Italians sunbathe meters from dead gypsies

[Elfdart]

The moral outrage over this is almost comical in its self-righteous absurdity. Face facts; we don't really care when we pass a dead person. Did you feel overwhelmed with grief the last time you drove past a horrendous fatal traffic accident after being stuck in the inevitable traffic jam? Admit it; you either drove by with indifference or you took the opportunity to gawk.

That's why next time I see an accident (complete with dead bodies) along the highway, I'm going to pull over close to the scene and have a picnic.

I'd assert that sometimes realistic and practical understanding of how the world works and what happens in it can be confused with apathy.

So if two people were taking a shit on the beach (a perfectly natural part of life), you'd just sit there? Or would you -oh, I don't know- move to a location where you can enjoy the beach without sitting so close to human waste?

[Big Phil]

I'd assert that sometimes realistic and practical understanding of how the world works and what happens in it can be confused with apathy.

So if two people were taking a shit on the beach (a perfectly natural part of life), you'd just sit there? Or would you -oh, I don't know- move to a location where you can enjoy the beach without sitting so close to human waste?

How do you know that isn't exactly what happened? Perhaps the Italians move far enough away to be able to enjoy their day at the beach, and that just happens to be closer than you think is acceptable?

[Darth Wong]

The moral outrage over this is almost comical in its self-righteous absurdity. Face facts; we don't really care when we pass a dead person. Did you feel overwhelmed with grief the last time you drove past a horrendous fatal traffic accident after being stuck in the inevitable traffic jam? Admit it; you either drove by with indifference or you took the opportunity to gawk.

That's why next time I see an accident (complete with dead bodies) along the highway, I'm going to pull over close to the scene and have a picnic.

Is that all you've got? Exaggeration? It's not as if people were actually going out of their way to get close to the bodies. You're just pissed because you saw the headline and thought you could continue the last "OMG you're a Nazi scum who hates Roma" thread, and then the wind got taken out of your sails when it turned out that it wasn't so outrageous after all.

I'd assert that sometimes realistic and practical understanding of how the world works and what happens in it can be confused with apathy.

So if two people were taking a shit on the beach (a perfectly natural part of life), you'd just sit there? Or would you -oh, I don't know- move to a location where you can enjoy the beach without sitting so close to human waste?

If it's a hygiene issue, it's only a problem if the bodies are left to rot for a long time. You don't seriously think that there's a disease issue for everybody in a radius of 50 metres within an hour of death, do you?

[Elfdart]

How do you know that isn't exactly what happened? Perhaps the Italians move far enough away to be able to enjoy their day at the beach, and that just happens to be closer than you think is acceptable?

From the picture at CNN, it looked like they were pretty close and with the dead kids in plain sight. It could be a distorted picture. Call me sentimental or fussy or whatever, but when I'm at the beach, I prefer to be in areas where dead kids aren't in my line of sight.

Is that all you've got? Exaggeration? It's not as if people were actually going out of their way to get close to the bodies.

They also didn't leave the area. The beach didn't look all that crowded from what can be seen in the photo, and like normal people, I'd think the reaction to corpses on a beach would be to move to a part of the beach where corpses aren't part of my view of the ocean. Silly me. You must really think it odd that people who go to the beach prefer not to see other unpleasant things during what should be a fun time in the sun.

You're just pissed because you saw the headline and thought you could continue the last "OMG you're a Nazi scum who hates Roma" thread, and then the wind got taken out of your sails when it turned out that it wasn't so outrageous after all.

I didn't say a fucking thing about the ethnic background of the kids, or the others on the beach. So why don't you pull your dick out of that red herring of yours and shove your strawman up your ass?

This thread has been open since Monday and I had zilch to say about it until I saw the kind of nonsense about how people are being irrational when they don't want to frolic on a beach with a couple of dead girls nearby.

If it's a hygiene issue, it's only a problem if the bodies are left to rot for a long time. You don't seriously think that there's a disease issue for everybody in a radius of 50 metres within an hour of death, do you?

No, just pointing out that appeals to natural functions (death, defecating, etc) are absurd. I wouldn't want to be sitting close to dead animals on a beach or park, let alone dead people, and I'd think it odd if others did.

But I guess that's self-righteous, too.

[Adrian Laguna]

Video of the scene, provides 360 degree view of the area. There are a grand total of two people seemingly enjoying their beach stay despite the corpses. Everyone else seems to be standing around in a matter that suggests they are uncomfortable with the situation, not entirely sure about what they should be doing, and discussing what a shame the whole thing is.

There's also this image:

[Darth Wong]

From the picture at CNN, it looked like they were pretty close and with the dead kids in plain sight. It could be a distorted picture. Call me sentimental or fussy or whatever, but when I'm at the beach, I prefer to be in areas where dead kids aren't in my line of sight.

Since when is this thread about your personal preferences?

Is that all you've got? Exaggeration? It's not as if people were actually going out of their way to get close to the bodies.

They also didn't leave the area. The beach didn't look all that crowded from what can be seen in the photo, and like normal people, I'd think the reaction to corpses on a beach would be to move to a part of the beach where corpses aren't part of my view of the ocean. Silly me. You must really think it odd that people who go to the beach prefer not to see other unpleasant things during what should be a fun time in the sun.

Just how many metres of grief do you think are required? Is this written down somewhere? I would love to know how these guidelines are decided.

You're just pissed because you saw the headline and thought you could continue the last "OMG you're a Nazi scum who hates Roma" thread, and then the wind got taken out of your sails when it turned out that it wasn't so outrageous after all.

I didn't say a fucking thing about the ethnic background of the kids, or the others on the beach. So why don't you pull your dick out of that red herring of yours and shove your strawman up your ass?

