Your chance to play God. Who lives and who dies?

reply to post by observe50


Oh I don't know, perhaps they are teaching now how to think through difficult problems that do not have clear answers. Either way yo look at it the education gained by this type of exercise has a far greater potential of being used later in life by more people than Calculus.

While accepting that 0.9 repeat equals 1.0 is comforting to some, I suppose. I think it may be more benefical to explain that no number divided by any other number results in 0.9 repeating. But that is just me.

Back on topic. After long thought Maria the doctor is left out. Being a surgeon her skills would be limited in scope outside her environment of a hospital since she specialised. Heck, I enlightened a DO (general practicioner with homopathic emphasis) on pressure points for control and pain relief for patients. She was impressed enough with a short conversation and demonstraition that she took a continuing education course about it. And liked to show off new points she learned.

At first I had origionally thought of picking Chad as the one I'd pick to stay out 'in the cold.' This was because he 'might' be sterile. I then picked Ben because, althouh a healthy, verile, man, he wouldn't work well with me or the others because he didn't trust authority and didn't work well with others. I also settled on him because of the mistrust the one female had against men. You would have to have some semblence of order in close quarters like that. Therefore, you would necessarily have to pick those that wouldn't work well with others and would cause trouble. I know my way isn't the only right way. It's just the decision I'd be most comfortable making.

Noone is going to force me to leave anyone. All six are going to join, and begin immediate close-range combat training. We are going to continue to re-supply ourselves. If we are going to bunk together, we damn well better be establishing our zone of influence as far as possible.

You start bunkering up hoping other people will "fix the problem soon" , you will find yourself at the recieving end of the new order.

well everyone dies of course.

reply to post by TheDuckster


Without reading any but the OP and first 2 replys:

With thiis thought you have to exclude the pregnant woman as she will soon become 2 and theres still only enough for 5.

I take my chances still and take all.

Maybe I have overlooked it in the thread, but I have one question. If "I" am allowed to "play God", what is my sex and qualifications. It would have a great deal of bearing in my decision on how and with who I would proceed.

I let Maria in for myself and lock the rest out. Three time the supplies for me and Maria. I'll just wear her down as we'll have plenty of time to get to know each other..... I really don't care if the whole society thing gets started again or not if everything is back to square one.

Cowards! You shall all be assimilated into the new order regardless! You will have the right to partake in it again anyways. Why not just help everyone you can until order can be restored?

I mean who is giving you the order to only allow 5? Disobey it an arrest the one giving the order. That will be the one we can do without.

Do not just accept psycological conditioning for apathy towards your fellow man. Embrace cooperation, and sympathy to preserve the civilization. If we don't anarchy will persist.

After reading all the threads and seeing there are no exceptions.....I would leave Ben. My Ego will be enough for the rest without Bens ego getting in my way.

I would let all of them enter the shelter.Most likely Cecil will up dieing anyway. Beside you can ransom the supple out. Too make it last as long as three year or longer.But I would keep a eye on Ben.

I would choose Chad, Maria, Cecil, Brenda and Rachel.

Here's why.

Chad - He's an intelligent man worthy of having around. He'll come in handy whenever we face a complex situation. I'd ask for his advice.

Maria - Surgeon/Physician. If anyone becomes ill we have someone to rely on.

Cecil - He's hardworking, we need people like him to clean the place and work on whatever we need.

Brenda - If I want Cecil I should at least allow his wife to enter the shelter. Cecil would be motivated to have his wife safe inside the shelter thus his productivity would be high.

Rachel - Good teachers like her generally have good social skills so she will get along just fine with the group. She will help Cecil with the cleaning and other tasks.


I would reject Ben because he's not a team player. GTFO my shelter and die.


[edit on 13-2-2008 by Pagani]

I would choose none as to remain if cataclysm swept the earth. All may face the end to a new beginning. The human has not proved fit to inhabit such a beautifull world as history shows.

I think the greys should inherit it all. They don't throw beer cans out, tosse garbage about, tag beautifull objects with graffiti, blow things up, tear things down, kill one another for sport, kick there dogs, leave tire marks on pavement, race loud cars, post to ATS, and generally stay hidden.

I'd ditch Ben cause he is a jerk and Chad to make room for me :-)

In order to have a successfull fall out shelter you would have to have a small working government, 3 years in a small shelter will drive you crazy.

