I doubt if there's ever been a law or religion anywhere in the world which permits a first mistake irrespective of what it is or who commits it.
We expect and allow kids to make zillions of mistakes because we know it's a necessary part of how they learn.
We give delinquent kids more warnings, more chances to reform, and softer sentences because we know they've come from difficult circumstances, are often severely traumatised, or may have cognitive disabilities.
We give far softer penalties for crimes committed unintentionally. And yet, due to the rising burdens of insurance premiums, negligence is now a criminal offence.
Fact is, it's rare to make mistakes if one is properly paying attention.
I make mistakes in almost every sentence I write, because I type too fast and my fingers slip, or because I rush to press "Post" before checking and editing. I read the post after the press. This is negligence turned habitual. If I drove a car like that, my chance of accidentally killing myself or someone else would turn to a near certainty. This would make make my first serious driving mistake a manslaughter; I'd (rightly) have no right to get away with it without gaol sentence and probably a fine that would send me bankrupt for life.
And then we come to all those minute mistakes that rarely amount to much. How many lives of ants have I snuffed out, never even aware of it, with the soles of my boots as I walk? Do I have the right to take even one of those lives? Do even the vegans care? How do we decide what matters and what doesn't? Is it always and only human self interest that counts? If that's so, what are the consequences for the world when so few of us are able to see the whole picture?
This post was edited by inky at May 5, 2020 9:20 PM MDT
Er, um, did you realize that the text of my post is merely a setup for the graphic, which in itself is merely in jest, and is the entire point of the post?
Most of your questions contain an invitation to joking - so yes, I do understand.
It is funny when we make the same errors over and over, especially if the effects aren't harmful. Whether it's Chaplin, Laurel and Hardy or John Cleese -- we laugh because we recognise ourselves in what they show us.
And I'd guess you know that one of my flaws is responding seriously to jokes. Element gets so infuriated with me about it. So if it's any compensation, you're welcome to pull my leg about it. I promise to take it in good spirits.
For me, the funniest jokes derive their humour from absurdity, the unexpected and the profound truths that underlie them. And those elements are certainly present in your gif.
But how would this change if we realised that the woman in the gif is half blind?
This post was edited by inky at May 5, 2020 9:20 PM MDT
Her bumps attract a gorgeous-looking saviour who guides her bumptiously-prone self through the rigours of the airport, and she rewards him with a cup of coffee, a long conversation, and the offer of her telephone number.
I like the way you think! Here she is now, 3 little bumps on her forenoggin slowly fading away, 45 minutes before her flight‘s boarding time, her phone number safely saved in my mobile’s contact list, she says she’s never heard of Vegemite nor tildes, and her grammar is above average. This seems promising . . .
And she's thinking, my God! He checks out every which-way - kind, helpful, easy to chat with, chemistry... how on earth did I luck out? May be I should have been bumping into every plate glass window I ever passed. Ah well, at least it's not too late - here he is now, and there's no way I'll pass up this opportunity if he rings.
SpunkySenior 