Oh I'm sorry, I couldn't hear your wildly gibbering histrionics all the way down here on the ground. Perhaps if you climbed down off that immense soapbox of yours ... it's always so difficult to tell which particular soapbox you're screeching from, since we're so far beneath you, Your Highness.

This thread has been open since Monday and I had zilch to say about it until I saw the kind of nonsense about how people are being irrational when they don't want to frolic on a beach with a couple of dead girls nearby.

And your rebuttal to "irrational" is "I prefer"? Are you trying to knock down your own argument, or is this some sort of contortionist trick you're developing for the Cirque Du Soleil?

So let's get this straight: it's not a continuation of the soapbox-ranting hyper-inflated moral outrage from the last thread, but it's also not a rational argument since you haven't really done anything to disprove the statement except to repeatedly state that you dislike it. So what's your argument then? Are you just trying to show off how good you are at snarkiness? Because we're all very impressed by your prowess already, I assure you.

If it's a hygiene issue, it's only a problem if the bodies are left to rot for a long time. You don't seriously think that there's a disease issue for everybody in a radius of 50 metres within an hour of death, do you?

No, just pointing out that appeals to natural functions (death, defecating, etc) are absurd. I wouldn't want to be sitting close to dead animals on a beach or park, let alone dead people, and I'd think it odd if others did.

Just how far away do you have to be, then?

But I guess that's self-righteous, too.

It certainly is, when you attempt to paint personal preference as a moral judgment.

[Raj Ahten]

Personally, I wouldn't want to stay around an area where someone just died going on like nothing happened. They were somebody's family member or close friend. Frankly, people dying around me just isn't part of my normal everyday life so it would affect me. I certainly wouldn't be in the mood for a fun day at the beach if two people just drowned there.

[Elfdart]

Since when is this thread about your personal preferences?

You brought it up by saying the reaction to the sunbathers was over the top. What? Only you are entitled to an opinion on the subject?

Just how many metres of grief do you think are required? Is this written down somewhere? I would love to know how these guidelines are decided.

A subtle attempt at a strawman is still a strawman. I didn't say anything about there being a required distance, only that if I were in that position, I'd move to a different part of the beach at least until a pair of dead children weren't in plain view.

Oh I'm sorry, I couldn't hear your wildly gibbering histrionics all the way down here on the ground. Perhaps if you climbed down off that immense soapbox of yours ... it's always so difficult to tell which particular soapbox you're screeching from, since we're so far beneath you, Your Highness.

I say I prefer not to look at corpses when I'm at the beach and think it's odd that others don't. This constitutes "wildly gibbering histrionics" from an "immense soapbox"? Who's being melodramatic here? I guess someone who states that he or she prefers not to sunbathe downwind from a dumpster is being a full blown drama queen, right?

So let's get this straight: it's not a continuation of the soapbox-ranting hyper-inflated moral outrage from the last thread, but it's also not a rational argument since you haven't really done anything to disprove the statement except to repeatedly state that you dislike it. So what's your argument then? Are you just trying to show off how good you are at snarkiness?

You really are smarting over that thread, aren't you? This one has nothing to do with that one, but you keep bringing it up. Sorry, I'm not about to play along as you try to change the subject. Besides, it's not up to me to disprove anything.

Because we're all very impressed by your prowess already, I assure you.

But of course you are. Hardly makes you special.

Just how far away do you have to be, then?

Again with the strawman that should have taken up residence in your cornhole already. I said I think their behavior was odd. Not fiendish, not diabolical, not wicked. Nor did I mention anyone having to do anything. If (to use my example above) someone didn't mind the smell of old beer bottles, garbage and piss from a nearby dumpster and thought "Fuck it, I'll work on my tan here anyway.", I think they're strange but it's their decision. I wouldn't do it, though.

It certainly is, when you attempt to paint personal preference as a moral judgment.

I never claimed it was a moral judgment. I even left open the possibility that the photo might have distorted the distance between the sunbathers and the bodies. For all anyone knows, they had no idea the kids were dead until the authorities came to get the bodies.

There isn't a law about how much distance one should keep from dead bodies in public, as far as I know. Since there are no laws (aside from laws about interfering with authorities at the scene), it is a matter of personal opinion.

[Darth Wong]

Since when is this thread about your personal preferences?

You brought it up by saying the reaction to the sunbathers was over the top. What? Only you are entitled to an opinion on the subject?

It's not a mere personal opinion to say that accusations of moral depravity are completely unreasonable in light of the fact that these peoples' actions caused no harm. Or do you believe that ethics is nothing more than personal opinion now?

A subtle attempt at a strawman is still a strawman. I didn't say anything about there being a required distance, only that if I were in that position, I'd move to a different part of the beach at least until a pair of dead children weren't in plain view.

Again, appealing to your personal preferences, as if that is an argument. Hint: it's not.

I say I prefer not to look at corpses when I'm at the beach and think it's odd that others don't. This constitutes "wildly gibbering histrionics" from an "immense soapbox"? Who's being melodramatic here? I guess someone who states that he or she prefers not to sunbathe downwind from a dumpster is being a full blown drama queen, right?

In your case, you are most definitely being a drama queen. Get over it.

You really are smarting over that thread, aren't you? This one has nothing to do with that one, but you keep bringing it up. Sorry, I'm not about to play along as you try to change the subject. Besides, it's not up to me to disprove anything.

I'm "smarting" over it because I figured you were trying to continue it? I was actually giving you too much credit, by assuming that you were actually trying to make some kind of point.

Again with the strawman that should have taken up residence in your cornhole already. I said I think their behavior was odd. Not fiendish, not diabolical, not wicked.

So you had no point at all then, although you seemed to think that my reaction to those who claimed these people were being immoral was no more valid than yours.