I seem to remember a Muppet Show sketch wherein Dr. Bunsen Honeydew had created edible paper clips. Naturally, he wanted Beaker to be the test subject.
Now, the way I remember it, Bunsen described his new invention, then plunked down the bowl of paper clips and said, “Beaker, eat these paper clips!” Frantic head shaking and meeping. “Beaker, eat those paper clips!” Beaker shoves double handfuls into his mouth, still twitching and screebling. “Aren’t they good, Beaker?” Screech as paperclips fall from Beaker’s mouth.
If that’s really the way it happened, that’s awful! That reduces Beaker from the level of a lab assistant, who has the choice of whether or not to sample the product (even if refusing means his job, it’s still a choice) to a lab animal, who can be ordered to ingest something that might be dangerous without being informed of the possible risk!
Beaker seems to be an employee, not a commodity: he wears a lab coat and performs tasks. So does this make Honeydew a sadist? I’d be okay with this scenario if Beaker had been able to agree instead of simply being ordered.
Or am I remembering this wrongly?
