h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Well, would you?

If they'd already had a bunch, and were likely to suffer negative health thingies like a) being sick or b) having their teeth rot or even c) not being able to eat their (hopefully balanced diet) dinner 'cause they'd filled up on sweets then yes, probably.

Would I then eat said sweets?

Now you're asking!

Well, I think I'm going to have to make an assumption or two. I'm guessing that you don't already know the child - it's like a role-reversal of children being told not to take sweets from strangers.

It would depend on what the sweets were - if it was something I didn't like, then I certainly wouldn't take one. So perhaps we should assume that we don't know what kind of sweets they are.

What is the child like? Both in appearance and mannerisms? If the child looks presentable (ie not scruffy), I'd probably be more inclined to accept. If the child seemed reasonably sweet, again I'd be more inclined to accept. But if the child had an evil laugh (or cackle), then I'd be put off in a big way. The other sure signs to look for are the glowing red eyes, '666' tatooed on their head, pointed ears (I mean *really* pointed) and breathing fire. If they show any sign of these, run like the wind.

* he looks at Justin *

My God! and I thought HE was verbose at times !!!

Anyway, It would depend on what sweets they are...

I suppose you're going to point the finger at me now for being amoral !!!

M.K*

Yes.
*diabolical laughter*

I would take sweets from a small child, thus increasing the genetic advantage to being bigger and stronger and, in my own tiny way, increasing the makeup of the species.
Oh, especially Cadburys buttons

Nah. I can live without sweets; the li'l shaver might get annoyed if I took them.

I am not giving you any further information - you can explore the situation yourself.

I agree that it would very much depend on the sort of sweets we are talking about here!

Sorry about this but "it depends", context and motive being all-important in resolving these dilemmas.
If the child has just offered me one of his sweets then yes I'd take one. This may seem to have negated the dilemma but just suppose the child was malnourished, living in poverty but due to innate hospitability wanted to share his only source of energy with me, a relatively rich, healthy bystander. Maybe then I shouldn't take the sweets after all.

If the child was a friend and not paying close attention to his property, then I might take his sweets and hide them somewhere close by just to tease him. But I'd give them back later, if he was nice.

Are we talking about taking the sweets with or without the child's consent? In NYC we have these kids who roam the subways on weekend afternoons selling chocolates meant for fund-raising purposes (raising money for a camping trip, school play, etc.) to riders. They look pretty down-and-out, and I don't know if they are homeless or in school or what. Is it OK to buy candy from them (i.e. does that fall within the meaning of "taking" )?

I've often taken sweets from small children. Especially polo mints

I find it to be a mutually satisfying arrangement

For me, it would depend on several things. One is if actually knew who the child was. In most cases, I probably wouldn't take it. Or, I would just take it and give them to my sister. She loves candy.

No. Who wants to be exposed by standing in the street being cursed at by a screaming grubby kid.

I've taken sweets off my own kids too. I am so addicted, it's serious. Mind you, the kids have inherited that, so now they're bigger than me and stronger, I'd better start watching out.

I'd better not. After all if I'm on a police caution for not hitting a child what do you think would happen if I pinched his sweets as well.

What if the same child (and his mother) got you cautioned for not taking his sweets?

In that case I'd definately take them.

That's the spirit!

Well you know me. Survial of the fittest and all.

Of course there are multiple interpretations here. If it's a question of 'taking candy from a baby' as the saying goes, then no I don't think so. But if someone has offered me a sweet as a simple act of generosity, then, well, as you know Abi, I'm on a diet.

So it would depend on whether I thought the child in question would be offended by a refusal.

I wouldn't *take* candy from a kid unless it were a kid under my own care and it was a necessary measure to get its attention. I don't have much of a sweet tooth.

In a parallel situation, though, I was walking down the street, heading toward my car with my designated driver after a night of beer and darts, when this little kid appeared before me with his helium balloon. Damned thing was trailing along behind him directly in my face. I solved the ethical and social poser with the quick and direct method of popping his balloon with a lit cigarette.

Hey, I never told you people I was nice. Whatever gave you that idea...