NationStates Jolt Archive

Do you feel you would be capable of taking the life of another person? If so, in what circumstances?

No. I freely admit I do not have the intestinal fortitude to take a life, even were it justified. I doubt I could even take the life of an animal, and I do not believe they have the moral right to life.

Circumstances would have to be pretty extreme for me honestly. But if someone had caused enough harm to a loved one I would be very likely to take vengeance in blood. Mind you I tend towards poetic justice in this things, so they would most likely live, just lack a few parts or the ability to walk to somesuch.

In the long and short though, No, unless driven to by rage and despair I would not kill someone.

I think so.

Oh, I would also kill in the event of fighting in an ideological war. If I'm fighting to defend my principles against an enemy so opposed to them that he seeks to destroy me and everything I hold dear, yes, I would kill.

I could only kill someone if they were attacking me, people I cared about or other innocent citizens (I wouldn't step into a gang fight or anything). I'd probably be violently ill afterwards and need a lot of therapy, but I'd do it.

Humans are worthless. I can't dissect a cat, but I can smash a human's head into pieces if I felt was enraged/motivated/high enough.

I want to join the military so I really think I could kill someone if it's for my nation and if I'm defending the people I love.

I'd kill to defend myself or others, in a time of war, for money, to go out with a bang, or for great justice.

Join the Army, it's killer.

Yes. I have shot a person to protect another; he didn't die, but that's more because of my poor shooting than anything else.

To defend my life or the lives of others

Yes...duh.

To defend my nation/country/people/honour

Yes...although it would vary considerably depending on the circumstances.

money

It depends on how much money, and who has to die...with the right combination, I could see myself killing for money.

to prevent information from being shared

I don't care what kind of dirt someone might have on me, if I didn't want it being shared, I shouldn't have let said person(s) know about it...killing them is punishing them for my own mistake, and I wouldn't do it.

revenge/jealousy

I don't see myself killing anyone out of jealousy, but depending on circumstances I could see myself killing someone for the purposes of revenge.

sadistic/psychopathic reasons

Nope...I am neither sadistic, nor psychopathic...

...at least, no more psychopathic than anyone else on NSG :tongue:

to see if I could get away with it/see how it feels

As with money, it would depend on who I'm killing, and it wouldn't be to see if I could get away with it, that's about the worst reason to kill I can possibly think of.

to go out with a bang

Possibly...depends on if those I'm killing are my trophies in Valhalla, or merely innocent bystanders.

I've killed before. The first time you feel sick to your stomach, but after that it's something that happens depending on the circumstances.

Hmm... Does the forum software allow for two threads with the same name? I've seen this exact name, IIRC, at least once.


Anyway, yes, if there was a good reason. Haven't yet.

To defend my life or the lives of others?

Yes, without question.

To defend my nation/country/people/honour?

Yes.

money?

Depends on the amount, and who needed to be killed. So, possibly.

to prevent information from being shared?

Depending on the information, yes.

revenge/jealousy?

Revenge? Yes. Jealousy? No.

sadistic/psychopathic reasons?

No.

to see if I could get away with it/see how it feels?

No.

to go out with a bang?

Yes.

other?

Probably.

Do you feel you would be capable of taking the life of another person? If so, in what circumstances?

Capable? yes. Willing... well...

it would depend on whether or not I could put him/her down fast.

Impossible to say without being put in the situation, but I would think so if my life or loved one's lives depended on it.

For money, definitely not.

To defend my life or the lives of others; yes
To defend my nation/country/people/honour ; yes ... especially if i put myself in that position by joining the military .. or if i was forced into that position by an invasion
money; man i hope not, but i dunno..
to prevent information from being shared; doubt it, but again i dunno
revenge/jealousy; jealousy no, revenge yes
sadistic/psychopathic reasons; sadistic no. psycho? who knows
to see if I could get away with it/see how it feels; NO
to go out with a bang; NO

To me killing is about the entier value of life.

If I beleive killing someone (or myself) will save the life of a better person I will do it. I dont think its wrong to kill two people to save three. Or to kill a serial peodophile to save a child.

