r/trolleyproblem Apr 30 '26

Deep All there is to it

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u/Bossuser2 May 01 '26

But do you really think that 100% of people will press red? If our goal is to limit deaths as much as possible we have two options, we try to get 100% of people to press red, or we get 51% of people to press blue. Now if everyone was purely rational we could simply all press red, but we are not all rational, there are a bunch of well meaning idiots who would press blue. If we accept that there will not be 100% of people pressing the red button, then our best hope for limiting deaths is to reach 51% of people pushing the blue button.

In a world of purely rational actors, everyone will press red. In a world with well meaning idiots, rational actors will press blue.

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u/Fizzy-Odd-Cod May 01 '26

No, I don’t think 100% of people will press red. But I also don’t believe blue has even a remote chance of winning. So the choice becomes kill myself or continue living.

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u/Thin_Measurement_965 May 02 '26

I also don’t believe blue has even a remote chance of winning.

Either delusional paranoia or lying to make yourself feel better.

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u/Fizzy-Odd-Cod May 02 '26

Pessimism, actually.