Poll: Your Pet is Drowning, and so is a Stranger.

[the December King]

This is a no- win situation- someone is going to lose the one they love, either way. That's why it's such a heartbreaking and difficult question. And you can have a problem with it, of course- you don't have to share my opinion. But telling us we need to see a doctor comes across as juvenile.

What you don't understand is that not everything in life is a case of opinion and subjective perspective. You may think that after so many discussions on internet forums, but that's just not true. And I can't agree that saving another person facing certain death is a matter of personal decision and weighing in pros and cons and calculating life expectancy and whatnot.

Of course if you're inable to help, then by all means, don't try to. But if you are it is your goddamn responsibility, even if you may lose something you love in the process. That's why we have society, if you reject that you may as well go and try to live without any help from other people, see how that works out.

But the bond that I share with my pet might mean more to me than someone I don't know. Is this so hard to see for people? Have you ever had a pet? The stranger's life is most certainly not my responsibility- the stranger has made several poor descisions, and under any other situation I'd do my best to save them, but not to sacrifice a loved one for them.

And this is not a rejection of society. My culture does not require me to drown kittens to allow hobos another day of life. Don't be so melodramatic, Domoslaf.

I can see that this thread disturbs you- I'm bothered by parts of it myself!- but this is how I feel.

 

[Domoslaf]

All you're doing is labeling us wrong, because our opinions aren't conforming to your ethics

Not wanting other people to die, yeah, those are some real eccentric ethics I have.

 

[Domoslaf]

And this is not a rejection of society. My culture does not require me to drown kittens to allow hobos another day of life. Don't be so melodramatic, Domoslaf.

OK, as we've already said all we had to say, to put things in perspective I will point out that the very problem is constructed in a extremely melodramatic way and obviously means to cause controversy. So there's that, I don't really believe that all you "save the pet" supporters are Hitlers in the making.

 

[Karhukonna]

Man, I almost feel bad about my answer now. You guessed it, I'd save my pet. Thing is, I really like my pet. I have no reason to place the needs of another above mine, as I stand to gain nothing from it. Sure, it's a possibility that the family of the drowning person would grant a reward, but saving them just for monetary gain really does away with the moral high ground taken with this choice.

I really like my pets, but now that I think about it, only two of them are capable of drowning in the first place. Aquatic lizards and turtles are hardly going to suffer from... water!

 

[the December King]

If you picked the pet i understand but you don't really have any right to complain if you or someone you loved died in an identical scenario because someone saved their pet.

I mean if you were like "Why didn't they save me or my family!" They could just use your reasons and you'd basically have to agree with them. You have to wonder why, in a world where everyone holds your opinion, why would it be a worse place for you? I mean you'd basically show yourself up as a massive hypocrite if you were in any way upset or felt wronged by the person who failed to save you or your family. "STOP AGREEING WITH ME! STOP IT! EVEN THOUGH IM RIGHT I DONT WANT YOU TO REALIZE IT! BE WRONG SO I CAN LIVE" which sounds hilarious.

My life goal is to think "If everyone else shared my view on this would the world be a better place for me and for others?" If the answer is no its obvious your opinion is unsustainable. For example i became an organ donor because i realized if i was dying of kidney failure id ask "Why didn't people donate?" and my only answer would be "Because people are like me" which labels me a horrible hypocrite. I cant live with that. I have to pick the human.

I can appreciate the rationalization here. If I were drowning, I suppose I'd want help, too. But at the time, I'd only care about trying to breathe and stay above water. What happened afterwards would be either surprise that someone acted differently to me, once it had been explained that I had cost them their beloved pet (but understanding full well that they just made a descision that I don't think I could), or, you know, decomposing.

I do appreciate your stance on a better world view, however- a commendable position for you to take.

 

[puncturedrectum]

It really depends on the age, attractiveness, weight, sex, apparent wealth, and fame of the stranger. If some random jackoff that I don't know is drowning, of course I'm going to save my pet, however, if a very attractive woman was drowning, I might save her for obvious reasons, although she may have a boyfriend so... kind of a 50/50 chance of her drowning. But, let's say I'm walking near some random body of water, and there's my fucking dog, drowning like a *****, and 20 feet to his right, Martin Scorsese, for Boardwalk Empire alone I would have to save that talented fucking asthmatic. It would suck, but my dog would have to be sacrificed for the Great Eyebrows of Cinema, besides I'm pretty sure my dog can swim regardless of any legendary directors in his wake.

 

[Spartan448]

I would save the pet. Asking wether you'd save your pet or a stranger is like asking someone "Two people are drowning. Who do you save: Your beloved family member or some random shmuck who is probably drunk?". Depending on how deep the water is, I would go and retrieve the stranger's wallet after rescuing my pet.

 

[Angry_squirrel]

Not wanting other people to die, yeah, those are some real eccentric ethics I have.

I never said I want someone else to die, I just said I value the life of the pet I love over the stranger I don't know. That doesn't mean I don't value the life of the stranger. It means that I put a whole lot of value, more than that of the stranger, on the life of my pet.

