Spontaneous tickling and consent

[Perhoet]

I don't belIeve in noncon tickling.
However often you're with friends and someone just ends up getting ganged up on and tickled (you can see this on YouTube) and you can't ask for consent in those circumstances.
It can be pretty tough on the lee, being tickled non-stop by several people for a few minutes. But it's so mucn fun!
Is it ethical to tickle someone like that?

P.S.- for some reason, only feel comfortable sneaking up on and mercilously tickling guys. I like tickling girls too, but I feel you have to be much more gentle with them.

 

[SiogChatouilles]

I think if someone is being tickled like that, especially if you don't know whether they enjoy it or not, and they ask you to stop then you should stop. It's not ethical/right to continue to tickle someone otherwise. Laughing is a panic response, so you don't know whether they are having fun or not. You need consent, whether its verbal or a physical cue.

~Sióg

 

[robmic]

All my life I've tickled people and I have to say that the majority have been non-con. However, if you are conscientious with the person you're tickling and don't over do it, they will survive it without being traumatized. And they may not even kick your butt afterwards! But seriously, the key thing is to NOT over do it! A brief non-con. tickling never hurt anyone. And by brief, I mean less than a minute or two without a break at the most. There will be some that can freak out with any amount of tickling and those people you shouldn't push your luck. But if you pay attention to the person being tickled and their responses, you can tell if they're struggling with it. If you think they are, STOP! There's no reason to traumatize anyone.

 

[TKLVR18]

I think there's a difference between not getting consent and non-consensual, tickling, as strange as that may have come out. What I mean is that for a lot of people, whether they be 'one of us' or not, tickling is just plain fun. There's something of a rush when that kind of power is taken over you without you getting so much as a say, and for a lot of people it's just playful fun.

That being said, it can be taken too far. When you count cousins and neighborhood friends who were at my grandmothers with me constantly I was the eldest of ten, so I have a bit of experience with initiating tickle gangups xD The one thing I would say is best to keep in mind is to listen for phrases like "I give up", "you win" "uncle" etc and stop when they're said. Alternately you can demand it early on, and if the person is being stubborn about saying it I think it's safe to continue 😉

~K

 

[piyr]

Is it ethical to tickle someone like that?

Is it ethical? Probably not in most cases. We have a system of laws that are designed to maintain a standard of ethics in society. So at least anytime it would be a violation of the law then by default it is not ethical. The law aside, is it ethical? I don't know? What if you as the tickler get more enjoyment out of it than the vicitm has suffering? What if they get pleasure and it's a win-win? I wish this would have been a topic of discussion in my philosphy 101 class.

 

[primetime]

The funny thing is, there are many many many threads about this subject and according to some, if you see this situation happening, the people who are tickling without consent can be subject to a crime, a lawsuit, or a butt kicking. In their eyes, you must ask for consent in ALL cases. Crazy right?

I don't think this is a matter of "ethics". For a lot of us, tickling is sexual, so we think more about it than others. But for a lot of people, tickling is a fun activity and as long as everyone has a good time with it, no harm no foul. It is wrong to torture someone. A playful "jumping"? No issues...

 

[DontAskJusTckle]

Probably 95+% of tickling that happens in the world is non-consensual. The average person on the street would think it is weirder to ask permission than to just do it.

I think the example you gave of gang-tickling, probably isn't all that ethical, but essentially harmless. But a quick tickle of a woman you don't know? I'd say that is fair game.

 

[Teal]

Is it really that difficult to ask for consent?

 

[primetime]

Is it really that difficult to ask for consent?

In the context of the OP, yes. Think about situations where someone pokes his friend in the ribs unannounced. They just reach out in tickle. Didn't tie them down, grab some feathers and have their way with them, no, a simple tickle in the ribs. Lasts about 2 seconds. Do you really think asking for consent will happen?

Even in the case of the OP where someone gets gang tickled unannounced by their friends. We have all seen that in school, home, wherever. Most of the time, everyone laughs it off, no big deal. Think they're going to ask consent in those situations? No. They just do it. It is not even realistic to think that asking for consent will happen in each and every tickle scenario.

So, to answer your question, yes, It can be difficult to ask for consent. Kind of takes the element of surprise away.... For non tickle enthusiasts, they have no concept of even asking for consent. It is only some people who think about tickling on a whole different level are the ones concerned about "asking for consent"...

 

[toyou444]

There were many times like that in college where one person was just tortured by two or more other people. Often the "victim" initiated the attack. In that case I think consent is implied. Sometimes it was an attack on a past victim. Based on previous reactions no consent was needed. Rarely, very rarely, was there ever an "I hate that" or a reprimand following the event.

I once, spontaneously, tickled the foot of my then girlfriend's roommate as it hung off the top bunk. I casually knew her and was very afraid she was ticked about it...until I walked in on her and HER boyfriend tickling another roommate!

~ toyou

 

[Alliekat]

I tend to judge these situations on a case by case basis. Not asking for consent when you playfully tickle a friend is probably fine if it is all done in good fun. A merciless gang tickle of a person who is obviously not enjoying themselves usually is not okay. I guess if you are unsure, it is better to be cautious than to upset somebody.

 

[toyou444]

I tend to judge these situations on a case by case basis. Not asking for consent when you playfully tickle a friend is probably fine if it is all done in good fun. A merciless gang tickle of a person who is obviously not enjoying themselves usually is not okay. I guess if you are unsure, it is better to be cautious than to upset somebody.

This.

Good response.

~ toyou

 

[TicklishBlackGuy]

as Alliekat said being playful is fine, but when its like a gang or maybe you have
a day you don't want anyone to touch you and the person whose tickling you,
is someone you don't want to and it makes you mad more then it is fun, it sucks.
I don't mind spontaneous from my female friends cuz its happened before, never
lasted long but happened before. now if some of my female friends may gang tickle me,
depending on the situation i may like it, it may not, depends on a mood too