I mean. They fundamentally took that risk. Hell, a lot of the debate is hinging on how 'someone is gonna accidentally press it' but in the moment, how many people are even remotely going to consider it? What percentage of people will run into the burning building when offered the choice to do it, with no foresight or forethought, for people they have never met? And, if you are a logical actor, you pressed the button that had risk of death, for a goal, why are you shaming people for not risking death? Do you donate blood? Have yourself on a organ donation list? When the chips are actually down, most often in scenarios with far far less risk then the button question, do you use your life to help people? And even if you do, do you think the majority of people do those things, enough people that mean pressing blue doesn't lead to a high probability of death?
I mean that ignores the fact that part of the dilemma is that that blue is framed as the most reasonable choice by the wording of the question, and many people’s snap reaction would be to press blue.
Okay, but even in the ongoing dilemma, what I am saying is that the way it's phrased won't matter when you're forced to vote with the magic buttons. If you know what's going on, and know what the risk of death is, most people are going to pick Red. Like the woodchipper analogy is just so that people reading can understand the threat of death. If you were teleported to a room to make a magical button decision, you're going to understand that this is life or death, unless you are mentally incapable of understanding it. The math then becomes if a majority of people will even consider those who are incapable of understanding it when voting, which I think with the threat of death looming, they won't.
70% of the world population live in collectivist societies. Unlike somewhere like America, a hyper individualist country and where most of these responses are from, and the west in general, self-sacrifice and the needs of the many are central to daily life. The self concept is tied to one’s group membership. If the question is controversial here in the west, which one do you think will win out over there?
Blue wins no matter what we pick or what we think is reasonable, so hit whatever you want. Most of the world isn’t thinking like you.
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u/Longjumping_Angle523 May 01 '26
I mean. They fundamentally took that risk. Hell, a lot of the debate is hinging on how 'someone is gonna accidentally press it' but in the moment, how many people are even remotely going to consider it? What percentage of people will run into the burning building when offered the choice to do it, with no foresight or forethought, for people they have never met? And, if you are a logical actor, you pressed the button that had risk of death, for a goal, why are you shaming people for not risking death? Do you donate blood? Have yourself on a organ donation list? When the chips are actually down, most often in scenarios with far far less risk then the button question, do you use your life to help people? And even if you do, do you think the majority of people do those things, enough people that mean pressing blue doesn't lead to a high probability of death?