Would You Rather Lose an Arm or a Leg?

Question of the Day is a new column we’re starting as you’re reading this sentence where we give you people a platform to express your opinions on whatever question we decide to ask you. Today’s question is a classic disability hypothetical—if you had to part with one of your upper or lower limbs, which would it be?

VICE: If you had the choice between losing an arm or a leg, which would you get rid of?
Tom [has his back to us because he's shy]: An arm.

Why?
Because you can still run around with your legs. You can't fuck without two legs.

I don't think that's true.
Do people in wheelchairs fuck?

No, you're thinking of paraplegics. That's different. I'm just talking about one limb.
I mean, I assume I wouldn't have any mobility whatsoever.

So the main reason you'd lose an arm over a leg is sex?
Yeah. Clearly 'cause I'm a dude.

But you could remain stationary and still have sex.
Yeah, I don't think I'm that good. I think I have to chase a little bit.

Would you rather lose an arm or a leg?
Chu-Han: A leg.

Why?
Because I need two hands, whereas I can get a prosthetic and be fine with the leg.

But you could get a prosthetic arm, too.
Yeah, but that's much more awkward with like fingers and dexterity and stuff.

I think you're underestimating the difficulties of prosthetic leg users.
I think they do pretty well, right? I mean there are, like, people who do marathons with prosthetic legs.

Anna [left]: I'd probably go with the arm, because if I didn't have legs I couldn't stay in shape and I'd be fat.

You'd be fat?
I'd be a fat, legless person.

What do you do with your arm now that you would miss the most?
Receiving love from someone. I think that would be the weirdest thing because it would be kind of hard to—

Hug someone?
I just mean I think people would look at you differently. It would be harder for someone to really like you.

Deirdre: Oh my dad asks me that all the time!

He does?
Yeah, it's so weird. Like when we were little and used to be like "Oh, we don't wanna do something" and then he'd be like, "Oh would you rather lose an arm or a leg?" and I'd be like, “Oh."

What would you say?
I wouldn't say anything. It just put things into perspective. But if I were to pick, I'd say an arm, because I'd still have an arm to do everything else with. Legs—I need two legs to walk.

You could hop on one leg.
Yeah but it would be tiring.