One Button. One Million Dollars. One Death.

[smashbro]

It's the classic question. Some person puts a red button in front of you. They will give you a million dollars to press it. The only catch is that someone you don't know on the other side of the world will die. Do you press it?

A lot of people (whether trying to sound noble or actually believing in it) would say no, its wrong. The argument for pressing the button is that you never knew the person, so you will have an easy conscience.



I would not press the button, because it would haunt me...taking a life for your own benefit is wrong.



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Let's make it harder.

Instead of getting a million dollars, you get something else. Your dream house. A guarantee that the love of your life will love you back. BUt those are still selfish things.

What if it meant the environment would become cleaner. Technology that would advance the world far beyond the internet. The discovery of a habitable world for human expansion. Heck, even a cure for cancer. If we're going to suspend our disbelief enough to think a person on the other side of the world will die from pressing a button, why not?

Now...the question is, will you sacrifice one life to save more?

And as the last question, what about sacrificing your own life?

[Angel]

Nope. No. And.. I want to say yes, but no.

I would be willing to give up my own life on paper, but I'm a coward.. I'm not sure I would actually do it. But I could never willingly choose to kill someone else to benefit the world.. the person whose life will be taken deserves to make that choice. I have no right to play God.

[smashbro]

Thanks for the honesty. For the rest of my answers, I would say no to everything except the last. maybe.

As for killing someone else, I wouldn't do it. It's just wrong.

But I'm split on the part about killing myself. If you're an advanced member you might know me. I have low self esteem, and really don't believe I am much help in this world. But if by dying I could ensure a better future for everyone else. So yeah, I have thought of dying. I am sometimes scared of it, if I have something to live for. And that really depends on whether I feel I have good friends or not. And honestly, it changes.

so only a couple catches.

1) it is not definite, and I will have no way of knowing what will happen after I die.
2) If one of my friends were there, they would probably convince me to live. I mean, as much as I want to say I would press the button, if someone was there I wouldn't. They would convince me to live. But, if somebody caught me at a bad time and i felt I had no friends, then I might do it. I really don't know.

[Sharpay]

On question 1: No I will not press the button. The reason why is that my family is a multi millionaire, so gaining a million is nothing to us. Also, I don't want to have someone's life on the line for something I don't really need.

On question 2: I perhaps might sacrifice one life to save more; it depends on the situation.

On question 3: If my ex-2nd mother was in heaven, then yes I would sacrifice myself to just be with her, but if she is still alive, then no.

[kunekune]

For the first, I'd push the button and use the money to help benefit people in need, otherwise I'd spend it on things I just don't need. If what I do helps save more people in the end, then for myself it's the best course of action.

For the second, most definitely yes. A single life for the lives of millions, even billions? No question here, I'd sacrifice that one to save more.

For the third, yes, if forfeiting my life would bring something harmful to an end then I'd gladly give my life to help. What I could do with my life is overshadowed by what could happen to the lives of millions/billions.

[Mariomasher]

I would NOT press the button for $1000000.

I would think, then decide AGAINST pressing the button for a dream home and the love of my life.

I might press it for the environment, tech, cancer, etc. I WOULD sacrifice myself, though you'd probably have to force me to go through with it. I'm a stubborn person. If I did sacrifice myself, it better have worked. ◎_◎

[Angel]

I still, honestly and earnestly believe that you should never sacrifice another person for any reason. It should be THEIR choice to die for any cause, even one with tremendous good.

[serraskai]

Yes.
If I could do a lot of good by killing someone, then so be it. I'll go to jail for it. I'll go to death row for it. But if it really, truly made the world a better place, then that's that.

As for the million dollars or something for myself, I like to say I wouldn't but I probably would.