Poll: Your Pet is Drowning, and so is a Stranger.

[DugMachine]

See this is the issue of whether I really value another person's life THAT much. If I pick my pet, well shit I keep my pet but some poor sob dies and people hate me for it. But I save the person and my beloved pet dies... yeah gonna go with my pet. May just be an animal but i'm not going to put it above some random strangers life.

I would hope there would be multiple people around and i'd yell for help just as I jump in to save my cat :3. Let someone else deal with the dying stranger.

edit: And I don't have to explain my actions to the grieving family either!

 

[Pandabearparade]

Its a person... there isn't a choice here.

That was my thought was well. I was clearly wrong. I just hope people would grow up a bit if they ever actually run into this situation.

Kinda sad that Dennis Prager was right. A ridiculous amount of people would save a dog before a human.

 

[DugMachine]

Honestly though why is this even a poll? Anybody who picks to save their pet is just going to get viewed as a monster and get shat on by most of the people on this site. Hell, people here even value a mass murderers life over their own. I don't get it but I just think they're delusional.

 

[Pandabearparade]

Hell, people here even value a mass murderers life over their own. I don't get it but I just think they're delusional.

Oh? I haven't seen that, but that's not really relevant to this. I'd change my vote if the 'stranger' was a mass murderer, but that isn't the point of the poll. This isn't Hitler drowning, it's a random Suzy Nobody.

You may want to consider that the reason people think someone saving a dog over a person is monstrous is because it is, in point of fact, monstrous.

 

[StormShaun]

I know how to save both, but in my opinion I would save the stranger.

Sad I know, and I would cry for my pet afterwards...

I'd ask who the stranger is and depending if he is I might just knock him out. (If he is bad that is)

 

[DugMachine]

Hell, people here even value a mass murderers life over their own. I don't get it but I just think they're delusional.

Oh? I haven't seen that, but that's not really relevant to this. I'd change my vote if the 'stranger' was a mass murderer, but that isn't the point of the poll. This isn't Hitler drowning, it's a random Suzy Nobody.

You may want to consider that the reason people think someone saving a dog over a person is monstrous is because it is, in point of fact, monstrous.

But why exactly is it 'monstrous'? Am I really such a bad person for choosing my pet of 10 years over some random schmuck? Hell, me personally I could probably save both being a trained lifeguard for years but not everyone is so lucky. Like someone else said, if their family is there to shame me why can't they jump in there and save them?

I just want a good reason as to why I should care about this person that much. And don't give me "oh well I shouldn't even have to explain it," cause you do. Had this person been alone and drowning i'd do everything I can to save them, so it's not like i'd let every random stranger die just because I don't know them.

 

[Zack Alklazaris]

Its a person... there isn't a choice here.

That was my thought was well. I was clearly wrong. I just hope people would grow up a bit if they ever actually run into this situation.

Kinda sad that Dennis Prager was right. A ridiculous amount of people would save a dog before a human.

Wait there are people that would actually save their pet over a human being? Look I LOVE my cat, I absolutely adore him and he adores me. Hell he waits for me by my car in the morning before I go to work, but you can't choose a creature over a human being society will crucify you! Well... maybe PETA wont, but honestly do you want THOSE people defending you?

Like it or not there isn't a choice, a human being always takes priority over an animal. There is a reason why a burglar who breaks into a house only to be mauled by your dog can sue.

 

[Pandabearparade]

I just want a good reason as to why I should care about this person that much.

You shouldn't care about the individual personally, you should save the human because the human dying will almost certainly cause a far more significant amount of suffering. Not only because the person herself would suffer, but because there are larger, longer lasting ripples that spread out from that death.
What if the woman is a mother with three kids? Are you really going to be able to live with yourself ten years down the line when poochie dies a natural death and that woman is still in the ground, her kids having to go without a mother for the rest of their lives?

Further, how would -you- feel if you were drowning and someone saved a dog and left you to die? I bet you'd be pretty pissed in those last few seconds alive.

 

[DugMachine]

I just want a good reason as to why I should care about this person that much.

You shouldn't care about the individual personally, you should save the human because the human dying will almost certainly cause a far more significant amount of suffering. Not only because the person herself would suffer, but because there are larger, longer lasting ripples that spread out from that death.
What if the woman is a mother with three kids? Are you really going to be able to live with yourself ten years down the line when poochie dies a natural death and that woman is still in the ground, her kids having to go without a mother for the rest of their lives?

Further, how would -you- feel if you were drowning and someone saved a dog and left you to die? I bet you'd be pretty pissed in those last few seconds alive.

And again, those kids and her family are still complete strangers to me. Why are my own feelings not accounted for other than "you'll feel like shit for letting a person die". Well obviously I would but i'd feel equally shitty for letting my pet die, probably more so because I know this dumb animal a lot more than this random person.

Like I said, I could save both in the real world most likely but since I have to choose, sticking with my pet. If you want to view me as a monster go for it, I know i'm not a bad person for thinking the way I do.

Offtopic but still ontopic: So this is a mother with three kids we're talking about here? Here I thought the drowning person was either or hehe

 

[cerealnmuffin]

I would be torn. Due to societal pressure, I would probably save the person though I care far more about the pet. When I hear about an animal tortured to death or hit by a car it makes me far more morose than hearing about some person dying in a car accident. There is a chance the person bullied someone or behaved in a jerk manner while I highly doubt the bunny did mean things. If said person starts saying it was by the grace of god or whatever that they were saved, I'd push them back into the water and go buy a new pet. If I'm to lose something I care about to save a tv-absorbed, consumptioner than I at least deserve the gratitude. Maybe I'm just grumpy, because of a migraine, but people aren't special. A walk around walmart shows just as much.

I have saved quite a few animals' lives as well as a person's so I'm not as heartless as my post may hint.

 

[Goofguy]

All I can say is wow, there are a lot of Escapists who can't swim.

Oh and I would save the human. My pet should know better than to go swimming in a whirlpool with a complete stranger.

 

[Pandabearparade]

Why should I care?

Well, if you're a sociopath with no regard for suffering you've caused there is nothing one can say that can 'make' you care.

Though for purely pragmatic reasons it makes sense to -pretend- you have a conscience and save the human. Saving a dog over a human would likely make it to big news outlets and make you a social outcast for the rest of your life.

 

[Pandabearparade]

Depends on the race of the person.

She's Irish, and got caught in a whirlpool because she thought her lucky charms were at the bottom.

 

[DugMachine]

Why should I care?

Well, if you're a sociopath with no regard for suffering you've caused there is nothing one can say that can 'make' you care.

Though for purely pragmatic reasons it makes sense to -pretend- you have a conscience and save the human. Saving a dog over a human would likely make it to big news outlets and make you a social outcast for the rest of your life.

So if so many people are around to witness why can't someone else jump in and go after the human -_______________-?

How about this. Same scenario but instead save a stranger or save your mom? Seeing as you put no value on a pet's life why even make that an option so let's raise the stakes.

 

[beyondbrainmatter]

I'd save my pet. Why? Because my pet is part of my family, the stranger by definition isn't.

 

[smithy_2045]

Assuming no legal consequences, the pet. If I'd get charged with manslaughter or something that'd directly negatively affect the quality of my life, I'd pretend I can't swim and get someone else to do save one of them.