The Dolphins Make Me Cry.com - Forums

The movie they're advertising the piss out of Cameron Diaz,Frank Langella....

Push the button get 1 million dollars,but someone dies.....

Do you do it?

depends on who dies.  The odds are with you that its not going to be someone you know, or even someone in this country.  At what level does your sensitivity decline in favor of personal greed?

No.

I think a lot of people would say no publicly, but if they could push the button in secrecy...

I would have pushed the button 3 times before they finished asking the question.

I'd push the button in a heartbeat. People unintentionally kill far more people than that for far less.

I'd push the button without hesitation.  Not proud of it, just being honest.

At this stage I wouldn't. If I was desperate enough I likely would.

I'd push the button...no question.

One of my Co workers,said Hell yes..As Long as there isn't a wire hooked to the box,and I see the person...I'd do it....He then went on to justify itas it would be hard to prove his button push killed someone....I have to admit..I'd probably do it....

There's also the fact that a random life isn't worth a million dollars.  (Although I'm sure it is to them.)  Theoretically, you could push the button, kill one person, then donate the money to feeding people in Africa and save 1000 lives.  The good things you could do with the money outweigh the bad things that would happen if you pushed the button.

It's funny to say you would do it. But, if there actually was a thing and someone died on the other end of that, you would be complete scum.

With my luck, if I did it, one of my kids would drop dead.

How would they prove that the person died due to you pushing the button? There's no way to know. I'd push it and hope it was some random person being put out of their misery.

I don't think so.  Human lives are weighed against money all the time.  People die in one place so that others can live in another.

I would have trouble doing it if I knew the identity of the person on the other end, though.

Here is something I don't see anyone considering, does everyone have access to this button? Think about how many people would travel to get to the button. Are there limitations on how many people can push the button? I really need more ground rules to this game because if you think about it really the button would be very popular, but the more people with access to it the more likely it is you yourself ends up a victim, someone you know, etc. That may start getting people to reconsider if they really want to push the button.

I assumed it was a one-time thing, which was a personal morality lesson.

That's some really bad karma.

What if there are thousands of buttons, all around the world, and each one gets one push PER MONTH.

Then the likelihood of someone you know being killed by the button seems a lot higher.

Does that change your mind at all?

Someone is a really greedy bastard...... :D

No.  Even at once per month, the chances are still extremely minuscule.  It's still only like 1000 people over the course of a lifetime, which is still really a small number when compared to the population of the Earth over that same lifespan.

If you're trying to feel out people's "moral plateaus" and "spinal density" using The Box as the testing ground, then a few decent breakdown questions to ask would be...

1) Would you push the button for $1m if it were someone in your city? Your county? Your state?
2) Would you push the button for $1m if the person who would die is under 20 years old?
3) Would you push the button for $1m if your name was advertised as the button-pusher?

1.) Yep...Probably
2.) Yes..Thinning the herd (I'm joking!)
3.) Hmm I'm very low key, shy away from attention..Public hummilitaion....Just might make me think twice...Knowing today's society, I'd probably get picketed!

Never.  I cannot conceive of a sum large enough to make me kill someone.  I live well enough already.  I don't need a million bucks to improve my life.  More importantly, this would go against every moral I hold dear.

I find it extremely odd the Dave who is antideath penalty and doesn't think the government should have the right to determine who lives and dies would kill someone for his own personal gain. While I who am pro death penalty would not push the button.

^^ It seems to me that using that comparison just shows why you don't understand my stance on the death penalty.  I am not against it because of a moral protection of life.

^^^But by saying you'd push the button, you say the life of someone you don't know is worth a price.  So does this mean you're OK with the death penalty as long as Uncle Sam cuts you a check afterwards?  I find it hard to correlate "don't kill an inmate just in case he's innocent" with "I'll kill a complete innocent as long as I get mine".

