Who would you save?

Question

The question is: If your husband (or wife) and two children were on a sinking boat who would you save first, the children or your husband? I heard this on the radio, and my immediate reaction was my children. I guess a woman said she would save her husband, and then caught crap for it, and was told she was a bad mother for loving him more than her kids. Her response was "We could make more babies, but I could never replace him." And I thought, how horrible! I love my husband to pieces but he is an adult, he has lived his life! My babies haven't! Plus my husband can swim so at least he has a fighting chance, where my babies do not.

Who would you save and why?

Do you agree with me?

Answer 1

No, I don't agree with you. And I would think her argument would have included that she chose him to love and be a part of her life, while the children she came to love and became a part of her life through him, so he should be more important to her in that way, also.

But I expect most women to react with the answer you gave because they tend to think that the men in their lives are required to sacrifice themselves for the women and the children, so the women are more than willing to sacrifice the men without their say so and on their behalf.

And why not say that you would try to save all of them, even if it meant yourself drowning in the attempt? Well, because women don't think that way.

Additional: I would like the question to be asked of women, "If you and your two children were sinking on a boat, who would you want your husband to save first?". I would like to know how many of them would willingly drown if it came to that in order for their two children to survive, even if it meant their husband surviving with the children instead of themselves.


Women continually claim to be the less selfish of the genders, but the answers to this question aren't evidence of that.

Answer 2

I would save the children because I agree with you that the children had not had a real chance at life yet. And besides, I don't know of any parent that wouldn't give their own life for their children. So considering that, the wife would never forgive me if I saved her not not the kids.

Answer 3

I would save my children first and then, depending on the circumstances, go back to see if my husband needed help. I believe I would do it that way for the very reasons you listed. It makes perfect sense. I'm sure that woman did catch a lot of flak for her way of thinking but it may have a note of logic to it for some people.

I don't think it's a question of loving one more than the other. It's pretty easy to answer a question from the comfort of your home and when nothing is at stake. If a tragedy of this sort were to present itself, no one really knows what they would do because logic and everything else goes right out of the window at that moment. A person goes into survival mode and they do the strangest things. Instinct takes over and you may just end up doing the very thing you thought you wouldn't.

Let's hope that most people will never be faced with such a horrific choice or scenario.

Answer 4

Woman and children first! (of course I would save the children first) just as you think, the husband already had a life.

Answer 5

My children, my husband would never forgive me if our children were left to die so he could live. Actually I would let my husband and our children make it out and I would be the one to go, because he can financially support our children better than I could and we have a son right now a boy should not grow up without a father if needn't be.

Answer 6

I really can't answer this question as I have neither children or a husband. But I have to say I think there is no wrong answer. Just because she said she'd save her husband doesn't mean she loves him MORE. She just answered the way she thought was reasonable and right as did you. Maybe she didn't even have kids yet when she answered.

Answer 7

I agree I would save the kids, my husband would be half way through life, more and my kids would just be starting to enjoy there lives. I think that my husband would agree and understand.

Answer 8

I would save my children first, without a doubt. And tho I am no longer married to him, my ex-husband would absolutely agree with me that this would be the only choice. And yes, once they were safe I would go back for him if possible, even now.

Answer 9

My children. It seems like the husband would want you to save the children.

Answer 10

My children, I wouldnt want to have other children to replace my lost ones and Im almost positive my hubby could save himself, and if not, well he would have lived a longer, fuller life then the children and in my opinion they deserve the same chance to do so. And Yes, I agree with you!!