Life vs Ethics

[SomethingBig]

Say you gave birth to a mannequin baby(my apologies for being politically incorrect). Mannequin babies are babies that are born with a disorder that causes their skin to be perpetually dry. Each day they have to play ungodly amounts of lotion at least 8 times. If they don't, their skin cracks and you can be sure that that hurts like hell.

Now for the question. You, as a parent, are now given a choice: have the doctor put your child to rest, or allow it to live and subject it to social, physical, and mental torture. Put religion aside because I don't care what Matt, John, Luke and the crew have to say; I want to know what you have to say about this. Sorry I can't put my input, but I have to dash off to school. I'll post it later.

EDIT: Most mannequin babies die as soon as they're born, but let's just say for the sake of this thread that yours has a good chance of surviving.

[Polaris]

have the doctor put your child to rest... it'd be the best to the child..

[Psychotic]

have the doctor put your child to rest... it'd be the best to the child..I agree.

[Rusty]

I'd ask the doctor to put the child to rest. I wouldn't like to put the child through a life of pain and I myself don't think I could cope with it.

[Kawaii Ryûkishi]

I would ask the doctor to murder the kid.

[boris no no]

thats a hard question...myself i can't wait to have kids, i love kids.
if i did have a child with a disorder i would have to talk to the doctor propally about its problem. i don't know if i could give a baby up....
i know it would be in pain...so i possible would. :( but it would be a hard desision

[Resha]

I don't know. Maybe I'd wait until the child was old enough and ask it...but that's stupid. But I wouldn't want to kill- it is killing, even if it's for the child's own sake!- anyone, least of all my own child! And maybe people won't be cruel to it at all.

I just feel that the child should have a say in what they want...but it's impossible to do it once the child is grown up. :cry: I'm confused. I don't know!

But is asking to put 'a child to rest' very different from euthanesia and all? I don't think it is, really. And euthanesia is banned in many countries...

[DMKA]

I don't think I could find it in myself to have the kid put to rest, but I'd be horrible to see it live like that. I'd have to be in the position to choose...I really can't tell you on a simple "what if".

Mother nature is a cruel bitch at times. :(

[Dr.K]

I'd lay the child to rest. No matter what experiences the child had of life, no matter what acheivements were gained, it would never be able to experience adequate contentment while living with that condition.

[Leene]

I don't know. I wouldn't want to kill-it but in the other hand it's terrible to live like this..... :(

[boko9955]

id let it live every thang has a right to live we should have no say in if a human gits to live or has to die

[SomethingBig]

I, too, believe that as a parent, you are morally obligated to put your child to rest if you know that it will have a permanent disorder that will have extremely negative effects on it. When my child walks up to me and says, "Father, why didn't you let me die?" and is serious is when I know that I've failed as a parent.

[Del Murder]

Better to end its life before it knows how much it will have to suffer.

[Yamaneko]

I don't think you can answer that question thoroughly until you become a parent.

[lordblazer]

Better to end its life before it knows how much it will have to suffer.
I don't care about that he will have to deal with it.We all have our cross to carry.Everyone has a purpose in life and everyone deserves a chance at life.I couldn't kill a baby.A baby who was jsut born .A baby whom have never experienced the things I have.Heck I'm not putting down a baby who has never tasted my grandmothers and my sister's sweet potato pie.I mean what if your parents said oh they are gonna hate you we might as well kill you now.What if htey said that when you were just first born?Think about it.

[Del Murder]

What if the baby had no sense of taste?

[SomethingBig]

It's not a matter of hating the child. In fact, it's more loving it. Would you want your child to live in perpetual pain and suffering?

[nik0tine]

I don't see what the problem is. Your saying you would kill a child because his "suffering" consisted of having to put on lotion, and get made fun of when he is in grade school? Please... I would certainly HOPE none of you would kill the baby for THAT.

[Del Murder]

Heh, I assumed it would be a lot worse than that, from the way Big described it. A kid with a sunburn is one thing, but I think this causes constant pain and suffering. I'm not familiar with the disease. Anyway, that's what I think most of us based our decision on.

[Azure Chrysanthemum]

Who are we to decide that a disability such as this cannot be overcome, and that that child cannot do great things? Who are we to decide that death is better than life for anybody?

[Resha]

I'd search for a cure, or else I'd kick everyone who made fun of my ickle baby. If we just kill off everyone who's going to be made fun off, then people are never going to improve or learn, are they? Or are we just trying to do a Nazi and create a perfect race?

Anyone who doesn't respect someone different from them is a mighty biatch!!!!! And killing without consent is almost like...murder. Maybe it is murder.

*I guess I made up my mind.*

[Silmaril]

I'm not sure that any parent would let his/her kid die but I'd lay the baby to rest.

[SomethingBig]

The child would be alive, but he wouldn't be able to live. He wouldn't be able to do what most kids do. Also, for those who disregard the mistake of forgetting to put on lotion for these kids, imagine getting cut with a knife on your arm. Multiply that pain by 10, then extend that feeling to your entire body. That is, literally, how dry their skin is. If I had a picture, I'd show you their flesh. Calling them mannequin babies isn't an exaggeration.

This isn't down-syndrome or some sort of speaking-impediment. Many of you also disregard the negative consequences of such a child having to go through, possibly, and entire life of criticism and stares. Sure, you may be able to go through that, but not all people can. That's why suicide exists. I remember hearing a story about a guy that jumped off a bridge and his suicide note read, "If one person I walk by says hi to me, then I won't jump." You wouldn't believe the power one person can have over another.

[fire_of_avalon]

]Cosins JM, Frederickx Y, Yousif A, Hamoir M, Van den Eeckhaut J.

Describe since the beginning of the fifties, the mannequin syndrome consists of anorexia, amenorrhea and swelling of the parotid glands. This variety of symptoms is usually found in young female patients who want to remain thin. In fact, this syndrome has been several times diagnosed in fashion models or airhostesses;hence the term "mannequin syndrome".


This is the only thing I found on anything concerning humans and mannequins. However, I think what SB is describing is what's called Harlequin Ichthyosis, an incredibly horrid disease to both suffer through, no matter how long one suffers through it, and to behold. Our banned friend Demeren Owens or whomever he was posted a picture of this once which I'm pretty sure Shlup caught and deleted almost immediately. The oldest living survivor of Harlequin Ichthyosis was a young girl who lived to be nine years old. Honestly, to feel the full weight of what SB is talking about (if this is what he's talking about, and based on his description of the disease it is) you have to see it. I'm not about to link to any pictures, because I know the reaction I had when I saw them, and I'm pretty tough to shock. If you believe you can handle it, I suggest you do an image search on your own but please consider yourselves warned.

That being said, I agree with Yamaneko.

[SomethingBig]

Oops, sorry about that mistake. I was talking about Harlequin Ichthyosis.

I found an article describing what this disorder does to people that have it. Don't worry, it doesn't have any pictures of the people.
http://www.thedoctorslounge.net/clinlounge/diseases/skin/harlequin.htm

[Resha]

I guess suicide is bad, but at least then it'd be the child's choice to die. I wouldn't be just...killing it. A twisted way to put it....but yeah...

[SomethingBig]

I'd assume the doctor has more painless methods of killing the baby than the the child's suicide attempts.