Phish, I found it odd as well that several of the people who rail against corporate greed, militarism, and, well, all things allegedly right-wing would have no problem executing someone for a cool mil, which I would imagine most people would consider a very right wing thing to do. 

Then your stance is all over the place because when discussing the death penalty one of your points was the ethical problems it creates. By definition, morals are part of ethics.

I think I've got a pair of right wings...which would help explain why I fly around in circles all day long like a buzzard.

I would do lots of things for enough money (legal or otherwise) that I don't think the government should have the legality to do.

For a million bucks, I'd throw a cat off a bridge.  I don't think that the government should be able to do it, though.

I have always thought of myself as part hippie and part redneck which is very common where I come from. Don't get me wrong, I would kill anyone for the right reasons. But doing a complete stranger for no other reason than personal gain is way out there for me.

It's not just personal gain.  It's also that you could save multiple lives for the cost of the one that you took.

You could, but I doubt many of the yes votes were for philanthropic purposes.

Mine was definitely for philanthropic purposes... I planned on taking my million and keeping a dozen or so midget hookers gainfully employed for about 6 months.

Nope.  No way.

I like money...not so much that I am willing to accept God's job as my own.  Killing a random person for my own benefit?  I, and anyone else willing to do that, would deserve the retribution that would eventually find it's way to your door.

Dave talks about taking the money and improving the life of 1,000 other people.  Great.  What if the person that gets killed is a doctor who works an extra twenty hours per week providing medical care, for free, for those that can't afford it?  What if the person killed is a person that dedicated their lives to helping others, working in soup kitchens, organizing fund raisers. 

What if the person is a scientist that was on his way to curing cancer?

Wouldn't the people that the deceased was already helping out weigh your attempt to help others with that money?

The odds are that the poor sack that dies would be a general joe like you or I.  It wouldn't be a random criminal waiting on death row, nor would it be the President of a nation.  Yet that random person has layers of people that love him / her.  Not up to you to decide to end that person's life so you can feel better about yourself and feed a random village in Africa for a week.

Excellent points Maine. I think whether you believe in God or Karma, or whatever that you have to know anyone offering a deal such as this has ulterior motives in store for you or the money. Your great intentions are likely going to bite you in the ass rather than turn out like you planned.

I just don't see how anyone would look at this and think anything other than "faustian bargain". 

I think the fact that it's an anonymous person makes all the difference.  The ramifications (at least that you'd know about) would be nothing except for guilt.

If I knew who the person would be, or would have to be subject to that knowledge after the fact, I don't think I'd do it.

^^

I think that it's an anonymous person makes it worse.  That life isn't any less valuable than your own just because you don't know the person.

Fill a movie theater with 350 people that you don't know, will never know and no one you knows will ever know.  Hand you a gun.  You need to get on a ladder, aim into the dark theater and pull the trigger.  Once.  The bullet will connect with someone and kill them.  For your job of pulling the trigger one time you get one million dollars.  But you need to actively kill the one random person yourself.

Still do it?

I think you guys have completely strayed from the initial question. The question is "push a button and someone dies. You receive a million." There is nothing in there about pulling the trigger, etc.

Would I shoot into a theater? No. That's me doing the killing. Pushing a button is so random. Plus, how would they prove that you pushing the button caused the death? It's something that you might never know about.

^^^ Either one is you doing the killing and you should know that. They tell you that by pushing the button someone dies. You are just rationalizing your decision to kill someone now.

If you say so. I'd still push the button. Which was the original question with no other details.

And that doesn't mean the discussion can't swing elsewhere as long as it's on the same subject lines.

If someone has the sack to push a button that would result in a death that same person should have the same sack to be willing to do the deed themselves.

Is that a rule you just made up? Is that written somewhere?

Except you left out the big detail, that someone dies because of your action.

I thought that was understood. Push button. Someone dies. You get 1 million. What's the issue here?

The issue is that several people feel it is OK to kill someone as long as it is nameless and faceless. Put a face to it, is it still OK? Would you kill if you had to look the person in the eye? If not, then killing by pushing the button is a gutless move.

