From: Weslake, Brad BG (Weslake.Brad.BG@bhp.com.au)
Date: Tue Dec 30 1997 - 20:49:43 MST
Extract from a discussion I had elsewhere. While a lot of this is
tongue-in-cheek the concepts are a possibility for the future:
Borofkin wrote:
> >
> > shadow wrote:
> > >
> > > > So what do you think is acceptable punishment?
> > >
> > > I think that at the birth of the firstborn child in each household
a
> > > special "punishment device" should be issued to the parents. This
is to
> > > be the ONLY acceptable method of punishment, and prosecution will
NOT be
> > > allowed for ANY use of the device by a parent to their child. I am
not
> > > sure exactly what it would be, but the electric shock idea is
probably
> > > the best. The requirements for the device/system are:
> > >
> > > 1. Different levels of punishment, selectable by the parent, with
the
> > > maximum set at some non-lethal level by medical practitioners.
> > >
> > > 2. Device must be portable/easily administered.
> >
> > Hmmm... how about a taser, so the parents don't have to leave their
chair?
> >
> > > 3. Using the device for any other purpose than parent-> >child
discipline
> > > is an offense.
> >
> > Except between two consenting adults.
> >
> > > 4. There might possibly need to be a limit set in the device, such
as a
> > > maximum power output per day.
> > >
> > > Maybe a chip embedded under the childs skin would be the best
idea, and
> > > could be activated by remote control by the parent. Eventually
parents
> > > will simply have to think and their child will experience pain, or
> > > eventually simulated emotions such as regret/remorse.
> > >
> > > Thus punishment could be totally standardised across the country,
and
> > > the laws would be absolute.
> >
> > Your proposal doesn't take into account the fact that every child is
different. Some
> > have a higher tolerance of pain than others. While the punishment
administered would
> > be identical, the punishment "received" would be different for each
child.
>
> That would be at the discretion of the parents I guess, although I
don't
> like the element of ambiguity that introduces. Maybe by the time the
> whole country debates this proposal and a referendum is held medical
> technology which can measure pain thresholds will have developed.
Now it's getting too complicated for the average parent. What we need is
"punishment processing factories" where children are given punishment by
trained professionals.
These factories could also act as a societal syphon for all the saddists
out there. I think murder and rape rates would drop substantially if
such people could vent their anger on small children.
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