Possible consequences for good work?

[DarklordKyo]

There's this Kung Fu school near where I live, and my dad suggests taking classes in it. He justifies it by saying I could use said skills for the greater good.

That said, because of this story I heard about a kid getting arrested for wiretapping when getting back at bullies, I'm worried I might get sued for damages if I defend someone (or something equally shit).

It doesn't help that it's already happened to an extent, with my mom scolding me for giving blood because of possible health risks she figures might happen.

What sort of other negative repercussions could happen in pursuit of the greater good?

 

[Baffle]

You could see someone drop something. You go to pick it up for them, but they do the same at the same time. You bash heads. They die.

I think if you haven't actually started Kung Fu school yet, the odds of you hurting someone for the greater good rather than getting your arse handed to you by someone inclined to violence is pretty small. If you want to do the classes, do them - it won't turn you into Steven Seagal, which is for the best really.

Well done on the blood donation, keep it up. Ignore your mum (in relation to the blood thing, you should maybe listen to her regarding other things, but always come back here for a second opinion).

 

[DarklordKyo]

I think if you haven't actually started Kung Fu school yet, the odds of you hurting someone for the greater good rather than getting your arse handed to you by someone inclined to violence is pretty small. If you want to do the classes, do them - it won't turn you into Steven Seagal, which is for the best really.

I mean something like the following: I help someone, the assaulter is a rich asshole who complains to their parents, their parents sue, their lawyer wins the case with some "Affluenza"-like bull, and either my family goes bankrupt, or I end up in jail.

That, or the person I saved gets scared, and I get sued for psychological damages.

Might sound out there but, again, kid gets arrested for wiretapping when getting back at bullies.

Honestly, there's a part of me that wants to try, but another doesn't want to risk making the wrong decision. That part doesn't want me to step on the metaphorical butterfly that'll slowly lead to ruin.

 

[Baffle]

I think if you haven't actually started Kung Fu school yet, the odds of you hurting someone for the greater good rather than getting your arse handed to you by someone inclined to violence is pretty small. If you want to do the classes, do them - it won't turn you into Steven Seagal, which is for the best really.

I mean something like the following: I help someone, the assaulter is a rich asshole who complains to their parents, their parents sue, their lawyer wins the case with some "Affluenza"-like bull, and either my family goes bankrupt, or I end up in jail.

That, or the person I saved gets scared, and I get sued for psychological damages.

Might sound out there but, again, kid gets arrested for wiretapping when getting back at bullies.

Honestly, there's a part of me that wants to try, but another doesn't want to risk making the wrong decision. That part doesn't want me to step on the metaphorical butterfly that'll slowly lead to ruin.

I can only recommend that you take up chess in a room on your own, like Magneto at the end of X-men. But it order to maintain your physical fitness, be sure to play with exceptionally heavy pieces.

 

[DarklordKyo]

I can only recommend that you take up chess in a room on your own, like Magneto at the end of X-men. But it order to maintain your physical fitness, be sure to play with exceptionally heavy pieces.

The levity is appreciated, but please give me a more serious answer.

 

[Baffle]

The levity is appreciated, but please give me a more serious answer.

Okay: you're massively overthinking it. I've done a few sports here and there - running (is this really a sport?), kickboxing, rock climbing, karate, probably some others. I have yet to climb to the occasion (sorry, that was bad) and run to someone's aim, before kicking their assailant in the box and finishing off with a karate chop to the carotid artery.

By which I mean you'll be fine as long as you have a modicum of self-control. If you haven't, by all means stick to chess.

 

[DarklordKyo]

Okay: you're massively overthinking it. I've done a few sports here and there - running (is this really a sport?), kickboxing, rock climbing, karate, probably some others. I have yet to climb to the occasion (sorry, that was bad) and run to someone's aim, before kicking their assailant in the box and finishing off with a karate chop to the carotid artery.

By which I mean you'll be fine as long as you have a modicum of self-control. If you haven't, by all means stick to chess.

Maybe so, but I just don't want to make the wrong decision. I don't want to step on the metaphorical butterfly that'll lead to ruin. I'm only 25, and I've already made the wrong decision too many times. Who knows how many more lives I have left before game over?, how many choices left till I lock myself into the bad ending?

 

[Baffle]

Maybe so, but I just don't want to make the wrong decision. I don't want to step on the metaphorical butterfly that'll lead to ruin. I'm only 25, and I've already made the wrong decision too many times. Who knows how many more lives I have left before game over?, how many choices left till I lock myself into the bad ending?

Who knows indeed? I certainly don't, you've made me question my entire existence. Looks like it's chess for me, and I don't even know the rules. How many squares can a bashop move?

 

[DarklordKyo]

Who knows indeed? I certainly don't, you've made me question my entire existence. Looks like it's chess for me, and I don't even know the rules. How many squares can a bashop move?

As many unblocked squares as you want in a diagonal direction.

Either way, again, appreciate the levity, but please give me a serious answer.

 

[Baffle]

As many unblocked squares as you want in a diagonal direction.

Either way, again, appreciate the levity, but please give me a serious answer.

You're massively overthinking it. Do Kung Fu. Get fit, get ripped, flex pecs, wink at chicks/dudes, have a good time. Don't use computer game analogies in real life unless you're sure of your audience, it'll lead to awkward moments with hot hot incredibly hot people that you want to do more than have awkward moments with.

