A question for you, escapists.

[I Have No Idea]

So here's the deal. You now have a big red button. You press it, your every whim will be catered to for the rest of your obscenely long life, and you will stay fit and healthy throughout.

But heres the catch.

You press that button, 5 people die. This won't effect you in anyway. You will never meet those people, it won't hurt you, and you could not press that button and their lives will still mean nothing. To you.

Did someone watch The Box?

 

[One of Many]

hell, I'd push that button twice.

 

[retyopy]

So here's the deal. You now have a big red button. You press it, your every whim will be catered to for the rest of your obscenely long life, and you will stay fit and healthy throughout.

But heres the catch.

You press that button, 5 people die. This won't effect you in anyway. You will never meet those people, it won't hurt you, and you could not press that button and their lives will still mean nothing. To you.

Did someone watch The Box?

The Box? Never heard of it.

 

[Ekit]

I would press the button. I guess I'm selfish, but at least I'm being honest.

 

[internetzealot1]

Yeah, I'd probably do it.

 

[PureIrony]

There's nothing I want that's worth the lives of five people.

 

[cahtush]

No. I wouldn't be able to live with that.

 

[Snotnarok]

I'd hit the button, my mom is very 'ill' and I'd use any means to help her. 5 people die, saddening sure but I'm kind of torn up by the loss of her yet she's alive.

 

[Aiedail256]

your every whim will be catered to

I'll push it, then have a whim for those 5 people to be brought back to life.
Sorry if this has been said before; I don't want to read 6 pages

 

[Sunrider]

I'm with the OP on this one. While a lot of people might consider me a lesser person for this (which I probably am, in ways), I doubt I'd even hesitate. Sorry.

 

[game-lover]

I can't promise that I wouldn't press the button.

Mostly, I'm a selfish person. I've already mentioned my life is worth more to me than the lives of most everybody else.

So I think if I were given the option, I'd probably take it.

 

[alrekr]

Well if this goes anyawy at all like it did in the film "The Box" then no.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Box_%282009_film%29

Also I would like to believe that I could make my life a success without some mystical box; pressing it would make the so called "perfect" life hollow.

That is unless of course it allows me to make the communistic dream that is Star Trek come true...

 

[Xman490]

If my "every whim" would be able to include reimbursing the families for their losses, then yes. Oh, I love loopholes!

 

[OldNewNewOld]

I'm not really sure. I can't be 100% unless I find my self in the said situations.
That said, probably yes.

Also, there is another question, or better to say 2. If I say no, will the button still exist and give the chance to someone else? Will the button vanish when someone (me or someone else) pushes it?
If the answer for both question is yes, then yes, I would press is 100%.
2 reasons.

1. My "perfect" life would be a life where I would have a huge, positive impact on humanity.
2. If I don't press it, someone else will press it for sure. That someone's "perfect" life could have a huge negative impact on humanity.

Also, the definition of what we get from pushing the button is to vague. Needs more clarification. Is the "best life ever" defined by the person pushing the button or by the button. Someone's "best life ever" could include all his wishes coming true. Or someones best life could be "the best life ever" + "those 5 people will survive".

 

[Coldflame727]

Welp, if it is my EVERY whim, I could just bring them back to life. On with the button pushing!

 

[Feylynn]

Unfortunately I'm fairly sure I would press that button.
Mostly because you haven't specified physical limits on "anything" and there are some things It is not possible to achieve through effort and good will.

Also, maybe I'm a worse person for it, but it's hard for me to see the impact of the number 5 without coming face to face with it.

 

[Twilight_guy]

No. For two reasons. One I'm not going to put my well-being above someone else's and Two, once you've reached the top and have everything taken care of then their is no where to go but down. Once you have everything its boring, conflict is what makes life interesting. Aside from that, being handed the world on a silver platter isn't the way I want it to go down.

 

[perabalaofmystery]

i would definitly press it though i would possily mope for a bit later

 

[Kotaro]

No. Fucking. Way.
I would never be able to live with myself if I did.

 

[Kizi]

You know, when I think about right now, hypothetically, I say I'd probably do it.
However, if it really would come to this, I'd never press the button. I just wouldn't be able to live with myself.