In Ennistymon on Thursday, I spotted this sign on a few fields around the Falls Hotel.
My first thoughts were happy – smiling at the thought of possible danger of a donkey; delighted to have captured a new sign. Donkeys are well up there in the list of animals loved by our nine-year old.
With the benefit of a few days, the happiness has receded and has been replaced with disappointment verging on despair as to the litigious and over-protective society we have become.
I was speaking with E.T. recently and he was relating the benefits of the Darwin Awards – that if someone was so lacking in basic common sense, then whatever the result was appropriate.
We spotted the donkeys in a different field – at least 7 of them. They were grazing away- content and happy with their lot. They posed no danger to us or other users of the road/path.
If I had decided to enter the field, approach one of the donkeys and extend my hand towards its head, would it be my fault if the donkey decided to have a bite my fingers? Would this be the inherent danger posed by donkeys of which humans must be warned?
Or would I be the ass? Should I have a sign around my head warning fellow-humans of my self-danger?
My first thoughts were happy – smiling at the thought of possible danger of a donkey; delighted to have captured a new sign. Donkeys are well up there in the list of animals loved by our nine-year old.
With the benefit of a few days, the happiness has receded and has been replaced with disappointment verging on despair as to the litigious and over-protective society we have become.
I was speaking with E.T. recently and he was relating the benefits of the Darwin Awards – that if someone was so lacking in basic common sense, then whatever the result was appropriate.
We spotted the donkeys in a different field – at least 7 of them. They were grazing away- content and happy with their lot. They posed no danger to us or other users of the road/path.
If I had decided to enter the field, approach one of the donkeys and extend my hand towards its head, would it be my fault if the donkey decided to have a bite my fingers? Would this be the inherent danger posed by donkeys of which humans must be warned?
Or would I be the ass? Should I have a sign around my head warning fellow-humans of my self-danger?
