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Is it ok to have sex with holograms?

How far do we go in regulating personal behavior in the interests of society at large? To reduce health care costs, do we outlaw sports that have a high rate of injuries? Should we ban tobacco? Alcohol? (Oh, right — we tried that one already. Didn’t work too well.)

First of all, so instead of trying to figure out how far we should go to regulate those activities, we should simply abandon all attempts at regulations, period? That certainly seems like the case that some of your are arguing. Last time I checked, there are still strict regulations on both tobacco and alcohol products.

Secondly, my line in the sand is very clear. Regulations on the dissemination of any materials or objects that exist for the explicit purpose of facilitating and furthering the fantasy of Rape, Torture, and Murder. Nothing more, nothing less. These fantasies are ONLY about hurting other people. If these fantasies spill over into reality, lives are destroyed

Finally, please just answer this one question: If you were a teacher, manager that comes across essays, emails where your student or employee extensively fantasizes about murdering a fellow student or raping a fellow coworkers, what will you do about it?

If your honest answer is "Do nothing. Its not within my right to question or interfere and I'm sure things will work out for the better on their own" then we simply have to agree to disagree and I will cease my contribution into this discussion.

Fantasy does not have to lead to reality, as thought doesn't necessarily lead to action.
 
How far do we go in regulating personal behavior in the interests of society at large? To reduce health care costs, do we outlaw sports that have a high rate of injuries? Should we ban tobacco? Alcohol? (Oh, right — we tried that one already. Didn’t work too well.)

First of all, so instead of trying to figure out how far we should go to regulate those activities, we should simply abandon all attempts at regulations, period? That certainly seems like the case that some of your are arguing. Last time I checked, there are still strict regulations on both tobacco and alcohol products.

Secondly, my line in the sand is very clear. Regulations on the dissemination of any materials or objects that exist for the explicit purpose of facilitating and furthering the fantasy of Rape, Torture, and Murder. Nothing more, nothing less. These fantasies are ONLY about hurting other people. If these fantasies spill over into reality, lives are destroyed

Finally, please just answer this one question: If you were a teacher, manager that comes across essays, emails where your student or employee extensively fantasizes about murdering a fellow student or raping a fellow coworkers, what will you do about it?

If your honest answer is "Do nothing. Its not within my right to question or interfere and I'm sure things will work out for the better on their own" then we simply have to agree to disagree and I will cease my contribution into this discussion.



you keep going on specifically about holodeck rape fantasies.



you do realize that the ENTIRE PERSONALITY of a hologram is pre-programmed, right?


So even if the fantasy is a consensual sex fantasy, the hologram would have been pre-programmed to give his or her consent.
Unless your fantasy is a consistent stream of rejections from attractive potential sexual partners.


There are definitions of rape that don't include violence, just lack of consent.


So.... what about holodeck fantasies about having sex with an unconscious DRUNK hologram?


Are those off-limits, too?



Remember, holograms are basically pre-programmed video game characters for the purposes of entertainment, and this thread question becomes absurd.
 
For all the times a holdeck program is said to be "personal", the number of times a crew member "walked" in on someone else's program:

14 times :lol:

I once heard on the radio a Libertarian say he had the right to beat his dog in his front yard, in the open, if he was on his own property.

That, is a crazy, crackpot extreme.

On the other hand, I've heard of campaign to curb the fat content in fast food because it is for our own good, I suppose.

Another extreme, well meaning but, shouldn't we have the right to eat high fat foods if we want?

But sex, people, is something else. I predict there would be all types of situations happening.

The only ones I would worry about are the ones that involve people that are potentially dangerous to other people.

What happens when they get tired of the holograms? What if they want the "real thing" afterwards?

Then all they got was a bigger ambition and training to be more effective.

The number just changed to 23 times now, lol.
 
Who decides how far to go?

The idea is that the public will elect politicians who will create laws in keeping with what the public desires. If you don't like the laws your politician is writing, vote that person out of the office. If you are in the minority, too bad. This is how democracy works.

Fantasy does not have to lead to reality, as thought doesn't necessarily lead to action.

Is writing thoughts out on paper considered action? How about buying some rope and some formaldehyde to help with visualizing the fantasy?

Remember, holograms are basically pre-programmed video game characters for the purposes of entertainment, and this thread question becomes absurd.

I think we have moved way beyond simply talking about holograms. I believe we are now discussing WHAT IS THE FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION.

I agree that there isn't nor will there ever be a law that can actually control what a person is thinking or doing IN PRIVATE. But I'm not talking about what a person fantasizes about in private. I'm talking about what to do when that fantasy spills into reality.

Looks, no one seems to want to answer my very simple question. Why is that?

If you were a teacher, manager that comes across essays, emails where your student or employee extensively fantasizes about murdering a fellow student or raping a fellow coworkers, what will you do about it?
 
Most folks recognize limits on what government can legislate, especially when it comes to personal liberties. That's why the U.S. has a Bill of Rights.



Otherwise you get pure majoritarianism, NOT constitutional democracy.


It sounds like you think the government can intrude on free expression and private behavior to the extent that some vague notion of "the public" agrees that it should.


