I understand the urge. He was trying to do a good thing. But- evolution in action. His sense of risk was inadequate, and as a consequence his small kindness has devastated his family. A well meant but truly bad choice. with bad results. To see this, make the primary actor a -say- 10 or 12 year old child. Would you allow him to do this? Or would you stop him in his tracks and explain the very serious risk he disregarded?
While I understand what you are saying, do you have any idea how stagnant society would become if the full possibility of any negative outcome were to be considered before any action taken? Had the ducklings been rescued and his life spared, would you still comment on his rash behavior? IMHO this is the very nature of what makes us "human." How often do you come across stories along the lines of "Rescuers die while searching for lost climber?" And yet there is no shortage of volunteers the next time. Should no one go in search of a lost child because of the risk inherent in that activity? After all, the parents might be young enough to just make another one. People die. Would his family's grief be any less had he died of a heart attack mowing the lawn? While this path might suit you, it is not for me. Also, comparing the behavior of an adult to that of a child isn't, IMHO, a reasonable comparison. As with anything, YMMV.
Yup, this is another symptom of the PETA people trying to convince everyone that animal lives have the same value (or more) than human. Some idiot believes them, and risks his life to save the baby ducks. With statistically predictable results.
I am not trying to equate human life with the ducklings, though in some cases I would hold them to a higher value. The point I'm trying to make is that it is part of what makes us human to, at times, act without the deliberate thought process regarding the risk involved with our actions. Judge those actions in hindsight all you will. I would not run from a fire in my house without consideration for my dogs. As I said, people die. While each moment of life is precious I do not hold it as dearly as others might. IMHO, what he did was noble in a way. YMMV. My opinion.
If you read the article, everyone in the intersection had stopped to observe, even sitting through green lights. We see this kind of thing in our area all the time - people waiting for animals to cross the street, or slowing down and stopping so people can get up-close pictures of animals or nature. For me, it's one of the signs of a decent area; people can be kind and patient. The article noted the driver 'came out of nowhere'. She wasn't paying attention to the fact that no other cars were moving, or she saw but didn't care. The man's kindness isn't a problem. The carelessness or distractedness of the teen driver is the problem.
I am a bit more concerned about what the 17 year old girl was doing just before running down the man. Texting, smoking pot, singing out loud with her girlfriends a song on the radio, what???
I worry today that no one will be there to help the ducks.
ReplyDeleteI understand the urge. He was trying to do a good thing. But- evolution in action. His sense of risk was inadequate, and as a consequence his small kindness has devastated his family. A well meant but truly bad choice. with bad results. To see this, make the primary actor a -say- 10 or 12 year old child. Would you allow him to do this? Or would you stop him in his tracks and explain the very serious risk he disregarded?
ReplyDeleteDarwin had shit to say about this.
DeleteWhile I understand what you are saying, do you have any idea how stagnant society would become if the full possibility of any negative outcome were to be considered before any action taken? Had the ducklings been rescued and his life spared, would you still comment on his rash behavior? IMHO this is the very nature of what makes us "human." How often do you come across stories along the lines of "Rescuers die while searching for lost climber?" And yet there is no shortage of volunteers the next time. Should no one go in search of a lost child because of the risk inherent in that activity? After all, the parents might be young enough to just make another one. People die. Would his family's grief be any less had he died of a heart attack mowing the lawn? While this path might suit you, it is not for me. Also, comparing the behavior of an adult to that of a child isn't, IMHO, a reasonable comparison.
DeleteAs with anything, YMMV.
WiscoDave - I don't understand what you are saying. You seem to switch from ducklings to humans as if they had the same value.
DeleteYup, this is another symptom of the PETA people trying to convince everyone that animal lives have the same value (or more) than human. Some idiot believes them, and risks his life to save the baby ducks. With statistically predictable results.
DeleteJohn G.
I am not trying to equate human life with the ducklings, though in some cases I would hold them to a higher value. The point I'm trying to make is that it is part of what makes us human to, at times, act without the deliberate thought process regarding the risk involved with our actions. Judge those actions in hindsight all you will. I would not run from a fire in my house without consideration for my dogs. As I said, people die. While each moment of life is precious I do not hold it as dearly as others might. IMHO, what he did was noble in a way. YMMV. My opinion.
DeleteWisco - Plus 10
DeleteIf you read the article, everyone in the intersection had stopped to observe, even sitting through green lights. We see this kind of thing in our area all the time - people waiting for animals to cross the street, or slowing down and stopping so people can get up-close pictures of animals or nature. For me, it's one of the signs of a decent area; people can be kind and patient.
DeleteThe article noted the driver 'came out of nowhere'. She wasn't paying attention to the fact that no other cars were moving, or she saw but didn't care.
The man's kindness isn't a problem. The carelessness or distractedness of the teen driver is the problem.
A great example of: The intervention by humans into Mother Nature's realm never ends well.
ReplyDeleteDid the driver swerve and get the ducks too? Or did they have to go around the block again.
ReplyDeleteI’ve stopped in the middle of the road….
ReplyDeleteand moved a turtle to the side….
but I had my car between me and other traffic.
Ed357
I am a bit more concerned about what the 17 year old girl was doing just before running down the man. Texting, smoking pot, singing out loud with her girlfriends a song on the radio, what???
ReplyDelete