Why not you?"

[keannu]

What do you think this "Why not you?" is short for? "Why can't you be yourself" or something?

ex)David is a handicapped son
--- Only once has David said, "Why me? Why was I born like this?" It was when he was about twenty one, and he asked Ben, his father and my husband, that. And Ben said firmly "Why not you?" It wasn't easy for a parent with a disabled son to respond like that, but he knew that 's what he had to say....

[SoothingDave]

It means "why shouldn't it have happened to you?" (being born handicapped)

[keannu]

It means "why shouldn't it have happened to you?" (being born handicapped)

but it seems to be hard on him, it may imply you shuld accept the way you are, it's quite natural you are handicapped. you should accept your destiny. So it may not sound consoling, but it must be what the father intended.

[SoothingDave]

It wasn't easy for the parent to say, but it was for the son's good, to put an end to the self-pity.

By asking "why not you?" he is asking why the son feels that he should be so special as to be spared.