What would you do

So this question stems from a conversation I had with a coworker.

The question was: If you were single, no family or lovers, and your commander marched you to a gas chamber filled with innocent women and children and told you to flip the switch or you would be killed what would you do?

My coworkers answer was flip the switch, my answer was die.

What say you ATS?

I'll take, "put a bullet in the commaders head", for 500 Alex!

What the?

No matter if you're single or not, it doesn't mean you don't have a heart and know the difference between right and wrong.

Any sane person would say they'd rather die. We're talking one life over many, doesn't take long to weigh up.

a reply to: XTexan

Take the commander's gun, then throw him into the crowd.

a reply to: XTexan

I would not flip the switch, irrelevant of any family I had. Murder is Murder, no matter how you sugarcoat in that scenario. I would want my children to be proud of mummy, not think I'm a coward.

Most people would flip the switch.

Me? I like Kaw's answer better. I'd rather fight my way out of that situation and try to survive without flipping the switch.

Who is the commander and is the premise following the life of a soldier or something?

originally posted by: KawRider9
I'll take, "put a bullet in the commaders head", for 500 Alex!

Lol, yes that would be my choice also but for the sake of the hypothetical, lets say thats not an option. The point of being single was meant to eliminate having your family at gunpoint also. I am asking ATS because my coworkers answer greatly disturbed me.

a reply to: XTexan

Hmm, is there a twist to this at all?
Where are they situated?
Have they all got some contagious disease or killer virus? Ebola?
Why just women and children? Are there no innocent men left in the world?

But seriously, those people are going to die, whether you or whoever flicks the switch. If you don't, someone else will be ordered to.

I couldn't, and wouldn't do it.

The important question here is way would one decision or the other make any difference at all.. When the commander could just as easily push the button himself, who would you be saving. And if you have no family, no lovers etc, why would you want to even go on living in a world where a commander could give you this command.

Does one answer over the other prove anything? Does it make the person better or worse than the other? You over your coworker? Or him over you. Whats it matter?

a reply to: XTexan

But you don't even get a positive out of it why would you say yes and flip the switch?
There's no incentive, would you get paid a lot of money or something?

I don't believe anyone would do it for free, even if they had the capacity.

a reply to: XTexan

I'd ask my commander to put me in the chamber with them in exchange for letting one of the innocents go free.

originally posted by: MissBeck
a reply to: XTexan

Hmm, is there a twist to this at all?
Where are they situated?
Have they all got some contagious disease or killer virus? Ebola?
Why just women and children? Are there no innocent men left in the world?

But seriously, those people are going to die, whether you or whoever flicks the switch. If you don't, someone else will be ordered to.

I couldn't, and wouldn't do it.

They are pure innocents no disease or anything. This is hypothetical so no men, pretend they are in a seperate camp if it helps.

originally posted by: DAZ21
a reply to: XTexan

But you don't even get a positive out of it why would you say yes and flip the switch?
There's no incentive, would you get paid a lot of money or something?

I don't believe anyone would do it for free, even if they had the capacity.

I guess its simply a moral test, would you stand up for your morals even if the outcome was negative either way.

Strong arm the commander and put him in the gas chamber.
Then let the innocent people out to escape.
I'd then have to leave with the innocent people.
But I'd leave the commander in the gas chamber to be scared to death.
I don't know if I'd kill him or not. It would depend ...

a reply to: XTexan

i would fight. Not because I think I'm some badass with a fighting chance but just because it would net the most result. Think about it:

- You pull the switch = several people definitely die and you will probably still be killed.
- You don't pull the switch = you definitely die and they probably will also die after you.
- You fight = everybody will probably die but there would be a slim chance of somebody making it out alive.

There's nothing to lose from resisting and everything to lose from complying.

I'd tell him, "man forget you and your switch."
And if he's really going to kill me over it,

originally posted by: XTexan
So this question stems from a conversation I had with a coworker.

The question was: If you were single, no family or lovers, and your commander marched you to a gas chamber filled with innocent women and children and told you to flip the switch or you would be killed what would you do?

My coworkers answer was flip the switch, my answer was die.

What say you ATS?

Sounds to me like I am a soldier in this scenario. That being the case, why would my commanding officer threaten to kill me--a valuable asset in the oppression of these women and children--for refusal to flip a switch any one of the about to die civilians themselves could be forced to flip by simple deception or intimidation? Think about it. I am a soldier. The military force in which I serve has spent perhaps millions on my training and if those skills have been tempered in combat, then I am all the more valuable to both the service and commanding officer of my unit.

Or have I--in the unstated details of this scenario--demonstrated weakness in some form to the officers appointed above me? Is my loyalty to the cause of oppressing women and children in doubt? Even if so, logic and hard, bitter experience on the battlefield tell me I am still much more valuable alive than dead to my commander.

Then again, could flipping the switch be some sort of initiation into the ranks of an elite "death unit", an action that would affirm my commitment to the cause--a test? If so, and while sitting here behind my PC, I'd like to think I would question such an order--even make a play for my commander's weapon. However, were I really the soldier in this scenario whose mind was likely the product of months, perhaps years of intensive training and possibly combat--were I a man such as that, then it's very likely I'd flip the switch, get the promotion, win my commander's undying praise, etc.

Thus far your answers are giving me hope in humanity, please continue. As I said my coworkers answer disgusted me, not even sure what to think of him anymore. I like that people would fight, even though the hypothetical doesnt allow for it, its good to see that most people dont care. Please continue.

a reply to: AphoticJoe

Excellent points, thanks for the contribution

a reply to: XTexan

Die while taking away as many lives of commanders as possible while shouting FREEDOM