duel when their identity must be verified, they have to submit a signed paper to a third party, etc.?

Because men feel the need to meet a challenge and the utter embarrassment that duel turned down would bring would be to great. Hell I drink when people call me out. I hate to see what I would do if someone challenged to kill me.

[Evil_Maniac From Mars]

Because men feel the need to meet a challenge and the utter embarrassment that duel turned down would bring would be to great. Hell I drink when people call me out. I hate to see what I would do if someone challenged to kill me.

You're sober, have to sign a contract, wait for a while before the actual duel. If you haven't cooled down by then...

[PBI]

People already can duel away to their hearts' content. We'll just arrest the winner for murder afterwards.

It's hard for me to understand why we should allow people who are willing to gun each other down in cold blood over mere insults or percieved lack of "respect" to wander around free. If their so-called honour is really that important to them it's hard to see why they should not be expected to bear a jail term in order to defend it.

[CountArach]

You're sober, have to sign a contract, wait for a while before the actual duel. If you haven't cooled down by then...

I think the point was more to do with peer pressure forcing people to fight, something which I agree is a valid point.

[yesdachi]

...We'll just arrest the winner for murder afterwards.

Would it be murder or, if the other person is trying to kill you, would it be self defense?

[CountArach]

Would it be murder or, if the other person is trying to kill you, would it be self defense?

It would be murder because you started by actively seeking to kill them.

[HoreTore]

I think the point was more to do with peer pressure forcing people to fight, something which I agree is a valid point.