A question for you, escapists.

retyopy

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Aug 6, 2011
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genericusername64 said:
retyopy said:
Wow, the people of the escapist are a lot nicer than me. Go figure. Not changing my answer, though.
Since you don't have any respect for human life, I guess some people have to, I wouldn't press it.
I have respect for human life. Specifically, humans that I love and cherish,like my family and friends. I find it hard to care about 5 pople that I will never meet. I know it's immoral. I know it's cruel. I would be guilty. But I would do it anyway.
 

Kapol

Watch the spinning tails...
May 2, 2010
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It depends on what kind of people they are I suppose, if we would know. I mean, just about everyone has people who would miss them, and plenty of those people likely do horrible things. It's also for debate how good of condition they're in physically (are they in a lot of pain, will they live long anyways, etc), mentally (are they happy, do they want to kill themselves anyways, etc), and if they'll actually amount to anything (that may seem heartless, but it's still an important factor to consider).

It's also worth asking if I could use my new riches to fix some major problems, or if it only effects me. Could I use my new wealth to bring aid to third-world countries? Or would it just be used on items I want? Could I take care of my family and/or friends for the rest of their lives?

To top it off, would I be able to be happy? I mean, I understand the idea for 'money buys happiness,' but... well, the question stands. Don't feel like explaining the reasoning behind it.

As well, does 'the best life' include every single thing we want, even if not physically possible? Because if so, I'm not going to lie... I'd do it without a doubt. Mainly because my perfect life isn't actually possible to due limitations in technology and the fabric of the universe itself.

But, if I don't know the answer to many of the questions, or some of the more important ones are in the negitive for being good or not, I'd have to say... I'd likely still do it. I know, I'm a horrible person. I have multiple reasons that, if I cared to explain the innermost workings of my mind, my emotions, and things such as that, would actually make my decision seem less bastardish. But I'm going to stick to yes I would.

And I do wonder how many people who said they wouldn't actually would, and how many who said they would really would given the oppertunity. This is something you don't really know I think unless it happens. I'm comfident I would if I didn't have to see the people who died. If I had to see them... not so sure.
 

sam42ification

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Nov 11, 2010
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No i wouldn't press the button for myself. If however the button would still kill the other people but instead of benifiting me it would benifit somone who could use that benifit to better the world say like a scientist who is about to find the cure to cancer but needs me to press the red button to keep him/her alive. then i would press the button because it would then go on the get rid of cancer. But not for me. Unless i was the one curing cancer. but i'm no where near smart enough to come close to that.
 

retyopy

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sam42ification said:
No i wouldn't press the button for myself. If however the button would still kill the other people but instead of benifiting me it would benifit somone who could use that benifit to better the world say like a scientist who is about to find the cure to cancer but needs me to press the red button to keep him/her alive. then i would press the button because it would then go on the get rid of cancer. But not for me. Unless i was the one curing cancer. but i'm no where near smart enough to come close to that.
But you could use your money to fund someone who coulod cure cancer.
 

zxvcasdfqwerzxcv

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Nov 19, 2009
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I push the red button and become the supreme overlord of the Earth?

Hells yeah!

(Don't worry underlings, I'll be benevolent!)
 

retyopy

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Cyberbob87 said:
I push the red button and become the supreme overlord of the Earth?

Hells yeah!

(Don't worry underlings, I'll be benevolent!)
Awright! hifivez, d00d! S00preme overlord r00lz!
 

Sectan

Senior Member
Aug 7, 2011
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I would press the button, but my whims would include having those individuals remain unharmed. This goes under the "YOU DIDN'T SAY I COULDN'T WISH FOR MORE WISHES Clause" if you understand that.

EDIT: Aww yeah 69th post. Queue the 7th graders high-fiving.
 

sam42ification

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Nov 11, 2010
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retyopy said:
sam42ification said:
No i wouldn't press the button for myself. If however the button would still kill the other people but instead of benifiting me it would benifit somone who could use that benifit to better the world say like a scientist who is about to find the cure to cancer but needs me to press the red button to keep him/her alive. then i would press the button because it would then go on the get rid of cancer. But not for me. Unless i was the one curing cancer. but i'm no where near smart enough to come close to that.
But you could use your money to fund someone who coulod cure cancer.
You didn't say money. " long life, and you will stay fit and healthy" and "best life". To have a long life, stay fit, healthy and have to best life you don't need much money. The amount of money it cost to cure cancer would definatly exceed the amound you would need for the best life.