It would be wrong to allow lives to be destroyed because you didnt want to do anything. If there is a derect conflict between the life of one person and the life of another I would probably take the decision of which life was the lesser. We arnt all equal.

That being said of course the best option would be to just constrain someone instead of killing them. But that isnt always an option

I'm strongly pacifist. However, I think that, if pushed enough by a hostile force (i.e. violently attacked with intent to kill), I could kill, but would regret it later.

I'm strongly pacifist. However, I think that, if pushed enough by a hostile force (i.e. violently attacked with intent to kill), I could kill, but would regret it later.

If you did what you had to do , no need feeling guilty. IMO.

To defend my own life/those of others. Maybe. I don't know if I could until placed in that situation. For all the other options, a definite NO.

I could murder a beer.

I could murder a beer.

I'd down it in one, no bother.

For myself, funny enough, I don't think I could. To defend my family? Oh my word yes.

Long story short some years ago five young men were robbing my brother's car in front of the house and he stupidly ran out to confront them... and was then confronting five guys with screwdrivers, knives, and other stabbity things.

I ran upstairs, strung my bow, threw open the window in my parents room, leaned out with an arrow nocked and at full draw, and yelled, "Who the **** wants me to play William Tell with them?"

Before they took off running, one of them yelled, "Jesus Christ, she's got a fucking BOW!" Yes.... yes I do. And various stage swords, but the bow was, at that point, far more impressive and would have kept me out of range of stabbity death.

I don't think they liked the odds. ;) Thank god they didn't consider whether I could actually hit anything -- I'd gotten the bow a couple days before and was lucky I could string it and look competent at that point. Now I probably could be sure of hitting one or more of them.

The only situation in which I could kill another person is if a.) it was quite literally either him (or her) or me or b.) they threatened my friends or family with death and were willing to follow through.

I ran upstairs, strung my bow, threw open the window in my parents room, leaned out with an arrow nocked and at full draw, and yelled, "Who the **** wants me to play William Tell with them?"
Bows don't kill people, historical re-enactors kill people.

At one point in time, I would have said not. At one point in time.

Having recently re-read THUD! and got cold chills during the attack on the nursery...

Well, if someone was attempting to harm my son or my wife, I would. Without even thinking about it.

So, any comment from the (as of now) three posers/psychopaths as to why they want to kill a person for the thrill of it?

Bows don't kill people, historical re-enactors kill people.
Pissed-off historical re-enactors, etc., etc.

And that was only a cheapy fiberglass #22 youth recurve -- had I continued with archery, I'd have bought myself a wooden longbow by now.

At one point in time, I would have said not. At one point in time.

Having recently re-read THUD! and got cold chills during the attack on the nursery...

Well, if someone was attempting to harm my son or my wife, I would. Without even thinking about it.
Sam Vimes ftw.

Pissed-off historical re-enactors, etc., etc.

And that was only a cheapy fiberglass #22 youth recurve -- had I continued with archery, I'd have bought myself a wooden longbow by now.
Probably harder to convincingly threaten with out of a window, though.

Bows don't kill people, historical re-enactors kill people.

Ban them and consign them to the past, I say.

I'm human thus I will kill when things get emotional :wink:

isn't this a pretty...erm strange thread to make?

Ban them and consign them to the past, I say.
Historical reenactors? or bows?

"You'll get my Tudor dress reproduction over my dead body!"
"You can have my PVC pipe boffer sword when you pry it from my cold, dead hands!"

If you did what you had to do , no need feeling guilty. IMO.

Perhaps; maybe I could construct an image of the attacker such that their death was necessary, but I suspect that the actual act would consist of a sudden, unthinking attack by myself, and then the immediate remorse of what I'd done.

Hindsight could help me draw the conclusion at the top of the first paragraph, but it could also plague the mind with thoughts of what other actions I could have done to resolve the violence without killing the attacker.

Historical reenactors? or bows?

"You'll get my Tudor dress reproduction over my dead body!"
"You can have my PVC pipe boffer sword when you pry it from my cold, dead hands!"

I read recently a story in a magazine (Sunday Times one) about the most bloody battle ever to take place on British soil (and worse than the first day on the Somme), but that the only people to keep its memory alive were the historical re-enactors.

