Duelling

[HoreTore]

Do you support duelling as a manner of settling disputes and/or "recreational" duelling (Mensur)?

You're asking whether or not I support "Might is right"?

No, the stone age was a few thousand years ago....

[Evil_Maniac From Mars]

You're asking whether or not I support "Might is right"?

It has nothing to do with "might is right", but two consenting adults who, for whatever reason, decide to duel.

[HoreTore]

It has nothing to do with "might is right", but two consenting adults who, for whatever reason, decide to duel.

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

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

[Incongruous]

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

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

No it isn't, at least not in certain circumstances.

[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.

[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.

[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.

[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.

[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?

[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)

[HoreTore]

Nobody is being forced to duel.

We both know that's just wishful thinking.

[Ice]

No.