What Would You Do? - An Experiment - Page 3 - Political Forum

FRYandBENDER · #21 (**permalink**) 04-04-2008, 06:43 AM

Like Caltex, I'd hardly be hiding in a room, unless I was caught without weapons or something, but if I were, like Izzie, I'd smother my child. I look at it this way. If I were in that room and it were someone else's child crying and risking getting me killed, they had better smother it or I'll do it for them. I'd extend the same courtesy to my neighbors.

mairead · #22 (**permalink**) 04-04-2008, 12:15 PM

I remember my mother telling me that if the Nazis had invaded and marched into where we lived, that she would have thrown my brother, sister and I into the nearby canal rather than let them take us.

Truth-Bringer · #23 (**permalink**) 04-04-2008, 12:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Izzibeth

I saw this question posed on a television show about moral and ethical questions that are not easy to define as "evil" or "good" and how our brains cope with making such decisions. Here is a scenario that was presented on the show and I am just curious to see how people answer it. There are no right or wrong answers, but feel free to discuss why you believe you would do what you have chosen.

Scenario

A civil war breaks out in your country. People are being killed left and right and you and your people are being targeted. One night, the enemy storms your town and begins their massacre. Everyone is being killed, no prisoners are being taken. You find yourself hidden in a secret room with a handful of your neighbors, some you know and some you don't. All that is left of your immediate family is yourself and your newborn child.

As you hold your child in your arms, everyone remaining silent and scared, your child begins to cry. It's wailing is sure to give you away and if it is not stopped then you, your child, and all of your neighbors hidden in the room will be killed. If you all remain silent then there is a very good chance that you will survive this attack and be able to escape to safety when it is over.

You put your hand over your newborn's mouth and nose to quiet it....

What do you do?

1. Smother your child to save everyone in the room.

2. Do not smother your child.

I would not hide in the room with other people to begin with, knowing that my child could start crying and jeopardize their safety. I would set out alone, with my child, and try to escape to a safe area on foot, randomly hiding in isolated places where there were no other people.