Poll: Could You Pull the Trigger?

[Jedoro]

Q: Do you think you could take a life to defend your own?
Yes. I'm worth much more to me than some asshole trying to kill me for whatever reason.
Q: Would having a friend or family member's life on the line with yours make you change your reaction?
I'd kill the person quicker, if that's what you mean.
Q: Would the difference between the up-close kill, and the point and click of a ranged weapon have a difference on you?
It would determine my risk of getting hurt, but it's disturbing how much I think about stabbing people with the knife in my pocket.
Q: Would having a stranger's life on the line with yours make you change your reaction?
If the stranger is an innocent bystander or victim as well, then yes, I will again kill my assailant quicker.

I'm not trying to sound like some badass, but this is the stuff I literally think about on a daily basis. I've pretty much conditioned myself to kill someone as best I can, and I have faith in myself that I could pull the trigger/insert the blade when it counted.

 

[Instant K4rma]

Yes, I feel I could kill if my life was on the line. If it comes down to me or the bastard trying to kill me, I would fight like hell, and if given the chance, kill whoever was attempting to kill me. If they are willing to take a life, they should be equally willing to lose theirs. It only seems fair.

So yes, if someone was attempting to kill me, I feel I would be able to "pull the trigger". I'm not going to roll over and die in a life and death situation.

 

[Koeryn]

i think most of the people here can't imagin themselves in said sceario's or are psycho's.

killing is not as easy as it is in a game. no matter how heroic you think you are.

I agree, actually. I think I'm a little reversed of the popular answer though. I would fight harder to protect my own life than I would to defend someone I was close to.

 

[unoleian]

Q: Do You think you could take a life to defend your own.

In a heartbeat.

Q: Would having a friend or family member's life on the line with yours make you change your reaction?

Nope.

Q: Would the difference between the up-close kill, and the point and click of a ranged weapon have a difference on you?

If I'm sniping someone, my life clearly is not really on the line at that time. In other words, yes.

Q: Would having a stranger's life on the line with yours make you change your reaction?

Maybe, if the whole bloody mess was his fault.

 

[HT_Black]

If push came to shove, I'd commit an execution-style murder on everything up to a child. I'd feel awful, compulsively shower and rub my fingers for years, be haunted by visions of the look on the victim's face whenever I let my mind wander for an indefinite of time, and offer about thirty dozen heartfelt prayers for the poor bastard, but I'd do it all the same.

You see, I like living.

 

[holographicman]

Yes.
Should anyone ever make a serious attempt or threat to kill me
then
I will tear out their throat with my teeth.
^
like an animal

 

[rescuer86]

Q: Do You think you could take a life to defend your own.
A: If I was being attacked? Absolutely. I am well versed in martial arts and I hunt. Taking a life is no problem for me. If it was a situation like "Saw" or if I had to sacrifice my life to save someone elses, no. I would choose to sacrifice myself to save someone else every time. I am a firefighter, so death does not scare me in the least.

Q: Would having a friend or family member's life on the line with yours make you change your reaction?
A: I would be more careful to keep them safe. Such as shielding them from any gunfire, or pushing them into cover

Q: Would the difference between the up-close kill, and the point and click of a ranged weapon have a difference on you?
A: No. I hunt so I gut and clean animals. I have slit a suffering animal's throat. Blood and gore do not bother me.

Q: Would having a stranger's life on the line with yours make you change your reaction?
A: Again, no. I have saved many strangers lives while putting mine on the line.

These answers may make me appear to be a bit of a sociopath, the fact that taking someone's life would not faze me. The truth of it is, that would not be my first reaction. If someone tried to kill me or someone else, I would disarm and incapacitate them. If they refused to give up, and I had no other choice, then yes, they would die by my hand. And no matter how much of a pacifist you claim to be, the potential for violence exists in all of us. Find the documentary "How Violent Are You?" and watch it. A man, a pacifist his whole life, explores the violent side, and actually beats up a man on camera. Self preservation is the second strongest instinct in the animal kingdom, second only to our instinct to preserve our bloodline. This is not a morality argument. This isn't even an argument. If someone broke into your home right now, and threatened to kill you or your family, and you had the opportunity and really believed he would do what he claims, you would kill him. If humans did not have the instinct to remove threats to our livelihood, we would have died out millenia ago.

 

[Tomster595]

Q: Do You think you could take a life to defend your own.
A: If I was in a life threatening situation and killing would be the only way to save myself, then yes, I'd do it. I think it would probably torture me later on though.

Q: Would having a friend or family member's life on the line with yours make you change your reaction?
A: I think it would depend on who really.. I need to give it more thought.

Q: Would the difference between the up-close kill, and the point and click of a ranged weapon have a difference on you?
A: Yes it definitely would. I'd be much more willing to kill at long range.

Q: Would having a stranger's life on the line with yours make you change your reaction?
A: I'd need to give this some thought to...

 

[Bek359]

Oddly, for me, I'd say the close-up kill would be easier for me, probably because it would feel more like true self-defense rather than sniping some bastard who's coming to kill me. I have always believed myself morally and mentally capable of killing someone, but ONLY to protect myself and/or others from death/grave injury.

 

[MGlBlaze]

Having never (and hopefully won't ever) been in said position I can't say anything for certain, but;

Q: Do You think you could take a life to defend your own.
Not really sure, honestly. Could go either way. I probably would do it if I was out of options (and I probably would be to be considering it anyway).

