This question occured to me as I was sitting on a plane one day contemplating how some people feel guilty for surviving a disaster many other people do not. It occured to me then that I would be absolutely fine with surviving the crash of my plane, regardless of whether other people did.
To extend and abstract the question, what if you knew that if you chose to die, you would save the lives of perhaps 100 Iraqis who would otherwise die in a car bomb the next day, or 100 people on some island hit by a large wave?
Personally I think I'd much sooner read a news bulletin about the death of 100 people I never knew while drinking my morning coffee than die in their place.
2007-06-04 11:31:47 · 20 answers · asked by Anonymous in Arts & Humanities ➔ Philosophy
No. Countless people die each day anyway, what's another 100?
2007-06-04 11:34:58 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
*smiles* I like this question. it's extremely difficult to answer. I imagine that I would attempt to save everyone including myself. but on the other hand, i believe that it's not really a bad thing if people die. i'm not a religious person, but i do believe that we are fated to die at a particular moment in time. also, death keeps the population down to what it needs to be. that way we don't overpopulate the planet.. *tries to get back on topic* so in the end i'd probably end up joining you for a morning cup of coffee, reading the same bulletin. *laughs* provided we have creamer and sugar.
I don't mean this to sound as evil as it does. i'd be very sad for the people who died, and like i said i would definitly try to get as many people to live as i could, but I think it would be a waste of the time we have in this life to do nothing except mourn what we can't fix or bring back. *nods*
2007-06-06 19:36:11 · answer #2 · answered by raven_luna_tic634 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I would not give my life for 100 strangers.
As is evidenced by most of the people in the world, neither would they. We have the capability of saving lives everyday by doing very little - and yet few people do these tiny things. I can't imagine that such a selfish bunch of creatures would do anything as rash as give their life for a bunch of strangers that they wouldn't even send 20$ a month to, or volunteer at a food shelf/homeless shelter, etc...
I'd be right there next to you, reading the paper while eating my breakfast..
2007-06-06 05:10:39 · answer #3 · answered by FIGJAM 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If I were in a position to do it, perhaps I would, especially if I KNEW sacrificing my life would save others.
But if I were at home having coffee and was asked to go to Iraq and 100 would be saved, then probably not.
While all life should be valued, the balance of life and death should be considered fully. Meaning, death happens. Is it my place to stop it at all costs? Not necessarily.
Who knows, maybe sacrificing my life to save 100 Iraqis would not set the proper political or social wheels in motion to stop the war, thus killing tens of thousands more as a result. Who's to say what negative effects would come of such action.
2007-06-06 04:26:30 · answer #4 · answered by Get Smart™ 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
that is you. I have been programmed since birth to always do the right thing. It does not matter what it does for me. Perhaps it would even count as suicide in the Bible because I would be technically risking my life and knowing that I could get hurt instead of trying to protect myself. But I do not care. I would risk my life still. I have done it before and sure I cried for a long time but when you love someone it is worth everything. I would feel disgraceful to harvest selfish thoughts or think twice to that question. The way it is..always do what is right no matter what. And if you feel that way that you would rather read a paper then do something about it yourself then your heart must not be as big as mine but it takes risks and experiences..it is not a logical matter to me..if my trusted comrad told me, "jump off a bridge" I would consider it.
2007-06-04 12:59:26 · answer #5 · answered by Yuri ^_^ 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Actually I would. People are saying think about your family, but think about their family. Lets say each of those 100 hundred people have at least three friends.
That would be about 300 people affected.
Lets say that half of them have a child.
That's 350 people affected.
Then count in parents, grandparents, nieces, nephews, cousins, next door neighbors, ex-best friends, ect.
That is over 1,000 people that would be hurt.
Way more than the 100 for one person.
2007-06-04 14:19:37 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
I have no idea how I would react in any given situation. Your body wants to survive and will do what it needs to do so until it can not. Your body doesn't care about death only life and the only people that experience death are the people looking at the corpse. The body cannot experience death.
2007-06-04 11:41:44 · answer #7 · answered by @@@@@@@@ 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Make my coffee late, no sugar.
Still I believe my life, while living it, contributes to saving and developing more than a 100 people with the years... and sacrifice in other forms can give to my loved ones, to the stranger in the street, to my co-worker, more to them that I could give my life for 100 unknown people.
Any one else believe your life's reason is to give yourself for your loved ones?
2007-06-06 05:40:30 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I would willingly die for them. I know that my one life has less worth than that of 100 others. How can anyone ever know if one of those people might discover the cure for cancer? I only know simple things, but honor is one of them.
2007-06-04 11:42:12 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
No. Since human life has no meaning, my life is as worthless as the lives of 100 people. So I'll keep mine since its the only one i have.
2007-06-04 12:16:19 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