 

[Blitsie]

Dude. Chill.

Don't go denying yourself a great chance at learning an infinitely useful skill because of a whole pile of utterly inane reasons. Seriously, following your logic its worth it just to throw all electronics out, lock yourself up in your room and huddle up in a corner because anything can kill you if you ponder it long enough. Tell your brain to stop, its being fucking stupid.

You want to make the right decision? Go take the kung fu lessons. Really now you're not going to become some hero and have this ultimate duty to protect the weak after you've become good at it. Just because you know how to fight doesn't mean you have to tackle every situation fighting now either, you can still choose to either run the hell away or try solve it through non-violence. And if the time ever arises where its life or death for you, you'll be pretty fucking thankful you remembered a move or two that ended up saving you.

Self defense (or more so martial arts in this case) is an amazing thing to learn man, the self confidence that comes from it is amazing, the self control you learn in the process too is something you can apply in a lot of other ways to make life so much more successful, you will make awesome new friends, you will get fit and you will feel awesome.

Don't go pussy out now because of a bunch of "what ifs" that will most likely never happen, please.

 

[Redryhno]

Dude, you're talking about taking a Kung Fu class, quit worrying about how you might hurt someone or get sued for it and just go if you want to. That should be the only reason you go for anything related to any "combat" sports anyways. Chances are you don't really learn anything that can be used in any capacity beyond general athleticism anyways.

 

[twistedmic]

That said, because of this story I heard about a kid getting arrested for wiretapping when getting back at bullies, I'm worried I might get sued for damages if I defend someone (or something equally shit).

Two key things about your example: 1. The kid did what he did for revenge, not for self defense. 2. Outside of very specific circumstances, requiring professionals and a court issued warrant, (or so I'm led to believe) wiretapping is highly illegal. Your example is far different than roughing up some punk that pulled a gun/knife on you or someone near you.

 

[Canadamus Prime]

Two things: 1. You could always just take the classes for your own physical and mental health and not actually worry about using the skills for anything outside of the classes. 2. There is a huge difference between coming to the defense of someone who's being assaulted and wiretapping. The latter being illegal if I'm not mistaken.

 

[Drathnoxis]

It's probably best not to go into self defense with the idea of becoming a vigilante...

Have you ever actually been in a situation where you honestly really needed to know self defense? I haven't.
I thought about learning martial arts, because they are just cool. But it really doesn't seem worth the effort to me.

My view is that I'd rather just not place myself in a situation where I'm at risk of being in a conflict in the first place. If this cannot be avoided, I'd rather talk my way out. If I cannot talk my way out, I'd rather run. If I can't run, I'd rather submit and wait for an opportunity to escape.

The above is all hypothetical though, since the first step works so well, I've never had to move onto the second.

 

[DarklordKyo]

Two key things about your example: 1. The kid did what he did for revenge, not for self defense. 2. Outside of very specific circumstances, requiring professionals and a court issued warrant, (or so I'm led to believe) wiretapping is highly illegal. Your example is far different than roughing up some punk that pulled a gun/knife on you or someone near you.

I know it was for the sake of vengeance, but that doesn't matter. There's a time for being lawful, and a time for being good, and the kid delivering sweet karma on a bunch of assholes that menaced him should be a one-time exception (of course, if he were to learn the wrong lesson from it, then feel free to lay down the law).

 

[DarklordKyo]

It's probably best not to go into self defense with the idea of becoming a vigilante...

Have you ever actually been in a situation where you honestly really needed to know self defense? I haven't.
I thought about learning martial arts, because they are just cool. But it really doesn't seem worth the effort to me.

My view is that I'd rather just not place myself in a situation where I'm at risk of being in a conflict in the first place. If this cannot be avoided, I'd rather talk my way out. If I cannot talk my way out, I'd rather run. If I can't run, I'd rather submit and wait for an opportunity to escape.

The above is all hypothetical though, since the first step works so well, I've never had to move onto the second.

It wouldn't be for the sake of being a vigilante, I'd need a lot more training than just Kung Fu to become Batman (let alone the financial aspects). My dad's reasoning was when it comes to self-defense, or if I just happened to be in the same area as someone being menaced.

 

[DarklordKyo]

Two things: 1. You could always just take the classes for your own physical and mental health and not actually worry about using the skills for anything outside of the classes. 2. There is a huge difference between coming to the defense of someone who's being assaulted and wiretapping. The latter being illegal if I'm not mistaken.

The bullies were the greater evil, that should've allowed for a one-time exception.

 

[Canadamus Prime]

Two things: 1. You could always just take the classes for your own physical and mental health and not actually worry about using the skills for anything outside of the classes. 2. There is a huge difference between coming to the defense of someone who's being assaulted and wiretapping. The latter being illegal if I'm not mistaken.

The bullies were the greater evil, that should've allowed for a one-time exception.

No it shouldn't have. There are many ways to deal with bullies, but that isn't one of them.

 

[twistedmic]

I know it was for the sake of vengeance, but that doesn't matter. There's a time for being lawful, and a time for being good, and the kid delivering sweet karma on a bunch of assholes that menaced him should be a one-time exception (of course, if he were to learn the wrong lesson from it, then feel free to lay down the law).

It matters to the law. As much as I might agree with you that the bullies deserved some comeuppance, even at the hand of their victim, by the letter of the law he was wrong.
Being a victim does not give one a 'get out of jail free' card.