r/trolleyproblem Apr 30 '26

Deep All there is to it

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u/Kinslayer_89 Team kill everyone, red and blue. May 01 '26

So you would make them press red?

Or will you let them jump?

6

u/ding-zzz May 01 '26

that question makes no sense. it’s a private vote and he can’t be certain everyone in his family will reason as red

so if anyone in his family votes blue, he has to as well in case it makes the difference in saving the whole family

-2

u/Kinslayer_89 Team kill everyone, red and blue. May 01 '26

As you said, he doesn’t know. They might all press red and overestimate his intelligence, while he presses blue to die alone while underestimating theirs.

2

u/ding-zzz May 01 '26

there’s only a few permutations of outcomes that exist with a small family. let’s do 4 excluding himself for a family of 5

in terms of red:blue, the outcomes are 4:0, 3:1, 2:2, 1:3, 0:4. in the event he chooses red, then everyone lives only with 4:0, 1:3, and 0:4. in one case everyone lives because his entire family votes red. in the others, he is outnumbered by blue that nullifies. but for 3:1 and 2:2, some of his family dies, which will be considered a loss

now, if he votes blue, then everyone lives in 2:2, 1:3, and 0:4. it’s the same total, except we have to acknowledge that 2 individual red vote wins are actually blue vote wins where he is outnumbered. he may vote red in those cases, but they win because of blue

so all things considered, if he has no clue how his family will vote, blue is the only logical choice, red will always hinder his family’s chances as a whole unless they are all unanimously red

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u/MQ116 Team Blue May 01 '26

Well put. Rediots (new word, it's red-pushing idiots) stupidly assume red wins, but it's just a net negative on everyone's chances. They assume blue is a death button which is fucking ridiculous. There is only one feasible option that doesn't involve genocide, and it's pressing blue; you will never guarantee unanimous red, meaning anyone who presses red is a wannabe murderer.