I think what you guys are caught up on is consequence.  What she said is "they'd never be able to prove that it was you" - sort of implying that the only thing preventing her from killing someone is consequences of getting caught.

Pushing the button makes killing someone seem less controllable and more supernatural, while if that button is a gun's trigger, you can draw a direct line to who did the killing, and therefore subject the killer to consequences.

In the end, they're the same thing, except in one there's direct traceability between killer and killee, and in the other, its completely un-tied

It's the fact that I wouldn't want to know who it was or have to watch it, etc. We're talking about killing by button pushing. Not shanking someone.

It's not the traceability or anything. It's that I don't want to have to think about. Which is what's implied by the original question.

Phish, we're not aruging whether it's gutless or not. People do gutless things everyday without a thought. See: Harassing people and acting like assholes on message boards, blogs, etc.

That isn't my point in any shape or form.  I am not talking about accountability.  We're talking about receiving a million dollars.  The cost of receiving that money is being directly responsible for someone's death.  Therefore whether you push a little red button or pull a trigger, the method shouldn't matter.

Apparently calling that to light (or simply having your own opinion and not bowing to other opinions) makes someone "a message board asshole." 

I get that by pushing the little red button you can lie to yourself and pretend that someone didn't die...and then run off and enjoy your million dollars.  Denial is strong.  However the reality is that someone would die.  If you're willing to snuff out someone's life on a whim you should be willing to pull the trigger.  Not that hard of a concept to understand.  If you aren't willing to do the deed yourself you shouldn't be allowed to hide behind the "little red button."  Either way the result is going to be the same - someone that was alive moments later is now dead.  You are to blame.

I wasn't referring to you as "a message board asshole". I'm thinking more along the lines of those that spew racist, sexist, homophobic stuff. Project much?

The method matters to me.  I wouldn't shoot someone for 1 million.  I would push the button, though.

^^^ You would also throw a cat off a bridge which brings up some interesting Michael Vick comparisons.

If I were allowed to actually kill the person myself, and not be arrested for it, then my price for the service drops from $1 million to about half of that. If I can pick the person AND kill them myself and not be arrested, that shit is definitely pro bono.

What if it was 100 billion?  Would you shoot a random person for $100 billion if you were guaranteed you wouldn't get any consequences?

Maybe.


Why do I feel like I'm getting attacked by the group here?  I'm just being honest about a morality question -- at what point do you sacrifice your morality for your own well-being?  I guess mine is at a lower point than yours is all.


Funny story.  I was dating a girl and a similar question was: Would you break up with me for 60 billion dollars?  I said "yes".  I also didn't have to think about it.  She was mad at me for like a week.

I would still have it on my conscience so that would be a consequence.  However, like Sunstroke said, if I got to pick the person, there are definitely a few I would like to see dead.  I hate to admit it but it's true.

I've got your back, Dave... I sold my blood, sperm and most of my morals during the hard times.

You do need to learn when NOT to be honest with girlfriends though. Your response there should've been "only if I can break up with you, collect the money, and then start going out with you again."


Embrace your inner devil...some people just deserve the bullet.

For the record, I'm not attacking anyone, I'm just playing devil's advocate.  I actually admire your honesty.

Well...yeah!  This is me we're talking about here, come on...

Most people admire honesty...as long as it is "complimentary honesty."

"Do these jeans make me look fat?" is a good example of this...

[/end derailing]

Not my intent at all Dave, I'm sorry it's coming off that way.  I'm just engaged in dialog, didn't mean for it to come across any other way.  You aren't being attacked, just making conversation.

This "what would you do for a million dollars" thing has been out there forever.  I remember all this talk after that damn Demi Moore movie as well.  

Personally, I don't think a million dollars is gonna cut it anymore.  Granted I wouldn't refuse it if someone delivered me a briefcase, but there's inflation, you know?  I think people gotta start offering 3 million or 10 million before stuff like this starts coming up.  Sure, a million is nice, but can you really retire today with ONLY a million dollars?