To me, your views come off as very creepy.


(apologies if I'm interpreting your views wrong)
 
If this became a possibility - sex with holograms - in very short order any attempts to regulate would fall by the wayside.

Well, presumably the holograms would all be owned by Apple, which would have a strict 'family-friendly' policy.

Then you'd have to jailbreak your holodeck... but if Apple detected your tampering, they'd brick YOU... with a holographic brick.
 
Having sex with a hologram is no different than sex with a realdoll. If sex with a hologram is rape because it can't give consent, then so it is with a sex doll.
 
I think even a psychopath would need to be somewhat mentally ill to rape and kill someone....! I heard something like that...but I could be wrong! Not that every mentally ill person will kill people. Being mentally ill, doesn't make a person a murderer and rapist. You see where I'm going with this...?
 
Most folks recognize limits on what government can legislate, especially when it comes to personal liberties. That's why the U.S. has a Bill of Rights.

Otherwise you get pure majoritarianism, NOT constitutional democracy.

It sounds like you think the government can intrude on free expression and private behavior to the extent that some vague notion of "the public" agrees that it should.

To me, your views come off as very creepy.

(apologies if I'm interpreting your views wrong)

yes, you are interpreting my view wrong. I am not advocating regulating private behavior since that is impossible. I am not advocating regulating all forms of expressions since that is what totalitarian gov'ts do. I am simply advocating regulating specific forms of expression, which we have RIGHT NOW. The first amendment does NOT
COVER ALL SPEECH. Any reasonable adult understands that.

I think even a psychopath would need to be somewhat mentally ill to rape and kill someone....! I heard something like that...but I could be wrong! Not that every mentally ill person will kill people. Being mentally ill, doesn't make a person a murderer and rapist. You see where I'm going with this...?

Yes I do, and nor am I advocating treating them as actual criminals. I'm advocating putting a system in place that those people, WHEN THEIR FANTASY BEGINS TO BLEED INTO REALITY, to get them help.

Paradon, please just answer my question and we can be done with this. What would you do if you were the teacher or the manager?
 
Most folks recognize limits on what government can legislate, especially when it comes to personal liberties. That's why the U.S. has a Bill of Rights.

Otherwise you get pure majoritarianism, NOT constitutional democracy.

It sounds like you think the government can intrude on free expression and private behavior to the extent that some vague notion of "the public" agrees that it should.

To me, your views come off as very creepy.

(apologies if I'm interpreting your views wrong)

yes, you are interpreting my view wrong. I am not advocating regulating private behavior since that is impossible. I am not advocating regulating all forms of expressions since that is what totalitarian gov'ts do. I am simply advocating regulating specific forms of expression, which we have RIGHT NOW. The first amendment does NOT
COVER ALL SPEECH. Any reasonable adult understands that.

I think even a psychopath would need to be somewhat mentally ill to rape and kill someone....! I heard something like that...but I could be wrong! Not that every mentally ill person will kill people. Being mentally ill, doesn't make a person a murderer and rapist. You see where I'm going with this...?

Yes I do, and nor am I advocating treating them as actual criminals. I'm advocating putting a system in place that those people, WHEN THEIR FANTASY BEGINS TO BLEED INTO REALITY, to get them help.

Paradon, please just answer my question and we can be done with this. What would you do if you were the teacher or the manager?



(Sigh) but holodeck fantasies DON'T "bleed into reality," as you put it, they're technologically advanced video games that play out in a specifically designed room, where the participants know that they are involved in a simulation.


(for the sake of the argument, I'm leaving aside the tired "holodeck goes awry" plot device. I figure that realistically, this technology would have failsafes that shut down the program if something goes wrong.)
 
I think even a psychopath would need to be somewhat mentally ill to rape and kill someone....! I heard something like that...but I could be wrong! Not that every mentally ill person will kill people. Being mentally ill, doesn't make a person a murderer and rapist. You see where I'm going with this...?

Yes I do, and nor am I advocating treating them as actual criminals. I'm advocating putting a system in place that those people, WHEN THEIR FANTASY BEGINS TO BLEED INTO REALITY, to get them help.

Paradon, please just answer my question and we can be done with this. What would you do if you were the teacher or the manager?


More than likely, I think it would affect their work and behavior.... If I were the boss, I'd probably have to let them go. If I were a teacher, I'd tell the parents so they can get their son/daughter help, they so desperately needed. But the point is: they will eventually work it out on their own...on their own terms. Look! If it were that easy to kill someone, there would be news about murder everyday. If you present people with options to get out of a tight situation, more often than not, they'll take the easiest way out.... The easy way out would be not killing someone. What's not to like? You still have your freedom! [chuckle] Nobody is that stupid because they know what rape and murder entails...life in prison or death even. Do you really think people would risk that...? ...unless they're desperate. How desperate can you be?

