If your child was born with a fully functional third arm, would you have it removed?

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do you think this arm would turn out to be a disability or an advantage?
is there such a thing in life as "normal"?

― S. (Sébastien Chikara), Tuesday, 18 July 2006 21:47 (twenty years ago)

the kid's freakdom would make me a fortune, of course i would not have it lopped off.

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Tuesday, 18 July 2006 21:49 (twenty years ago)

It would depend where it was attached, wouldn't it? I mean, if it's in the middle of your back where you can't see what it's doing, it could be a bit of a problem. Or, out of the top of your head. Though that could have some use, holding flashlights and such.

But the question - would I subject my child to a painful, potentially debillitating, ultimately cosmetic surgery to make them physically acceptable to society and peers? Possibly.

― Jaq (Jaq), Tuesday, 18 July 2006 22:03 (twenty years ago)

it might not be that painful, unless you mean psychologically (teased at school etc.).

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Tuesday, 18 July 2006 22:06 (twenty years ago)

Painful as in recuperation from surgery painful. Do they give babies the same lovely pain meds as they give whiny grownups?

― Jaq (Jaq), Tuesday, 18 July 2006 22:10 (twenty years ago)

I wouldn't remove it. A kid with a perfectly healthy third arm?! Fucking awesome!

Of course, extra appendages are never "fully functional" so the question is totally irrelevant.

― Shakey Mo Collier (Shakey Mo Collier), Tuesday, 18 July 2006 22:13 (twenty years ago)

sorry i got confused there.

OH THIS HEAT

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Tuesday, 18 July 2006 22:33 (twenty years ago)

If it would become much more complicated to have it removed later, then yes. If I could safely leave it for them to decide at a later date, then no.

― Andrew (enneff), Tuesday, 18 July 2006 22:40 (twenty years ago)

I think there is such a thing as normal, as in a set of criteria that people should reasonably be able to expect. In this case, the old classic 'ten fingers, ten toes' wouldn't apply. The real issue isn't whether someone falls within some broad average for 'normal' appearance but how we treat those who don't.

― M. White (Miguelito), Tuesday, 18 July 2006 22:40 (twenty years ago)

I'd wait until the science was advanced enough to keep the arm alive independently.

― Onimo (GerryNemo), Tuesday, 18 July 2006 22:48 (twenty years ago)

why would anyone want to remove it?

― Shakey Mo Collier (Shakey Mo Collier), Tuesday, 18 July 2006 22:56 (twenty years ago)

you guys are talking about a penis, right? if so, yes

― caitlin oh no (caitxa1), Tuesday, 18 July 2006 23:10 (twenty years ago)

an internet man said "it is wrong to send the signal that being born disabled is a bad thing. It assumes that every difference is an automatic downgrade. I'm reminded of the child born in China recently with a fully functional third arm - which was removed purely because it was abnormal, and not because it was painful, or harmful, or promised a life of suffering to the child. (In fact, I would argue a third arm would provide a pretty serious advantage, speaking especially as a violin player!)"

http://www.cbsnews.com/images/2006/05/31/imageBEJ80305291140.jpg

― S. (Sébastien Chikara), Wednesday, 19 July 2006 00:24 (twenty years ago)

I would have it removed and sewn onto myself in the race for superiority among men.

― Butt Dickiss (Dick Butkus), Wednesday, 19 July 2006 02:47 (twenty years ago)

Fuck that, I would take his head,too.

― Butt Dickiss (Dick Butkus), Wednesday, 19 July 2006 02:48 (twenty years ago)

"It" is no way to refer to a child.

― oops (Oops), Wednesday, 19 July 2006 03:48 (twenty years ago)

The removal of that arm is a great loss to the furtherance of the sucker punch.

― Abbadavid Berman (Hurting), Wednesday, 19 July 2006 03:55 (twenty years ago)

I'd leave the arm until the kid was old enough to decide.

But then again, how old is "old enough to decide?" During the worst terrors of grade school when "normalcy" is everything? Or at adulthood, when the problems and advantages have revealed themselves?

That said I wouldn't mind having an extra arm. Well, except during, erm, snuggling, becuase then even just two arms are too much and one always ends up uselessly in the way. But still.

― Kaet (kate), Wednesday, 19 July 2006 08:49 (twenty years ago)

Is it true that Stump had a three-handed bass player?

― mark grout (mark grout), Wednesday, 19 July 2006 08:53 (twenty years ago)

3 arms would make for some killer drumming.

― ALLAH FROG (Mingus Dew), Wednesday, 19 July 2006 08:54 (twenty years ago)

I'd have it removed, I think, mostly because having to worry about three-armed clothing throughout its childhood would be a nightmare.

I was about to mention the kid getting bullied at school, but frankly with three arms he'd be, erm, handy in a fight.

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Wednesday, 19 July 2006 08:58 (twenty years ago)

http://www.harmony-central.com/Newp/2001/Striker-AX-404C.jpg

― nicky lo-fi (nicky lo-fi), Wednesday, 19 July 2006 09:04 (twenty years ago)

related, another freak of nature?

Ananova: Indian man's 13-inch tail
http://tinyurl.com/jc42c

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Wednesday, 19 July 2006 09:47 (twenty years ago)

doctors say his tail is a rare but known congenital defect and that he is not a god.

― Johnny B Was Quizzical (Johnney B), Wednesday, 19 July 2006 09:51 (twenty years ago)

"If somebody asks you if you're a god, you say yes!"

― Johnny B Was Quizzical (Johnney B), Wednesday, 19 July 2006 09:51 (twenty years ago)

how the fwok do you do an APGAR test on that kid? okay, that'snot funny.

― Nathalie (stevie nixed), Wednesday, 19 July 2006 11:08 (twenty years ago)

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