2nd that dave

Wow, has this thread gone total Off the wall...I'm a little surprised at the direction it went.....So I'm gonna re-stir the pot and take it from a different approach that I'm surprised it didn't go......

1.) In the movie trailer,they're in desperate straights....Most of us aren't really in desperate straights losing our jobs,possibly our houses,cars,etc,etc..1 million dollars may not be alot of money,but it would pay off most peoples mortgages,car payments,credit card debts pretty fast.It's not push the button and we're on the glory road of easy living....I think  (FYO brought it up in the beginning of the thread) more people would even do Maine's shoot someone example,than they'd like to admit...(Again most of us aren't in serious money troubles!)


2.) People do this type of scenario everyday right now...For no where near a million dollars...and not just 1 person being killed...Afganastan,Iraq...(This isn't about the war! it's the point that we fly drones to drop bombs on buildings that kill people...The Button is being pushed....)

3.)There have been a few movies that have this premise...The very beginning of Wargames -John Spencer arguing with Micheal Madsen to turn the key to launch the missles....The Whole movie of Crimson Tide,is based on to kill or not to kill...

So anyways....I think the scenario,of inside your home (where you're the king of your own castle) kill someone blindly for money is an interesting fodder....but It's one of those situations where in real life...Most people wouldn't know till they were in that scenerio....

Watch the news tonight.  You will undoubtedly hear a story of a man (or woman, I suppose) that "pushed the button" and killed a guy 10 feet away for a $80 watch or his wallet, his car - MUCH LESS than a million bucks.

I would push the button for a naked night with Cameron Diaz!  Does that make me a bad guy?

B, you're confusing "duty" with "profit".  Crimson Tide - duty to obey an order versus doing your diligence to confirm said order.  The people pushing buttons in Afghanistan are engaging enemy combatants that even our current President acknowledges as such (or, otherwise, why would we remain there?).  The premise of the box is would you take the easy way out and profit from the murder or somebody else.  I think this thread has remained exactly there.

Yeah, and you probably shake your head and say "what a scumbag".  For a million, would you say "what a scumbag!  But then again, for a million?  Hell yeah!"?

I mean No dosrespect to anyone in the miltary.....

No Confusion at all..if this was 1968,I'd say your statement holds water...This is the U.S. is 2009,we don't have conscription,the you sign up for the miltary,and we give our troops a salary,and last I checked up to $40,000 for college....It's not my Duty to kill anyone.....People in the Military are trained,and PAID (last time I hecked that meant profit :D ) to risk their life,and kill people...

that's all I'm gonna say about the military...

True, it's an all volunteer force but you surely realize that the majority of the US military isn't kids from the OC.  For most it isn't a choice between private college or working at a rich uncle's law firm.  I don't think of it so much as profit as survival, but I know what you're saying. 

Guys I was in tech school with worked on Gunships at their first base--that definitely covers part 2 of your previous post.  They never pushed the button but made it so someone else could. 

Now, if I happened to be one of those guys from '68 that came back from Nam I think I'd be a million dollars richer.  I think killing people is like eating potato chips...once you pop, you can't stop.  In that, you get over it or pass a point of no return once you do it enough. 

Personally, the guilt of pushing the button and knowing someone died would keep me from doing it and I'm financially in the shitter.  Realistically, I'm pro death and I agree with someone's argument that the person getting whacked probably isn't a superstar of society--I understand that doesn't make it right.  Conversely, nobody is so important that they can't take one for the team.  This is definitely one of those situations where I sometimes wish I was morally inept so I could just hit the button and take the money right out of the gate.       

I've discussed this with a friend of mine where it's like dropping a rock in a pond and the wave starts.  His philosophy is the wave hits us all or another wave starts by each person affected.  I say it has a very limited reach.  The world keeps on spinning.