And part of the attraction with this kind of stuff is really, if I'm not mistaken, people trying to make themselves feel important and wanted. They think it's SEXEE! [CHUCKLE] How would you feel if you killed someone? Would you think you were a disgusting person? Everybody thinks killing and raping people are disgusting, don't they? I don't think you really know what it feels like to really hurt someone and kill them. I don't either! Sexual addicts feel much the same way you and I do, but theirs is more extreme. It's just like alcoholism.... It's behavioral problems, OCD...not really a chemical addiction. People get a rush out of doing these things because it makes them feel special...like they matter in the world. Gambling problem would also fall into this category.

And, I ask you this: do you think viewing girls or guys having really intimate sex with each other the way you like it in your fantasies is wrong? Some people would think that it's disgusting because it feels and looks like real human beings...because who knows what you might do when nobody is looking? [chuckle] Because it's all downhill from there...! What if they hall YOUR ASS prison against your will for that?
 
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Who decides how far to go?

The idea is that the public will elect politicians who will create laws in keeping with what the public desires. If you don't like the laws your politician is writing, vote that person out of the office. If you are in the minority, too bad. This is how democracy works.

The very first thing that happens to a politician when elected... is he starts thinking on how to get re-elected. All the opposition has to do is start screaming about how this guy thinks that "holodeck rape fantasies" are okay, then start spouting "won't someone please think of the children" then it doesn't matter who elected him... he'll start taking a conservative bent on what he's for and against.

Happens pretty much every single time. Elected politicians are not men of strong convictions.
 
The very first thing that happens to a politician when elected... is he starts thinking on how to get re-elected. All the opposition has to do is start screaming about how this guy thinks that "holodeck rape fantasies" are okay, then start spouting "won't someone please think of the children" then it doesn't matter who elected him... he'll start taking a conservative bent on what he's for and against.

Happens pretty much every single time. Elected politicians are not men of strong convictions.

Are we going to debate about the effectiveness of democracy now? Yes, democracy isn't the best nor the most effective form of government we have, but it at least gives the masses the opportunity to participate in the process of selecting who governs them.

Oh, and your example really only refers to the red states, things will work the other way in the blue states.
 
If you were a teacher, manager that comes across essays, emails where your student or employee extensively fantasizes about murdering a fellow student or raping a fellow coworkers, what will you do about it?

What's the current legal remedy for this in the United States?

There are, I believe, certain kinds of information that psychiatrists are required to report to authorities - suspected child abuse, threats of harm to others etc.

http://mentalhealth.about.com/library/weekly/aa040901a.htm
 
A lot of people talk about punishing people like this.... What if it turned out, they never were going to kill and rape someone? Then you'll stuck with someone with an emotional problem because you forced them to expose themselves...! Mental pain and anguish is not easy to treat. That's why you never want to exposed anyone, for that matter, in the first place.
 
Are we going to debate about the effectiveness of democracy now? Yes, democracy isn't the best nor the most effective form of government we have, but it at least gives the masses the opportunity to participate in the process of selecting who governs them.

Yes. If we're going to use elected men, who have their own agendas, to decide what's right and what's wrong.

Oh, and your example really only refers to the red states, things will work the other way in the blue states.

It happens everywhere. Why do you think we've been debating universal health care for twenty-five years and have barely scratched the surface? Even though we've had both Democrat and Republican controlled Executive and Legislative branches in that time.
 
A lot of people talk about punishing people like this.... What if it turned out, they never were going to kill and rape someone? Then you'll stuck with someone with an emotional problem because you forced them to expose themselves...! Mental pain and anguish is not easy to treat. That's why you never want to exposed anyone, for that matter, in the first place.

So your answer is basically this if you were in a position where you discovered explicit and vivid written descriptions of rape/torture/murder fantasies of those around you, you will pretend it never happened and you will do nothing about it.

YES or NO?
 
A lot of people talk about punishing people like this.... What if it turned out, they never were going to kill and rape someone? Then you'll stuck with someone with an emotional problem because you forced them to expose themselves...! Mental pain and anguish is not easy to treat. That's why you never want to exposed anyone, for that matter, in the first place.

So your answer is basically this if you were in a position where you discovered explicit and vivid written descriptions of rape/torture/murder fantasies of those around you, you will pretend it never happened and you will do nothing about it.

YES or NO?

I love how you're desperately trying to paint this as a black and white issue. There would be multiple factors involved before I could make a decision that could theoretically ruin a persons personal life.
 
A lot of people talk about punishing people like this.... What if it turned out, they never were going to kill and rape someone? Then you'll stuck with someone with an emotional problem because you forced them to expose themselves...! Mental pain and anguish is not easy to treat. That's why you never want to exposed anyone, for that matter, in the first place.

So your answer is basically this if you were in a position where you discovered explicit and vivid written descriptions of rape/torture/murder fantasies of those around you, you will pretend it never happened and you will do nothing about it.

Oh, wait! I thought you were talking about sexual addiction.... And I don't even really know what a person like that will do. All I'm saying is most people don't resort to rape and murder that easily...! But most likely, a person suffering from sexual addiction, and people who also like that hard core crap as you mentioned, are not going to do their work properly and get themselves in trouble sooner or later. But if it was about rape and torture, and they were fantasizing about people around them, I would probably tell the authority, if I found out.... Yes! If they were stupid enough to make it available to the public! [laugh]
 
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