The girl who was run over

[Animeniax]

I was referring to your comment about the parents. They have nothing to do with what happened. Your assumptions about their competence falls into the Just World theory.

The other stuff you said is abhorrent but probably a product of a jaded world-view that comes from experience. I can't hold that against you, just hope that you value human life a little more

Well I only asked where were the parents and why was their kid sitting in the road. If your 2 year old daughter is lying in the street to be run over passersby, I think the parents are culpable to some degree.

I value human life for the most part, but I think westerners over-value human lives. I don't think it's enough to have a life, quality of life matters too.

[XanBcoo]

If your 2 year old daughter is lying in the street to be run over passersby, I think the parents are culpable to some degree.

Given the information we know, which is nothing, they are not culpable for anything. You have no idea what was going on and to assume in any way that the parents are somehow responsible is idiotic.

Even if you are the best parents in the world, it takes about 15 seconds for a child to wander off. They had absolutely no control over the situation. End of story.

Gonna stop replying.

[Splash!]

I value human life for the most part, but I think westerners over-value human lives. I don't think it's enough to have a life, quality of life matters too.

I don't really understand how that justifies letting the girl die because it would have been the 'merciful' thing to do.

Instead you seem to be questioning whether it's WORTH saving her from a practical point of view if you can't guarantee a certain quality of life. I assume since somebody paid her hospital bills at the end, the question of what her life is worth is irrelevant.

I agree that there is a point where quality of life is so low that continuing to live on can be far too difficult for a person. But to prematurely let her die for what PROBABLY could be a very tough life is just not good enough a premise, especially when no one has any way of knowing yet how that kid will be able to cope. It is not an act of mercy but simply an act of convenience.

You need a much deeper understanding of the situation and all possible outcomes before you can even begin to conjecture what the merciful thing to do would be. Being merciful requires you to step into the other person's shoes and have an understanding of the situation from their own perspective. This becomes that much harder with children, who have yet to develop their own understanding. There are just too many unknowns for you as an outsider to 'mercifully' let her die.