The life of one, or the life of many?

Started by ANARCHit3cht September 29th, 2010 3:34 PM
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  • 22 replies
Seen September 24th, 2020
Posted November 26th, 2018
2,143 posts
14.7 Years
If the choice was yours, would you spare the life of the person that mattered the most to you in the world, or the building full of hundreds of innocent of people?

I'd like to remind you, don't choose what is to be considered the "morally" correct choice, be honest about what you would actually choose.

As for me, currently, I would save the many. I have no one that special in my life that I would be absolutely wrenched to see gone. That is, no one that I couldn't live without at this point.

Sammi

Age 33
she/her
The States
Seen 5 Days Ago
Posted November 8th, 2021
14,085 posts
18.3 Years
That's... a really tough one. I'd try my hardest to save the innocent people, since there's more of them... but I wouldn't be surprised if I take it back and save my loved one instead. I haven't really dealt with loss much, and I'd probably be so afraid of losing them I might sacrifice others lives for the person. I guess it depends on who, really.

I think it's one of those situations where I'd feel awful no matter what happened. :(

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Amaruuk

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Age 34
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Posted February 3rd, 2023
1,301 posts
15 Years
Honestly I'd pick the one. It's selfish, yeah, but I'd pick the king of my world over a hundred random citizens of the outer world. Like sammi-san, I haven't really dealt with loss ever but by nature I'm someone who really doesn't care much about people unless I know them, as well as someone who'd become so attached to a single person that I would almost definitely choose them over the whole darn world if I had to. It'd still hurt to live with it, of course, but that'd be my choice.

Very interesting question, I might add.

Also, Live makes a good point (below). The loved one wanting you to save the others instead would pose quite a problem indeed. Then it'd be between keeping them alive because you can't live without them but going against their wishes or, because you do love them, respecting that wish and saving the other people but having to lose the person who means the world to you. :<




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Seen October 18th, 2021
Posted April 1st, 2013
5,978 posts
15.2 Years
I don't know. ._. Knowing me, I'd sit there like an idiot and just go "FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF".

I won't answer the question right now but I just want to ask; do the 100 people who you saved know you did such a thing? I mean, I don't need a hero's status, but do they know?
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Seen September 18th, 2020
Posted February 18th, 2018
7,741 posts
16.6 Years
To be honest, I'd probably just run away from the whole situation. Save myself, as it were.


I'd spare the building full of people, if the person that mattered to me most was among those people.
Is that a euphemised way of saying you'd only intentionally save the one you loved? Or that you'd only save anyone at all if all parties were present?
Seen January 1st, 2023
Posted April 20th, 2020
4,423 posts
15.4 Years
Save the people, not the person close to me. At least I could live with that decision; I saved people with potential to do great things and I gave them the chance to live out their lives. It'd be selfish to save my friend instead of hundreds more who don't deserve to lose their life for nothing. I'd be able to come to terms with a death that had justification; killing hundreds of people so I can live out my numbered days happily isn't justification enough.

Fyreflies

Blazin' trails through Kanto

Female
Minnesota, USA
Seen October 3rd, 2010
Posted October 3rd, 2010
21 posts
12.6 Years
I'd do the "wrong" thing and save my loved one. I'm kind when I can afford to be, but when push comes too shove I'll put myself (and what's important to me) first. I might give myself to save hundreds of people, but not him.
[Siggy in da works]
Seen January 4th, 2013
Posted October 21st, 2011
1,804 posts
13.8 Years
I'd do the "wrong" thing and save my loved one.
i wouldn't call that wrong. there is no determining the value of each individual, much less comparing the significance of either loss. in the end it's your decision, and it's perfectly natural to spare what's precious to you. let's just hope none of us ever have to encounter a decision like this xD

Kura

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Age 33
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Seen August 30th, 2021
Posted August 24th, 2021
10,993 posts
18.7 Years
I'd pick my loved one. To me, their "sacrifice" wouldn't be worth it. Chances are, most people in that building are idiotic, non-contributers to society. I really don't care to see them gone. I'm an empathetic person, but not towards those who are un-empathetic back.
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Guy

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Age 31
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Florida
Seen March 26th, 2016
Posted January 22nd, 2014
7,127 posts
14.7 Years
For me, it would be the life of one over the life of many; being honest. While there could be hundreds of people trapped in a burning building, it's more than likely that if they're saved over the one person I love or care for the most, that after a time, they wouldn't even remember who I am. While, that one significant person could be there for me my whole life or at least longer than the vast amount of people in that building or whatever case scenario it may be.

I would admit, that even though I chose my loved one over the larger group of lives, I would feel like it would be me to blame for their death. I mean, it was my choice wasn't it? And who wouldn't feel left to blame if you saved one being over many? Regardless, it's why I would have saved the one person I cared for the most. Simply because I know that they would be there for me. They'd be there to support me through whatever grief I had to face.

Cherrim

Age 34
she / her
Toronto
Seen 20 Hours Ago
Posted 20 Hours Ago
33,052 posts
20.4 Years
I know the "right" thing to do, if you assume all humans are equal, is to save the lives of the many but I doubt I would bring myself to sacrifice a loved one in a situation like that. I'm a selfish person.

It's unfair to assume anything about the people--yeah, maybe it's a building full of convicts, or maybe it's a building full of people who intend to do nothing with their lives. But maybe it's a building full of wannabe-doctors, a building full of people whose loved ones would be devastated to lose them--a building full of productive workers of society, or people who could grow up to become that. If assuming something about the unknown makes the decision easier, fine, but deep down you'd still have to deal with that "what if" guilt after the decision was made.

:P I headdesk in JRPGs when the characters say "no we can't sacrifice you [generic sacrificial damsel of game] even if it means saving the whole world" because I never agree with it. So I guess in general I'd really have to say sacrifice the one for the many but in practise, I know it's not gonna be that easy when you know the one up for sacrifice.


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Seen December 27th, 2014
Posted November 12th, 2014
979 posts
15.1 Years
Firstly, I admit I am a selfish person. If the situation comes down to choosing a loved one over people, whom I don't know or never encountered, certainly I would choose the one that matters to me. I know I should feel guilty after I 'kill' the thousand of innocent people, but I would be devastated and 'guiltier' if my loved one was the one to fall victim.

Elite Overlord LeSabre™

On that 'Non stop road'

Age 97
Shimoda City
Seen 2 Days Ago
Posted January 25th, 2022
9,705 posts
15.5 Years
Everybody would probably die as I fought in my mind over who to save. Seriously, if I was put on the spot, I would have a very difficult time deciding. There are so many factors to weigh - how much the one person means to you, how much regret you'll have later... but in the end, I'd probably go the selfish route and save the one person. The person I have in mind is someone I really could not live without. Sorry.

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