The Religious Leader is a must. She will keep order.

Maintenance is also a must. Chad must stay he is a great asset.

Surgeon can help deliver the baby and also help to maintain health over the years.- Nontrust in men is not really important seeing as she is not being asked to marry anyone. Also sexually maintaining the race is not going to be important trust that God has set out a plan to protect humanity- this small shelter is to protect those that the government did not deem neccessary for protection. The government would more then likely save more then 5 people right?

Cecil and brenda are a couple they are hard workers that offer nothing of technological advance for the future except they are the backbone or the labor force. This is assignment is a true test of ethics and power and greed choose wisely.

Ben needs to go because he also offers nothing for advance and he is but a negative impact and his distaste for authority proves that he might turn on each person later on... Sorry Ben, you must respect Authority its how the human race was designed to survive- we need leaders.

Chad - Harvard Graduate: I would probably leave him out, I would not see any reason for his engineering skills and the possibility of being infertile makes him a bad choice for a re population sort of effort in the future when we leave the shelter and join what is left of society.

1. Ben - Healthy and verile male: Healthy male will be able to work, even though he may be a bit of a problem things may change when time goes by.

2. Maria - Surgeon/Physician: Her medical skills are very valuable.

3. Cecil - Diabetic: Even though he is diabetic, he has enough to last for around 3 years, by then, hopefully, we will be able to venture out and find someone or at least some supplies.

4. Brenda - 5 months pregnant: Even though the newborn would take up the extra supplies, hopefully tightly managed rationing could keep the supply last longer. Hopefully after 3 years we would find some food outside the shelter.

5. Rachel - Ordained Minister: A minister would be able to provide the much needed help and comforting in this times of disaster.

Fantastic thread, Ducky. Starred, flagged. Here's my responses. I'm assuming my wife and child weren't at the door or in the shelter when I had to make these decisions, otherwise it'd be a lot more difficult to decide which two additional people to cut.

Originally posted by TheDuckster
1. Chad - Harvard Graduate. Engineering is his forte. He recently found out that he might possibly be 'sterile' - due to previous lab experiments.

ACCEPTED - Engineers will be critical to keeping the shelter's facilities in working order, and rebuilding infrastructure after the emergence from the shelter. Their knowledge of math, physics, etc, will be critical and must be recorded and passed on for posterity if we don't want to devolve back into the stone age.

Originally posted by TheDuckster
2. Ben - Healthy and verile male. Yet, egotistical, and has many biases towards others because of his upbringing. Doesn't subscribe to authority very well.

DECLINED - In a survival situation there is no room for bias and disregard for authority. Not only would his bigotry be an impediment to his work and social interaction (which will be VERY strained in a cramped bunker for 3 years), but his challenge to authority, combined with cabin fever, would lead to a potential mutiny in the future. Though he is healthy and virile, five people are not a viable gene pool, and the risks he poses outweigh the one and only benefit he has.

Originally posted by TheDuckster
3. Maria - Surgeon/Physician. Her husband left her 4 yrs. ago, and she hasn't trusted the male species since then.

ACCEPTED - If all those Medical Dramas on TV have taught me anything, it's that people in the medial profession can be just as messed up in the head as anyone else. I doubt Maria would let her distrust of males dissuade her from her Hipocratic Oath, or her impulse to heal a wounded individual. In time, if surrounded by a caring group of people she HAS to trust, she'll get over her problems. Next to Engineers, Physicians are CRITICAL to rebuilding society and passing on their knowledge to the next generation.

Originally posted by TheDuckster
4. Cecil - Diabetic. Has almost 3 yrs. of Insulin supply. Hardworking individual; no task is too menial.

DECLINED - Cecil will live on through his child. Men must make that choice sometimes, to die in order to give their wife and child the chance to survive. Though he would be an invaluable addition to the team, there's still a slot I have to leave open, and pragmatically, Cecil offers no specialized skill that must be propagated, and will not outlive the confinement period.

Originally posted by TheDuckster
5. Brenda - 5 months pregnant. Candidate #4 - 'Cecil' - is her husband. Very hard working individual

ACCEPTED - Hard workers are hard to come by, but more than that, there's no way in hell I could live with myself if I let a pregnant woman die in my place. Additionally, we know she can bear children, even though 5 people are not enough to sustain a viable gene pool. Unfortunately, her husband will have to sacrifice himself to give her that chance. Regardless, the whole point of trying to survive as a species is for the next generation, and the admission of a new life into the world is critical to that species-drive. Though we only have rations for six people, her child can breastfeed till we leave the shelter. There are countries where it's not unheard of for women to breastfeed their children well into 4 and 5 years of age, and since we won't have innoculations, shots, etc, this might actually be the preferred state so she can pass her antibodies on to the child.

