un: xspire

[synthsized]

At what point does something get the right to be called a person? What do they need to do to deserve that?

Has anyone ever thought about it?

Comments

un: araneae

[silksoul]

[ Oh boy. ]

Personhood isn't something you earn or deserve through effort. It's inherent.

un: talonted

[medaling]

a person dies

something that isn't a person just ceases to be

un: ornithology

[hawkwardness]

Maybe when they think of themselves as a person. Isn't that enough?

un: weaseling

[deuteranope]

[huh, that sure is a question, isn't it

...]

yo skynet, this you?

[synthsized]

[Oh boy is right!]

Do you think everything that's a person deserves to be one?

[synthsized]

Interesting distinction.

But does that mean you'll only find out when they're gone?

[silksoul]

It doesn't matter. It's something you always have.

Denying that someone is a person is the act of cowards who want to make their decisions easier to stomach.

[ This is weirdly specific? ]

[synthsized]

I don't know. Does that mean you can stop being a person if you stop thinking of yourself as one?

[synthsized]

Depends on who's asking.

[synthsized]

What if you don't think you want it?

I see. So it makes it easier to do something terrible if it isn't to a person?

[That's...comforting.]

[deuteranope]

if this IS you, this is literally the dumbest fucking thing
like who fucking else is gonna call you that dumbass
so you'd think I'd go "oh oops guess it's fucking not have a nice day"
but nah you're a little shit so I'm still convinced

[medaling]

who knows? maybe not even then

un: werther

[imitationsoul]

Lots of people have thought about it. Philosophers have been around for a good while, you know?

But if you ask me, a person is an entity that can hurt and be hurt - just for the pleasure of pain or inflicting it.

[silksoul]

If you don't want to refer to yourself as a person then that's your choice. But you should be treated as one anyway.

[ With the proper weight of life and death. It's how she weighs everyone and everything, at least right now. ]

Some people think so. They justify it to themselves. Hide behind it like it can help them escape their sins. But they're wrong.

un: madlad

[schmott_guy]

There's a million definitions about what makes a person that involve metaphysical variables like souls and love, but that's not much of an answer for a scientist. I've always felt that if you can discuss abstract concepts with it then it might as well be a person.

[synthsized]

Yeah, yeah. Whatever you say, Maverick.

And it's not dumb! It's a legitimate question!

[synthsized]

So it's a guessing game.

[synthsized]

Philosophers are jackasses with too much time on their hand.

So only sadomasochists are people.

[synthsized]

So you shouldn't be tormented for no good reason.

But do they actually have to face the consequences of their actions? If they can decide their victims aren't people, who's to say others won't agree with them?

[synthsized]

Abstract concepts like what?

UN: Usernamehere

[aibolition]

A person is whatever some jackass decides is a person at the time. You can think you're a person but if some asshole sees you as a monster or tool to use, that's that. You might as well think of yourself as whatever you want. You could even be a bigger freak and call yourself an animal. Freedom of choice is fun like that.

[imitationsoul]

Something tells me you have a very narrow definition of sadomasochism.

People strive for pain all the time. Hurting themselves with unwise life choices, hurting others to get ahead... Desires aren't compatible with other desires and pain is inevitable.

UN: deltadeath

[trademark_skull]

Living things are supposed to have souls. So I guess that's one distinction if someone is a person or not.

[Probably.]

[synthsized]

I suppose that's another vote for a person being whoever thinks they're one.

Maybe that's as much of a consensus as I could hope for.

[synthsized]

I have the best definition of sadomasochism.

If you decide to not pursue pain any more, if you make the conscious decision to change your life, are you no longer a person? Or do the hurts you've suffered change you for good?