Which people to save?

Started by twocows November 2nd, 2010 10:46 PM
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twocows

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You are given the choice to save one of the following groups whose lives are in danger. Whichever group you save will survive with 100% certainty. People in the other groups may or may not survive; the probability of each person's survival is random. Here are the groups.

1. 10,000 people unrelated to you in any way (most of whom are below the poverty line)
2. 1000 people you do not know but who are acquainted with your friends in some way (this group has a lot of powerful leaders in your community)
3. 100 people you know personally but are not particularly close to
4. 10 people you are very close friends with other than the person to whom you are closest
5. The person to whom you are the closest other than yourself
6. Yourself

Which group do you pick, and why? If you picked the 6th, what would be your second choice, and why?

I personally don't know what my answer would be, which is why I'm asking it. In the past, my answer would have been the first group, but these days I'm not sure if I'd still be able to respond that way.

Edit: The species isn't going to end with this, there are 6 billion people on the planet. Just a potentially large loss of life. And no, 5 is not included in 4; I was thinking 5 might be a significant other, best friend, or close relative and I specifically want them to be a separate group. As for whether they would know your decision, let's say no. Though if you'd prefer to assume they would know, I guess that's fine, too. Also, you can only save one group, even if you choose 6. I was just wondering what people who would save themselves would choose next.
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um is 5 not included in 4? ._.

that is a pretty hard question...but they're not 100% going to die, right?

Hmm...will the saved know what you've done? I mean, I don't need to become a hero, but will they know? ._.
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4. 10 people you are very close friends with

That's who I'd save...between my close friends and what's left of the human population, we can repopulate the earth. :P

And of course 4 includes 5...how could it not?

I'd pick that many people because it's enough to ensure the species survives, and few enough that there would be a 100% chance that I got along with everyone...that's essential for survival and sanity I'd say.

SinisterEternity

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Eww. Hard choice. .___.
I'd either pick 4 or 5.
Since I save more people in 4 than in 5...Buuut...The person in 5 is closer to me than the 10 others in 4, which only have "friends" in, right ? .c.

Because people who are close to me...Well, I love them so if I could, I'd save them all -if they were to die-.
I cannot pick only one, so I'll just say I cannot decide between 4 and 5. .n.
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I would pick #1 without a doubt. If the worst should happen and the group I choose ends up becoming the last of humanity, a smaller group consisting mostly of political leaders would be completely useless. They may be invaluable to the modern world, but when it comes to survivability they would be near useless. At this point my main concern would be the continuation of our species, and the largest group possible would be most likely to repopulate the Earth.

At first I was torn between #4 and #1, but after realizing that I wasn't necessarily included in the group of 10,000 I knew I probably wouldn't have to live with my decision of killing off those closest to me. The thought itself is just... no. ):

Nick

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4. 10 people you are very close friends with
5. The person to whom you are the closest other than yourself

Question. Wouldn't #5 apply to #4? I know that particular person in my life is also a very close friend. If so, I choose 4. If not, I choose 5. I don't think I'd be able to live with myself or live myself up after sacrificing that person.

twocows

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I made an edit to clarify some things.

After giving it a bit more thought, I guess I'd still pick 1. I'd be violating my own morality if I did otherwise. It just seems messed up that leaving my friends to die is the most morally justified action.
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Yuoaman

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I'm a selfish bastard so I'd probably try to save everyone. I'd also succeed, because I'm a megalomaniac.

Realistically I'd save the 10,000 first and then hopefully save those close to me.
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Kenshin5

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1. 10,000 people unrelated to you in any way (most of whom are below the poverty line)
First who is to say that members in this group cannot eventually come up out of poverty and be just as contributing to society as the supposed "leaders" in group 2. Just because somebody starts out in poverty does not mean anything, lots of immigrants came to the U.S. with nothing and made a decent life for themselves(or their future ancestors made something of themselves). If it is guaranteed they all of them will survive then I will take the quantity of life's compared to the quality of how I know somebody. I would just say to the 10 people "we can save many more people then just ourselves so if we do die then we can meet up in the afterlife"(pending they or whomever believes in the afterlife) so that really wouldn't be a concern for me personally.

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...define "may or may not die."

Because... Umm... I'd... Err... Run the numbers.

Yeah. I'm a horrible person.

If it was a bad chance for the others, I'd...

It'd be either 1 or 2. I'd kill myself anyway if I knew I killed over 10,000.


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Which ever group I choose, I know that I'll feel guilty for not saving any of the other groups. ;-;

I really wouldn't be able to pick close friends over equally close friends. =/

And for that kinda selfish reason, I'd have to go with group one. It would make me feel better knowing that I saved the majority of the people. Not that much better... Just a little.

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Mmm, okay, after some thought... Ugh, I still can't decide between 5 or 4. Okay, in order of importance;

5 first, then 1, 4, 2, 3 and finally 6.


EDIT: No, wait, agh! Do I have a high chance of dying? D: Because if I save 5 and then die with everyone else, then I'll feel horrible without her and having been unable to save everyone else.

The thing is...if I save them, can't I do what I did for them and stay alive? D:
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I'd choose 4 or 5, between those two.
Because I don't think I'd be able to live without them. People who are close to me are very important, as for anyone else who have close friends, uh.
I don't care if I must die to save them. What is a life compared to ten more lives ? Some people will think that I'm stupid maybe, but it depends on the life you have lived until now. I've always dreamt of having someone to protect, and I'm still dreaming of. I would protect that person, a person I'd really care about and that I'd not leave easily,I would just protect him/her, no matter what. Not necessarily someone who I gave my heart (it never happened for now...), but maybe someone (or some people eh) who would have made me open my eyes on certain things I couldn't see or something like that. People who would have helped me to get through bad moments and all. My feelings aren't really the happiest in the world, and I know I'm not the only one, but it would be really helpful to have someone by your side who can understand yourself well etc.

Yes, dreaming is beautiful, and I can do it during my entire life.

So that's why I'd choose 4 or 5.
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In order:

1 > 2 > 5 > 4 > 3 > 6

I'd save the 10,000 people first. More lives saved. Second would be the 1000 people, as that's the second most amount of people. When it gets down to 100 people I know, I think I'd rather save the person close to me, and then my close friends. If I've saved 11,000 people I think I can afford to choose my close friends first. Then myself last.

If I could only choose one (in other words, no order), I'd pick the ten thousand. Anybody who I saved after that is a bonus. I wouldn't save myself because I consider it wrong to put myself above ten thousand other people. I wouldn't save the person closest to me, because they would feel guilt that they had been chosen in the place of ten thousand other people.
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Easy choice, it's 5. I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I willingy sacrifice that person. After that I would choose myself, simple because I have someone special that I care about and for me, we are the only 2 people that matter in the whole world. I'd sooner kill everyone else in the world than threaten that partnership.

I'd probably be doing the world a favour if I wiped out 10,000 people.