Beelzebuddy

36. Someone close to you is dying. You have the choice to let this person live for 10 more years, but if you do, you cause the death of 10 strangers. You don’t have to see them die. Do you take the offer?

The easy answer is, “No”. I don’t want to be responsible for the death of others. But I would probably want to check for any fine print in the agreement I’d be making.

If the ten people are in great pain and/or suffering and seek death as a relief, then maybe it might be a deal worth considering.

If the ten people are selected from those who bring pain and suffering to others, and whose loss might prolong and/or improve the life of others, again it might be a deal worth considering.

What would the ten “extra” years be like? Would they be ten years of good mental and physical health? Would they be a horrific extension of life at all costs, regardless of the suffering this person might go through?

If someone could make such a deal, ensuring the ten years would be good, then I might instead see if they would take my life in exchange for prolonging the other’s life.

What would it mean for my entire worldview if any sort of deal were possible? Who could possible make such an offer? How could I trust such powerful being to do right by any of us, when they can take life so easily?

You never know what you might do in such a hypothetical situation until/unless it occurs. Since I don’t think it’s possible for this situation to occur, I’ll stick with my original, “No.”