Will Self Kicks Ass

On Question Time (04/03/10 - audio only)

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• will
• self
• question
• time
• jamie
• bulger
• killer
• jon
• venables
• little
• england
• angry
• mob
• session
• gets
• jimmy

[neonatalpenguin]

@inkymoon You’re comparing adult culpability with that of a 10-year-old. In most respects, the law doesn’t do this; driving, drinking, having sex, etc. That’s central to the distinction society makes between ‘adult’ and ‘minor’. Negation of responsibility for children works both ways. As 10-year-olds, their “bad start in life” was still ongoing. When an adult commits murder, the responsibility is entirely theirs. When a 10-year-old commits murder, society has failed to raise that child properly.

[inkymoon]

when I was ten, I definitely knew right from wrong and more importantly life from death.

[neonatalpenguin]

@inkymoon Congratulations

[TheNotoriousBOA]

@dibbleman

Where does everyone get the idea that young people's institutions are like holiday camps? I don't know what sort of holidays you go on, but I doubt if living for 10 years with a load of highly disturbed teenagers is your idea of a good time.

[neonatalpenguin]

The law justifiably, in my view- doesnt allow children to drive, smoke, drink, gamble, have sex, etc until adolescence, because children arent deemed culpable enough to take responsibility in these situations. For the same reason, the law states that a child cannot be punished with the same level of severity as an adult. I dont see a problem with that.

[nags2bitches]

@inkymoon You don't yet seem mature enough yet to understand what Will Self is saying, or what neonatalpenguin has already said to you so little point in me discussing with you any furthur.

[inkymoon]

@nags2bitches probably not that many - far, far less would kill - what is your point?

[nags2bitches]

@inkymoon How can a 10 year old have personal responsibility ? What normal 10 year old would go to school or eat his greens or brush his teeth if some RESPONSIBLE adult hadn't instilled it in him to do so ?

[neonatalpenguin]

@inkymoon Whether or not the Bulger killers knew the difference between right and wrong is almost irrelevant. They were 10 years old, and therefore not legally culpable. During adolescence, we gradually cease to be extensions of our family’s will (or lack of it), and become free and culpable adults. In all likelihood, you and I were both raised with great moral care and attention. Lucky us. The desire to punish a 10-year-old as an adult doesn’t make you the good guy here.

[inkymoon]

@neonatalpenguin how can you equate driving, smoking, sex and gambling to the act of killing? Taking a life is on another level completely and to say that a ten year old doesn't understand that is insulting the intelligence of ten year olds the world over. Do people suddenly magically understand responsibility when they turn 18? Of course they don't, it is instilled from an early age.

[inkymoon]

@neonatalpenguin I like Will Self and agree with most of his well thought out opinions. The trouble with this particular comment is that it begins to negate the idea of personal responsibility. Lots of people have a bad start in life, they do not all go out and kill. If you take away the idea of responsibility then you could justify revenge attacks on the killers and that would be equally wrong.

[ursie1986]

If you believe 10 year olds can commit crimes in the way that adults can then by your own logic you believe they deserve the punishments that adults recieve. In America, this would almost certainly have meant death. Imagine killing two children for the sake of one. And what would the executioner become? A child murderer. He would have to be killed also.

This kind of ridiculous conjecture about 'the way we should punish' is what's holding us back from making everyone happy and equal.