If you want to explain, in detail, the scenarios you’re trying to describe, I’ll elaborate.
Sure. A child is indoctrinated into becoming a child soldier somewhere in the developing world. That child kills a few people. No sympathy, right? You'd blow that kid's brains out without a second thought, right? A child grows up poor and surrounded by violence. That child takes part in some violence himself and kills someone during a robbery. No sympathy, right? You'd send that kid directly to the chair without losing a wink of sleep, right?
That's not jumping to conclusions -- that's what "I have no sympathy for this kid" means when you apply it to reality.
That’s not jumping to conclusions – that’s what “I have no sympathy for this kid” means when you apply it to reality.
No, it does not. You're trying to stretch remedial logic to absurdist ends. I'm surprised you have not called me a pedophile because I said children have degrees of free will. That accusation would be equally grounded in reality.
Sure. A child is indoctrinated into becoming a child soldier somewhere in the developing world. That child kills a few people.
Let's start here.
Is this child on the cusp of adulthood?
Are they following the direct orders of a superior? Are they carrying out an independent act?
What is the sociopolitical context of this war? Is it the genocide of an exploited class? Is it an exploited class rising up against their oppressors?
Are they expressing an asymmetry of power, i.e. murdering while experiencing no threat to themself?
These are a few questions you'll need to clarify before we can even begin to consider this an imperfect analogy to Kyle's case.
You’re trying to stretch remedial logic to absurdist ends.
I'm not talking about redemption at all -- I'm talking about sympathy. You can think a child has done something irredeemable and still think it's a shame that someone worked to indoctrinate that child into a violent ideology. Kids have some agency, but they have less agency than adults. There are about a million scenarios where we recognize that kids aren't 100% responsible for everything they do, even if what they do is identical to something we'd say an adult is responsible for without qualification.
These are a few questions you’ll need to clarify before we can even begin to consider this an imperfect analogy to Kyle’s case.
You have as much detail about those hypotheticals as you do about this real-life person. If you've arrived at "no sympathy" with only what we know now, but want to play 20 questions with those other scenarios, you're rushing to judgment here.
I’m not talking about redemption at all – I’m talking about sympathy. You can think a child has done something irredeemable and still think it’s a shame that someone worked to indoctrinate that child into a violent ideology. Kids have some agency, but they have less agency than adults. There are about a million scenarios where we recognize that kids aren’t 100% responsible for everything they do, even if what they do is identical to something we’d say an adult is responsible for without qualification.
Everyone is shaped by the systems they grow up in. People don't magically become independent of that once they are adults. I interpret your comment as "every person deserves my sympathy, no matter what they do." The difference between a 17 year old and a 25 year old committing an act of terror is barely different. There's no difference for their victims
From your perspective, I find it weird you do not have sympathy for every far-right terrorist. Once they become an adult, you disregard the systems which were the reason for your sympathy? That's absurd.
You have as much detail about those hypotheticals as you do about this real-life person.
I have the answer to every single one of those questions in Kyle's case. I know the context of America, the war they are fighting in, the ongoing genocide of black people, the side they're on, etc. The only ambiguity is whether he was forced to carry out this massacre - which is extremely unlikely.
Please reflect on the energy you are willing to invest in challenging the statement: "I have no sympathy for a 17-year old who left his hometown to massacre anti-racist protesters."
You are very motivated to convince me I owe my oppressors sympathy. It's disgusting. I'm done responding to this. This is clearly unreal to you, just an intellectual exercise.
Once they become an adult, you disregard the systems which were the reason for your sympathy?
Do you believe kids are 100% as responsible for their actions as adults? Yes or no.
Please reflect on the energy you are willing to invest
Please reflect on the fact that you consider typing out a few posts "investing energy." Please reflect on the fact that you're talking about blowing away children without batting an eye. Please reflect on the fact that people who do not feel any hesitation as they kill a child are bad people who have a video game view of the value of human life.
What do you think "no sympathy" means in practice when you're talking about a murderer? What do you think it means when you repeatedly say "hey you know this actually means you don't give a damn about that person's life" and they don't deny that?