 

[the December King]

And this is not a rejection of society. My culture does not require me to drown kittens to allow hobos another day of life. Don't be so melodramatic, Domoslaf.

OK, as we've already said all we had to say, to put things in perspective I will point out that the very problem is constructed in a extremely melodramatic way and obviously means to cause controversy. So there's that, I don't really believe that all you "save the pet" supporters are Hitlers in the making.

Well put! Personally, I was rather taken aback when the OP began attacking those that chose their pets.

But for the record, I don't know what I would really do in such a scenario. Because alot of the arguments to save a human life are fair.

Thanks for sharing your opinion on the matter, Domoslaf!

 

[Domoslaf]

It really depends on the age, attractiveness, weight, sex, apparent wealth, and fame of the stranger.

I love you for this post.

 

[Domoslaf]

Thanks for sharing your opinion on the matter, Domoslaf!

Well thank you too, it turned out a lot more civil than I expected.

EDIT: Oh, and I didn't really have a problem with "but man, I love my animal so much". It was all that "but that's just some random guy to whom I owe nothing" used as an argument for not helping another person that rubbed me the wrong way, that's all.

 

[the December King]

Thanks for sharing your opinion on the matter, Domoslaf!

Well thank you too, it turned out a lot more civil than I expected.

EDIT: Oh, and I didn't really have a problem with "but man, I love my animal so much". It was all that "but that's just some random guy to whom I owe nothing" used as an argument for not helping another person that rubbed me the wrong way, that's all.

I can totally see how that comes across as heartless.

 

[Domoslaf]

I never said I want someone else to die, I just said I value the life of the pet I love over the stranger I don't know. That doesn't mean I don't value the life of the stranger. It means that I put a whole lot of value, more than that of the stranger, on the life of my pet.

And these, by contrast, are the basics your ethics - "I choose what I like more". I don't think you grasp the concept of ethics, they're here to help us make decisions that often *contradict* what we think is better for us personally. You really don't need ethics to just do whatever the hell you want.

 

[Connor2224]

my pet, i am not fond of people

 

[Froggy Slayer]

A quick question, is it too late to ask Aquaman to help?

 

[Nami nom noms]

I'd save my pet. I'm sorry. I wish I could say otherwise, but I really love my kitty.

 

[BarbaricGoose]

snip

Chillax, I wasn't calling everyone who would save the dog a misanthrope. I'm not one to make bold generalizations about people. I was simply acknowledging that there is a very real presence here on the escapist that thinks humanity is the worst species on earth. They're in the minority but they exist and I'vs argued with some of them before.
Even outside of the misanthropes I feel that there's an attitude that humanity is overrated or that we aren't somehow special at all. Has a duck ever written a poem? Do dogs create charity organizations for other dogs. I love animals but I'm not blind to the ways in which we differ from them.

As far as the whole starving Africans charity thing goes I fully support that and if I actually had money to spare as opposed to being super in debt I'd happily support any such charities that showed they could make a real difference. I'm not perfect but don't make me out to be some kind of selfish bastard either. If I won the lottery I'd give most of it away, partially because I think material wealth is highly overrated.

I'm not saying humans and animals aren't very different. I'm saying that animals can contribute to society, contrary to some people's beliefs.

And everyone supports the "Africans charity thing," but not many people, myself included, actually do anything about it. You can make up as many excuses as you want, but at the end of the day, you're putting yourself before a bunch of starving kids. The only difference in this little drowning scenario is that the problem's closer to home, and it won't cost you a dime. If you can excuse selfishness in every other scenario, why not this one? You wouldn't be directly responsible for the man's death, just like you're not directly responsible for the war, drought, and famine in Africa.

And I'm not making you out to be any more of a selfish bastard than I, or anyone else is. I bought a $360 GFX card yesterday. I could've donated that money, but I didn't. I'm guessing you have a decent computer, too. Or maybe you're a much better person than I am, and instead of getting a badass PC, you got a shitty one and put your money into charities. In which case, I yield, sir. I am happy for you.

 

[Froggy Slayer]

By the way guys, if I'm ever drowning, and you choose your pet over me, you better choose me or I will haunt you. I will haunt the living shit out of you.

 

[Domoslaf]

The only difference in this little drowning scenario is that the problem's closer to home, and it won't cost you a dime. If you can excuse selfishness in every other scenario, why not this one? You wouldn't be directly responsible for the man's death, just like you're not directly responsible for the war, drought, and famine in Africa.

What I also don't get is this semi-scientific, mathematical way of looking at things humane in nature. What you say may or may not make sense in some crazy logical robot world, but do you sincerely believe that there's no difference between not giving to charity and not saving a drowning person before you? I mean really?

Oh, and not saving a person in a situation in which you have a full power to save them is, in fact, equal to being directly responsible for their death. In Poland there's even a law against that, I'd believe that you civilized folks also had it.

And of course animals contribute to society, for example by being our food, but would you save a really tasty steak instead of a person?

 

[game-lover]

By the way guys, if I'm ever drowning, and you choose your pet over me, you better choose me or I will haunt you. I will haunt the living shit out of you.

This is a wonderful post. Thank you for writing it.