Originally posted by TheDuckster
6. Rachel - Ordained Minister. Taught Theology for 25 years. Excellent teacher.

ACCEPTED - Though I'm not particularly religious myself, there is an immense value in a spiritual leader and teacher. When there's no other reason to hope, or to go on, they seem to find a way of bringing more hope out from within people, and 3 years in a bunker is going to require a lot of hope. I just hope that Rachel is open-minded enough to accept other's religious beliefs as well as her own.

And now, the trick part of the question:

Originally posted by TheDuckster
6 People have arrived at an underground facility, but ALAS, only 5 people are allowed in.

The shelter contains enough supplies, food, water, etc., to sustain only 5 people for 3 years. Basic medicine cache.

Dilemma:

Pick only 5...

This is the tricky bit that probably a few people missed. I pick MYSELF as one of these 5. After all, if the shelter only holds 5 people, and I'm the one making the choice, it implies that I'm there as well. If my wife and child are there as well, I'd also cut Brenda and Rachel from the list and give my wife and child their slot. But since the exercise only implies Me, plus the 6 people at the gate, I'd cut two, let four in, plus myself.

After all, someone has to lead the lot, and if I'm the one making this life and death decision, then that unenviable task has obviously fallen on me.

Originally posted by Noah-What
If I am making the decision that means there is a place in the shelter for me that is secured. Since I am not God I would give up my position so that all six of them could stay, with the required supplies for three years.

This might be considered a cop out by me so I don't have to pick one of them. In this situation if someone dies I pick myself.

They are all better qualified than me.

Agreed, I'm a simple aspiring independent film maker, my skills would hardly be of any use. Besides, I've not been afraid of death for a while now, and to borrow a line from the movie "Hook" with robyn williams "Death would be the ultimate adventure". As stated before, I would be of no use to the group, so if I'm gonna go, I might as well try and go doing something noble and giving other peopel a better chance.

I would have to let Ben go, sorry but there is only room for one virile person who doesnt follow orders and is the leader, me. My bunker my rules. I would have to consider the pregnant lady as two, I just dont think that you can look over that, so with that being said chad would have to go, cecil would have to stay, a child needs his/her father.

I would have to impregnant the preacher lady straight away before she got too old and started birthing waterhead kids (sorry I know that is cruel, but that is what happens).

I wouldnt worry too much about the man hating surgeon, I can be charming when need be. Plus I would be the one in charge, and someone like a Dr is going to want to be with the head man, she wouldnt be able to resist me.

I may, depending on how randy I am send cecil outside, and then lock him out so I could have his wife as my own.

then I could enjoy the apocoplypse with my heram of women. even when life and death is at stake, the only brain I think with is the one below.

I have to think how awful though it would be to have that many pregnant women in one place. When my wife was pregant I about went out of my mind with the insanity, so I may just set out on my own to keep from dealing with three of them pregnant at once.

The premise for this discussion is actually a Psychology test that tells you more about yourself, and what type of personality you have... then actually finding the answer to the question. The truth is that there is no correct answer.

I was in 5th grade in 1969, when I first heard of this question. Our class was videotapped by Psychology Graduate Students from UofM-Duluth.

Even at such a tender age, I remember the fear of realizing that someone had to be left behind. It screwed with my head for years. I really thought that we had to make a choice over who would live, and who would die. Little did I realize that we were lab rats, and our personalities were being type cast so some sadistic college program could learn more about the humanity of 10 year olds.

There was another very famous psychology test along these same lines concerning children with BrownEyes/BlueEyes and how it relates to prejudice.

The point I am trying to make is that your answer to this question says more about you than you would ever realize.

My answer is that if I am God... I would just make the situation go away, and all would be allowed to live well and prosper.

How virile is ben?
Can he not hav some last minute sex with some of the females?
.
Any working freezer in there for storing sperm leftovers?
Sperm banks require 3 days of no-sex b4 donating?
.
Does his sperm wiggle that much /
swim 3 metres in plastic trough?
.