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
    17·
    3 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.

  • PiecePractical@midwest.social
    5·
    3 years ago

    I think if it were over 100 it would be almost always be a yes. But to be entirely honest, t probably depends a lot on the day and the mood I’m in. There are days I might do it for one or two. On the other hand, there are days when I think the planet probably needs fewer humans so yeah, as bad as it sounds to say out loud, it depends entirely on the type of day I’m having.

    Today, I think it’d take at somewhere between 10 and 20. I guess I’m feeling optimistic.

  • Izzy@lemmy.worldBanned
    5·
    3 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
    4·
    3 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.

  • Call me Lenny/Leni@lemm.eeBanned from communityEnglish
    3·
    3 years ago

    At least two. A cell population never survived if their mitosis only splits them into a single cell. Think of me as a cell going through mitosis. If I’m bargaining, I like to increase my legacy in the process.

  • Kerfuffle@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
    1·
    3 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?

  • Monster96@lemmy.world
    1·
    3 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.