The Box movie: Would you do it?

[Phishfan]

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. 

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.

[Dave Gray]

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

[Phishfan]

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

[Sunstroke]

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.

[MaineDolFan]

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.

[Phishfan]

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.

[JVides]

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

[Dave Gray]

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.

[MaineDolFan]

^^

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?

[Buddhagirl]

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.

[Phishfan]

^^^ 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.

[Buddhagirl]

^^^ 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.

[MaineDolFan]

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.

[Buddhagirl]

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?

[Phishfan]

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

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