Pacifists, I have a question.

[miketehmage]

Okay so I've been lurking around these forums for a while now and there seems to be a fair few pacifists on here so I'd like to ask you all something.

If a single person, of the same height and build as you, were to hit you, and continue to hit you repeatedly, would you hit them back?

If the answer is no due to fear, I'm not interested, if however the answer is no due to restraint and beliefs, could you explain that to me?

If someone is hitting you, why wouldn't you hit back? What gives them the right to hit you? And why shouldn't you defend yourselves?

Let's try to keep this civil people

EDIT: To clear this up for some people who have been asking. I mean if it is unprovoked and you don't know the person.

I'd also like to point out that I don't go around looking for fights, I think some of you may have been getting the wrong impression from this post

 

[Total LOLige]

There could be a backlash to reacting, your attacker could get his boys to beat you down because you beat the shit out of him. This could result in you ending up dead.

I'm not a pacifist, if I was put into a situation like that I would fight back, if I couldn't run that is. I'd also fight someone if me not doing so would result in the harm of someone else.

 

[DoPo]

If a single person, of the same height and build as you, were to hit you, and continue to hit you repeatedly

I'd might be scared. I'm a fairly big guy so if another one like started punching me, it could be really scary. Then again, I have a higher pain tolerance for punching, so chances are that it would just be annoying.

If someone is hitting you, why wouldn't you hit back? What gives them the right to hit you? And why shouldn't you defend yourselves?

Why do I have to hit them back though? What if I don't hit them back and still defend myself? You're imposing a false dilemma here - I can defend myself without punching people. Well I can defend myself from punches, at least. Block and if need be, try to restrain them. If the other party continues, maybe throw in some hits of my own. But defence =/= hitting stuff. Trust me.

Oh, and I wouldn't start hitting, because I'm a fairly big guy. Not that I'm a pacifist but I could really hurt somebody if provoked. That's how I grew up, so that's how I tend to do stuff now.

 

[Mayhaps]

Okay so I've been lurking around these forums for a while now and there seems to be a fair few pacifists on here so I'd like to ask you all something.

If a single person, of the same height and build as you, were to hit you, and continue to hit you repeatedly, would you hit them back?

If the answer is no due to fear, I'm not interested, if however the answer is no due to restraint and beliefs, could you explain that to me?

If someone is hitting you, why wouldn't you hit back? What gives them the right to hit you? And why shouldn't you defend yourselves?

Let's try to keep this civil people

I'd label myself a pacifist. I haven't been hit as in hit to hurt since 9th grade. But I very rarely hit back, even then.I don't think it's out of fear it's more out of conviction that it won't help me.
If it were to happen now it'd likely be a drunkard looking for a fight, I'm only giving him what he wants. The better defense would be to try to leave, and I can still block hits without hitting him back.

 

[Kahunaburger]

I'd restrain the guy without hurting him, call the cops, and press assault charges.

 

[Raven's Nest]

I'm not an aggressive person at all and for the principles I can respect pacifism. But from an evolutionary/survival point of view, being attacked and not doing something about it is retarded unwise.

 

[Esotera]

I would flex my gigantic muscles and bully unrelated people that follow religions I don't like, and possibly punch them in the face [/bad America metaphor]

OT: Back when I was a pacifist, I would still have said yes to this - in fact I got in more fights in that period of life than now. A small bit of violence is ok if it's in self-defence, and doesn't precipitate anything else.

 

[StBishop]

I'd like to reiterate the point made previously that defend!=hit.

 

[Nouw]

I wouldn't hit them back but doing nothing is being dumb. Hitting them back would be being disrespectful but letting them hit you is being disrespectful towards yourself. Since they're probably 14 like me, I'm assuming this is school. Which is why I would tell a teacher . If there isn't one around, I'd either run and tell someone or apply a little bit of violence.

 

[Psykoma]

I wouldn't hit back. I may try to defend, but I would not take any offensive. I just don't want to be someone who punches others.

Captcha: nose bleed >.>

 

[Pat8u]

I won't hit back as that still could be twisted as I did the assault in the first place.

 

[TheVioletBandit]

I don't want to sound like a brute, but if someone attacks me I will come back in equal if not greater force when possible. I was physically abused as a child, and was to small then to protect myself, but I am not that little child anymore, and I will not allow someone to hurt me or anyone else if I can stop them.

 

[ReservoirAngel]

No, I wouldn't hit them back. And trust me, I've been in this situation before. I didn't raise a hand to the guys. Really when I think of it, someone with as smart a mouth as me shouldn't be a pacifist, it runs the risk of my mouth writing cheques I can't cash, so to speak.

But yeah, no. I wouldn't try to do anything back to them. Both because that would just make me as violent as they are and I always prefer to settle things through words rather than violence, and because I'm such a weed that even if I tried fighting back it wouldn't work.

True story: I ended up in a fight way back in school once over the lunch break. For about half an hour I got the crap kicked out of me but I didn't once raise a hand against the guy. I did, however, continue to mouth off to him though.

 

[Palademon]

I'm a pacifist in the sense I'm anti-war and don't start fights, which I guess isn't anything particularly special.

But I'm kind of immune to this question as I'd probably hit back...or run like hell.
Couldn't they just not wish to hurt anyone and just run away? Also it's easier to claim assault when you didn't hit them at all.

 

[CruisingForBiddies]

I'd restrain the guy without hurting him, call the cops, and press assault charges.

Exactly what I'd do, or at least try to do.

If that fails, I'd drop the tea and run.

I don't really think I would press charges, but legging it is most likely the option I would choose. Unless someone was attacking someone else, then I wight get involved to break it up.

 

[Evil Smurf]

I don't get into fights

 

[DrRockor]

A situation like that has happened to me before, a guy around my size did punch me right in the jaw. You know what I did? I keep on walking and ignored him.

Violence for me is a last resort and even then it's after running away. I don't want to cause suffering in the world. Theres too much already. You might think that punching a guy back if he hits you isn't really causing suffering but you got to start somewhere.

I also don't care if someone thinks I'm a coward if I run away from a fight. I am a coward. Deal with it! I don't have to ascribe to your idea of manliness or whatever

 

[guidance]

I don't hit people not of fear but of pure restraint at this point. I feel bad if I hurt someone, yes even if they are hurting me. I am also generally weak in the arms area so hitting back doesn't do much. I don't think the person has any right to hit you, but I don't think hitting them back ever stops them. I usually try to grab there arms or because I am small and fast I sometimes try to get behind the person and just hold my fingers at their neck. For some reason people out right hate this so it usually keeps them from bugging me. Yes I am aware that this wont work in a real street fight but at that point I would just run.