Is it a question or is it 10 people demanding that you not 'put a bummer on the party'? That detail is essential long before anyone can answer the question.

If he was buying. :blush:

Because it was a family celebration, I figured there was probably an age spread, among the eight. Rereading the link doesn't clarify.

Wow... the liquor store that sells anything other than those little "airplane" bottles are fucked then.

None. But I still don't see your point. Do you mean just because the guy who died is 20 years old (and perhaps his friends, too), his friends are automatically released from any responsibility for what happened? Let's say the eight guys were in fact huddled around him, chiding him for wanting to pass out and insisting that he keep drinking. You're saying this would not have been a factor in his death? Even if his parents had cautioned him about overdrinking, you don't think peer pressure and impairment might have affected his decision making? That it was simply a poor upbringing that caused this tragic accident? Can I go rob a bank and blame my parents because they didn't give me any money? And what if he and the other guys weren't the only children in their families? Does this entirely alter your Little Emperor theory?

Then, in my own opinion, he is not a good father. What I hope he does teach his son is one of the mainstays of Chinese culture, ren ai, the concept of benevolence and humanity. This includes helping others who can't help themselves.

ren ai went out with Mao.

there's still hope, my friend.

To me the question of whether the friends should be responsible or not can only be answered by them. If they feel guilt over his death, then chances are they feel there is something they could have done to stop this tragedy. If in fact they believe they could have done something and didn't, then that lays a certain burden of guilt on the friends. Personally, I don't think fining them is going to punish them in any way. They'll carry this with them for the rest of their lives. Let that be enough.

I know I'd feel responsible if I were drinking with a friend who subsequently died from causes brought on by that drinking session. Wouldn't you?

Maybe, but if they were also drinking heavily they may just chalk it up to his bad luck. That could be a viable rationalization, if they were too drunk to realize he was in trouble, then certainly too drunk to realize he was overdoing it. :confused:

Yeah...that could be true too. It's always very difficult to come to any real conclusion when all you have to rely on for facts is the media, and as we all know, the media is not always 100% correct. I still think they'd be feeling guilty though...unless they were totally and completely morally bankrupt.