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Post by Gwalchmai on Sept 13, 2005 21:43:02 GMT -5
I was having a disscussion with a friend today and an interesting thought came up. She was ina class where the teacher set the senario where your on a plane thats been hijacked by terrorists. They say that they won't hurt anyone except one person, and that individual would be thrown out of the plane. They randomly choose the person right next to you. What would you do? And fighting is not an option. Take a few moments and try to come up with as honest an answer as you can. No questions about do you know this person or what about them. This is all you know. Its a stranger, and he/she will be thrown out of the plan and you'll be safe.
Ok, now that you have that answered here's mine. When my friend asked me I said "volunteer" to switch out with the stranger. And she said the same thing in her class which for me, is a logical and natural thing to do. What confussed me was here the flak she got for that answer. I guess the whole class was "yeah right, no you wouldn't" and the teacher kept asking her over and over again if she was serious. So is the majority of people out there who wouldn't do that? Would you keep silent in fear? Would you cry? Would you volunteer? Would you help throw this stranger out? I guess thats my real question, a poll of what your basic reactions would be.
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Post by dinadan on Sept 13, 2005 21:53:06 GMT -5
Well, this is one of those questions that I'm not sure of what I would do until I was placed in the situation. The instinct for self preservation is very strong--I'm not saying that I wouldn't sacrifice myself for someone else...but if its a total stranger...I don't know.
That being said--I don't believe in a lose-lose situation. With enough cleverness combined with brute force, there's got to be a way to take down the hijackers. So, I'd probably be looking for a weakness to exploit.
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Post by twyrch on Sept 13, 2005 21:56:43 GMT -5
Well, this is one of those questions that I'm not wure of what I would do until I was placed in the situation. The instinct for self preservation is very strong--I'm not saying that I wouldn't sacrifice myself for someone else...but if its a total stranger...I don't know. That being said--I don't believe in a lose-lose situation. With enough cleverness combined with brute force, there's got to be a way to take down the hijackers. So, I'd probably be looking for a weakness to exploit. What ^^^^ said... I would go along with it until I saw a chance to act. |
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Post by Dred on Sept 14, 2005 7:16:06 GMT -5
I'm in agreement with the two above me. While I would like to think that I would change places with the person selected, I don't know how I would act in that situation. It's almost impossible to know for certain.
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Post by Lady Bookwyrm on Sept 14, 2005 9:35:03 GMT -5
I would totally let them throw out the person next to me. Sure, if an opportunity came up, I'd try to stop the whole thing...but if it really came down to it, my self-preservation would kick in.
Harsh, I know...but very true.
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Post by DanTheMan on Sept 14, 2005 11:50:19 GMT -5
I wouldn't have a problem with volunteering except for my family. It would be hard choice to volunteer to save that person's life, but then it's hard to allow that person to die
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Post by pink3elephant on Sept 14, 2005 12:01:58 GMT -5
I would probably sit there with fear, dread, and all that other fun stuff. I would be thinking 'oh my God, is this really happening?' Then I would probably sit there and pray, seriously pray, since God would be the only one who could stop this (since fighting is not an option).
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Post by Gwalchmai on Sept 14, 2005 14:24:51 GMT -5
Thanks for your honesty guys. Yea, I'm with you all about taking them down by force. Ihave no idea what the situation would be where you couldn't take them down but if force couldn't be used, I'd volunteer. And I'm not trying to prove a point or anything are to show anyone as a horrible person, I'm really just curious to some of the human reactions people would have.
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Post by Daae on Sept 14, 2005 19:52:54 GMT -5
My first gut reaction when I read the senario was a "Take me instead" kind of thing. Death's never really scared me all that much. On further thought, I might try to beat the guys down with my luggage if they got near. My self-preservation usually involves beating something, when it kicks in at all. Being the eldest of four kind of transfers that instinct to preserving other people.
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Post by Gwalchmai on Sept 14, 2005 21:19:48 GMT -5
Thats an interesting point. So do you feel that being the oldest of a group of siblings helps translate the characteristic of preserving other people? Or is that something people develop on their own?
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Post by Lady Bookwyrm on Sept 14, 2005 22:11:38 GMT -5
I have two younger sisters, and a ton of cousins who I consider to be my siblings...and were THEY the ones being threatened, then yes, I would sacrifice myself for them. THEY are the ones I will fight for, because they are the ones who have fought for me. A perfect stranger? Not so much.
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Post by Gwalchmai on Sept 14, 2005 22:20:07 GMT -5
So you feel that in order to be willing to make a sacrafice like that would be to expect it from those you are protecting? Or at least show deserving qualities to you?
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Post by Lady Bookwyrm on Sept 15, 2005 13:39:55 GMT -5
Pretty much...yeah!
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Saru
Scholar
[M:4]
Somewhere between there and here
Posts: 67
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Post by Saru on Sept 15, 2005 21:19:21 GMT -5
Personally, I wouldn't give a crap. I've never liked people, I don't particularly care about people that I don't know anything about and I don't have many friends. If the stranger next to me was going to be thrown out of a plane then I'd let them get on with it. If it was me... well, good riddance  |
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Post by chrystalized on Sept 20, 2005 21:02:29 GMT -5
hmm, I would like to say I would say take me instead, but I think if i was in the situation I would hope that some one else would be noble.
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Twyrch /|\
