When TF Idolatry Goes Too Far...

[Robzy]

Stupid and sad!

I'm thinking the kid (who to be fair was diagnosed as having a mental disorder, though that's sort of a chicken-and-egg question at this point) just developed a petrol-sniffing habit and this Transformers-made-him-do-it bit is a face-saving (i.e. cop-out for bad parenting) exercise.

You could be right!

[Ode to a Grasshopper]

Sniffing habit which then grew into it's present form, I mean.

Being under 18 I hope it's just unleaded

'Fraid not, the doctors comments in the article specifically mention how it was so much worse for being during his formative years.

[Bartrim]

I just can't believe that this happened.

[JuzMel]

I just understand how in any way the boy could have linked Petrol to the pink energon liquid in a cube form? Doesn't makes sense when the petroleum he drinks is not even pink and does not come from a cube! If there's any closer relation to TFs drinking petroleum, I'd say it'll be more in the 07 or ROTF movie.

It's a wonder how his parents can let him keep drinking it for the past 5 years and it took them so long to bring him to the doctor?

[Paulbot]

If there's any closer relation to TFs drinking petroleum, I'd say it'll be more in the 07 or ROTF movie.

And even then, the movie characters (on screen) don't seem to eat or drink anything. It was odd in the first movie and odder in the second movie when they did start talking about Energon.

[GoktimusPrime]

I think that RotF established that Transformers required a potent source of energy, such as from the AllSpark, Energon, the Matrix etc. in order to either create new Transformer life or restore a deceased Transformer. I guess presuming that the Transformer's body is still mostly in-tact... otherwise I do wonder why the Autobots never tried using the AllSpark shard to ressurect Jazz.

[SilverDragon]

What the hell?

First, how did this go on for five years without his parents taking him to a doctor before now?

And second, how does one want to mimic Transformers via drinking gasoline? I'd have thought that kids would try to mimic them by running around going "I'm Starscream and I can fly!!! Pew pew pew!".

It seems a bit too bizarre to be true.

[valkyrie_76]

It amazes me on how people can ingest/inhale petrol. I just get a headache from filling my car let alone sitting around sniffing that crap.

[sanbot]

I can't help but think the parents had something to do with this.

[GoktimusPrime]

Even if the parents had nothing to do with him starting this habit - as kids do try some pretty crazy things - I do wonder why they didn't try to do more to stop him. I can appreciate that they did do some things, but then when he was finding ways around it what did they do then? Perhaps immediately seek professional help... having an addiction isn't a good thing at any age, but at such a young age you'd think your alarm bells would be ringing and you'd try to get help for your kid.

But who knows... maybe they did. The article doesn't say whether they'd tried to get him therapy/counselling etc. or not. Also, there's a cultural problem - a lot of Asian parents don't like to seek help for their children as they see it as a loss of face. In my experience I've occasionally come across some Asian students who have undiagnosed issues like learning disabilities - and there's no history of testing possibly because the family's too embarrassed to be seen to have a child with special needs; which is tragic because ultimately it's a disservice to the child (a child's needs >>> family pride).