# Wishing death on someone... **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [March 12, 2003, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wishing-death-on-someone/160737 "2003-03-12T04:05:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![MacTech](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c0e974/32.png) [@MacTech](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MacTech)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2004, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wishing-death-on-someone/160737/101 "2004-01-03T20:51:25Z")
Undeath in prison would be worse, though ;), especially for one sentenced to life in prison… but what happens when said prisoner becomes undead, do they get off on a technicality because they’re (strictly speaking) not “alive” any more and how does one reach an empirical definition of “life” anyway? ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2004, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wishing-death-on-someone/160737/102 "2004-03-23T14:17:20Z")
Given that **Shodan** is citing this rule [in another thread about war](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=246548), could we get a clarification of how it applies to wartime politicking and so forth? **Gaudere** seems to be saying that a utilitarian argument in favor of wishing death on some people is acceptable, if I understand correctly, whereas **Lynn** implied last year (by telling **Shodan** to report such posts to a mod) that it was unacceptable. Daniel ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2004, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wishing-death-on-someone/160737/103 "2004-05-14T15:21:06Z")
May I call for the Death Penalty for these maroons who abused those prisoners? Lord knows it is deserving. Serious question, I was just about to post on this topic. ---
**Author:** ![ouryL](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ouryl/32/6067_2.png) [@ouryL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ouryL)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2004, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wishing-death-on-someone/160737/104 "2004-05-17T23:01:30Z")
> [@Lynn Bodoni](#): > > I said “abrasive”, **porcupine** , not “prickly”. :eek: Oi!! What _ **YOU** _ said!! ---
**Author:** ![Jinx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Jinx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jinx)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2004, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wishing-death-on-someone/160737/105 "2004-08-06T02:23:51Z")
> [@Lynn Bodoni](#): > > This is a no-no, even in the Pit. > > HOWEVER, if your personality is so abrasive that you put quite a few people on edge simply at the sight of your userid, do not be surprised when people flame you, seemingly out of nowhere. Being argumentative and taking potshots at people builds up bad message board karma, which WILL come out sooner or later. So before you hit that “report this post” button, make sure that your own behavior is blameless, both in the individual thread and on the message board as a whole. > > Lynn > For the Straight Dope It sounds like this rule only applies between fellow SDopers. Granted, I’ll be the first to admit I’m perhaps the most crotchety geezer on the Boards, and I’m only 30-something. But anyhoo, my question is: Can one wish death on non-Dopers? If not, then wishing someone a long, long, long, long life would be second best! 😉 Well, that’s my life - surviving with cacti up my butt! - Jinx ---
**Author:** ![SteveG1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@SteveG1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveG1)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2004, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wishing-death-on-someone/160737/106 "2004-08-24T02:38:23Z")
> [@MacTech](#): > > Undeath in prison would be worse, though ;), especially for one sentenced to life in prison… > > but what happens when said prisoner becomes undead, do they get off on a technicality because they’re (strictly speaking) not “alive” any more > > and how does one reach an empirical definition of “life” anyway? Ummm, if a vampire is already undead, would we sentence him to undeath, or would we sentence him to unlife? ---
**Author:** ![muffinismydog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/958977/32.png) [@muffinismydog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muffinismydog)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2004, 12:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wishing-death-on-someone/160737/107 "2004-10-17T12:40:28Z")
🙂 i wish death on my neighbors cat…it craps in my flower beds every morning…and never does it’s “business” in it’s owner’s own yard…i hate this cat, and i hate it’s cat turds, most of all!!..if it is wrong for me to wish death on the cat, then please, at least let me piss on it. sincerly, muffin 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![BwanaBob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bwanabob/32/2985_2.png) [@BwanaBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BwanaBob)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2005, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wishing-death-on-someone/160737/108 "2005-06-29T19:26:12Z")
Wow, this was some thread, and I hope I don’t get spanked for resurrecting it but I have a question. In certain cultures there is a custom to “wish cancer” on someone. I’ve probably used this phrase on people during heated arguments at college. Now cancer is obviously horrific but it is NOT an automatic death sentence. So is it allowed to simply “wish cancer” on someone? I’ll go away now. ---
**Author:** ![Talon\_Karrde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Talon\_Karrde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Talon_Karrde)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2005, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wishing-death-on-someone/160737/109 "2005-06-29T21:32:06Z")
Good God. I’m not a mod or admin, but I’d be surprised if that were allowed. That’s worse than wishing death on someone. Something that I came in here to comment on is, I’ve seen this rule broken tons of times. A lot of dopers have said “I don’t care if I get banned, I hope so-and-so dies”. I’ve never seen any mods mention this behavior, and it always slides. I’m not bothered by it so I don’t click the report button, but it’s weird to have a rule like that everyone ignores. The reason the mods don’t do anything is probably because nobody cares enough to report the offending post. ---
**Author:** ![iluvurmom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iluvurmom/32/7276_2.png) [@iluvurmom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iluvurmom)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2005, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wishing-death-on-someone/160737/110 "2005-10-24T15:18:21Z")
> [@lieu](#): > > Do I have to play nice with Saddam? I vote no… ---
**Author:** ![John\_Stamos\_Left\_Ear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_stamos_left_ear/32/3198_2.png) [@John\_Stamos\_Left\_Ear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Stamos_Left_Ear)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2005, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wishing-death-on-someone/160737/111 "2005-11-16T12:44:33Z")
I once wished that an ex have a recurring yeast infection. Is that okay here? ---
**Author:** ![BJMoose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/5fc32e/32.png) [@BJMoose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BJMoose)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2005, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wishing-death-on-someone/160737/112 "2005-11-16T16:15:42Z")
So long as it doesn’t get a “rise” out of someone. ---
**Author:** ![Werd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/4491bb/32.png) [@Werd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Werd)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2006, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wishing-death-on-someone/160737/113 "2006-02-13T04:52:02Z")
Reported :d [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wishing-death-on-someone/160737.md?page=5)