Hypothetically speaking, if your death would save the life of one or more complete strangers that you know nothing about, how many people would need to be saved (if any) in order for you to give up your own life?

EDIT: Your death would be painless and instantaneous.

  • Jay@sh.itjust.works
    11·
    2 years ago

    Strangers I know nothing about? Sorry, as I dislike people in general, I can’t give a number. I can’t even say if such a number exists. What if I say 100 and they’re all racist?

    I would give my life for my son though. He ain’t no racist. He’s two years old.

  • Izzy@lemmy.world
    5·
    2 years ago

    The situation would have to be rather intentional. Like I’m in a room next to a room with the other people and the fact that my death saves them is an absolute beyond questioning. Ideally I’d also be able to see them.

    In that situation probably just 2.

    I don’t think this can be extrapolated to any possible real world scenario.

  • zacher_glachl@lemmy.world
    41·
    2 years ago

    Is every second person on this fucking website suicidal? I guess the “lemmings” checks out.

    As for me, it would have to be a number of people that, by their sudden absence, manifestly affects the life of people I do know and care about. Like, at least a billion or so if randomly chosen

    edit: and that means possibly fewer if not random and more focused on my geographical location. If 100 mio die on my continent alone then the rest is still pretty screwed.

    • Kerfuffle@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
      1·
      2 years ago

      As for me, it would have to be a number of people that, by their sudden absence, manifestly affects the life of people I do know and care about. Like, at least a billion or so if randomly chosen

      If they ask someone else, you’d better hope that other person doesn’t think like you - for your sake and the sake of people you care about.

  • Monster@lemmy.world
    2·
    2 years ago

    Depends on the circumstances. If I was meant to choose between a small group of people I love versus millions of other people I don’t know I’d choose the people I love. But, if I were meant to save hundreds of other people, including my loved ones, then I’d gladly do that to.

  • Kerfuffle@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
    2·
    2 years ago

    So is the question how many it would take for me to believe that I should give my life, or how many before I’d actually have the willpower to choose to die?

      • Kerfuffle@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
        4·
        2 years ago

        I hope you’re just looking for interesting responses rather than a definite answer!

        I genuinely wonder if saving a negative number of people would be better overall. Humans, especially ones in developed countries like those privileged enough to be posting about stuff like this are responsible for a lot of negative effects we don’t really like to think about. We benefit from exploiting other people, animals, using resources in unsustainable ways.

        I think even if someone takes a lot of individual steps like going vegan, trying to recycle, minimizing transportation and other consumption, not having children, etc that they’re still not even going to break even with the harmful effects just existing causes.

        If it wasn’t for effects like that I’d probably say 2-3 but in reality I’m not really sure if I truly should save anyone. (By the way, you don’t have to worry about me going out and murdering people.)

  • AlexTheTurtle@lemmy.blahaj.zone
    2·
    2 years ago

    If the people im saving will cumulatively live more than me then ill do it. Simple utilitarian calculus. If Time lost < time saved do it.