March 28, 2007
"Asphyxiation games... "
“... have been with us for generations, but what makes the current generation’s execution of this game different is that more kids are willing to play it alone."
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12 comments:
When I was in high school, one of my classmates died playing a game like this (by himself). Very sad.
Reading that article made me think just one thing: Darwin.
We've all done a lot of stupid things, and stupidity is nature's way of culling the gene pool of people who do stupid things. Perhaps the reason there is so much stupidity in the world, is we've been doing a great job of protecting people from themselves for a number of decades.
What this does to the gene pool in the long run, is probably a subject for speculation by dystopian sci-fi authors.
Well, Al, I don't know but my classmate who died was a certified mathematical genius. Go figure.
I agree with Al that we’ve been doing far too good a job of "protecting people from themselves" for far too long.
That’s why I’m against sidewalks.
More people need to be eaten by tigers.
"certified mathematical genius."
Doesn't mean he wasn't stupid. A lot of book smart people can be really dumb.
Um... I think we all know what the kid was doing. He was... how u say... pleasuring himself. I know his mom doesn't think so, but you don't think he told her the truth do you?
Jmo: There would be circumstantial evidence, I think, in most cases. According to the article, people choke themselves for fun with and without masturbation. It's so bad to die that it seems like dying and being embarrassed isn't really any worse, but people seem to think it is.
What a brave kid and family to educate others. I love when people face situations like that so openly to benefit others. And they're right -- many kids will ultimately only learn from peers.
I did find the last line in the article punny, though.
jmo, a lot of kids do it for the high and not for auterotic effect. Girls are more willing to try this than drugs, and amongst themselves. It's become popular at parties. It sidesteps drug testing and suspicion with parents.
Galvanized:
You may be right! Might this be an unintended result of all the random drug testing schools are engaging in?
It seems like teens have an inate need to engage in mind altering behaviours. Back in the old days you drank. With the schools doing everything they can to prevent kids using drugs and alcahol - these needs are going to manifest themselfes somehow.
Galvanized: Kids won't learn from their peers!
This is kind of a pessimistic view, but many of the other kids will think: This kid ultimately survived, and so can I.
It sounds twisted, but had the kid died, that might have drove the point home better.
The fact that the kid survived and now gets a book deal, his own talk show, fame, limos, etc etc
What does that tell kids?
Take a risk, become a celebrity!
It's a jaded point of view--I have, but oh well.
By the way: Althouse salaciously mentioning the 'm' word, when the article specifically states that wasn't a fact. Totally unnecessary, and not relevant, but Althouse felt the need to evoke "m" nonetheless. Artful Salacious-ness.
Peace, Maxine
Maxine: what was interesting about the article was that the kids looked at risks and estimated probability before trying a dangerous act, while most adults flatly rule out dangerous behaviors. For this reason, kids will try things. A kid wants to hear from someone who makes decisions as he does (another kid). And when a peer presents an argument against a risky behavior he has tried, someone their same age who assessed risks as an adolescent does, and faced dire consequences, kids will listen to him before they would an adult, who simply says, "It's bad. Here's what could happen." In short, they would rather be able to hear from a humbled peer in their dialect, who has an exciting story before they would a preachy grown-up who is years removed from their situations. In their eyes, if you don't try it because of the kid, you're his friend; if you don't try it because of the grown-up, you're a goody-goody scaredy cat.
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