# If murder was legal - would you still be alive? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 6, 2015, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-murder-was-legal-would-you-still-be-alive/739570 "2015-12-06T00:37:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![j666](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de0a6/32.png) [@j666](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/j666)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2015, 12:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-murder-was-legal-would-you-still-be-alive/739570/41 "2015-12-07T12:17:25Z")
Thank you. Please research euthanasia (an example of possibly non-violent killing), rape (considered by some to be the worst form of personal violence), and discussion (which does not require that one party accept all the other’s assumptions). And “most significant” is not the same as “major”; most meaningful, influential, or important is not the same as the largest portion. I stand by my statement the part is not the whole, no matter how significant or large. [Part](http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/part): **one of the** often indefinite or unequal **subdivisions** into which something is or is regarded as divided and which **together constitute the whole** [Whole:](http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/whole) constituting the **total sum** or undiminished entirety ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2015, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-murder-was-legal-would-you-still-be-alive/739570/42 "2015-12-07T12:32:37Z")
There’s no one I’ve pissed off enough to want to kill me, but if there was no consequence for murder, what would stop a random person from randomly killing me, just because? So who knows if I’d still be alive or not… ---
**Author:** ![j666](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de0a6/32.png) [@j666](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/j666)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2015, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-murder-was-legal-would-you-still-be-alive/739570/43 "2015-12-07T13:22:31Z")
> [@FairyChatMom](#): > > There’s no one I’ve pissed off enough to want to kill me, but if there was no consequence for murder, what would stop a random person from randomly killing me, just because? So who knows if I’d still be alive or not… Well, the same things that stop them now, I imagine. I don’t think most people wander about thinking, “Hmmm, I’d like to kill that randomly selected person … oh, wait, no, I might go to jail” now, do they? So, with a little bit of caution you’d probably be okay. Unless you’ve underestimated your pissingness factor. ---
**Author:** ![Stoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stoid/32/272_2.png) [@Stoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stoid)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2015, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-murder-was-legal-would-you-still-be-alive/739570/44 "2015-12-07T18:43:39Z")
Absolutely not. ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2015, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-murder-was-legal-would-you-still-be-alive/739570/45 "2015-12-10T21:04:47Z")
I drive the Washington Beltway, so… nope, I’d probably have died decades ago. If the murder has to be “face to face”, i.e. someone with a personal grudge, versus traffic-related, I think I’d be walking around. I might have some messed-up kneecaps, mind you… 😃 Note the assumption that random incidents are not included in the “legal murder” rule - like active-shooter, collateral damage when aiming at someone else, or someone driving a truck into a restaurant. It has to be target at the murder-ee, personally. There are one or two people without whom I think the world might be a better place, but I don’t think I’m prepared to accomplish their change in status. ---
**Author:** ![drewder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/57b2e6/32.png) [@drewder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewder)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2015, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-murder-was-legal-would-you-still-be-alive/739570/46 "2015-12-10T21:12:38Z")
> [@guitario](#): > > Not inspired by, as I had the idea for a while, but reminded by this thread - [Legalizing murder? - Great Debates - Straight Dope Message Board](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=777143) > > If murder was legal, would you still be alive? > > Are you nice enough as a person to not have any enemies? > > Are you tough enough to protect yourself in such a world? > > Could you adapt, build bridges, or have somewhere good enough to hide if the law suddenly changed? > > Let me know your thoughts… I feel that if murder were legal there would be far fewer rude people. ---
**Author:** ![Count\_Blucher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2015, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-murder-was-legal-would-you-still-be-alive/739570/47 "2015-12-10T21:50:51Z")
[_ **A Musical Interlude** _ ;)]([- YouTube](https://youtu.be/NXB6slJSbL4?t=23)) ---
**Author:** ![jfreakofkorn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ecc23a/32.png) [@jfreakofkorn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jfreakofkorn)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2015, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-murder-was-legal-would-you-still-be-alive/739570/48 "2015-12-11T01:33:54Z")
ex wife … IMO because she was so self centered and it would time for her to meet her maker … ---
**Author:** ![j666](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de0a6/32.png) [@j666](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/j666)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2015, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-murder-was-legal-would-you-still-be-alive/739570/49 "2015-12-11T02:50:38Z")
> [@drewder](#): > > I feel that if murder were legal there would be far fewer rude people. Always a silver lining. ---
**Author:** ![Pantastic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3bc359/32.png) [@Pantastic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pantastic)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2015, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-murder-was-legal-would-you-still-be-alive/739570/50 "2015-12-11T04:38:58Z")
> [@drewder](#): > > I feel that if murder were legal there would be far fewer rude people. How likely are you to call someone out for being rude if they can just blow you away with no consequences? Anyone who is willing to kill people who piss them off can be as rude as they want, since it’s not worth your life to tell them to shut up, and people who think you won’t blow them away can also be as rude as they want, since you won’t have any way to distinguish them from the crazies. ---
**Author:** ![the\_diego](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7bcc69/32.png) [@the\_diego](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/the_diego)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2015, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-murder-was-legal-would-you-still-be-alive/739570/51 "2015-12-11T04:55:08Z")
No, because I’m past the average life expectancy of places like Angola, Central Africa, Chad, Lesotho, and Sierra Leone. ---