Although, I always have respect for those who pursue a hobby no matter what silly costumes they'll end up wearing in public :p

"You can have my PVC pipe boffer sword when you pry it from my cold, dead hands!"

Bah, pipe boffer swords are so passé, LARP weaponry has moved on since then and looks highly realistic whilst still being safe (as long as you don't stab).

Of course this had lead to some interesting situations when going to events on public transport and a couple of our local larpers have had the armed police response called out on them (current advice from our local bobbies is to carry said weaponry covered so people don't panic and call them).

Anyway, I don't know about reenactment, but LARP bows have a maximum poundage which means it's probably only going to have a chance of killing someone at very short range.

Do you feel you would be capable of taking the life of another person? If so, in what circumstances?

I doubt it.

Historical reenactors? or bows?

"You'll get my Tudor dress reproduction over my dead body!"
"You can have my PVC pipe boffer sword when you pry it from my cold, dead hands!"

The pair of them, and their deviant ways. And no, there won't be any re-enacting the renactors allowed.

Historical re-enactment societies are simply cover stories for gangs of zombies and other undead creatures.

To defend my country.

Or if they cause me enough harm in some way.

Do you feel you would be capable of taking the life of another person? If so, in what circumstances?
If and only if my safety was clearly in jeopardy or the safety of friends/relatives or throes of innocents were in clear and present danger

Self defense: yes, provided I was superior in combat to my opponent.

Murder: depends upon the circumstance, but such situations certainly exist.

It has happened before...it could happen again

I have killed in order to prevent information being shared, and it was totally justified; the information in question was about the Napoleonic Wars.
That's the last time anyone tried to convince me there was a world outside of America.

Do you feel you would be capable of taking the life of another person? If so, in what circumstances?

I think I have it in me to kill in defense of life, but I would feel like I have failed in some way. I honestly believe there is nothing that can be accomplished by killing that can't be done better without killing by a creative mind.

"To defend myself or another from imminent deadly force." Or so that is the way that the law calls it.

Many years ago, while in the green machine, had to several times. One thing I discovered then was that if I am in a situation in which I have to protect my loved ones; there will be no hesitation at all.

Since I've started doing martial arts, I've learned a few things that could probably cause death or serious injury. I'd like to think that if I was in a life and death situation, I could avoid using them, but fact of the matter is that the adrenaline and fear may well leave me using whatever seems practical at that point. Give me another year or so of training and I'll be safer, but at the moment, it seems possible that I'd kill or cause serious injury more or less by accident.

I don't think I could. Maybe in a desperate situation where there wouldn't another choice.

When it benefits me, yes.

Physically or psychologically capable?

Historical re-enactment societies are simply cover stories for gangs of zombies and other undead creatures.
Oh damn, blew my cover.....

Well, surely you've noticed how late I am up posting for someone on GMT -5......

Physically or psychologically capable?
How would be physically capable of killing in self-defense but not for money?

I think I would be able to, but I wouldn't do it unless there was absolutely no other option, and in every single instance, no matter what the reason, I'd...I'd suppose you'd call it "honour their memory" only I'm not sure that gets across exactly what I mean.

I certainly would never kill for revenge or for petty reasons, though. Revenge is a concept that should be removed from humanity altogether. (Impossible, I know, but that's how I feel about it.)

i kill to defend I kill if the state directs it.

I certainly would never kill for revenge or for petty reasons, though. Revenge is a concept that should be removed from humanity altogether. (Impossible, I know, but that's how I feel about it.)

where does revenge End ? and preventing the repeat of said misfortunes on others begins ?

I'm an infantryman by choice. So yes.
That being said, I have come very, very close before, and I know that if I needed to take a life to protect my family or my comrades I would do it without hesitation.

There isn't a option concerning "if I can get away with it". Granted it isn't a primary reason but consequences does affect decisions when it comes down to it.

I think I would be capable of killing in self-defence or defence of loved ones, however I firmly believe that even in self-defence lethal force should only be used if there was no other option available.

This said, if we were in a defensive war situation, I would be willing to join up, but then I'd view such a situation as ultimately an extension of self-defence only on a country-wide level.