Real lightsaber hits UK stores

[Bocaj2000]

Civialians should not have this. This is WAY too dangerous. At least implement a license system, like we have with every other legal weapon on the market.

EDIT: Why are people talking about totalitarianism? Even more frighteningly, why are people supporting fascist government styles? Did WWII teach anyone a lesson about absolute power? Also, this post is about lightsabers... wtf...

 

[Angryman101]

Do you honestly think that that hatred will disappear? It can't, and it won't; because of the pratfalls of modern society, the dissatisfaction of the populace with their lives and their resentment of the world around them will always need to be directed at something. If the state does not direct it at a particular people or ideal, the anger and resentment will be directed at the state itself.

The populace will all feel dissatisfaction with their lives and resentment of the world around them?

Groups such as the Westboro Baptist Church and the KKK are a minority (a very, very small minorty). In an authoritarian nation, the government has the power to deal with those threats. So yes, that hatred would be removed.

With few people in power, there is no way to regulate their actions. They will eventually succumb to greed or paranoia; history has shown this to be true again and again. They will abuse their powers. The citizens will not just sit back and let this happen. Civil war is inevitable, unless you intend to turn people into mindless automatons, as North Korea has done.

They will succumb to greed or paranoia? Why must they abuse their power?
Have you considered the possibility that some people value the welfare of their nation over self-interest?

To your first point: They are they on the extreme ends of society and are nothing but a symptom. The hatred that will be 'removed' will merely be redirected, this time on the state that had eliminated their personal choice and dictates their daily lives. Every dissatisfaction that they feel with their lives will now be directed to the state, and it is merely a matter of time before those negative feelings boil over.

Why do you assume that so many people will be dissatisfied with their lives?
why do you assume that this supposed dissatisfaction must be directed at the state?

To the second: because it's human nature to be self-serving. Blind patriotism is dangerous and makes someone ill adept to be a leader because they're less flexible when it comes to policies and styles of leadership. The alternative are people looking to further their goals, which in turn leads to the aforementioned corrupt, paranoid official who does everything they can in order to maintain their power.

Putting value in one's country above their own self-interest is a bad thing for that country? Right...

1. Because people ARE dissatisfied with their lives. It's how modern society is. A human is not meant to live in such a socially stagnant society as we do now, which causes friction and dissatisfaction with their lives. The more repressed, the more educated, and the less social mobility available, the more dissatisfied people get. This resentment and anger is directed at others in the form of racism and prejudice; when that becomes eliminated, the frustration and anger needs SOMETHING to be directed towards. If not a people or creed, then the government, especially one that controls their daily life, is the most obvious target.
2. I don't remember saying that, but I would find it either unrealistic or unhealthily dogmatic.

 

[esliang]

A lot of late 20-somethings are going to be all over this. Who didn't want a lightsaber when they were a kid?

 

[Bocaj2000]

EDIT: Why are people talking about totalitarianism? Even more frighteningly, why are people supporting fascist government styles? Did WWII teach anyone a lesson about absolute power? Also, this post is about lightsabers... wtf...

Because I am proud of my ideology and will debate in it's name when I can.

Why does fascism usually lead to genocide?

 

[sketch_zeppelin]

oh wow this is so delisously stupid. well we're going have several dozen less nerds in the world soon.

 

[Angryman101]

snip

People's lives have gotten progressively easier. Instead of having to hunt their food down, they can just obtain food from the corner market. Instead of having to walk to that store, they can drive. Instead of having to shift gears, they can just put it in automatic.
And yet, people are still angry and unhappy. Making life easier will not make people's lives happier and more satisfying; in fact, it might make it worse.
Red tape can be eliminated with the streamlining of our current government. Give it less things to govern, as my political ideology would dictate, and things will become even easier to accomplish, as the government would have almost no hold on the individual's life.

 

[Adventurer2626]

Ok, seriously, this is the second time (first was LOTRO going F2P) this month my brain has had a meltdown. STOP. Definitely not a lightsaber, just a metal handle that shoots a deadly (though not necessarily immediately fatal) laser beam. That's dirt cheap as far as these things go. I see no problem here. Hey, maybe we could burn off some of the oil leaking into the gulf with these. In all seriousness though, it's pretty messed up something like this made it onto the market with little to no tinkering required to turn it into an antipersonnel weapon. I'm just glad the story saw the light of day; who knows what would have happened if no one had thought about its potential. Terrorists and general murderers don't need any more ideas. Deadlier weapons are out there but you know us humans and our new "toys..."

 

[Selef]

wow you know i used to think "damn id give anything to have a lightsaber but this kinda just seems dangerous and stupid now... damn maturity...

 

[Green777222]

OH MAN I WANT THIS! They can ship anywhere in the world, if I had $200 lying around I'd buy it for sure. Imagine: You can BLIND someone from 200m, 200m! This is awesome. Setting fires, causing retinal damage, saying: "I have the most dangerous laser in the world" ! This is so cool!

 

[Green777222]

All I have to say regarding these is EPIC WIN!

Unfortunately, Canada isn't the UK and I doubt something like that would be made legal here.

it is legal, you can order right now if you want to, just check the second link.

 

[Canadian Briton]

I like the warning in the product description:

"This class 4 beam will cause immediate and irreversable retinal damage"

"set fire to skin"

"cause cancer"

I think some kids are going to have an awesome Christmas!

I'll take three! And now to find all those naysayers who said lasers would never make practical weapons....

They dont have to be practical to be useful weapons or blind people, and for me being blind is one of my biggest fears.

 

[Agayek]

That needs to be made illegal.
No civilian should have access to weapons!

So we should also outlaw:

- Cars
- Tools (Hammers, Saws, etc)
- Kitchen Utensils (Knives, Forks, Sporks, etc)
- Chunks of Wood
- Rocks
- Hands
- The Human Intellect

Any of the above, and significantly more, can be used to kill someone, even unintentionally. It's kinda silly to outlaw something because it could potentially be used to harm someone, because the same is true for everything.

 

[C_Topher]

As a pyromaniac, the idea of setting fire to anything in sight is VERY tempting. Someone cuts you off in traffic, BURN. Neighbourhood animals in your garden again, BURN. Drunk asshole hitting on your girlfriend, BURN. The possibilities are endless.
... I may have a problem.