**Author:** ![Tibby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tibby/32/17030_2.png) [@Tibby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tibby)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2015, 6:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-murder-was-legal-would-you-still-be-alive/739570/52 "2015-12-11T06:12:14Z")
The kid I beat in the Cub Scout Pinewood Derby finals would have terminated me with extreme prejudice many decades ago if murder were legal. I still look over my shoulder waiting for him to pounce. ---
**Author:** ![yo\_han\_go](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yo_han_go/32/130_2.png) [@yo\_han\_go](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yo_han_go)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2015, 12:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-murder-was-legal-would-you-still-be-alive/739570/53 "2015-12-11T12:40:26Z")
98% sure i’d be alive. But still, would be this enough for sane sleep? ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2015, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-murder-was-legal-would-you-still-be-alive/739570/54 "2015-12-11T13:29:10Z")
Nope. I used to be a manager of a decent sized office. I rewarded performance, required accountability, and took action when individuals were unable or unwilling to perform. Also, my daily work brings me into contact with unhappy people, many of whom have serious mental and emotional problems. ---
**Author:** ![drewder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/57b2e6/32.png) [@drewder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewder)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2015, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-murder-was-legal-would-you-still-be-alive/739570/55 "2015-12-11T15:06:06Z")
> [@Pantastic](#): > > How likely are you to call someone out for being rude if they can just blow you away with no consequences? Anyone who is willing to kill people who piss them off can be as rude as they want, since it’s not worth your life to tell them to shut up, and people who think you won’t blow them away can also be as rude as they want, since you won’t have any way to distinguish them from the crazies. The problem is that it’s much easier to murder someone than to avoid being murdered. One guy may be good with his gun but he’s surrounded by other people who may not be as good individually but again he’s surrounded. The likelihood of survival in multiple encounters goes down very quickly and so in the interest of self preservation each person would avoid pissing people off or fail to survive. ---
**Author:** ![Pantastic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3bc359/32.png) [@Pantastic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pantastic)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2015, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-murder-was-legal-would-you-still-be-alive/739570/56 "2015-12-11T15:20:03Z")
> [@drewder](#): > > The problem is that it’s much easier to murder someone than to avoid being murdered. One guy may be good with his gun but he’s surrounded by other people who may not be as good individually but again he’s surrounded. The likelihood of survival in multiple encounters goes down very quickly and so in the interest of self preservation each person would avoid pissing people off or fail to survive. The problem is that it’s much easier to murder someone than to avoid being murdered. Unless you’re crazy enough to kill someone as soon as they’re rude, then you have to choose to escalate the situation in the face of someone who might just decide to kill you and knows that any intermediate level of force will bring legal retaliation. Most people don’t want to risk their life over rudeness, and a lot of people who will bring the rudeness either don’t realize that they’re being rude or aren’t worried about consequences. Also, why is the guy ‘surrounded’ by people who will back you up? It seems more likely that he’s surrounded by people who would rather tune out the rudeness and not risk their life in a pointless confrontation, and who see your confronting the rude guy as a really dangerous escalation of what should be a mild issue into murder. ---
**Author:** ![Grrlbrarian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrlbrarian/32/4048_2.png) [@Grrlbrarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrlbrarian)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2015, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-murder-was-legal-would-you-still-be-alive/739570/57 "2015-12-11T15:25:00Z")
> [@Hector\_St\_Clare](#): > > Murder was legal under some circumstances (vendetta killing) in at least one fairly advanced society, Tokugawa Japan. If you felt you had been wronged you could apply to the authorities for permission to seek revenge, the offender was notified, and you had a short period of time to attempt to kill them. Make of that what you will. Also in medieval (saga-era) Iceland, if memory serves. You put on your killing colors (blue) and went around to all the neighboring farms, saying things like “Ragnar Lothbrok has committed offenses against my family and I will kill him.” Once you’d made the rounds and told everyone, you could kill Ragnar (or try) within the law. However, if you didn’t follow the procedure and killed Ragnar anyway, you’d become an outlaw and could be killed without repercussions yourself until a certain period of time had elapsed. Unless the thanes made some kind of special exception, I think. I would absolutely be dead myself. My former husband is none too fond of me, and I’m pretty sure I would have inspired others to put on their killing colors for offenses large or small. I’m not interested in killing anybody myself… I don’t THINK. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2015, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-murder-was-legal-would-you-still-be-alive/739570/58 "2015-12-11T20:39:52Z")
My guess is that there would be hundreds or thousands of road rage kills every day, so no. I would piss someone off without even realizing, or get stuck in the crossfire of two other angry drivers. ---
**Author:** ![j666](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de0a6/32.png) [@j666](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/j666)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2015, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-murder-was-legal-would-you-still-be-alive/739570/59 "2015-12-12T01:21:25Z")
> [@Grrlbrarian](#): > > Also in medieval (saga-era) Iceland, if memory serves. You put on your killing colors (blue) and went around to all the neighboring farms, saying things like “Ragnar Lothbrok has committed offenses against my family and I will kill him.” … Any idea why blue? ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2015, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-murder-was-legal-would-you-still-be-alive/739570/60 "2015-12-12T02:02:00Z")
I would still be alive, because I’d go out and get those other bastards first! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-murder-was-legal-would-you-still-be-alive/739570.md?page=2)