Taboo Topics (Heavily moderated)

[Turbro]

Last I checked, the verdict was still out whether the infant mind could fully appreciate the pain felt of it, but even so, I was circumcised and I certainly don't remember anything.

Would you really remember something that happens when you're 1 or 2 weeks old anyway?
And you just watch a circumcision and tell me it doesn't hurt.

[Galaxy Man]

Would you really remember something that happens when you're 1 or 2 weeks old anyway?

I would like to actually answer this.

When I was very, very newborn, there was a problem with my back. I'm not entirely clear on what exactly the problem was, but it involved VERY LARGE NEEDLES in my back. These needles had to stay there, while I was held down, for quite some time.

This is why I, even now, am completely terrified of needles. I have left movies because they happened to contain someone getting a shot. Getting a shot myself has been a completely horrible experience that I have had to work very hard to get over.

The way I see it, if an experience from when I was less than a month old has actually made me that scared of something as tiny as a needle, whether I remember feeling it or not (i don't) isn't the issue.

The issue is that it scarred me, mentally.

I can't see causing pain to babies, regardless of age, as a good thing. Saying "well they might not feel it or remember it" doesn't make it better. The inability for a victim to remember an action does not mean the action was any less wrong.

[Syobon]

You should not permanently alter the physical appearance of a person without said person's explicit consent. Religion has nothing to do with it, as that is a personal choice, and thus should not affect someone else.

[Kamak]

Last I checked, the verdict was still out whether the infant mind could fully appreciate the pain felt of it, but even so, I was circumcised and I certainly don't remember anything.

Would you really remember something that happens when you're 1 or 2 weeks old anyway?
And you just watch a circumcision and tell me it doesn't hurt.

The point is whether or not it causes lasting harm or trauma. If the individual wants to be circumcised, the best time to not have to deal with all of the memories of pain is to get it done as a newborn. I've yet to hear anyone without a botched circumcision say that they have some kind of issue regarding something to the effect of phantom limb syndrome, PTSD, or an innate (not learned) fear of circumcisions. The brain can't process that much to be permanently scarred by the event.

That of course doesn't mean we should circumcise everyone, but assuming we could tell whether someone wanted to be circumcised or not, their best bet is to do it as an infant.

I would like to actually answer this.

When I was very, very newborn, there was a problem with my back. I'm not entirely clear on what exactly the problem was, but it involved VERY LARGE NEEDLES in my back. These needles had to stay there, while I was held down, for quite some time.

This is why I, even now, am completely terrified of needles. I have left movies because they happened to contain someone getting a shot. Getting a shot myself has been a completely horrible experience that I have had to work very hard to get over.

The way I see it, if an experience from when I was less than a month old has actually made me that scared of something as tiny as a needle, whether I remember feeling it or not (i don't) isn't the issue.

The issue is that it scarred me, mentally.

I can't see causing pain to babies, regardless of age, as a good thing. Saying "well they might not feel it or remember it" doesn't make it better. The inability for a victim to remember an action does not mean the action was any less wrong.

Is your fear an innate fear, or did your parents tell you as a little kid "oh man, when you were a baby they stuck needles in you and left them in you" and that caused a "OH GOD NO" moment that started your fear of needles?

Because unless it's the former, the event didn't scar you, thinking about it is what made you afraid of needles.

Also, I'm assuming the procedure was done to fix whatever was wrong with your back. It wasn't done to torture you as a child because you couldn't consent.

[Tales]

The point is whether or not it causes lasting harm or trauma. If the individual wants to be circumcised, the best time to not have to deal with all of the memories of pain is to get it done as a newborn.

It causes lasting harm as in "a piece of your body has been removed without your consent and can never be fully replaced." I'm not saying that if you're circumcised you're going to be unhappy and wish that you weren't for the rest of your life, but I agree with others who have said that it shouldn't be performed as a baby because there's no viable reason to apart from medical reasons.

[Cori]

Just gonna point out that, to my knowledge, there is no real evidence stating that circumcising the penis will prevent illness. I heard that it might have been linked to a form of cancer, but I'm pretty sure that theory was debunked.

[Lambeth]

I hear it can help prevent HIV, but that's only really useful in third world countries like africa where almost everyone is infected.

[Noffletoff]

probably because it's dried out instead of it being a wet spot for infection.

[Syobon]

Can you guys in the future just go to wikipedia yourselves so I don't have to link it every time?

[Blubber]

Just gonna point out that, to my knowledge, there is no real evidence stating that circumcising the penis will prevent illness. I heard that it might have been linked to a form of cancer, but I'm pretty sure that theory was debunked.

Uh Cori, I was born with some sort of thing which meant they had to circumcise me for medical reasons.

My parents were told that they had to do this otherwise I would get an infection which I could maybe die from.

So... I know it's not really contributing to the discussion all that much but I just wanted to point out that sometimes it needs to be done.

[Mete]

Oh it certainly sometimes needs to be done, but circumcising nearly every boy child even if they have no penis-related illness at birth in case they'll get one later on (which is very unlikely) is way, way overkill.
Not to mention that most of those illnesses (such as phimosis) are treatable with far less extreme methods than (pre-emptive) mutilation.

[Cori]

Just gonna point out that, to my knowledge, there is no real evidence stating that circumcising the penis will prevent illness. I heard that it might have been linked to a form of cancer, but I'm pretty sure that theory was debunked.

Uh Cori, I was born with some sort of thing which meant they had to circumcise me for medical reasons.

My parents were told that they had to do this otherwise I would get an infection which I could maybe die from.

So... I know it's not really contributing to the discussion all that much but I just wanted to point out that sometimes it needs to be done.

Oh, I did not know that. In a case like yours then I think that circumcision would be a totally valid option.

[Reyo]

Blubber, don't take this as me trying to call you or your parents a liar, but do you know what this medical thing was/is by name, or is it that your parents just said "Oh, you had this medical thing where we had to lob your penis off" when you asked why your wing-wang was different from everyone else? I'm making sure it's not that someone somewhere was just trying to justify shenanigans by shouting "science" and running away.

[Vax]

Even if his parents did, for no reason, lie to him it doesn't change the fact that things such as that do happen, and there are some situations where circumcision is valid for medical reasons.

[Blubber]

UGH DO I HAVE TO REVEAL EVERYTHING ON HERE. At least someone is interested in my dick. I guess.

When I was bornhe hole wasn't in the right place - it was too far down. To put it in the right place they had to do surgery. This surgery involved snipping a certain piece of skin to reach the weird hole that was there. I wouldn't have been able to urinate properly. The reason I would've gotten an infection is because there are certain placed piss isn't meant to go.

You pop flyin' now Reyo? You pop flyin' now that you now know that when I was a baby I had a mutant dick? I bet you are.