5 ms·

I can't see how the the same thing won't happen though - one kid suffers some form of awful permanent damage (or death) and then the rules and safer equipment c

I can't see how the the same thing won't happen though - one kid suffers some form of awful permanent damage (or death) and then the rules and safer equipment come back. It seems like the wager the west has generally accepted is that we aren't willing to accept the the gains from 'risky' play compared with the small chance of tragedy.

smtddr 13y ago
The problem in the west is law suits. If New Zeland judges throw out any attempts from parents suing the schools, the fun times can continue. All these rules didn't exist when I was a kid in the '80s... http://thestir.cafemom.com/big_kid/165499/21_things_80s_kids_did http://thestir.cafemom.com/big_kid/165499/21_things_80s_kids...
- deleted 13y ago
  [deleted]
- te_chris 13y ago
  As others have said, we have ACC == no personal injury lawsuits https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Accident_Compensation_Corporation https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Accident_Compensation_Corporat...
- bashinator 13y ago
  The problem in the US isn't lawsuits, it's lack of decent health care. The lawsuits are a forseeable outcome of parents who could be financially devastated if their child has a bad injury.
  - nickonline 13y ago
    Wow, you're absolutely correct. I always assumed that in the US it was because of the litigious nature and never stopped to consider the fact that if your kid breaks their arm it's $10k for the parents to fix it. Thinking about it from the healthcare point of view is amazing.
  - smtddr 13y ago
    Ok, what was different in the '80s?
    - mahyarm 13y ago
      I think the cost of medical care was probably cheaper, the liabilities less. I was a kid then so I don't actually know.
      - smtddr 13y ago
        Hmm... now I need a chart showing healthcare prices for the past 50 years as well as percentage of claims denied.
      - klh 13y ago
        As well as considering just health care costs also consider health care versus income. E.g. if a parent had to pay for a broken arm in the '80s US did they risk bankruptcy more or less then now?
timClicks 13y ago
Where there's less risk of being sued, the outcome of that wager is likely to be different. Here in New Zealand, you can't sue for personal injury, each school sets its own rules via a parent-controlled school Board and parents have quite a bit of discretion about where their kids go to school. If a school has deficient processes when injuries occur, parents will walk.
klh 13y ago
And one death is visible. A generation lacking risk analsis skills, physical activity and knowledge of how to be rough but not aggressive is harder to see. SO harder to sue to prevent. I think the sue for visible problems approach is one of your bigger problems in the USA. And in your current society until someone can sue for making Playstation more acceptable than Playtime I don't see any easy solutions.

smtddr 13y ago

The problem in the west is law suits. If New Zeland judges throw out any attempts from parents suing the schools, the fun times can continue. All these rules didn't exist when I was a kid in the '80s... http://thestir.cafemom.com/big_kid/165499/21_things_80s_kids_did http://thestir.cafemom.com/big_kid/165499/21_things_80s_kids...

deleted 13y ago
[deleted]
te_chris 13y ago
As others have said, we have ACC == no personal injury lawsuits https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Accident_Compensation_Corporation https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Accident_Compensation_Corporat...
bashinator 13y ago
The problem in the US isn't lawsuits, it's lack of decent health care. The lawsuits are a forseeable outcome of parents who could be financially devastated if their child has a bad injury.
- nickonline 13y ago
  Wow, you're absolutely correct. I always assumed that in the US it was because of the litigious nature and never stopped to consider the fact that if your kid breaks their arm it's $10k for the parents to fix it. Thinking about it from the healthcare point of view is amazing.
- smtddr 13y ago
  Ok, what was different in the '80s?
  - mahyarm 13y ago
    I think the cost of medical care was probably cheaper, the liabilities less. I was a kid then so I don't actually know.
    - smtddr 13y ago
      Hmm... now I need a chart showing healthcare prices for the past 50 years as well as percentage of claims denied.
    - klh 13y ago
      As well as considering just health care costs also consider health care versus income. E.g. if a parent had to pay for a broken arm in the '80s US did they risk bankruptcy more or less then now?

timClicks 13y ago

Where there's less risk of being sued, the outcome of that wager is likely to be different. Here in New Zealand, you can't sue for personal injury, each school sets its own rules via a parent-controlled school Board and parents have quite a bit of discretion about where their kids go to school. If a school has deficient processes when injuries occur, parents will walk.

klh 13y ago

And one death is visible. A generation lacking risk analsis skills, physical activity and knowledge of how to be rough but not aggressive is harder to see. SO harder to sue to prevent. I think the sue for visible problems approach is one of your bigger problems in the USA. And in your current society until someone can sue for making Playstation more acceptable than Playtime I don't see any easy solutions.