There once was a kingdom ruled over by a fair and righteous king. One day, an evil witch descended upon the well from which the people drank, and poisoned the water. The very next day everyone but the righteous king drank the poisoned water. And they all went insane. All but the king that is. For several days after, the people wondered aloud, "What happened to our king," they shouted in the streets, "Has he gone insane?" So the king went and drank from the poisoned water, and everything was well again.
2006-10-07 04:43:03 · 7 answers · asked by Anonymous in Arts & Humanities ➔ Philosophy
No I would not. The story states the king was righteous, so it is assumed the author meant what he did was moral. I must disagree.
The king now looks insane to his subjects because they are all insane. So they think him insane although in fact, he is the only one who is sane. What he does sounds like some kind of suicide of the mind, actually. It makes people more comfortable to know the king who is among them is as insane as they are, so he takes that route.
It reminds me of a lot of modern day politicians. Every once in a while, a very bad idea becomes very popular. Brave politicians sometimes do the right thing, even though it will almost certainly lose them the next election. But most go with mob rule and prefer to do what is popular at that particular point in time. It seems to me the king is choosing to reassure his people over his own sanity. Even though they might think him mad, he would be in a position to effect some good. The fact that the people would never understand the good he's done would make life for him difficult, of course, but it seems to me to be the moral path to follow anyway, even though the people will think him mad.
2006-10-07 04:50:59 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
No, I would not drink the water.
Let the masses go insane on their own. To drink the water would be to abandon your current morals and ethics just to continue your reign over the people. I would recognize that the people have changed, and either try to accommodate their changes or allow them to change leaders and lead themselves in to whatever disastrous end they should choose. Even if you said a Prophet blessed the water, I would not drink it.
If the lemmings want to run and jump off a cliff... off a cliff they will inevitably go... As long as you do what you can to try and stop them.
2006-10-07 05:44:14 · answer #2 · answered by raven7night 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No way... there is always an antidote, and no need for any embarrassment to go any extent to find one, since none else is now sane !
The captain is the last person to get off a sinking ship.... the teaching is clear...... duty to respond to the ability to save others... respons-i-bility !
2006-10-07 04:56:54 · answer #3 · answered by Spiritualseeker 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Nope I wouldn't. If we believe in being fair & righteous, I think we should stand strong on what we believed in even though the majority does not.
2006-10-07 05:41:22 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I wouldn't, as I gain nothing
2006-10-07 04:55:29 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
If I were suicidal I would drink from the well. If not then no.
2006-10-07 04:51:20 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
no i love my life and u should to
2006-10-07 04:56:24 · answer #7 · answered by Keilsha Robinson 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