How much is a gadget worth?

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by VaporPunk

I assume he means driving a vehicle. For which you need a license, registration, insurance, and believe me, if you've ever driven in America, the roads are very well policed. And I think he and I would agree on this one; too much so!

I assumed that as well, but what vehicle weighs "several thousand tones"? I typical car weighs 1-2 tons; a large truck might reach 50 tons. But several thousand?

[VaporPunk]

Originally Posted by HarryT

I assumed that as well, but what vehicle weighs "several thousand tones"? I typical car weighs 1-2 tons; a large truck might reach 50 tons. But several thousand?

Good point! I just made the assumption that he meant pounds but... Wonder what he's driving... Sorry, for making the assumption that you didn't know what he meant, my experience so far in Europe is that any discussion of American libertarianism quickly leads to

[VaporPunk]

Originally Posted by HansTWN

Whatever you call it, old Karl wouldn't call it communism.

That, I think, is safe to say!

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by VaporPunk

Good point! I just made the assumption that he meant pounds but... Wonder what he's driving... Sorry, for making the assumption that you didn't know what he meant, my experience so far in Europe is that any discussion of American libertarianism quickly leads to

I suspect it was probably a typo for "pounds".

[Rob Lister]

Originally Posted by Billi

Maybe I am mistaken, that's possible, but, Rob, how many kidneys are missing in your family, have you sold one of your kidneys, Belfa? If all the kidneys are still at their "right" place then this is more a point for my argument, how silly they (and I, when I was 17) may have behaved in other situations.

So far as I know, all of my boys have all of their kidneys. That's not really the point. How many of their drain-bamaged decisions have I forbade them from pursuing , talked them out of, rescued them from, or mopped up after? That's the point. Even in the absence of such laws preventing this, I kind of doubt any of the three would be so short-sighted as to sell a kidney for any price. Some of their friends however...

[Billi]

Originally Posted by VaporPunk

This discussion is going to boil down to:
Do people have the right to be stupid and should the government stop them if they can?
There's room here for a reasonable debate about liberty/choice. I've stated my position in general, but I would think even the most radical libertarian would not support allowing a 17 year old to sell his or her organs for whatever price. I'm not trying to be an a$$ or (too) provocative, but how on earth can you justify that? I honestly do not mean to be insulting, I'm just baffled.

I don't justify or support it. I've only said that I just can't see it that black and white as "poor child victim against greedy adults". With 17 you aren't a kid anymore and there has been no force.

And for me it is plainly wrong to sell a kidney or organ for any gadget, be the seller 17 or 18 or any other age old. I think the age debate only distracts from the original question of this thread.

And don't worry, you're not in the least insulting.

[fjtorres]

Who said anything about force?
Exploitation doesn't require force; all is requires is taking advantage of another's desperation, ignorance, or limitations to profit at *their* detriment.

How smart is the kid anyway?
Double-digit IQ, perchance?
Single-digit EQ?

The case can be made that he wasn't competent to make the choice in the first place.
Given the terms of the deal: 90% of the "value" of the organ going to the broker and him getting renal failure that is pretty clear exploitation. Wheher it be legal or not.

It really *does* come down to stupid kid and unscrupulous adult.
No more, no less.

Everything else is just a basic ethics test.

[HarryT]

I'm waiting for the "Apple is EVIL for tempting children to sell their body parts" posts .

[Belfaborac]

This is clearly Apple's fault. They're just plain evil for making children sell their body parts in order to buy their shiny, shiny wares.

[Andrew H.]

Here, if a kid wanted an iPad that much, he'd just steal it.

This actually took place a year ago; there's a link to an earlier story, too. There are some interesting inconsistencies, though. None of which casts doubt on the actual story, however - it seems to be pretty well documented. In the original story, the mother finds out what happens when she sees the scar. In the newer version, the mother finds out what happens when she sees the gadgets. The iPad is consistent in both stories (I think this happened just after the iPad 2 went on sale in China). But in the first version he sold his kidney for an iPad and a laptop; in the second story he sold his kidney for an iPad and iPhone.

[Billi]

But the original report has not been published on April 1st?