If however the button did grant you money than yes i would give that to cancer research or somthing else depending on priority. If the money i donated cured cancer but than created a zombie apocolypes (see every zombie movie ever made) than i would feel bad and proberly kill myself because i killed 5 people just so every could die.
 

Creator002

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Aug 30, 2010
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Sad to say, but yeah, I'd push the button. My wants are usually stronger than my conscience. I've been in trouble a lot due to it.
 

Ulquiorra4sama

Saviour In the Clockwork
Feb 2, 2010
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I think i've seen this movie before... kinda :p

OT: Hell yeah, i would. People die left and right every day anyways and it hurts other people. They'e got nothing to do with me, and so... since i wouldn't be there to witness the grief i wouldn't have to feel bad about it.

Plus humans are usually pretty selfish like that.
 

Esotera

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May 5, 2011
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If there were no repercussions for the killings, then I'd do it by my own hand, or by the button.

It's a bit hypocritical to say no, considering how the majority of people live in the west. I'm fairly sure people have died to produce food & other goods that make my life an enjoyable experience. Pressing a button to kill them doesn't change the fact that they died.
 

Knusper

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Sep 10, 2010
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I'd press it (with guilt) and use my new fortune in becoming the world's richest philanthropist and save dozens times more lives.

Actually, reading through that, it still sounds evil, I guess I wouldn't do it.
 

Saviordd1

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I would, then put a crap ton of money to make 5 resurrection machines and bring them back.

Everybody wins!
 

Wolf-AUS

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I'd love to say that like the rest of these people, I wouldn't push it. Sure, at first I might not, but if the button is accessible forever, I'm damn certain that I would reach a point where I would press it. I'd love to say I care for the lives of all the people on the earth, but the fact is, my brain can't handle it, when I hear that so and so died in a plane crash/car accident/terrorist attack/shooting, whatever it might be, sure I might think 'fuck that's pretty bad', but it doesn't really have any kind of significant effect on me in my normal goings on.

The same would go for this button, if however, I had to meet the family or see the person who's life I so callously ended I do believe it would cause me to emotionally break down, leaving me shattered, I'm not sure what I'd do with myself if I had to experience that.
 

Cleariously

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Mar 25, 2011
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Probably not, purely because if I could have anything I want from the press of a button, I would be so bored. A thing is way more entertaining to have when you know you've actually worked for it, not just pressed a magic button. The people's lives don't really come into it.
 

omega 616

Elite Member
May 1, 2009
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retyopy said:
Yeah, I would hammer that thing! I wouldn't even think about, just *BAM* donezies!

One of my whims would be to bring the third world to the ... first world(?), so by killing 5, I am saving millions, maybe even billion of people!

So I think I am doing the world a favor by smashing that button.
 

Trippy Turtle

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May 10, 2010
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I wouldn't do it but sadly more because I want a challenge in my life. Life sucks when its perfect. I mean sure I take into account the deaths but its for me that I won't do it.
 

Navvan

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Feb 3, 2011
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What if I create a paradox and my desire not to take a life (every whim granted) brings those 5 people back to life. Otherwise what if say I have a whim to end world hunger and poverty to alleviate my guilt of killing 5 people?

In either case I'm not sure what I would do. It would depend on the circumstances I was in when it was presented to me. Right now I have a fairly optimistic look on the future and thus have no real desire to add guilt for some extra goodness. However if I ever found myself in a seemingly endless rut I would likely do it.
 

Xanthious

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Dec 25, 2008
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This sounds quite like the Twilight Zone episode "Button, Button" where a mysterious man shows up and gives a couple a box with a button inside and tells them if they press it he will return the next day with 200,000 dollars for them but someone they don't know will die.

They end up pressing it and he returns the next day with their money and to take back the box. When the couple asks what happens next he tells them it will be reprogrammed and offered to the next person with the same terms and conditions. They ask who the next person is and he tells them they shouldn't concern themselves with it because he can assure them it will be someone they don't know.

Man that was a great Twilight Zone episode! It's a damn shame they tried to milk a two hour movie from that 15 minute episode because holy Hell that damn movie was horrible.
 

vivalahelvig

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Jun 4, 2009
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Because I'm a heartless bastard who kills people, im going to press it alot, maybe i'll murder the people that created CAPTCHAs.

And, honestly, if i press the button, it should kill the 5 people instantly, because if i'll never meet them, it mighbt be in some african tribe where 50 people die slowly of AIDS every day.