Poll: So, would you press it?

[Sewblon]

I am already rich, so no. Fantastic wealth is like a loaded gun, you can use it for many things if you are so inclined, but if you aren't careful you will shoot yourself in the foot. I doubt I could ever earn my own forgiveness for that, let alone anyone else's.

 

[Iampringles]

Unless I could choose who died, I don't think I'd be able to.

The guilt would claw at me.

Like a vulture.

 

[kahlzun]

I'd do it for less.

 

[Glass_House]

I'd feel bad for the person but yes I would.

 

[Skeleon]

Just to gain a little money?
No, not unless my family was in mortal danger (i.e. about to be killed by mobsters for my debts or something).
Then I might do it but it'd probably haunt me.

 

[bombchu]

Nope. Soul-crushing guilt for forever. Or until I forget. Well, regardless, it's a no.

 

[garfoldsomeoneelse]

I'd be smacking that button like a bongo drum.

 

[brighteyesblackenedlungs]

Wow half these comments just prove the prevailing theory in the philosophy of crime that it's not the severity of the crime, or the nature of the punishment but the chances of being caught which dictate whether we brake moral or state laws.

as for me a million times no. I'm a consiqentualist at heart but the pain caused to me and that persons family by my actions would realistically far outweigh the level of good i could possibly do with that money especially when it's relatively easy to raise a mil for good causes through legal means.

 

[Korolev]

I wouldn't. It's no different to killing someone in real life for that money. At that point, would you be any different from criminal? You know those rotten good-for-nothing drug dealing scum that form gangs and kill people for profit?

If you hate criminals and murderers and sick gang leaders who kill for money, then how could you press that button? You'd be no better than them. And I refuse to believe I am as bad as they are.

Besides, I have a decent life. A million dollars is not that much these days - you could get a house and a car, but you'd run out of money quickly if you're not careful. I would need a lot more money to betray my principles. At least 100 trillion dollars, which is more money than currently exists.

So, to sum up:

1) If you press that button you are no different from the countless gang criminals and degenerates who are in prison right now.
2) You'd be betraying yourself for not a great deal of money these days.

Of course this shouldn't be taken so seriously. Such a box does not exist and I don't think anyone's going to invent one any time soon. I'm sure that the vast majority of people, even the ones on this forum who said they would, wouldn't in real life. I understand that it's all in good humour and I'm not going to cry "what the hell humans!?" over this.

 

[Kruxxor]

You might have come acroos a commercial for the movie the box, and if you havnt, this is the question:

I have a button. If you press it, you will recieve 1 million dollars, but a random person around the world will die.

Im going to add this factor, though. The person that dies is outside of your family.

So would you press it? I dont think I could. It would scrape away at me throughout my life.

How many people are alive in the world? I would press it that many number of times, whether I received any money or not.

 

[Olikunmissile]

Didn't even have to think about it, I'd press it.

 

[Outofideas]

No, no, no, no, and cram your creepy button up your nose. As much as humanity disappoints me, I could never directly decide whether another human being should die for my personal gain, even a total stranger. I'd feel less than human.

 

[ScientificDJ]

No. No amount of personal gain is worth a human life.

 

[DoW Lowen]

Almost everyone says they would press it, but if they were actually there would you do it? Anyone who has said 'i'll help others with it, what is one life to hundreds of others' will almost certainly not press it.

Although the ones who say 'I'll do it for the lulz' may go either way.

How about this as an added factor?

What if every time you pressed it, you got the million but you can see the person you just killed

 

[cobra_ky]

of course not. it's a trap. it's always a trap.

 

[Gladion]

Three men are about to be executed. One man claims innocence. The second claims he was justified. The third admits the deed, boasts of the deed, and unremorsefully swears to do it again if it given a chance.

You have an official pardon that will save one of the men at random. You can't keep it, and you must use it now or never. Will you use it to save one of the random men?

The question begs the answer "I'm saving the third man" and I would also give that answer. Here's why:

The only fact you know is that three men are going to be executed, you don't know what they did. Judging from their statements, I'd say they aren't (all) criminals. A criminal, knowing he can be saved, would show remorse, trying to save his ass.
A state that decides to execute people with these different kinds of 'opinions' ("I didn't do it" - "I had the right to do it" - "I'd do it anytime"), doesn't come off to me as a very good one. The third person might have just... I don't know, as a journalist having reported badly on Russian politicians or something.
Someone this honest and confident about what he did, adhering to the deed to the very end deserves to be saved.

In this original example, the person with the decision, being you, has no power over which person gets saved. All you know is if you say yes, Any one of the three *will* be saved, and the other two will definitely be killed. You don't control who gets what.

Fuck. I figured so much when I was halfway through my answer, after having read it properly again, but then I was so proud of my intelligent answer, I wanted to continue

 

[fulano]

Nah. I don't need millions of bucks that bad.

 

[0p3rati0n]

if the man that comes up to me with the button here how it would go down.

Man - "Hello may I come in?" *holding the button on his side*
Me- "Is that the button that if you press that someone dies and I get a million dollars?"
Man- "Apparently you already know so many I come in?"
Me- "Hold on just a sec....." *walks away* *come backs moments later with a shotgun and blows then man away*
Me- "The answer is NO! Damn solicitors"

 

[historybuff]

This is a stupid thing to ask (again) because a good chunk of people will simply say "Yes," so that they can seem hardcore and badass. Not everyone, mind, but a chunk of them.

Anyway, I would definitely consider it but, in the end, I would likely say no. Ruining the life of a strange--and his/her family's day--is just asking for Karma to kick your ass later.

 

[MrSnugglesworth]

Yeah.

High likely hood that the person was not living a good life, and I'd use at least half of the money to better other peoples lives, and or save them.

What's one life in comparison to a couple of hundred?

Now yes I know that logic is flawed, as it may ruin the lives of many more then 1, but nonetheless it'd still better many more.

I wouldn't say its flawed, because thats very true. If I could die so hundreds could live (not live better, mind you) I would do it.





OT: at least 20 times, considering its outside my family.