Think about how this mentality translates to real-world actions.
Do you think most people, seeing as they do not feel sympathy for murderers, would go ahead and kill them instead because of a lack of sympathy for their actions?
The death penalty still has majority support, and extremely long (effectively life-ending) sentences are popular as an alternative. So yes, whatever your "rhetorical question" horseshit is meant to imply, there's a clear link between lacking sympathy for a murderer and wanting to see that murderer dead.
[People] kill because they... lack empathy, and/or hey dehumanize
he is, however, opposed to showing sympathy due to what he did. That doesn’t mean he wants to kill him
Sure. A child is indoctrinated into becoming a child soldier somewhere in the developing world. That child kills a few people. No sympathy, right? You'd blow that kid's brains out without a second thought, right? A child grows up poor and surrounded by violence. That child takes part in some violence himself and kills someone during a robbery. No sympathy, right? You'd send that kid directly to the chair without losing a wink of sleep, right?
That's not jumping to conclusions -- that's what "I have no sympathy for this kid" means when you apply it to reality.
No, it does not. You're trying to stretch remedial logic to absurdist ends. I'm surprised you have not called me a pedophile because I said children have degrees of free will. That accusation would be equally grounded in reality.
Let's start here.
Is this child on the cusp of adulthood?
Are they following the direct orders of a superior? Are they carrying out an independent act?
What is the sociopolitical context of this war? Is it the genocide of an exploited class? Is it an exploited class rising up against their oppressors?
Are they expressing an asymmetry of power, i.e. murdering while experiencing no threat to themself?
These are a few questions you'll need to clarify before we can even begin to consider this an imperfect analogy to Kyle's case.
I'm not talking about redemption at all -- I'm talking about sympathy. You can think a child has done something irredeemable and still think it's a shame that someone worked to indoctrinate that child into a violent ideology. Kids have some agency, but they have less agency than adults. There are about a million scenarios where we recognize that kids aren't 100% responsible for everything they do, even if what they do is identical to something we'd say an adult is responsible for without qualification.
You have as much detail about those hypotheticals as you do about this real-life person. If you've arrived at "no sympathy" with only what we know now, but want to play 20 questions with those other scenarios, you're rushing to judgment here.
Everyone is shaped by the systems they grow up in. People don't magically become independent of that once they are adults. I interpret your comment as "every person deserves my sympathy, no matter what they do." The difference between a 17 year old and a 25 year old committing an act of terror is barely different. There's no difference for their victims
From your perspective, I find it weird you do not have sympathy for every far-right terrorist. Once they become an adult, you disregard the systems which were the reason for your sympathy? That's absurd.
I have the answer to every single one of those questions in Kyle's case. I know the context of America, the war they are fighting in, the ongoing genocide of black people, the side they're on, etc. The only ambiguity is whether he was forced to carry out this massacre - which is extremely unlikely.
Please reflect on the energy you are willing to invest in challenging the statement: "I have no sympathy for a 17-year old who left his hometown to massacre anti-racist protesters."
You are very motivated to convince me I owe my oppressors sympathy. It's disgusting. I'm done responding to this. This is clearly unreal to you, just an intellectual exercise.
Do you believe kids are 100% as responsible for their actions as adults? Yes or no.
Please reflect on the fact that you consider typing out a few posts "investing energy." Please reflect on the fact that you're talking about blowing away children without batting an eye. Please reflect on the fact that people who do not feel any hesitation as they kill a child are bad people who have a video game view of the value of human life.
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What do you think "no sympathy" means in practice when you're talking about a murderer? What do you think it means when you repeatedly say "hey you know this actually means you don't give a damn about that person's life" and they don't deny that?
Think about how this mentality translates to real-world actions.
deleted by creator
The death penalty still has majority support, and extremely long (effectively life-ending) sentences are popular as an alternative. So yes, whatever your "rhetorical question" horseshit is meant to imply, there's a clear link between lacking sympathy for a murderer and wanting to see that murderer dead.
Are you serious right now?