tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2977044224939777967.post4638765191219817645..comments2023-11-18T18:14:45.871-05:00Comments on Blunoz Random Ramblings: Teenage Independence and ORMblunozhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02917109513028096262noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2977044224939777967.post-12380051383820058032010-03-12T23:39:48.314-05:002010-03-12T23:39:48.314-05:00Thank you all for stopping by and sharing your opi...Thank you all for stopping by and sharing your opinions on this.<br /><br />reddog: You're right, neither set of parents WANTED to let their kid go on this journey, but they let them anyway.<br /><br />Mark: You wrote, "The ORM calculus doesn't change if they were two years or thirty two years older." On one hand, yes, the benefit side of the equation is probably the same regardless if they were 16 or 18 or 50 years old. On the other hand, the risk side of the equation is very different. When you conduct a risk assessment, you look at both the probability of a bad event happening as well as the severity of the outcome. As Loping Squid and Hilary pointed out in previous comments, these 16 year-old kids lack the maturity that comes through life-experience. Did my parents let me do things in spite of my lack of maturity as a teenager? Sure they did. The next part of ORM is instituting risk-mitigation strategies: things that will reduce the severity of the consequences if a problem occurs. In my case as a teenager traveling overseas, I stayed with friends of the family and I had help readily available. In the case of these two kids sailing around the world (solo), there is zero ability to render them assistance thousands of miles from land in the southern hemisphere. Their age might not change the probability of critical equipment malfunctions or of catastrophic environmental conditions, but their lack of experience raises both the probability of an adverse outcome as well as the potential severity of the consequences.<br /><br />When an adult chooses to engage in extreme sports or thrill-seeking and something goes wrong, then it's their own fault. Put their name on the list of Darwin-award winners. <br /><br />When a minor wants to engage in such activity and something goes wrong, then the parents share the blame for allowing them to go.blunozhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02917109513028096262noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2977044224939777967.post-46375940478885136022010-03-12T12:46:24.479-05:002010-03-12T12:46:24.479-05:00"What possible benefit could possibly be wort..."What possible benefit could possibly be worth the risk of death in rough seas or a collision or a medical emergency in a civilian recreational sailing vessel?"<br /><br />The ORM calculus doesn't change if they were two years or thirty two years older. It doesn't "make sense" from a risk/benefit standpoint for an adult to do this, or ski to the Pole, or ride a motorcycle on the Capital Beltway. But would you ban people from doing so if you could? Because that's the only criterion here for banning the girls, is that since they're minors you can.<br /><br />There's something to be said for living life vs. hunkering in the bunker for seventy years, and you can't do that without risk. I'm not for taking stupid chances; but people have different concepts of what the "benefit" is of doing a particular risky activity. I'll trust the parents of the specific girls on this one.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12595372047014523907noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2977044224939777967.post-8389008200837363132010-03-10T20:20:52.861-05:002010-03-10T20:20:52.861-05:00Somewhat interesting article here:
http://www.sail...Somewhat interesting article here:<br /><a href="http://www.sail-world.com/USA/Abby-Sunderland-and-Jessica-Watson---what-mothers-think.../67221" rel="nofollow">http://www.sail-world.com/USA/Abby-Sunderland-and-Jessica-Watson---what-mothers-think.../67221</a><br /><br />They claim to be interviews from one mom for (Abby's mom) and one mom against, but the mom "against" letting teenagers do this acquiesces in the end and says she would let her daughter go.<br /><br />I find it interesting that Abby's mom says they wouldn't let her walk the dog around the neighborhood by herself. ...but they're letting her sail around the world solo??? Where's the logic there?blunozhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02917109513028096262noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2977044224939777967.post-20456079669504204932010-03-02T09:35:22.759-05:002010-03-02T09:35:22.759-05:00If/when the girls finish their trips, whether they...If/when the girls finish their trips, whether they are successful or not, they will have learned a huge amount. I agree that doesn't make it worth the ORM. I have three teenagers and just this morning I found myself wondering whether the oldest had scraped the windshield before she drove to school. I can't imagine her sailing around the world. If it works out well for the girls then it was a good decision. If it doesn't then the family will have to live with the regrets. They must be much more mature than my teenagers.Paulitahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02611117766982930997noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2977044224939777967.post-44221207850266328322010-02-28T19:31:43.329-05:002010-02-28T19:31:43.329-05:00Do I agree with their parents? Well, I don't ...Do I agree with their parents? Well, I don't necessarily DISagree with them...time will tell.<br />As a trans-oceanic sailor with many (MANY) years experience, I can honestly say that the occasions where I had to spend an extended period of time "thinking things through" were few and far-between. When you reach that level of experience, things are typically done by muscle-memory - automatically, and as naturally as breathing. Do I have confidence that Miss Watson and Miss Sunderland posses that level of experience? Yes, I do and who better to asses that level of experience than those who trained them - Their parents and other adults with whom they have sailed. Maturity notwithstanding, they are clearly capable doing what needs to be done when it needs doing, though the Southern Ocean is soon to be their toughest test.Ret ANAVhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14357084518893545804noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2977044224939777967.post-33908875837895018582010-02-26T23:16:03.439-05:002010-02-26T23:16:03.439-05:00As Loping Squid (lol at that nickname) said, teens...As Loping Squid (lol at that nickname) said, teens, no matter how intelligent and seemingly mature, lack the ability to think things out fully. To predict consequences - at least those which they've not experienced before. That's just a biological reality. They also lack life's experience. And emotional maturity. And there is no way in hell my minor child would do anything like this. I'd be joining Tabor in a padded room.Hilaryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12787493532006658679noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2977044224939777967.post-60316163084523160532010-02-25T14:41:26.416-05:002010-02-25T14:41:26.416-05:00This is seriously crazy. I have a hard time belie...This is seriously crazy. I have a hard time believing a 16 year old--regardless of experience--has the frame of reference to make hard decisions. Like: it's time to turn back.<br />Especially in light of recent research that indicates that part of the brain isn't really mature until the 20s.<br />The girls might make it. But it's as likely to be by luck as by skill.Loping Squidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12423972196698082579noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2977044224939777967.post-46447805040545187802010-02-25T06:23:13.838-05:002010-02-25T06:23:13.838-05:00This whole thing would terrify me. I get sea sick...This whole thing would terrify me. I get sea sick and while my husband loves to sail and boat, I am the one who is very uncomfortable if we loose sight of land. Having a daughter or son who wanted to do this would put me in a sanitarium. (Although I have to admit for some strange reason I have seen every submarine movie every made and really like watching them!)Taborhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15257045780724471840noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2977044224939777967.post-72125005199478157822010-02-24T23:54:58.269-05:002010-02-24T23:54:58.269-05:00What you have here are a couple of very young girl...What you have here are a couple of very young girls who are essentially emancipated minors, out on their own living high risk lifestyles. There is nothing in the World that can bring you more grief than that.<br /><br />There's always a back story in situations like this and even the best and most caring parents often don't have any of what would be considered acceptable choices.<br /><br />I doubt either set of parents want their girls out doing this, do you?reddoghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15823251385710299262noreply@blogger.com