Would you die in order to let 10,000 total strangers live?

[knowsbleed]

Yes, I would do it for both questions.

I've just asked this question to people in my workcenter and all of them said yes to both as well... no hesitation.

 

[terry78]

Then I'd be more impressed that he could hold a gun.

Somebody ain't seen Rango.

 

[Rocketman]

So my assumption is right (so far).

Honestly, I would let the 10,000 people die so I could live. It would be hard as hell to make that decision, but that's what I would ultimately decide.

The thing that gets interesting is when you start adding more variables. What if instead of 10,000 people, it's 50,000, or 100,000? Or what if half of the 10,000 people are children? What if one of them is the President of the United States (whoever it may be)?

What if you were told that among the 100,000 people, it's guaranteed that one of them is the President AND that half of them are children?

Honestly, as long as it's people I don't personally know, I would still choose for myself to live.

 

[terry78]

So my assumption is right (so far).

Honestly, I would let the 10,000 people die so I could live. It would be hard as hell to make that decision, but that's what I would ultimately decide.

The thing that gets interesting is when you start adding more variables. What if instead of 10,000 people, it's 50,000, or 100,000? Or what if half of the 10,000 people are children? What if one of them is the President of the United States (whoever it may be)?

What if you were told that among the 100,000 people, it's guaranteed that one of them is the President AND that half of them are children?

Honestly, as long as it's people I don't personally know, I would still choose for myself to live.

Would it matter more if it was females and kids in the mix? I know some people if given a choice to save a kid vs. an adult, or a man vs. a woman, they opt for the non-male choice.

 

[AndThePickles]

For 10,000 strangers? It'd be nice to sound all noble and say "of course I'd die!"

But no, I would not. The world is overpopulated anyways.

 

[Donut]

Plus think about it. Humans as a race suck. That person would probably be doing Earth a favor

 

[knowsbleed]

If I had the chance to save even one person, I would make every effort to save that person. I truly believe in what goes around, comes around. I would hope someone would try to save me one day if I needed saving.

 

[terry78]

For 10,000 strangers? It'd be nice to sound all noble and say "of course I'd die!"

But no, I would not. The world is overpopulated anyways.

What if one of the 10,000 people turned out to be someone vital to you down the line?

 

[Rocketman]

It sort of reminds me of Watchmen in a way.
Is it okay to knowingly slaughter 10 million people in order for 100 million to live? Is there justification in that? It's almost impossible to answer.

 

[Aesop Rocks]

Maybe that could be the way the world ends. Everyone just refuses to die, killing 10,000 people with each person that says no.

 

[chaseter]

Yes, I would do it for both questions.

I've just asked this question to people in my workcenter and all of them said yes to both as well... no hesitation.

You would die for me


awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww

 

[The Squirrel]

The original question is so ridiculous that I can't say anything but no. Anyone wanna try and explain how it would even be possible to achieve this? You would have to believe in the supernatural. And that takes away half the members of the board right there.

 

[knowsbleed]

It's a hypothetical scenario used to generate discussion... I don't think the original poster intended for you to take it literally. If you get caught up in the specific details as to how you could possibly save exactly 10,000 people, you might be missing the point.

 

[The Squirrel]

It's just a ridiculous hypothetical. Hypotheticals work when it's something that could really happen. My answer is still no either way.

 

[Poetic Chaos]

No, cuz I'm mostly of the belief there are too many people anyway with the advancements of medicine. People just don't die anymore.

 

[AndThePickles]

What if one of the 10,000 people turned out to be someone vital to you down the line?

How could I possibly project into the future to know that if they lived, they'd be vital to me?

 

[knowsbleed]

It's just a ridiculous hypothetical. Hypotheticals work when it's something that could really happen. My answer is still no either way.

As a definition, a hypothetical scenario is something can be either imaginary or real... they don't have to 'work'... they are used to generate ideas and thoughts. The very idea of 'what if' makes it a hypothetical.

 

[terry78]

How could I possibly project into the future to know that if they lived, they'd be vital to me?

You couldn't, but you'd be taking that chance. Maybe one of them figures out a way to cheat death.

 

[AndThePickles]

You couldn't, but you'd be taking that chance.

Agreed, I'd just take the chance. There would be lots of other people in the world to be vital to me.

 

[Sentry]

To be perfectly honest, no I wouldn't. Not if it meant I had to face certain death. Would I risk my life to save 10, 000 strangers? Yes, that I would do.

And no, there would be no blood on my hands if I made the decision to live. The blood would be on the hands on whoever put me in that position to begin with. Simple as that.

 

[knowsbleed]

And no, there would be no blood on my hands if I made the decision to live. The blood would be on the hands on whoever put me in that position to begin with. Simple as that.

Too many people don't put the blame on the point of origin... the problem stemmed from the person/thing/event that initiated the act.

 

[The Squirrel]

As a definition, a hypothetical scenario is something can be either imaginary or real... they don't have to 'work'... they are used to generate ideas and thoughts. The very idea of 'what if' makes it a hypothetical.

Fair enough.

 

[KALEL114]

Agreed, I'd just take the chance. There would be lots of other people in the world to be vital to me.

Not to mention the fact that if you die to save a person who is vital to you down the line, then how are they vital to you if you're dead? Zombify you? That just leads to a lot more problems.

 

[Mr.Webs]

A man who lives his life the way he chooses should not fear death. Yes, I would choose to save the 10,000 strangers.

 

[MessiahDecoy123]

Yes, I'd do it.

Because I'm confident that God would reward me with Heaven.

he'd pretty much have to.