Q: Would having a friend or family member's life on the line with yours make you change your reaction?
I doubt I'd even hesitate if this was the case, but like I said, I can't be certain. I'd have to make sure they were clear, though; the last thing anyone would need would be me missing and hitting them instead.

Q: Would the difference between the up-close kill, and the point and click of a ranged weapon have a difference on you?
Physically there would be a difference. I'm not that strong so it would be a lot harder to actually do fatal damage to someone else. Psychologically, I don't think how personal it got would matter.

Q: Would having a stranger's life on the line with yours make you change your reaction?
It would be pretty close to the 'friends/family/other close people' reaction. I.E. I don't think I'd hesitate.

 

[Outright Villainy]

Yeah, I probably would. Instinct would likely kick in, and when I'm mad my vision is pretty clouded. It'd haunt me for years though, I'm sure, so I'd rather avoid it.

 

[nofear220]

Q: Do You think you could take a life to defend your own.
Easily
Q: Would having a friend or family member's life on the line with yours make you change your reaction?
My reaction would be quicker
Q: Would the difference between the up-close kill, and the point and click of a ranged weapon have a difference on you?
The up-close would be gross but I think I could handle it if I was in danger
Q: Would having a stranger's life on the line with yours make you change your reaction?
Depends, if it was a homeless man or a junkie I wouldnt get involved/care.

 

[ultrachicken]

Q: Do You think you could take a life to defend your own.
Definitely.
Q: Would having a friend or family member's life on the line with yours make you change your reaction?
No, I would still kill them.
Q: Would the difference between the up-close kill, and the point and click of a ranged weapon have a difference on you?
I would prefer it to be a ranged kill, but I would still kill them from up-close.
Q: Would having a stranger's life on the line with yours make you change your reaction?
No, I would still kill them.

 

[tjcross]

Q: Do You think you could take a life to defend your own.
A: if he's trying to kill me i can kill him it's only fair plus i go berserk if i'm in physical danger
Q: Would having a friend or family member's life on the line with yours make you change your reaction?
A:guy would be dead as soon as i could attack him
Q: Would the difference between the up-close kill, and the point and click of a ranged weapon have a difference on you?
A:don't care as long as i kill them
Q: Would having a stranger's life on the line with yours make you change your reaction?
A:not really

 

[RowdyRodimus]

I would do it in less than a heartbeat then go out for a burger. I value the lives of most people less than I do the dog laying on my bed right now. No, I've never done it or do I ever plan on doing it, but the point is, I'd have no problems with doing it especially if the lives of the few people I care about were on the line.

 

[DividedUnity]

Q: Do You think you could take a life to defend your own.

More than likely. Im not overly thrilled about my life but im scared shitless of death so id kill someone unless it was like a small child or something then itd be harder

Q: Would having a friend or family member's life on the line with yours make you change your reaction?

Yeah if it was to save me and a family member/friend then it would sway me towards killing the other person.

Q: Would the difference between the up-close kill, and the point and click of a ranged weapon have a difference on you?

I do not know but I would think I could perform either if the situation was as above

Q: Would having a stranger's life on the line with yours make you change your reaction?
Yes. It would sway me towards killing the other person as i would be taking one life to save two.

 

[A_Parked_Car]

Q: Do You think you could take a life to defend your own.
Unlikely, I don't value my own life very highly.

Q: Would having a friend or family member's life on the line with yours make you change your reaction?
I wouldn't do so for a family member, but I know I would if it was to defend my best friend.

Q: Would the difference between the up-close kill, and the point and click of a ranged weapon have a difference on you?
It wouldn't make a difference, if he/she was threatening my best friend I would remove them before they hurt her.

Q: Would having a stranger's life on the line with yours make you change your reaction?
Hmmmm. I can't really give a for sure answer for this one way or the other.

 

[leviathanmisha]

Q: Do You think you could take a life to defend your own. Yes, I'm a selfish human being and if someone has to die for me to live, than so be it.

Q: Would having a friend or family member's life on the line with yours make you change your reaction? I would kill to protect my friends, no doubt there, my family though...debatable at best.

Q: Would the difference between the up-close kill, and the point and click of a ranged weapon have a difference on you? An up-close kill gives you a sense of knowing the person and sometimes makes killing harder. A ranged weapon allows you to keep a distance and a sense of separation, allowing for an easier kill.

Q: Would having a stranger's life on the line with yours make you change your reaction?
A stranger, probably not, I'm not a very sympathetic human, but I would still kill the person trying to mess with me...the stranger would just get hella lucky.

 

[Dan B]

Q: Do You think you could take a life to defend your own.
No, I utterly hate my life and would welcome anybody willing to end it.
Q: Would having a friend or family member's life on the line with yours make you change your reaction?
Again, no, I don't value their lives much either.
Q: Would the difference between the up-close kill, and the point and click of a ranged weapon have a difference on you?
A bullet is a bullet. Does not matter where it is fired from
Q: Would having a stranger's life on the line with yours make you change your reaction?
Depends on the circumstances. For example, does the stranger deserve life?

I'm not sure if this is more sad or pathetic but i think you should probably go downstairs and talk to mummy and daddy about it.

 

[RicoADF]

To protect my missus or other family member, I'd do whatever it took to protect them. I'd try not to kill the person, but if an accident happens (eg I hit them and they hit their head and die when they fall over) then I wont shed a tear as they had attacked me.