Dilemma, much?

[Invader_gir]

Saw this on another forum I'm semi on and was interested in what you'll would say about it =D

Here's the scenario:

There are two buttons. If the first button is pressed, then 5 billion humans will die. If the second button is pressed, then 4 billion humans will die. Only one of these buttons can be pressed.

There is a man standing next to the first button. You are standing next to the second button. The man is going to press the first button. If you press your button, then he will be unable to press his.

Do you press the button?

If you press the button, it will directly cause the deaths of 4 billion people. But, if you do not press the button, then 5 billion people will die. Either way, at least 4 billion people are about to die; you can't save them. But you could prevent the extra 1 billion people from dying by pushing your button (And, no, in this hypothetical situation, killing the man at the other button is not an option.)

Most people would jump for, 'Well, duh! I would press the button! 4 billion people dieing is better than 5 billion!' but the scenario isn't so simple. If you pressed the button, less people would die, yes, but you would be directly responsible for their deaths.

Let's say the world found out about this; you might be directly criticized and even hated, you would be the new Adolf Hitler. The other guy could claim that he wasn't going to press the button at all. Who would people believe? Him? Or you, the mass murderer? You would be blamed for making assumptions about his course of action just because he stood near the button.

Taking another stance on it, maybe letting 5 billion people die is a good idea. The world's population is getting enormous, and we're quickly diminishing our natural resources. 5 billion people suddenly gone (not counting the natural fertilization of all of those bodies) would be a HUGE amount of stress off of the planet. What's another billion people if it spares you of the guilt of directly causing the mass genocide, and helps out the planet that much more?

Would you or would you not push the button?
Don't just vote, either. Tell us why you chose the option you did

[Antownee]

Well the worlds ****ed wither way, so let him do it =P
Then again.. =( Why me?!




EDIT - Ok, I have it. I thought about it and realised what would really happen. I am a coward, so I would let him do it ;)

[PøinŦ Çataclsym]

let him do it. if u do it, ur hated forever and ever and people will light ur house on fire and try to kil u and such. and taht would be quite painful

[RocKer]

Here is my theory...

A philosopher named Malthus came up with the theroy that once the worlds population reached a certain number, mass problems would erupt and cause the probable end of the world. Recent research says this will be around the year 2050, when the population TRIPLES (i think its triples anyway).

There is also evidence that I have that says that a Nuke war is better sooner than later to kill off a few million/billion people to prevent this so called "Civic Collapse" of the world, and further evidence saying that we can grow back from a nuclear attack just as easy as another forest sprouts from the ground after a forest fire...

That being said, I'd let the other guy push the button to decrease the 6 billion population of the world to put off this Civic Collapse for another couple thousand years.... and anyways, I know im going to be alive in the end either way :P


or you could always try to consel the person that is going to push the other button and try to make him not push it :P

[STEELIX]

i would push it
idc if im the new hitler but god would love me 4 it :P

[Vipershark]

I'd let him push it. The 5 billion thing is a good argument and it seems that even though so many people would die, it would help a lot. Just at long as I don't die.

[HRBEK]

I'd let him do it, because soon after there would be 5, 000, 000, 001 deaths, hehe!

Thanks,
HRBEK.

[Laguna Loire]

My stance on this:

Who cares?

(now come the "I DO YOU IGNORANT *******" replies, heh)

[Invader_gir]

Noone cares, yeah, I was just curious =/
Sorry...

[Laguna Loire]

Aww, don't be sorry Kelsi, that's just my answer to any question I can't answer. :P

*CUDDLE!* :D

[Invader_gir]

Thought about it, and the thing that I can really think is that people piss me off and seem to me to be an evolutionary failure, so I probably wouldn't push the button.. won't fix the evolution problem, but half a billion people are easier to control than six and a half billion, and depending on the people that did die, it could work out for the better or for the worse. In some cases, worse could be better. Would have to gamble that.

[~Felly~]

I'd let the other guy push the button. Then he could be teh Adolf Hitler. I'd be President Hoover. The Do Nothing guy... Girl. Whatever. ^_^

[HRBEK]

You can't compare him to Hitler... He didn't kill that many people... No one has...

Thanks,
HRBEK.

[Vagamefreak]

Yeah, killing that many people would make you the very first person above Hitler. He was a weiny and only killed MILLIONS. Pah, who needed that Million anyway. As long as there are two humans left of different genders... ^_^

In any case, i'd let him push the button.

BUT WAIT, This is a horrible scenario! As one of the 4 billion to die if I pushed the button could be ME! Which means I'd die and the man next to me could take the blame.. I CHANGE MY ANSWER!

Or it could go wrong and even as he pushes the button, he dies and I take the blame for it...DANGIT INVADER!

Of course, either button could kill us both... Once again Invader, this is a creepy poll :(

[Invader_gir]

Don't make me make another one about time loops =P

[Some1]

Heh, either way humanity is screwed. :P

[~Felly~]

Isn't humanity already screwed? :P

[Vagamefreak]

At the rate we are going? Yep!

[Cid Highwind]

I can be Hitler? oh wow, just what I always dreamed of, the ultimate race will rise again! The german side of me comes up ;)

[Invader_gir]

Germany! =D

[Vagamefreak]

Ja! Deutschland wird wieder steigen!

Er...hi ^_^

[RJ Cunningham]

i'd push my button at the exact same time he pushes his and then 9 billion people would die ;)

[Vipershark]

i'd push my button at the exact same time he pushes his and then 9 billion people would die ;)
The population would go negative... There are only like 6 point something people.

[Sister of Metal]

The population would go negative... There are only like 6 point something people.

then you and the other guy are the only ones left and you have to repopulate the planet..better hope he's cute -_-'