Tuesday, October 16, 2007

Question - Is Dwarf-tossing Ethical?

Is dwarf-tossing ethical?
The question was raised in a forum at the St James Ethics Centre, but is one that, I believe, this forum should consider (if we have not done so already).
(I recall that juggling Brazilian midgets, in some ways similar to dwarf-tossing, was a pass time of the late Professor C Ooly McCool …)

3 comments:

Samuel Douglas said...

The initial reaction of several participants on the St James forum was to justify the activity using 'informed consent'. This is acceptable to me in most cases of so-called distasteful activity.

But does the ethical problem end just because the activity is between consenting adults? Are some activities so dangerous, stupid, demeaning or unspeakably evil that people should not be allowed to consent to take part in them? Should we jail dwarf-tossers?

Or is the urge to lob little people something that should be categorised as a psychopathology? This would allow us to round up the 'sufferers' and put them in an asylum where a rigorous regime of pan-optic discipline and dwarf aversion therapy which could produce somber, clean-living citizens.

Anonymous said...

If the dwarf consents then all is fine as you have the joy of juggling a dwarf and the dwarf has the pleasure of being juggled. Afterwards the dwarf gets to use you as a caber and you are back for another round of juggling.

Anonymous said...

maRci says..

dwarfs have a terrific shape and size for a good tossing.